news from zimbabwe
BANKET
A wind of change has blown in our country, but we cannot see things getting any better in the next few months. At the moment all crops in the fields have commenced to wilt and the rains have ceased in many areas of Zimbabwe.
We just so need the coming of Jesus to put the world right, and when we see the signs of the times at the moment we know it cannot be long. The sad thing is that until Christ comes back these problems will get worse, not better: it is a definite sign of the times and the world and its values encroaches into our lives. How we need to stay so close to God’s word, because I am convinced this is the only antidote.
Yes, the troubles confronting us are terrible, but we thank God that He is in control and we, through His mercy will be saved. We all fear and worry at times, but, trust in God we can hold on in the midst of extreme and painful experiences. God knows our human weakness and He won’t desert us.
Bro. David Yelulani
Do you see your sinfulness but feel unable to make yourself better? There are many people who think they are not good enough to come to Christ. Do you expect to become better through your own efforts? ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.’ Jer.13:23.
There is hope only for us if we believe and trust in God. We must not wait for stronger persuasions, for better opportunities, or for holier tempers – we can do nothing of ourselves. We must come to Christ just as we are – beware of procrastination. Do not put off the work of forsaking your sins and seeking purity of heart through Jesus. Here is where thousands upon thousands have erred, to their eternal loss. I will not here dwell upon the shortness and uncertainty of life, but there is a terrible danger, a danger not sufficiently understood, in delaying to yield to the pleading voice of God and choosing to live in sin. For such, this delay really is sin. However small it may be esteemed, it can be indulged in only at the peril of infinity loss. What we do not overcome will overcome us and result in our destruction.
Adam and Eve persuaded themselves that in so small a matter as eating of the forbidden fruit it could not result in such terrible consequences as God had declared, but this apparently small matter was the transgressing of God’s immutable and holy law, and it separated man from God and opened the floodgates of death and untold woe upon our world. Age after age there has gone up from our earth a continual cry of mourning, and ‘the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together in pain’ as a consequence of man’s disobedience.
Bro. Fibion Ngozi
CHEGUTU
Thank you very much for the great concern you have shown and the help you have given. I also wish Brother Duncan congratulations on his recently published book, and congratulate Cindy on her qualification as a medical doctor. It is really good to have one of our own sisters as a doctor out in the mission fields.
I look forward to receiving more Bible Basics, which are useful to our students here.
Bro. Richard and Sis. Hlezipi Phiri
Photos:
Sisters and Sunday School at Chegutu
Brethren at Chegutu
CHINHOYI
I have received your letter and was so happy to hear from you. I hear that there is a book ‘On the Work of Christ,’ and I wondered if you could send me a copy. I am also interested in receiving the latest edition of Bible Basics. I have heard that the new edition is big and thick, and I would be so glad if you could send one to me. I would appreciate any book or material which contains the gospel message.
Bro. Tinashe Mberengwa
I would like to thank you for your support. I would like to appeal to you to keep on praying about the economic crisis so that God will soon solve it. But we don’t have to worry about it too much because we don’t belong here – we are waiting for the new world, with joyful hope.
Greetings to all brothers and sisters there. As for me, I’m OK. God is still keeping me with His love, and I hope you are all being kept also.
Bro. Calvin Chitano
Photo: Bro. Calvin Chitano
Thanks for the mail and hope things will be alright when the mighty Lord Jesus comes. We are alright and trust that the coming of Jesus will be very soon. Meetings are going on well and I have been going around the country preaching and baptising members in distant places that sometimes took two - three days away from home .I am the happiest person when doing God’s work. I am still not employed and we survive on a little that I get from people whom I help with driving lessons or relief driver. I am a qualified driving instructor.
Bro. Gift Lungu
CHIPINGE
We pray that you may be richly strengthened in this work, to continue to give guidance, counsel and support for the advancement of the Gospel in these perilous times in which we now live. The signs around us are pointing to the coming of the Lord being very near. Let us hold fast to the faith that we have received, so that our Master will find us constantly working in His vineyard, upholding that faith and confidence in His word and precepts, which will give us acceptance at His hands and an abiding place in the glorious kingdom which Jesus will establish.
May the blessing of our Heavenly Father be upon you until that time and the salvation of Zion, which we are all earnestly awaiting.
Bro. Moses Dhlakama
Photo.
A gathering at Bro Moses Farm, with Sis Ruth on the right and Bro Moses in front turning round.
