Dear Friends, It is cause for thankfulness that once more we were permitted in the kindness of the Lord to enjoy a Communion season in Bulawayo. This was not the case at Mano Mano, one of our out-stations, where communion is held once a year. This year it was not possible to hold such a service since that area has now become infested with terrorists. Not so long ago terrorism seemed somewhat remote from our Mission, but it is now on our doorstep. Two of our out-schools in Shangani (Mbuma-Zenka area) have been burnt down, and many solemn and frightening incidents take place in the Shangani Reserve. Our European Staff, of course, do not now visit these places, but our African people do, and many of them live in these areas. We pray that the Lord will preserve their lives from the evil forces of terrorism, and from the complexities that arise in a situation which is comparable to civil war.
The situation in the Shangani Reserve reduced the number of people coming to the Bulawayo Communion since travel in any form is a continual risk to one’s life. Our visitors were reduced at least by half. However, a goodly number attended from Ingwenya and Bulawayo townships, so that on Sabbath our Church was full. On the week days of the communion our numbers were again reduced since our services had to be held for reasons of safety in the afternoon, a time not convenient for those of our Congregation employed in town.
As in the past, so far this Communion we had the willing services of Rev. P. Mzamo and Rev. A. Ndebele. Our constant prayer is that many more Africans will be raised up by the Most High for the essential work of preaching the Everlasting Gospel. “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth labourers into the harvest.” Lk. 10:3.
At this Communion, for the first time we had our own communion set, and special thanks are due to friends in Scotland, who, when I was at home on furlough, gave me donations, enabling the Bulawayo congregation to obtain two silver cups and one silver plate at £90. This price also includes two oak collection plates. In addition, by the help of friends in Scotland, we obtained a baptismal bowl from the old Lochgilphead Free Presbyterian Church.
It is appropriate also in this newsletter to mention the enjoyable experience we had when Rev. Malan, his wife and some Dutch friends visited our Mission in September 1976. Rev. Malan is of course a long-standing friend of the Church, and has been on the Mbuma Zending Committee for many years. Our only regret with regard to his visit was its brevity. He arrived on the Thursday of the Ingwenya Communion and left the following day. This left us with a very limited space of time in which to visit the Bulawayo Mission and the Ingwenya Mission. However, during our flying visits we managed to show our friends a cross section of most aspects of the work. We were glad also that they had the opportunity of attending part of one of the communion services at Ingwenya, but immediately after this they had to rush to Bulawayo Airport for their return visit to South Africa. Although their visit was brief yet when these friends took their leave we had a real sense of loss. However, on the following Tuesday and Wednesday we were to experience a greater loss still, through the departure of our Mbuma Staff from Rhodesia, and the question uppermost in our mind was, would it be for the last time.
On the Tuesday Miss C. A. Turner and Miss J. van Saane left, and Miss J. Cox left on Wednesday, while Mr N. Murray had left some weeks earlier. Here in Rhodesia we feel very much deprived of these faithful workers and friends: but great as this loss is for some of us, it is a greater deprivation for others. I refer to the Mbuma Hospital now practically in disuse, the result of which is that many will suffer and some, no doubt, come to a premature death. Sad as it surely is, were our Institutions of mercy to totally crumble, our eyes are nevertheless set higher, on that of the saving of the soul. Institutions of mercy may come and go and their disappearance is a disaster for those benefiting by them, but the greater calamity by far would be the removal of the Word of God and of a pure Church from Rhodesia. Therefore as well as praying that physical suffering would be prevented, we particularly crave your prayers for the perpetual establishment of Zion in Rhodesia. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16.
Yours sincerely,
Donald A. Ross
God hath but three things dear unto Him in this world, His saints, His worship, and His truth; and it is hard to say which of these is dearest unto Him.
Thomas Goodwin