Rev. Bekithemba B. Dube — Minister at Zenka
The Dube family settled at Zenka in the early 1950s, from the Inyathi District. Mrs Dube, Mangwenya, the widowed mother of seven boys and three girls was one of the outstanding Christian women in the Zenka Congregation, and indeed in the whole Mission. She was big in stature and big in faith, so that in most problems in the congregation she had such authority that through her influence the women folk were kept in their place in the Church. Her place in the Zenka Church has not been filled up since her death in April, 1977 at an age of over eighty years. She is missed by the Church militant and we believe the Church triumphant rejoices in her joining them in singing the Song of the Lamb.
Bekithemba, the sixth of the boys and the ninth of the family, was educated first at Zenka and then at Ingwenya Primary Schools. He went on to the Teacher Training School, then at Mbuma, and joined the second group of student teachers under the instruction of the late Rev. James Fraser.
At Mbuma quite a few young men followed the preaching of the Rev. James Fraser very closely, so that we believe they benefited not only materially by obtaining a Teachers’ Course, but above all by receiving the blessing of the Word of God in their souls. Although Mr Fraser died at the early age of 45 years, we believe the Lord blessed his short ministry of ten years in that a good few of our professing younger men were brought into the Church in his time, and Rev. Dube is one of that number. Rev. Dube completed his Teachers’ Course in 1956 and then joined the Zenka teaching staff until he was called to the ministry. As a teacher Mr Dube continued to study to improve his academic education; and after he applied to the Zenka Kirk Session to be considered for the Ministry. His application was dealt with by the various Church Courts in the normal way. He did his Divinity Course under the supervision of the Ministers of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in Rhodesia, until finally he completed the prescribed Course. The Rhodesia Presbytery of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland then licensed Mr Dube to preach the Gospel, after they had examined him to their satisfaction.
The Zenka congregation, which had been vacant since the departure from the Mission of the Rev. D.M. Campbell, gave Mr Dube a call which he accepted. After the normal formalities, the Presbytery ordained and inducted Rev. B.B. Dube on 12th October, 1978 to the pastoral charge of the Zenka Congregation. May the Lord own and bless the ministry just begun!
Moreover Rev. Dube has started his ministry in these trying and most peculiar times in the history of Rhodesia. The political set up and the security situation are so uncertain that unless the Lord Himself would grant courage to His ambassadors, the preaching of the Gospel could be suspended in the meantime. However, Mr Dube has continued at Zenka, and we would appeal to the Lord’s people to specially remember him at a throne of Grace, as well as those elders who have maintained the Cause in the various places of the NKAI district in face of danger. Among the Elders who have demonstrated their love to the Cause of Christ, I would mention just a few, like Mr David Ndlovu who goes in and out of Mbuma every week preaching the Word of God. Remember him at a Throne of Grace; Mr Tana Mpofu at Manomano; Mr Alfred Mpofu at Zenka, and many others in the Shangane Reserve.
“The effectual and fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
James 5:16.
While the whole of Rhodesia is in a state of war, we are still able to go about our duties at Ingwenya and Bulawayo with little disturbance. May the Lord grant His Church in Rhodesia better days, so that our monthly Communions at various Mission Stations could be resumed.
A.B. Ndebele. (Rev.)
Acknowledgment of Donations
The General Treasurer, Mr Wm. D. Fraser, 20 Daleview Avenue, Glasgow G12 0HE acknowledges the following donations with sincere thanks:—
Jewish & Foreign Mission Fund: D. & G. Moore, Lewis, £12; M. MacCuish, 2 Beckriving, Manish, Harris, £5 towards deputies expenses, per Rev. A. F. MacKay.
Donations & Overseas Fund: In memory of late Mrs R. S. MacKenzie, £75.
Trinitarian Bible Society: Lochinver, Stoer and Drumbeg Congregation, £146.50.
Correction of acknowledgment in March Magazine, Staffin Congregation should read £100 not £48.20.
Ingwenya: Toronto Ladies, 35.00; 64.00; 70.00; 58.60; 66.64; 69.78; 64.25, all U.S. dollars. Vancouver Ladies, 280.00 Canadian dollars; Inverness Ladies, £250; Netherlands Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, 300.00; 200.00, U.S. dollars; Mbuma Zending, Holland, 33,692.55 Rh. dollars.