CHISAPE
Well, I always give thanks to our Heavenly Father who gave CAT strength and ability to publish Gospel News to all nations. Everyone, everywhere, when they receive this magazine feel the spirit of togetherness when they read it.
Bro. Weston Kamota
Photo: Bro. Weston Kamota outside the Chisape Hall
Here in Zimbabwe things are now better than they were last year. We thank our brothers and sisters in the UK for their prayers, and ask them to continue in prayer for us.
We were in spiritual Egypt, but now we are in Canaan: please keep up your support for us. God through you in the UK helped us– I say so because we moved from hard times. We are both fine, together with our family.
Bro. Edwin and Sis Shumirai Katandika
HARARE
In our day to day living it is with great relief that we recognise that the coming of the Lord draws near. Signs of the times have been telling us since the proclamation of the Jewish state, and the great exodus of the exiled Jews back to Israel. Since the Jews are God’s chosen ones, it is now up to them to prepare for the coming of the Lord. They should every man turn away from his wickedness and prepare the way of the Lord as John the Baptist did, although many people didn’t repent nor were baptised.
Mystery still shrouds the coming of the Lord, because we do not know the date of his coming. It is said God only knows when, and the coming will be like that of a thief. A thief is really a most undesirable element in society. And now what will the coming be like? In 1 Thessalonians 4:16 we are told: ‘For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.’ We notice that a lot of events will have to take place before the actual coming. This will also be a secret thing because Jesus’ actual stepping on the earth may not be recognised until God wants it to be known.
This coming will signal the end of the age. A lot of changes will take place. Jesus started telling his disciples what would befall the temple and its gifts dedicated to God. He said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.’ And the disciples still wanted to know when this would take place, and the sign thereof. Jesus replied then, that many would come in his name saying, ‘I am the very Jesus you are looking for, the time is near.’ But told them not to be deceived. Many terrible events would happen, and he urged them to remain steadfast. This would also signify that his coming is not yet.
Can we say that the Lord is near in his coming? Yes! We shouldn’t be sceptical about it at all. Jesus said in Luke 21:9 that, ‘These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.’ Mark the words ‘will not come right away.’ We are living in this period – so the end will come as God wills.
One of the most marked changes will be the replacement of men’s governments by the government of God. All the good and bad regimes we see today will be no more: Jesus Christ will reign from Jerusalem with power, authority and the backing of the Almighty God. And then ‘the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’ (Hab.2:14).
So we can see that the direction of the signs of the present time are leading us somewhere real. The accomplishment of it all will be when the responsible dead, great and small, shall stand before the throne and the books are opened; and each person will be judged according to what he or she has done.
This is a great marvel and yet at the same time the majority of the people on earth are very ignorant of the truth of the coming of the Son of Man. To many, great world events such as earthquakes, famines, wars and global warming seem to be natural events that pass by with time, yet God is in control of it all. So we can comprehend the Power that is greater than all of us.
Bro. Alexio Kajowe
KADOMA
The last two months have not gone well for me. My sister passed away, (she had been very sick), and my Mother the same month. But now it is over.
I am now going every second week to the meeting in Chegutu. I had been going to a Bible meeting with Bro. Itai Tembo but now he and his family have moved to Sanyati. We can’t contact them by phone, as the phones do not work, but I can do the readings, as now have reading glasses.
I lay my weaknesses before the Lord my Saviour so that I may be strong in God’s hands. I like reading my Bible every day – it is my spiritual food.
Sis. Alice Mlambo
KARIBA
Thank you for Gospel News. I wish you could send some more books to enhance growth in our understanding.
It is with pleasure that we announce the baptism of Esther Chininga as our Sister in Kariba.
I would also like to thank you for the book ‘Christendom Astray.’
Bro. Witness Majecha
KWEKWE
Thank you very much for sending us Gospel News. It brings us together with brothers far and near. We are always pleased to receive it. The address is still the same – thank you for a job well done.
Sis. Rosemary and Bro. Joshua Mukarati
MASVINGO
We held our Winter Bible Study on 12-14 June 2009. The seminar was attended by Brethren John Muraho and Faustino Svuvure from Zaka, Brethren Dzingai Sumburera and Isaac Vherema from Chivi and Brother Tavavaremba Mugova from Triangle. Our study theme was the book of Acts. The rest of the people who attended were of the Masvingo Rural meeting and Brothers, Sisters and students in the catchment area.
