October 9 2006 Report by Lynn and Paula Leverett on their Mission Trip to Zimbabwe and South Africa

Prior to our departure for Africa the three of us (Caron Guillo, Lynn and Paula Leverett) met with the shepherds at Southwest church [Amarillo, Tex.] for a time of prayer.  The theme of the elders’ prayers was for God to go before us preparing the way of the hearts of those we would see.  We want you all to know our God answered those prayers in such a way that when the days were long, the roads were almost impassable, words were difficult to speak, water and food was far & between, time was limited, we felt His presence and power.  We are so thankful for your prayers.

SHORT SUMMARY OF ZIMBABWE WORK:
We found the Wedza congregations growing in number, knowledge and dedication to our Lord.  This work began in 2000 with two High Schools, the St. Liabos congregation and today there are in excess of 15 churches and cell groups in schools, under trees, in huts or wherever two or three are gathered.  We are sad to say because of our limited time and poor road conditions, we were unable to visit all the new cell groups.  Our Wedza supported preacher Godwin told us there are now 3000 Christians in the Wedza area.  Assan our supported preacher in Dorowa, Zimbabwe (45 minutes drive from Wedza) stated that there is an area of 35 villages within bicycle riding range of Dorowa. His goal is plant churches in each one. One of the reasons this growth has been accomplished is the training of the Short Term preachers through Roger Dickson. We are so indebted to Roger and his wonderful work and vision.  We also visited Zvarkare Matibenga, Harry and Charlotte’s WBS student who was trained at Mutare Bible School.  This is our first visit of Zvarkare’s work.  It was a long drive to Zvishavane where he is located.  Southwest has supported Zvarkare for the last three years.  After Zvishavane, we traveled on to Mutare and were able to visit with Campion Mugweni who heads up the training of the Short Term Preachers.  We taught at the Sakubva Commercial College where we shared World Bible School with all the students.  Eight were baptized after our session with them.  In all there were 13 baptisms and over 40 restorations.  We also visited 3 feeding centers that are being operated in a wonderful efficient manner.  One of the disappointing things we encountered was the “anti” movement has been targeting Wedza preachers, especially congregations meeting in a building.  At the end of every lesson Lynn dealt with this false teaching and warned the congregations against this divisive effort. 

OUR JOURNEY BEGINS
After our tiring 19 hour flight from Washington DC to Johannesburg, South Africa we were met at the airport by Donna Horne, wife of Al Horne.  Al is the Director of SW African Bible College.  Donna took us to their home, allowed us to freshen up, fed us a great meal, allowed the use of their computer and made us feel at home.                 

We were excited to arrive safely in Harare, Zimbabwe. Washington and Alice Mhlanga took us to their comfortable home.  For the next 12 days the Mhlangas provided housing arrangements, Zimbabwe dollars, and drove us wherever we needed to go many times up and down narrow bumpy dusty roads.   The Wedza area travel included trips to 11 or 12 congregations some of which were along roads similar to dry creek beds almost impassable by vehicle.  Some groups were made up of two or three congregations meeting together in order to accommodate our tight schedule. We met with many Churches on Friday and Saturday.  We meet with 2 churches on Sunday.  We could not have accomplished what we did without the Mhlanga’s personal interest and sacfrices.  We can’t say enough about the Mhlanga’s. We look forward to their coming to Southwest so you can learn to love these wonderful servants of God in Zimbabwe.

The first day in Harare was spent registering at the American Embassy and visiting the World Bible School office.  At the WBS office we met with Timothy, the young man KSM, Southwest and interested individuals donated money for heart surgery.  He is now a Christian, his mother, sister, and nephew are all Christians as well.  He is healthy and is soon to graduate as a certified Diesel Technician.   Timothy would be dead today had it not been for the financial assistance of KSM and others. 

