Zimbabwe Mission
THE thoughts and prayers of all those interested in our African Mission have centred recently on the illness of the Rev. A. B. Ndebele, Ingwenya, incurred by the serious accident he met with when he was taking Rev. John MacLeod part of the way to Mbuma Mission.
Mr. Ndebele was struck by a bus which had veered off the road to avoid another vehicle. Because of his injuries Mr Ndebele has had to lie flat on his bed in hospital, which caused congestion in his lungs; but we are glad to hear that he is showing some improvement. He had a host of visitors, forty, one Sabbath day, and these visits had to be severely curtailed. In fact, a security guard was placed in the ward to limit visitors to the immediate family.
Communion services were held in the Ingwenya congregation despite the illness of their pastor. Rev. John MacLeod was senior minister and was assisted by Rev. Z. Mazvabo, who was providentially invited to come some time before the accident occurred. The elders took full responsibility for all the arrangements and were on duty each day of the communion from the time of the early morning prayer meeting until the end of the evening service.
On Sabbath morning Rev. John MacLeod conducted the service and preached from the text, “It is finished”. It was a very impressive service. The John Tallach School is in session and it was noticeable how subdued the young people were – and still are, in the absence of their ill pastor.
Mr. Donald MacDonald left Scotland for Zimbabwe on 17th September, and then proceeded to Kenya after some days. He is dealing with various administrative and financial matters on both Missions. He hopes to return to Scotland on 22nd October, D.V. His wife, Dr. Christine, and their little daughter, Sarah, joined him early in October for a two-week visit.
Kenya Mission
WE hear that all went well at the induction on 25th September of Rev. John Goldby as Missionary at Sengera Mission, as did the ordination of Mr. Ian MacLean to the eldership a couple of days earlier. His father, Mr. Ian MacLean Senior, is to remain at Sengera Mission for some weeks yet. He will be of much assistance in conducting services there. It is hoped that a full account of Mr Goldby’s induction will appear in the next issue. Rev. John MacLeod arrived home safely in Stornoway on Saturday, 28th September.
Rev. Neil Ross received two letters on 30th September from African friends in Kenya. One says, “The induction of Rev. John Goldby was conducted well and we had so many people from many places, Kuria, Magenche, Maiga, Ogembo, and Sengera itself. So it ended very well. The preaching of the Word was touching my heart so much, and others also.”
The second letter is from the Kuria Churches. “Surely we are very grateful that the mother church in Scotland has installed a missionary in Kenya. We trust that this will give a greater chance to Mr. Ian MacLean to pay regular visits to Kuria and preach the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ, as it says in Proverbs 25:25, ‘As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country’.” J.N.