The Publications Treasurer acknowledges with sincere thanks the following donations:—
Welfare of Youth Fund: Lochinver, Stoer & Drumbeg Congr., £20.
Publications Fund: Anon., £1, per W.D.F.
The treasurers of the following congregations acknowledge with sincere thanks the following donations:—
Barnoldswick: C. MacL., Glasgow, £10; Eph. 2:21 & 22 Friend, Gairloch, £10; Miss A.W., Essex, £5; John 19 v. 30 “It is finished”, £10; Mrs G., Ullapool, £5, per I.M.
Dingwall: “In appreciation”, M. G. Dublin “for congregational purposes”, £30.
Dumbarton: E.M., £5; D.McD.H., £5. Both for Manse Fund.
Edinburgh: Anon, Envelope in plate for painting and decorating church; £5 for Sust. Fund from Mrs M., per Rev. O. Campbell.
Fort William: Friend, Inverness, £5, per Duncan MacNicol; Mrs C., Onich, £1, per A. Kirsop; Mrs C., Onich, £1, per Rev. J.A.MacD.
Glasgow: Miss N.H., £2 for Sust. Fund, per Rev. D.M.; Anon., £10 for Aged & Infirm Ministers W. & O.; Anon., £5, for Aged and Infirm Ministers; Anon., £5 for Dominions and Overseas Fund; West End, £10, for Home of Rest; Mr and Mrs G., in memory of father, £30 for Congregational Fund, per Rev. D.M.; A.C., Drumoyne, £2 for Bus Expenses; A friend, £5 for Upkeep of Hearing Aids.
Greenock: From the estate of the late Mrs Margaret Garland Boyce, £3,801.72, for the Greenock Congregation of the F.P. Church, per Black, Cameron and Campbell, Solicitors, Greenock; Friend, Portree, £6, for Congregational Purposes, per Rev. L. MacL.; Friend, Glasgow, £20, for Congregational Purposes, per Rev. L. MacL.; R.H.C., Bangor, N.I., £10.
Laide: Anon., £50, In appreciation M.G., Dublin, £30, Friends, Gairloch, £10; Friend, Edinburgh, £5. All for Laide Manse Building Fund.
Lochinver: Mr A. MacL., Unapool, £20, for Sust. Fund, per Rev. A. Macaskill.
North Harris: A Friend, Tarbert, Harris, £5, for Church and Manse Property, per Rev. A. MacKay; A Friend, South Harris, £5, for Communion Collection, per Rev. A. MacKay; A Friend, Seilebost, Harris, £5, for Communion Collection, per Rev. A. MacKay; A Friend, Kyles Scalpay, £5, for Communion Collection, per Rev. A. MacKay; A Friend, Tarbert, Harris, £4 for Communion Expenses, per Rev. A. Mackay; A Friend, Northton, £20, for Stockinish Mission House Maintenance, per R. MacCuish; A Friend, Bayhead Miavag, £17, £10 for Door Collection, £7 for Communion Expenses per A.MacL.; A Friend, Carragraich, £5, for Communion Expenses, per A.MacL.
Plockton/Kyle: Envelope in Kyle Plate, £5 for Manse; Envelope in Kyle Plate, £10; Envelope in Kyle Plate, £100; Mrs D. MacK., Plockton, £1, for Ministers’ Widows, etc., Fund; Mrs M. MacL., Dunscaig, £3, for Ministers’ Widows, etc. Fund, and £2 for Jewish and Foreign Mission.
Portree: Friend, £5, for Manse Expenses; Friend, £10, for Sust. Fund, per Rev. F.M.; J.N.D., £10, in Church Plate for Communion Expenses; Anon., £10, Church Plate for Communion Expenses; Friend, £5, Manse Expenses.
Raasay: A Friend, Inverarish, £6, for Sust. Fund, per J.M. MacL.; Friend, Inverarish, £5, for Sust. Fund, per J.M. MacL.; Friends, Raasay, £10, for Sust. Fund, per M.D. MacK.; D. MacL., Portree, £5, for Sust. Fund; Mrs G., Churchton, £5 for Property Fund.
Shieldaig: Anon., Shieldaig, £20, for Kitchen Fund and Petrol for Minister’s Car.
Stornoway: Friend N.T., £5, for Sust. Fund, per Rev. J. MacL.
Strath: Anon., £20, for Church Door Collection, per J. MacL.
Waternish: In memory of loved ones, £5, for Congregational Purposes, Per W. MacL.