Zenka Mission,
P.B. T5398,
BULAWYO.
14/4/71
Dear Mr. MacLeod,
In my last letter I tried to describe a journey which I made to the Mangwizi Valley area. The Mangwizi Valley divides the Zhombe Tribal Trust Land from Nkai Tribal Trust land. Zhombe is administered by the District Commissioner at Que Que, which is one of the administrative centres of Midlands Province. This province is quite separate from Matebeleland Province. Nkai Tribal Trust Land is in Metebeleland, and needs no further definition. It is already well known to our church people in Scotland as Shangane Reserve. Not only is there a geographical separation between the two provinces, there is a racial separation as well. The Mangwizi valley separates the Metebele from the Mashona.
You will recollect that we have a school at Makhasane on the Northern slope of Mangwizi valley (inside the Nkai T.T.L.). The school absorbs children from the Zhombe Tribal Trust Land so that 46% of the children at Makhasane are Mashona. You will also remember that in my last letter I mentioned taking a service at Nkobokhwe. This place is in the Zhombe T.T.L.
On a subsequent visit to Makhasane school, I decided on a Friday afternoon that, rather than go to the Nkobokhwe, I would go in another direction (South East) into the Zhombe Tribal Trust Land. We went to a place called Bambarara valley and discovered that there was a “church” there. We found the preacher and he appeared to be half Methodist, half Seventh Day Adventist. He took great pride in showing us his books (English publications). He had a large expensive copy of the Authorised Version of the Bible. He is able to read English haltingly, and speaks it also haltingly. I persuaded him to give me his books and promised that I would give them back to him pointing out the errors contained in them and promised to give him a better book (i.e. The Westminster Confession of Faith) to read along with his Bible. He appeared to be very happy with this arrangement. We carried on to a place called Dendera where there has been a Community school in existence for several years. We called at the home of the Headman, where we got a respectful welcome. He gave us permission to go into Dendera school. Here we were introduced to the Headteacher, and he assured us that he would very gladly distribute religious literature for us.
On Saturday we crossed the valley again, and had two short services at Bambarara. The attendance was poor, a death having occurred the previous day, and most of the adult population had gone to the burial. The second service here was held at the request of one of the men who returned from the burial, just when we were about to leave. We felt quite forlorn at the first service, but during the second, which we felt reluctant to take (unprepared) we felt uplifted, being enabled to speak with a measure of freedom on Isaiah chp.55 v.1. We then left for the Headman’s home at Dendera, where we discovered that he had most courteously arranged for a service. He suspended his “court” and all legal matters which were being discussed when we arrived. The people were told to come back with their “amacala” (court cases) the following week. There was a larger turnout here. The audience was later added to with the arrival of a group of Seventh Day Adventists straight from their own service. We thereafter departed from the Zhombe area with the prayer that the Lord would bless them. We had two services at Makhasane school on the Lord’s Day and on Monday returned to Zenka. We hope to go back soon, and would ask you to “pray for us” seeking that the Lord would raise up Witnesses to the awakening power of the Holy Spirit and the redeeming love of Christ. The god of this world has blinded the eyes of those who do not believe, but all that the Father has given to the Son to redeem, shall come to Him, even from this dark land.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
D.M. Campbell.