Holiday in Zimbabwe

Thank you for praying for us while we were in Zimbabwe with our friends Jack & Jill. We had many people praying for us, and many answers to prayer, which we were very grateful for. We experienced God’s provision of one meal a day, water that we could drink after chemically treating it, and cheaper accommodation. We were also kept safe, and in good health. After struggling to continue working in the hot temperatures (approximately 42°C, 108°F), many prayers were said, and the weather cooled significantly (approximately 17°C, 63°F). It even rained! We must continue to pray for good rains so that the Zimbabweans can benefit from successful crops and will have some food to eat.

The people & places we visited were mainly in three locations: the town of Masvingo (where we were based most of the time), the village of Mangisai (our contact, Felix, lives in this village and its one of the seven that use the existing bore-hole), and Harare (the capital city).

We enjoyed Christian fellowship with many people, in home groups, in the Baptist Church in Masvingo (where Felix attends), and particularly at a service in the village of Mangisai. The service was held outdoors, and was attended by members of several churches. There was singing, praying, and Jack gave the talk.

The project to improve the water supply to the villages progressed, but the main stumbling block was that the area is based on granite, which means that boreholes can only be drilled where there is a natural fault in the rock. Looking at geology maps during a meeting with the Zimbabwean National Water Authority, we could not immediately identify a site that would definitely have water and would also be convenient for the villagers. A local water survey will be required to find somewhere suitable. However, while visiting the villages, and having discussions with local people, we found that with the current economic situation there has been significant decrease in the population of the village (due to urban migration and higher death rates). This means that there is less demand on the water supply, and people no longer have to queue for the borehole (although it hasn’t brought it any nearer to the villages of course). We realised that, although it would benefit them to not have to walk so far to get water, a new bore-hole is no longer their greatest need. So we are continuing to pursue the water project but we are also investigating projects that meet greater needs.

During our visits to Mangisai village we found that the nearest shops were about 5km away, but they were empty & closed, and are unable to reopen. As a result, the nearest place to buy food is now in Masvingo, which is 25km away. We saw that food is one of the greatest needs.

In Mangisai we found that there were child-headed families, where both parents were not present. This discovery lead to interesting thoughts about how they, and other poor families, could be helped. The idea came to us that vacant land owned by Felix, which he is happy to donate to this project, could be used to provide large allotments for those who would benefit from them. This should enable the poorest families to grow food, in addition to any other positive activities they undertake such as schooling. These beneficiaries will receive supervision, encouragement, and agricultural training from a local pastor, Enoch Matambanadso, who is trained in agriculture. They will also be given seed, fertiliser and tools. It would be good to pray for the beneficiaries and for the committee we’ve put in place to oversee this project: Felix, Enoch, and Enoch’s senior pastor.

We experienced great networking with local people and with charities working in Zimbabwe. Although there are no charities working in Mangisai, we still benefit from their knowledge of the surrounding areas, the culture, and lessons they have learnt. Zimbabweans working in Masvingo for an international charity were very friendly and helpful. They gave us good advice, helped us arrange meetings, and provided transport for two days. With their local knowledge they felt the “allotment” (share cropping) project had a good chance of success. The local pastors were very enthusiastic about the project and they are willing to commit to organising it and playing their training & pastoral roles, with Felix as treasurer. Having learnt from previous work by NGO’s in other areas, they thought that the outline of our proposal should work in their area. So thanks again for praying, Nick & Kathryn