We then left on Thursday morning and visited the Rukweza feeding center.  Over 100 sweet and hungry orphans greeted us.  It moved us greatly to see these sweet children being cared for by such capable men and women.  We then went to Dorowa and picked up Assan Munengwa whom S.W. supports, and took him to Wedza with us. We needed time to visit with Assan knowing our time would be short when we returned to Dorowa. We settled in at the Imire Game Park that is about 15 Ks from Wedza Center. On Friday we picked up Godwin, Assan and other Short Term Preachers and had a most interesting and exciting day.  Lynn spoke at two High Schools and six other times to Churches and cell groups. At two of the churches we were thrilled to see the ICP’s Study New Testament, which Roger Dickson had sent to them.  As mentioned above, some of the Churches were deep in the bush.  One group had patiently waited (1.5 to 2 hrs) for our arrival.  At one cell group, when they saw us, they began singing in Shona with hands raised to the sky and walking up a trail from their huts toward us.  When Paula and Caron saw them coming and singing they hurried to meet them.  Paula said “it is like being in heaven and we were welcoming each other, hugging, smiling and clasping hands”.  We have a video of this uplifting experience.   As Lynn attempted to give a lesson on Hope,  he had to take deep breaths to regain his composer. We were overwhelmed and humbled to have seen such a wonderful welcoming.  Lynn confessed to them that we came to encourage them; instead we were greatly encouraged by their dedication and we were moved to tears to stand before them.   What a joy God gave us when we couldn’t understand their Shona language but we understood their smiling faces.  It is hard to believe that God has accomplished so much through dedicated preachers like Godwin Marandure whom we support and by January 07 over 60 Short Term School preachers will have been trained through Roger Dickson’s courses.  These STS preachers are going out along highways and byways planting churches. Most of the groups we met were far out in the bush. These men are leading many to Christ under very difficult conditions.  Some of these STS men walk, catch a ride on a donkey cart or whatever it takes to travel over 10 to 15 miles one way to establish and nourish these new Christians.

VISTING DOROWA
After leaving Wedza we traveled to Dorowa to meet with Assan and observe the feeding of 80 hungry children of which Southwest is directly involved financially.  Assan started a church under a large tree shortly after obeying the Gospel while attending our seminar in 2000.  What a humbling sight to see these young children coming up the road then gathering at Assan’s rented house waiting to be fed.  Again, wonderful capable women were preparing the cherished staple, called Sodza, greens and gravy. After the orphans finished eating, they began singing in Shona a song that Paula recognized as “Do not pass me by.”  The words seemed so fitting---Jesus hear my humble cry, while on others thou are calling, do not pass me by.  It filled our hearts.  It was said “oh how we need to be like little children who humble ourselves before the Lord and ask for His blessings each day.”   Assan and the Short Term preachers have planted three churches in schools and six cell groups meeting in huts.  Assan said “there are 35 villages in this area and we need to start a cell group in each.” He showed us the bike he rides each day to accomplish this task.  When we buy him a new bike, he gives a STS preacher his old one.  There is a great need to purchase bikes for these faithful men. Roger Dickson’s short and long -term school trained Assan. Roger has sent all these men boxes of tracts.  They are a treasure to these men when they arrive.  It is said that one tract is read by over 5 different people. We saw Assan’s new baby named Paula in honor of Paula.   We were sad we were only able to stay three hours in Dorowa due to our need to travel many hours to Zvishavane where we support Zvarkare Matibengwa.
 
VISTING NEW WORK
Zvishavane is a new work. This was our fist visit there.  Zvarkare is our supported preacher and came to us as a result of his being Harry and Charlotte Whitlow’s WBS student.  He was educated at Mature Bible School, returned to his hometown, Zvishavane and started a work.  He married Lillian and they have named their first child Whitlow in honor of Harry and Charlotte.   Zvarkare had made arrangements for Lynn to speak at a large High School.  We were welcomed by the headmaster who moved all the students (approximately 300) outside for him to address.  This was one of the highlights of the trip because of their receptivity and the opportunity to begin distributing WBS in the school.   Later Lynn presented a lesson to some members of the local congregations. We enjoyed a meal with the Christians and dinner later that night with Zvarkare and Lillian.  It was a blessing to know them better.

ON TO MATURE
The next day we traveled to Mature to meet and stay the night with Campion Mugweni.  Campion requested Lynn speak to the Sakubva Church of Christ that evening. Sakubva is an area of very poor people and the streets are lined with shanty houses.  The government destroyed many of these homes in their so-called clean up effort.  Some people are still sleeping outside on the ground.  At the small church building, four hundred souls were crowded onto wooden benches.  The electricity went off twice just before Lynn’s lesson.  Thankfully, their generator was working or they would have heard a very short lesson by candlelight.  The singing was unbelievable, led by an eighty-two year old gentleman named Freddie.  He is almost blind and led the words from memory and with a spirit of which we have never seen.  Several were baptized and approximately 40 restored.  The next day Campion arranged for us to speak to over 300 Commercial college students on abstinence.  At the college, Lynn taught the boys.  Paula and Caron taught the girls.  We wish you could have been there to hear them sing just prior to classroom time.  It was something to behold. We also shared the WBS introduction study with all the students.                                                                                         Afterward we taught at the college, and returned to the Sakubva Church of Christ building to witness the distribution of mealie meal to the elderly women and men. We are excited to say Southwest had provided the cherished mealie meal bags of food. After receiving their share of mealie meal they would balance it on their head, hoop and yell like an American Indian on the warpath.                                                                                                                                

We then prepared for our trip back to Harare.  On the way back to Harare, we stopped to visit the Pentalonga feeding center.  There were over 100 being fed as we arrived.  After eating, the children sang and quoted scripture to us. Lynn spoke to the children and had the song leader lead Jesus Loves Me.  It was heartwarming to watch their faces light up when singing Jesus Loves Me, knowing that they didn’t have much to smile about except that Jesus Love Me.  One little girl came to sit between Campion and Lynn and kept scooting a little closer to Lynn until she was against him.  I guess she needed a granddad to sit next to for a while.  She stole Lynn’s heart.  

