December Zimbabwe Report–Robert & Joy Garrett
‘It is just a few days before Christmas and all through the house, all kinds of creatures are stirring and . . .” OK. If you take “the house ” to be this old sin-sick world, there are indeed all kinds of “creatures” active in pushing Satan’s agenda. So it is really no rime to “take a long winter’s nap”
“But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” 1Thess 5:4-6
PRAYER: I ask for much prayer for Daniel and Rosewinter Kubvaruno. They love the Lord and are truly dedicated to serving Him. Rosewinter suffers from high blood pressure and heart problems, and especially needs our prayers. They are an elderly couple who take care of me while I am in Zimbabwe and run things there in Ruwa while I am gone. Ruwa is not simply my residence but is our mission headquarters and our Bible Camp and requires much oversight. If we were to lose them I frankly do not know who could take their place.
PRAYER is also needed for Michael Mangisi. Michael is a dedicated Christian and has been with me for many years. He is a skilled worker and has been involved in most of our building works—bricklaying, plumbing, welding.—He is diabetic and is now suffering from dementia which has become increasingly worse the last few months. I have been paying all his medical and prescription bills which have become increasingly onerous. Government hospitals used to be efficient and inexpensive but are no longer that. The alternative is private clinics and doctors, some of which are demanding payment in US currency for their services. The problem is that when we send money to our bank in Zimbabwe, we cannot withdraw US currency. Instead we can only withdraw a very limited amount in Zimbabwe “bond” currency. The majority of transactions must be by bank transfers or debit card swipes which are taxed at 2%.
BUDIRIRO: In our last newsletter we had reported a problem with the supply of the exterior face bricks. We had paid the brick company for 20,000. They delivered 10,000 with the promise to deliver the remainder shortly. After months of repeated phone calls and personal trips out to their factory, they finally—after 16 months—delivered those necessary bricks. We thank our Lord for prayer answered, and now the walls can be completed.
Next will be doors, window glazing, and, last but not least, the plumbing.—the toilets, hand basins, sewer connection, etc., all of which is a major operation in itself.
Gospel Outreach: The Harare area churches have a Gospel outreach team made up of mostly youth volunteers who do house to house visitation and Gospel campaigns. One of their recent ones was to revive the church at Arcturus Mine.
Arcturus Mine: A few miles outside of Harare. This was a gold mine that employed many hundreds of workers and had a very extensive compound with hundreds of houses. It was a small town with schools and shops. We have had a congregation there for many years and had built a meeting house for them.
Unfortunately, the gold ore was eventually exhausted and the mine closed all operations. Thus, all those hundreds of workers were now unemployed and most of our church members moved away. The few that were left were unable to continue the church. However many hundreds of families still live there and somehow manage to make a living in various ways.
Our Gospel Outreach Team did a lot of work there, eight new converts made and the congregation revived. To God be the glory. Pray for that congregation which is mostly babes in Christ. and pray for those in this Gospel team.
God Bless Your Christmas and a Happy New Year
The Lord Richly Bless Each Of You !—Robert & Joy Garrett