Zimbabwe
SCHOOL has opened once more at Ingwenya and it is hoped that there will be no recurrence of the waywardness of a few as there was during last session. The usual staff are back on duty, Marion Graham, Katie Macaulay and Norma MacLean, with the valuable assistance of well qualified African staff. Nevertheless, there is a great need for more help from overseas.
We were pleased to receive a newsletter from Nursing Sister Anne Zekveld. She says that since the rains came on 15th of November, “everything is green again after the dry barren winter. There has been much activity in the fields, ploughing, planting and hoeing. There are people who injure themselves with
ploughs and hoes and axes at the beginning of the season when they are trying to get rid of little shrubs which spring up in the fields…
“There is a marked increase in the number of AIDS patients. The patients usually remain in hospital for a month and then return monthly for their medication. It is very sad to see these young people dying, and to see such general indifference to the disease and its causes. What a blessing it is that we still have the Word of God among us. The Word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. Perhaps we who work in the hospital should have the Word of God more on our lips.
“Our minister, Mr Mzamo, has begun a Bible Study in which he is going through some of the main doctrines of the Bible. I have been able to attend two of them and have found them very instructive. We hope that Mr. Mzamo will be able to continue with this work, and that there may be a growing interest.
“This will probably be my last circular letter.” [She expects to return to Canada at the end of February]. “I hope that the Lord will send forth true ministers of the Gospel to supply our urgent need. We also require nurses in the hospital and teachers in the John Tallach School.
“May we yet witness a wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God, in our midst, if it be the Lord’s will.”
We have received a newsletter from Sister Coote who has gone from Sengera, Kenya to Mbuma Mission hospital for a period. She writes: “Here at Mbuma I feel as if I have never been away. The hospital is busy with an average of 50-60 inpatients and a fair number of outpatients each day, plus clinics and outreach work. About 50 to 75 per cent of the cases have HIV related illnesses.
“A new hospital evangelist, Mr. Mloyi, has been appointed by the Kirk Session. This is a big advantage and asset to the hospital. Mr. Mloyi is an ex-teacher and a grandson of a late elder at Mbuma.”
Kenya
Sister Coote also says in her newsletter, “The work continues at Sengera, and we were all pleased to welcome Rev. and Mrs. Goldby and Dr. and Mrs. de Jong and their families”.
She adds that during the first week of Dr. De Jong’s work there they had to transfer four patients to other hospitals for surgery because of lack of facilities at Sengera. They feel very much the need of an operating theatre and a new outpatients’ department.
She concludes: “We need to be pleading with the Lord to raise up men to go forth with the everlasting gospel – those who would be sent by Himself, for the harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few”.
J.N.
Eastern Europe Mission News
DEPENDING on permission being given by the Presbytery for my absence from my congregation, it is planned that Mr Edward Ross, Lochcarron, and I will visit the Ukraine in Spring. God willing, we intend to cross over from Hull on 24th March and return on 11th April.
Our intention is to visit the usual places in the Ukraine in order to distribute Bibles, reformed literature and material aid. However, particular attention will be given to the two small gatherings of people, in Borispol and Odessa, with whom we meet to conduct public worship on the Sabbath Day.
The Odessa friends are very interested in the Reformed Faith and appear to have genuinely embraced Presbyterianism. They are diligently going through the Westminster Confession of Faith and are using it as a help in studying the Bible. They are seriously looking to us as a Church, I believe, to do all we can to assist them, not only to establish the Reformed Faith among themselves as a congregation, but also by spreading it in places there where it is not known.
It has been a great advantage for us to obtain a Russian translation of the Westminster Confession of Faith. We understand that it is a good translation, and we purchase copies from Reformation Christian Ministries, USA.
The postage of Bibles and literature is on the increase. The main requests we receive are for Bibles, and then for literature that explains the Bible. A letter from Belorussia says: “Dear Friends, this is some students writing to you. We would like to read the Bible and Christian literature. Many people now have that same desire, but there is no such literature around. We are persuaded that the Christian idea, Christian values, draw together the whole world. If it is possible send us a Bible and other Christian literature.”
Once again I bring before our readers the need for funds for the support of this mission work in Eastern Europe. The purchase of many copies of the Confession of Faith in Russian would be very costly. It would be much more economical to print them ourselves, a project we are seriously contemplating. The printing of our own literature in Russian is an ongoing business. Stocks of The Shorter Catechism and The Mother’s Catechism are low at present, but we hope to have a reprint of these and other titles soon, if funds are available.
Another item of expenditure we anticipate is the purchase of a replacement truck. The present vehicle, while it has served us exceptionally well, is now old. It is also necessary that the replacement vehicle would be larger.
There is no doubt that this kind of work is worthy of the support of every Christian. While many different causes demand our financial support there is no cause to compare to that of Christ’s Kingdom in the world. One fundamental activity of His Kingdom is sending His Word to the ends of earth. May we continually do so, and be “striving together for the faith of the gospel.” D. A. R.