Mr and Mrs Donald MacDonald have been in Zimbabwe since December 14th. Dr Christine’s Zimbabwe Permit for Medical work arrived unexpectedly, and they left for Bulawayo almost immediately. The Communion was being held there that week, and having been met by Mr Neil Murray and taken to Ingwenya, 28 miles further on, they attended the services from there. They enjoyed meeting the church friends in Bulawayo.
The Mbuma Mission Hospital staff, at present consisting of Miss Jessie Coote, Miss Margaret MacAskill and Miss Anne Zekveld are delighted to have the assistance of Dr Christine MacDonald as Dr Jeanette Hak is on furlough, and Miss Lia Terlouw is taking a medical course in Brussels. Mr MacDonald is going through the accounts in Bulawayo, returning to Mbuma at the weekends.
Mr Dick Vermeulen arrived in Kenya early in November to supervise the building arrangements at Sengera. There was some unrest in Kenya prior to the Elections so Mr Vermeulen took the opportunity to pay a short visit to Zimbabwe. Quite a number of Mission staff and other friends were gathered at Mbuma over the New Year including Miss Marion Graham, Neil Murray and Dick Vermeulen.
The Foreign Mission Committee in Scotland have accepted a Dutch lady, Miss Cilia Rennes, to work at Sengera. Miss Rennes nursed on a Mission Station in Nigeria for some years and her experience there will be a great help at Sengera. We hope there will be many more nurses offering their services.
Miss Etta MacLennan is now back at the John Tallach School. Her short furlough passed very quickly, but quite a number of friends enjoyed seeing her slides, and hearing about the work. Miss Katie Macaulay was on holiday in Johannesburg over the New Year. She there met her brother and his wife, and stayed with her nephew and his wife, who have been very kind to our men, Mr Mziya, and Mr David Ndlovu, who on a few occasions have had to visit Johannesburg, to secure car parts and other tools unobtainable in Zimbabwe. Miss Marion Graham writes, ‘We are
having lovely rains and a good cloud cover so the crops are growing well and everyone is hopeful of a good harvest.’
A young man from Holland, Jan de Boer, has been helping at Mbuma for the past three months. Sister Anne Zekveld writes: ‘Jan came from Holland last September to do work on a voluntary basis. He has been a great help to David (Ndlovu), doing a lot of driving for him and helping with jobs. David has been keeping quite well of late, for which we are all very grateful. Jan hopes to return to Holland on 23rd December.’
Mr and Mrs Donald MacDonald hope to visit New Canaan before they return to Kenya, at the end of January, D.V. The Rev. and Mrs Mazvabo are always most welcoming to visitors from the other stations and from overseas. Mr Mazvabo’s sight has not improved but he and his elders continue their wide-spread ministry, we trust with the Lord’s blessing. — J.N.
Binga Mission
Bulawayo
Zimbabwe
11 January 1993
Dear Friends,
Five months have already passed since we came to settle in Bulawayo. I therefore wish to give you some news of my new sphere of labour.
It was the decision of the Foreign Missions Committee that as soon as I received permission from the Immigration Authorities in Harare to enable me to do full time mission work in the country we would proceed to Bulawayo. After a period of delay and difficulties with the Authorities I was delighted to receive the final word that Authority was now given to proceed with my work. The Lord is good and His time is always best. This we have proved to be true in so many ways over the years.
It was arranged that I would go to Botswana with Mr Ndlovu and Mr Mziya where a Ford Courier 4 x 4 was purchased for my work in Binga, Bulawayo or wherever the need arose.
I wish to tell you something about the Tonga (Batonka/Batoka) tribe who live in the Binga area. Binga is about 270 miles northwest of Bulawayo situated on the shores of Lake Kariba. I usually stay in the Binga Rest Camp which was built as a Resort for Fishermen. It provides one with the basic necessities. Binga being situated in a low lying area the climate is much hotter and more oppressive than other parts of the country. When I was there last month the temperature was 40° plus. Malaria is very prevalent in that area.
Binga is a small sized town which was created as an administrative centre for the Tonga Resettlement. In the last few years some form of social help has been given by the Government and charitable organisations such as “Save the Children and UNICEF.”
The area I work in is situated in a mountainous district about 50-70 miles from the main Binga Road. The Road from Bulawayo to Binga is all tarred but once you leave the main road the minor ones are corrugated and very hazardous especially in the rainy season.
There are three places which I visit: Samende, Lubu and Senka, where there is extreme poverty. The heading in the local paper recently said “Binga Folk dying of Hunger” and it was reported that people were now feeding on poisonous fruits. The chief in the area was appealing to the Government to provide his people with food.