The weekend was a good one because we studied and discussed our theme and everybody benefited. The seminar ended Sunday evening and people had to part on the following morning. The seminar was very enjoyable and 36 people were able to come. We are planning to hold another seminar next year, if God wills.
Apart from preaching the Word of God, my family and I do some gardening to enable us to have additional food. We grow tomatoes, onions, vegetables and beans. We also grow some bananas. Proverbs 12:11 encourages us to work hard for our families. ‘He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread…’
Bro. Admire Museba
MUTARE
I want to thank you very much for your encouragement in reminding me of Jesus’ return to this earth to raise the dead, judge the responsible living and dead, then finally establish God’s Kingdom on this earth: it is very true. Thank you for sending Bible Basics and the Bible quotes to me. We are busy with our four students. If God wills, maybe they will be baptized.
After death comes judgement before God’s throne, when all the responsible will be judged according to their lives. When Jesus comes to the earth to rule the world, those who truly believe in God will be given everlasting life after their resurrection, and the righteous will help Jesus in his rule from Jerusalem over the whole world.
Bro. Henry Kushata
Thank you so much for sending papers about Israel, literature about faith and Breaking of Bread service papers. I was really pleased to receive the literature.
If you have any used CDs or videos about the Word of God, I will be pleased to receive them for viewing and listening – with students and other people.
Bro. Gilbert Tevere
RATELSHOEK
A visit to Ratelshoek: Brothers Admire, Patrick and I visited our Bro. Farai Makandeni, who is working at Ratelshoek, and we had an opportunity to meet the Bible students in that area. Bre. Admire and Patrick returned the same day, but I remained behind and then had good time to meet several students and explain to them our beliefs. Ratelshoek is so close to the Mozambique border, and we even crossed into Mozambique to see students who are on that side.
Bro. Moses Dhlakama
SANYATI
There has been a slight improvement in the physical life here due to the multi currency that was introduced after the ‘birth’ of the inclusive Government, but the greenback (US$) has not reached most families. To us and others, the allowances paid do not meet all our daily needs, and the payment of utility bills and school fees: yet we must admit it is better than when we were using the local Zim dollar which is now obsolete at the present time. But the good Lord has spared us the obvious outcome of death through starvation and disease.
We praise God; Western governments, including yours have offered humanitarian assistance. We pray and hope the coming of Jesus will be delayed no longer, to right all the wrongs the world is experiencing currently.
I remain in isolation, and we read our Bibles every day as a family, and do morning and evening prayers. I do miss the members of Chegutu Ecclesia, although once in a while I travel to see my ailing mother, thereby enabling me to meet with the brethren.
Bro. Itai P. Tembo
TRIANGLE
I was very pleased to meet other brothers and sisters at Masvingo Rural Ecclesia. The Bible discussion has left me in a far more advanced stage. I gained a lot from the talks, as they encouraged me to preach to others in society as Paul did.
We focused on Paul’s preaching and his difficulties which arose as he worked for God. Paul preached to his utmost ability, though he faced trials. He also encouraged the elders to remain firm to the word of God. Acts 20:22-24. Here Paul was much concerned with God’s mission, knowing that he was going to be tortured and arrested. This shows that Paul only feared God, not human kings. We are also warned to fear the living God, who can destroy man. Paul’s preaching also teaches us to be devoted to the work of God even if we face troubles. On his mission, Paul met Timothy who had a good report amongst believers, (Acts 16:1-5) and Ananias, a devout man also carrying out God’s work (Acts 22:12). We must try our level best to work for God like these people, so that we might please Him. At the end, when our Lord Jesus returns, we will, through God’s grace, be rewarded with everlasting life.
Bro. Tavaremba Mugova
ZUMBA
I am a sister who was recently baptised and I would like to greet all the brothers and sisters around the world, wishing them the best in Christ. Brethren, it’s now the time of which the prophecy speaks, of Christ’s return becoming nearer and nearer.
Very soon we are going to see the King, Jesus Christ, for it is written, ‘When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, see that ye be not troubled, for these will come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famine, earthquakes and pestilences in various places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows…then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven…and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory’ (Matt.24:6-8, 30). So we in our day must keep watching.
Sis. Nhamo Wiki
ZVISHAVANE
I am writing to let you know that, sadly, Bro. Patrick Chisvo fell asleep, and up to now Gospel News has been sent to our Ecclesia in his name. I am now the Recording Brother for Zvishavane Ecclesia. May God bless you that you may continue the good work of the Gospel News.
Bro. Sibangani Maka