We were overcome by such a fast and amazing trip to visit the men we support.  We cannot explain the joy and gratitude in our hearts to have been able to be a small part of God’s love in their lives.  We will be eternally grateful for KSM’s willingness to provide funds for this mission trip.  It was an added pleasure to have the company of Caron Guillo. The money you gave assisted with her travel expenses as well.  Caron came specifically to write about the feeding centers.  She was a great blessing to all involved.  She was overwhelmed at what God was doing through our WBS work and support of Southwest missionaries. She was deeply touched at the care and plight of the widows and orphans. She was also able to talk to some lovely ladies of the Avondale Church in Harare on the subject of prayer.  The last day in Harare was devoted to time with Washington and a trip to an Orphanage Home under construction near by.  Nhowe Mission was given 160 acres of land to be used as a medical clinic and Children’s Home.  We spent four hours driving and searching for fuel.  Because of this delay and necessary time with the local Chief we barely got Caron back in time to meet with the ladies at the Avondale congregation. 

We departed Zimbabwe, knowing God had gone before us providing a successful mission.  We were overcome by being able to witness the power of His good news in such desperate hearts in Zimbabwe. We were so thankful for the care of Alice and Washington Mhlanga and knew God had sent them to be our Guardian Angels on the fast packed 10 days.

SUMMARY OF TIME IN CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
On Saturday afternoon September 23rd we arrived in Cape Town.  We enjoyed dinner with, Roger and Martha, Judy and Ken, Mark and Flo and Jim and Jan Hyde. It was a joyous occasion. It was great seeing the group together and interacting regarding the Cape Town mission efforts.  We settled into the Swartz’s comfortable home. On Sunday we had requested Mark and Flo to take us to one of the house churches Roger had helped start.  We were humbled to worship in a shanty part of Cape Town called the Deflt area.  We were invited into the dedicated couples humble but clean home.  What a thrill to meet Richard and his wife.  He was of India decent and has a great heart for God.  He owns a small trailer located at a busy intersection where he prepares delicious Indian cuisine.  He wants to be a WBS teacher and distribute WBS materials.  We have ordered WBS studies for him via Mark Swartz. That evening on Sunday, we met for worship services at the Vineyard.  The Vineyard is truly a place of God’s love.  Their main outreach is through WBS.  Many come into the Vineyard excited to take WBS.  Mark and Ken have translated the WBS advanced books into the Africance language.  This language is widely used in the Cape area and much of S.A.  I know KSM will be thrilled knowing  these courses are printed on the copier KSM provided for the Vineyard.  It was good to hear one young man say something like this: “I just love to come here and sit and read because I feel so much peace when I am here at the Vineyard.”  What he is feeling is the Spirit of God in the servants, Mark and Flo, Ken and Judy.  Praise God for these wonderful servants of our Lord.

We were able to spend a few hours with Roger and Martha.  The presses were running and it is a thrill to see a work that touches millions through out Africa.  It blows our minds to realize ICP prints tracts, correspondence courses, bulletins and then outsources the Study New Testament.  We were excited to see the Teacher’s New Testament Roger has recently published.  It is to be sent to preachers throughout Africa.  There is a great and pressing need to accomplish this new and much needed task.  Again, we witnessed the operating equipment KSM provided being used in an evangelistic way.  We were excited to see that Martha’s health is much improved since our visit in 2003.  Martha is much more involved in the daily workings of International Christian Press. 

CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS
Bicycles for Short Term Preachers
Shona Language Bibles
Shona Language Song Books
Roger Dickson published Teachers New Testament distribution in Zimbabwe
Send a team from Southwest to minister to all preachers and wives. 
Trips to Zimbabwe to date have been devoted to planting churches and encouraging the members. It is badly needed and timely for teaching to help them  focus more on Jesus.  They have preached the sermons passed down over the past 40 to 50 years.  It is time to change this.

Thanks to all who helped us make this trip.

Lynn and Paula Leverett & Caron Guillo