It is encouraging that in the midst of such poverty the people have made an effort to erect their own places of worship from where the Word of God goes forth. There can be up to 100 men, women and children at each place. Most are very ignorant of the truth.
Although there are many different churches and sects scattered throughout the country such as the Church of Christ, Assemblies of God Pentecostals and Roman Catholic they bring a Gospel which is not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
On weekdays I teach portions of scripture e.g. Isaiah 55, Psalm 51. They also learn and memorise the Shorter Catechism and are questioned from the Mother’s Catechism. On Sabbath I hold two services, the first at Samende then I proceed further on either to Lubu or Senka. We pray that the Holy Spirit will bless the word to sinners in these parts and that they will come to know Him whom to know is life eternal.
Though the Tonga people have been known to Europeans since the time of Dr Livingstone’s journeys along the Zambezi in the mid 19th century little was known about the social, political and economic life of the people until a few years after the Second World War. History tells us that they migrated from east Africa via Malawi and came to settle in Zambia along the Zambezi River Valley. A minority group crossed the Zambezi and settled on the southern bank of the River which is known today as Zimbabwe. The river was easily manageable using canoes. The fertile valleys provided a whole year ploughing season. They had the freedom of the game, the river and whatever was edible in the forest. They grew maize, fruit and vegetables.
In 1957 came the construction of the Kariba Dam so the people were forced to leave the valley for higher ground. Some resisted the move with
the result that they were drowned when Lake Kariba began filling up. The new area which they now occupied was sandy, barren and unfertile. Therefore the Tonga tribe were now a needy people.
When I am not in Binga I help out in Bulawayo or Ingwenya. On Sabbaths I usually have two services at the new church recently opened at Nkulamane Township which can accommodate over 200 people. There are three prayer meetings in Bulawayo during the week — at Thembisio orphanage, MGUSA and at Lobengula Church. It is encouraging to see the numbers increasing at the various prayer meetings.
David Brainerd missionary to the Red Indians of America wrote in his journal “I had two desires — my own sanctification and the ingathering of God’s elect.” I hope and pray that that is my chief desire for myself and the people I have been appointed to work amongst.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to the many friends in Scotland, England, Holland and New Zealand who sent gifts of money which made it possible for us to bring bibles, food and clothing to the needy people of Binga.
Brethren pray for us.
With best wishes.
Neil Murray.
Church Notes
Presbytery Meetings (D.V.)
Zimbabwe: At Bulawayo on 9th March at 2 p.m.
Western: At Lade on 9th March at 6 p.m.
Northern: At Dingwall on 30th March at 2 p.m.
Committee Meetings will be held at Inverness Church D.V.:
Tuesday, 23rd March
| 9.00 a.m. – 10.00 a.m. | Church Centenary Committee |
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| 10.00 a.m. – 11.00 a.m. | Training of Ministry |
| 11.00 a.m. – 11.45 a.m. | Church Magazines |
| 11.45 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. | Publications |
| 2.00 p.m. – 3.00 p.m. | Welfare of Youth |
| 2.00 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. | Finance |
| 3.00 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. | Religion and Morals |
| 4.30 p.m. – 5.30 p.m. | Dominions and Overseas |
| 7.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m. | Foreign Mission. |
Wednesday, 24th March
| 9.30 a.m. – 11.30 a.m. | Church Interests |
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|————————|——————|
Visit of Deputy to African Mission
Rev. Dr James Tallach, Raasay, expects to leave for Africa early in March and spend two months visiting the stations in Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malawi. We trust that Dr Tallach will be carried through the many duties that are before him and that the Lord’s protecting care will be about him throughout the period of his visit to Africa.
Notices re Synod Agenda
Clerks of Presbyteries, Conveners/Clerks of Committees, and all interested parties should note that all items of business intended to be placed on the Synod Agenda must be in the hands of the Clerk of Synod by Tuesday, 23rd March, 1993 (D.V.)
(Rev.) D. B. Macleod,
Clerk of Synod.
Notice to Conveners/Clerks of Standing Committees
The Conveners/Clerks of all Standing Committees should note that all Committee Reports must be in the hands of the Clerk of Synod by Tuesday 30th March, 1993, for printing purposes (D.V.). These Reports should contain information of the work of the Committees during the year. Recommendations and proposals should be sent up as separate items for the Synod Agenda.
(Rev.) D. B. Macleod,
Clerk of Synod.
Correction: In the February issue of the Magazine and in the note on the Commemoration Meeting in Edinburgh, 25th May, 1993, the address of Mr Alastair MacRae should have read 9 Laxford Lane (not 4 Laxford Lane), Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 3HF.