news from zimbabwe
BANKET
We read in the letter to
the Ephesians that husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who
loves his wife loves himself. No one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and
cares for it, just as Christ does the church. For we are members of his body. So
this is our example and we have become the body of Christ through baptism. Gen.
2:22-24 tells us that the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken from
man, and he said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall
be called Woman, for she was taken our of man. For this reason a man will leave
his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they shall be one flesh. We
have become Christ’s ‘bride’ through his death (Adam’s sleep) and his wonderful
resurrection.
Bro. Fibion Ngozi
Thanks once more for the
leaflets etc. so that I can communicate with you. Things are very difficult in
our country these days. I could hardly afford to purchase the postage, since I
am out of employment. Quoting from our Master in Matt. 24:9, we are prepared to
be murdered for the sake of our Lord’s Name, as is happening in some countries,
but perhaps this is just "the beginning of sorrows" (v. 8). Thanks for
everything and much love in our Master’s Name.
Bro. David Yelulani
CHEGUTU
The good Lord continues to
bless our numbers. Please join us in rejoicing in the baptism of three more
babes into Christ last November 15, they are: BAUTIE MBEWE, GOMBA P. BANDARI and
TOFARA GIBSON. We have met to join those of our numbers near and far in the act
of remembering our Lord’s sacrifice by partaking of the emblems. We are
overjoyed by our increase and hope our Lord will continue to bless us all so
that we preach the Good News of the promised Kingdom, which binds us together,
even though we are separated. Let us all strive hard and toil in the Lord’s
vineyard and at the appointed time the Almighty will definitely give us our
reward.
Bro. Itai P. Tembo
Thank you very much for the
Bible Basics which are of great use as I have so many students who needed
them; that was wonderful. The situation in our country is not good, but we hope
God will intervene and restore peace to His children and destroy hunger and
poverty. God says in Hosea 11:1-2, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and
out of Egypt I called my Son. But the more I called Israel,
the further they went from me". Our Father in heaven loves and cares for us, but
we let Him down by running to the things of the earth. A man was a servant of
the Lord and living in poverty. God heard his prayers and he became a rich man.
He turned away from God and thought it was better to enjoy his money; he could
not be found reading Gospel News nor praying, but he enjoyed his money;
"When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became
proud, then they forgot me.
Bro. Farai Phiri
Photo: Bro. Farai
Phiri with the carvings he made at Africraft, which are sold to help Brethren
and Sisters.
CHINHOYI
I would like to thank you
all for Gospel News; it is a magazine full of enco uragement,
testimonies, preaching and all good news from the Bible; I thank all who
contribute to it. I would also like to thank Sis. Ruth Owen for the book she
sent me; I did not write to her due to unaffordable postage prices. I would like
to know much about the nation of Israel – ancient and modern times – if you have
books and maps about it. As we await the coming Kingdom, let us always think
about Jesus Christ who died on the cross so that we might be saved.
Bro. Moses Ajiweka
GUTU
I am sorry to hear of a
Brother from Uganda
who is experiencing a very gruelling life with his mother, the problem being
that of religion. In most cases the tension usually occurs when one finds the
real truth about the Kingdom of God. I know it’s hard to keep going when life
keeps throwing us curves. I have a few words of encouragement to all in such a
situation. As part of the Christadelphian family, we might think that we have
made a mistake. We must always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because we know that our labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Cor. 15:58). We
must devote ourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful, as other religions
depend on human tradition rather than on Christ (Col. 2:8). We must set our hope
on the Lord so that he will deliver us from such hardships. We must endeavour to
instruct those who oppose us, in the hope that God will grant them repentance
leading them to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
Bro. Tarirai Raphael
Nyandoro
GWERU
I travelled to Rimbi and
met with Bro Moses Dhlakama there. We talked about many issues regarding our
ecclesias in Zimbabwe.
In the evening we had a Bible talk from Bro. Moses based on Babylon (Iraq): that
the garden of Eden was in Iraq (Gen. 2:14) He also took a quotation from Rev.
14:8, "Babylon is fallen" – applying to both literal and spiritual
Babylon.
Bible Class was on four themes from Paul’s 2nd letter to Timothy: (1)
my beloved son (2) sound in the faith (3) in season and out of season (4) hard
times. After the Class, Bro. Moses showed me a project at Rimbi being funded by
Meal-a-Day fund. I then left for Mutema, and met Bro. Patrick. Bro. Patrick
arranged a meeting at Tangan; we met two Brothers and one Sister. The next
Sunday Bro. Patrick and I went to Mutema and started with Bible study from 9am
to 11.30am, which was well attended. After that we had our Sunday service.
Bro. Dzinga Sumburera
HARARE
I give my thanks to God who
has been my Guide during my 13 years working in Harare. Now I am leaving Harare
as my employers are leaving for Ireland. I am going to accompany my wife in
isolation at Nyanga. The isolation will be only for the flesh, but in spirit we
will be together. We always remember each other in prayers and writing as Paul
did, "I always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in my prayers. We
continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your
labour prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus
Christ" (1 Thess. 1:2-3). May the love of Christ be with the Kawara family who
were very supportive of me during my 13 years in Harare.
Bro. Israel Mutunduwe
May God bless you all who
do His work. I also take this opportunity to thank Bro. Fred and Sis. Nancy
Milburn for bringing the truth to us. We were in darkness, as we thought we went
to heaven when we die. We thank you also for sharing with us what you know.
Sis. Lassie
RENCO MINE
I am 17 years old and
attend the Breaking of Bread service at Masvingo Rural ecclesia every Sunday. I
have read Bible Basics and it really helped me, most especially where I
was in doubt.
Simon Mudavose
Letter from Bro Davison Mupariwa
Isolation member in Chishuma Magunje, Zimbabwe
Thank you a lot for
sending me Gospel News. It’s helping very much to improve my Bible
studies and also to learn how my brothers and sisters around the world are
living and what they think and know concerning the coming Kingdom of God which
Jesus Christ is coming soon to set up on this earth. Sadly, I would like to
comfort brothers and sisters who are in trouble for the truth in the Bible.
Don’t worry too much, brothers and sisters, Jesus is coming very soon to wipe
away your tears. Jesus is going to be King of Kings and Lord or Lords. We shall
all be happy in this Kingdom.
May I take this
oppertunity to thank Brother A.D. Liwawa of Malawi in his exhortation on false
prophets which was in the Nov/Dec 2003 Gospel News. It touched me a lot
because I am surrounded by a lot of these prophets here. I was a hard nut to
crack. I have Jesus as my prophet who is at the right hand of God pleading the
case of his true believers. Keep on teaching, my brother. May you write me a
letter with more teachings on that.
I am now struggling in
Chipapa, with a place beside Elephant Walk Hotel along Kariba Road. I am doing a
lot of work here to clear the place of scrub to make a good field. If possible I
would like help to buy good maize
seed and fertilisers to give
me a start to become independent.
It is very hard to
attend Sunday services in Chishumba/Magunje every Sunday because of bus fares. I
would like to thank Bro. K Smith of South Africa for sending me exhortation
papers.