Zimbabwe Mission Team Returns With Changed Lives And Fresh Testimonies

June 7, 2011

On June 1, 2011, the Zimbabwe Mission Team arrived home after a long 27 hour flight. They are forever changed from the experiences they had and the people they have come to know.

Starting off the trip, the mission team was immediately embraced  by over 200 soldiers from the Highfield Temple Corps as they lined the streets filling the air with songs of praise. The following Sunday, the team was introduced to the Corps (which didn't even have walls to shield the congregation from the elements). The Highfield Temple Corps has an average of 1200 soldiers... SOLDIERS... who fill the building every Sunday for the two worship services. They sing songs to Christ loud and proud with people giving their testimonies throughout the service and random dancing mixed in between the two.

Throughout the trip there were a group of about 55 women that cooked meals for us, sometimes taking the whole day as a shift to prepare meals. There were three families that housed the team, all of whom were also soldiers at the Corps. There were also families that wanted to host a dinner  a couple times through the trip and sometimes had guests that filled their home to the brink, sometimes sheltering 60 individuals in their tiny home. These people don't have the crazy idea that Americans possess that says they can't have people over for food because their home isn't big enough. They go right ahead and invite the whole village anyway.

           One visit the team made was to the Howard Hospital. People from all over the Harare area sometimes have to walk 20 miles to the Howard Hospital, where the one doctor and his nurses keep shop open to around 4 am if they weren't able to serve every patient at least once. The main portion of our visit there was focused around the children's ward, where we spent about two hours sitting and talking with children and their mothers, handing out toys and making them laugh. Most of these children are dying from illnesses that are cureable in the United States, such as diarrhea and not having enough food, and then some are suffering from other illnesses such as HIV/AIDS. Of all projects that were worked on in Zimbabwe, this might be one that needs most attention.  http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2006/08/15/welcome-to-howard-hospital/

 

 

 

A second trip that was made was to the Chinyaradzo Children's Home. This was near the Highfield Temple Corps. At the Chinyaradzo Home ,there were over 50 children that make this a place of residence, some since just after their birth. One boy was recently found in the corn fields nearby where his mother had left him due to her inability to take care of him. Luckily one of the neighbors of the home had found him before it was too late and brought him in to the Home. Now he has gained plenty of weight and is loved and cared for by the adults in charge of this safe haven. The mission team led a vacation bible school here for the kids that weren't at school, making bracelets for them to keep, and in the end showing them a blanket full of toys, clothes, and art supplies for them to have and enjoy until the next time a team will pass through their doors. There was a washing machine donated for their clothes so that they didn't have to hand wash 50 children's clothes every single day, and there was a bore hole drill and pump donated to them so they can pump water for their acre long garden that grows all their vegetables for meals. Then we met the man in charge of picking up mail or packages for the Children's Home. He showed his broken down bike that didn't have brakes and explained that if he only had $100 dollars, they could get another bike, one that wouldn't risk his life riding down the road with crazy Zimbabwean drivers. Steve and Yvonne Wells, one of the couples on the team, saw the need and donated $100 right there on the spot so he could get a new bike. That very day the man had gone out and bought a new bike, and the very next day the team took pictures of him and his new ride. With time, the Chinyaradzo Children's Home will grow in strength and faith, and their garden will grow and their children will be happy and find new homes.    

Towards the end of the trip, the team headed across the country to Victoria Falls to see one of the seven natural wonders of the world. During this trip the team had a great time getting to know the driver Tapiwa (or Joel, his English name), a man who had left his wife and child behind to spend the past two weeks with the team from the United States, and they have shed new light on God and living a Christian life for Him, something that Tapiwa was aware of but not quite too sure of. Half way through the trip he had started playing gospel music in the van and had brought his wife and child to church as well. Captain Terry's mother and Major Marere of the Corps had also joined us for the trip. People from the Renton Corps had actually given Captain Terry money to put towards something nice for his mother, which was used for this trip. And Major Marere was brought as a token of gratitude for all that he had done in getting the team over to Zimbabwe.

Overall, the mission team from Renton, WA, USA was immensely blessed, learning new words in a new language, experiencing and learning how to make new foods, meeting new people, and praising Christ in a new way.  Now they are home, ready to express love to others and share their new stories.  They are forever changed from the experiences they had and the people they have come to know.

 We hope to bolster the locals’ spirits and support their ongoing work including visiting and caring for AIDS orphans, leading evangelistic meetings, donating brass instruments, medical supplies, a water pump and media equipment.  
 
We pray that people see the value in the importance of this Mission Trip. A trip like this requires financial support from a number of people. We need to raise nearly $60,000 for the 20 Zimbabwe Mission Trip team members for travel, food and lodging expenses. We hope to purchase the airline tickets , so as to take advantage of affordable fares.  If people can support us in anyway financially, we will be very grateful. More importantly, we need your prayer support. 
 
If you feel led to be a part of this mission through financial support, you can make a check payable to The Salvation Army; write “Zimbabwe Mission Trip” on the memo line and mail to: The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 977, Renton, WA 98057.  While money is important, it comes a distant second to our need for everyone's thoughts and prayer support.