NEWS FROM ZIMBABWE

BANKET

Thank you very much for the wonderful work we have seen CAt. doing in the Lord's vineyard here in our ecclesia. We enjoy reading the Gospel news magazine and other books you sent to many of us. We are still actively at work here and our memorial service is fairly well attended.

I am pleased to let you know that the parcel of Bibles and a few Introducing Bible Basics sent to me have arrived safely. once more I would like to thank you for your invaluable help by keeping on feeding the flock in these difficult days to deal with.

In a song of praise the Psalmist cries out, "one generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. on the glorious splendor of thy majesty and on thy wondrous works, I will meditate." (Psalm 145:4- 5) The book of James tells us to count it joy whenever we face trials, knowing that it is for a short time, and the times we are in are the last days, just before the return of Christ, when he will restore order in this troubled world.

--Bro. David Banda Yelulani

When we read or hear God's Word, He expects us to put it into practice. Read ezra 9:1-15. After only a few months, a serious problem of a life-style inconsistent with God's words became apparent. People were convicted by such passages as exodus 34:11-16, Deut 7:1-4 which spoke of purifying the land and banning foreign marriages, ezra 9:1- 2, which inevitably led to the worship of pagan gods. ezra, realizing the grim situation took it straight to the Lord, not in any `holier than thou' attitude, but in deep sorrow for his people, ezra 9:3-6. God's holy name was at stake because of the contamination of His holy people. What do we need to do when we know we have sinned? ezra's prayer is honest and humble, ezra 9:8-15. Again we begin by acknowledging our own unworthiness. Facing and owning the sin and making no excuse can be the hardest part, yet we remember God's grace in the past. From our point of view in history we look to the mercy and grace of the cross and trust God for pardon and peace.

Thank God that the blood of Jesus , His Son, purifies us from every sin. 1 John 1:7-10.

--Bro. Fibion Ngozi

CHEGUTU

It has been a long time since I last wrote to you. I do hope you are well through the grace of God. As we look to the new year, we hope it will result in Jesus' return. We do appreciate the good works CAt are doing toward helping all people in the world

to know and understand the Word of God. may God bless you for your loving and caring heart.

The following are some helpful notes on the one to call upon in trouble based upon 2 Kings 20:1-6. v.1. "In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death." our times of trouble determine where we stand and on whom we call. In times of hardship or happiness our cries must be to God. our family can deceive us, our friends, husbands or wives, but God will never let us down. v.2. Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. He knew God had the answer about his illness. We do need to go to God and tell him our situation. Also we need to walk in the ways God favors so that when trouble or persecution come, God will answer our prayers. v.3. "Remember, o Lord, how I walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done good in your eyes." The way we present our cases before God makes our cries to be heard. Hezekiah walked truthfully and when the prophet Isaiah came with the news of death, he cried to God, and before the prophet left God had answered his prayers. now does God answer our prayers in all our situations? Let us all check our ways and let the Lord Jesus rule in our lives. In the wilderness we read concerning the bronze snake. numbers 21:8, "the Lord said to moses, make a snake and put it on a pole, anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." they looked at the snake on the pole to live, but not on their wounds. We need to look on the cross and call on our Heavenly Father, rather than look at man for deliverance. God is able to help us and overcome our situation. then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake they lived. So let us look at our Lord and live. His arms are stretched open to receive us for comfort. So let us all go to the Comforter and know the one to call on in trouble. God is ready to receive us, brothers and sisters, so let us pray, walk and live in the truth of God.

--Bro. Farai Phiri

CHIVI

Thank you so much for your letter to me, which was so helpful about my health and work in the chrome mine. The idea of emigrating to Australia is sounding good to me. Help me brother, how can I emigrate there? my wife is a sister and we have a baby girl of 14 months. By now I am holding a certificate in safety and mining management regulation. Yes, chrome mining is very dangerous but the Zimbabwe mining Board has made regulations that we work with.

Also, here in Zimbabwe things are still hard for those who are not working. to get money to buy food and pay bills is hard. We thank God that He has helped us to have a better life. Prices are not going up as they have done in previous years. In your letter you said that it is like Sodom and Gomorrah. This is not only in the U.K., it is the world over. Christ is round the corner to come and dwell in mount Zion. Let us keep watching and keep our lamps burning with oil.

After months without being paid I was unable to attend the A.G.m. and since we live in a mining area communication is very poor which also affected my welfare items such as food and medication. one tone of chrome ore is paid $10.00 (£4.00). We are paid when the ore is carried out to Zimasco. This can take a long time, while the family is suffering from shortage of food and medication.

--Bro. Dzingai Sumburera

GURUVE

In Guruve we are fine, the rains have just started so we are now busy preparing our lands for planting. In your last letter which you sent me you mentioned growing cassava and you said that in countries like Kenya it is doing very well. I spread this news to my fellow brethren and sisters who became interested in growing this, but the problem we have is how to obtain the

plants in our rural area. We are ready to try the project if we could get all the required materials.

--Bro. Fanuel Mavodzeka

Information available

from SCC. No. 1 Verona Gardens, 70 Livingstone Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe,

KARIBA

As an ecclesia we are very pleased to receive the Gospel news magazine through the copy you sent to our secretary Bro. Witness majecha. I used to receive a copy but it has since stopped. For the past year I have been receiving a copy intended for Bro. emmanuel mhondiwa who stopped coming to church in 2009, and all efforts to bring him back are proving fruitless; that copy, together with the one sent to Bro Witness we then share with brethren.

Thank you for the movie, the real devil, we will be sharing it, all of us have the gadgets to play the video. I ask you if have got CDs for hymns, especially those in the english black hymn book, we don't know most of the songs tunes. It is also unfortunate that none of us is able to interpret the notes for the songs.

--Bro Danmore Kaocha

MAGUNJE

There are things that are detestable, hateful and abominable to our God and our Father. The Scripture expresses God's displeasure with numerous actions and behaviors. God is interested in our attitude towards and understanding of Him being matched by our outward display of His values. Anything else is not wanted.

--Bro. Joseph Ndoromasi Chishumba

Thank you very much for the distant education you give me. Please don't get tired or bored with my thoughts or questions, as other churches do not believe these true teachings. We are African, without teachers, and all those that you teach are praising the good and true understanding of God's Word. I thank you very much for "Wrested Scriptures" which gives us the answers to many questions and is a great help to our brothers and sisters.

--Bro. Misheck Hondonza