Rev J R Tallach
My wife and I travelled to the Free Presbyterian Mission in Zimbabwe on June 12 and we returned on June 28. After a night in Bulawayo we went to Mbuma to be welcomed and well cared for by Dr Snoek, her parents and sister and Willy Geursten, the Matron. Dr Snoek and Miss Geurtsen are holding the fort at the hospital, which is being increasingly recognised as a centre of medical excellence by the Government. Dr Snoek spoke of the possibility of creating an accident and emergency department and a physiotherapy unit.
I took the prayer meeting the next day at Rev N Sibanda’s request. Mr Sibanda is busy taking prayer meetings every day of the week except Monday. Mrs Sibanda, his wife, is a great asset as a nurse at the hospital. Later that Thursday morning, June 15, we set out to fulfil the main purpose of our visit by attending the opening of a new clinic at Vova, a 20-minute journey over a very bad road from Mbuma; it is the second clinic to be set up under the auspices of the Hospital. The chief guest was Mr Mathema, a Government minister, and on his arrival, proceedings got underway.
The chairman for the occasion was our Mission Administrator, Mr M Mpofu. We began with worship, which I was asked to conduct. Several speeches followed, including one by Chief Sikobokobo, who spoke of being treated for an eye complaint as a boy while I was at Mbuma, and ending with Mr Mathema, the principal guest. We were shown round the very impressive clinic, given a main meal in a marquee in the bush and then went our separate ways. At the end of the week, Dr Snoek left for a well-earned break with her parents and sister, and Dr Janlouis Bezemer took her place for two weeks.
Having stayed two nights at Mbuma and seen round the hospital, we travelled down to Ingwenya on Friday for the weekend. The absence of Rev
A MacLean and his sister Miss N MacLean was something we felt acutely while at Ingwenya, but we were warmly received by the Ingwenya people. The congregation of over 600 pupils and around 60 of the local people must be an almost unique sight in these difficult days and, with three diets of worship, the Lord’s Day passed swiftly. On Monday two men from the congregation, one a member, asked if there was anyone from Scotland who could go to help at Ingwenya during Mr MacLean’s illness.
Following the Sabbath we moved into Bulawayo and I assisted Rev S Khumalo at Bulawayo communion. Good congregations gathered, with around 250 on the Sabbath and an encouragingly-high proportion of young adults. The singing was excellent. Two new members were accepted and one person received for baptism.
On Monday we were shown around Thembiso Home by Mr Busiso Maphala and his assistant, Mr Clifford Moyo, and I had an extended worship with the children, speaking on Psalm 23. The children sang enthusiastically and our prayer is that the Lord would teach them the new song of Psalm 40. We also met Nonceba Mzamo, a daughter of the late Rev P Mzamo, now employed as House Supervisor. The Home appeared clean and the children well cared for.
We left the next day and are thankful to the Lord for travelling mercies and to our hosts for kindness shown to us while on the Mission.