ZIMBABWE
THE Foreign Mission Committee has engaged Miss Maaije van de Graaf from Holland, who is well qualified in management nursing, to work as a nurse at Mbuma Mission Hospital. It is hoped that her Zimbabwean entry procedures will be processed, and her work permit granted, by the beginning of next year.
Mr Ian MacLean, the administrator of our Kenyan Mission, visited Zimbabwe last month to help with the ongoing building of the new house for Miss Graham, the Headmistress of John Tallach Secondary School. It is expected that the house will be ready for her return from furlough.
It is intended that Mr MacLean will visit Zimbabwe at regular intervals, to help Mr James Mpofu with the inspection and supervision of building projects, and also with transport problems. □
KENYA
THE Rev John Goldby, the minister of our Kenyan Mission, writes, “We were thankful for the necessary and helpful visit of Rev. J. MacLeod and Rev. J. R. Tallach. There have been so many developments here in a very short time and not a few problems. Matters which had been proving difficult are now to a large extent resolved and the affairs of the mission, we trust, are on a better footing for the future. A young developing child requires more attention than one who is older. So it is with the mission work here.
“We are very glad to have a qualified teacher with us now, Catherine Mackenzie from Laide, whom I am sure will be a great asset both in the spiritual and the educational spheres. The new School programme has got off to a flying start under her capable supervision. Miss Henrietta Burggraaf is now
back after her nursing orientation course in Nairobi. Miss Peta van der Ridder is doing the same course and expects to be away for a few months.
“At present we are suffering a water shortage, due to lack of rain. Water is once again being taken in by our lorry from the River Gucha at Ogembo.
“Our Dutch friends have kindly provided £25,000 for the provision of an operating theatre.” It will be in the main building where the outpatient’s clinic presently is. The clinic itself, with an enlarged laboratory, is presently being relocated in the basement floor where the main water tank formerly was.
Mr MacLean writes, “The three-roomed school [for staff children], being built at the bottom of the hospital garden, is at foundation stage. A grassy area will also be formed for a playing area.”
“We continue to experience problems with the maintenance of vehicles” says Mr Goldby, “partly because we have no one on the mission with adequate mechanical skills. Sharing transport also brings its problems.”
Of the principal work of the Mission he says, “There are many opportunities for preaching the Gospel here on weekdays as well as Sabbath. The fact that the people are still on the land and most, sadly, without regular employment, means that they are free to assemble at any time.”
Mr MacLean adds, “Many are the opportunities to visit homes and have family worship, and we try to keep Saturday afternoons free for this work. Often, when we gather in a home, many neighbours come in, attracted by the psalm singing.”
Mr Goldby continues, “Frequently we see people who have walked for two or three hours to attend the Sabbath services in Sengera. We also meet people from other districts beside the way and in house to house visitation who ask us to come to their areas. When we respond to these calls we find groups of between 40 and 60 people waiting to hear the preaching of the gospel. Although the primary work is going on at Sengera we do try to answer these calls to preach in nearby locations. It may be that by such work one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel may be found. Many no doubt have motives other than their spiritual needs moving them to attend services, but that is inevitable given the sinful state of natural man whose mind is not only enmity against God and not subject to the law of God, but ‘neither indeed can be‘ (Romans 8:7) . . .
“It is the Spirit of God alone who can produce spiritual desires in the souls of men. Therefore to Him that we must look, taking up the beautiful prayer of the Church for the influence of the Holy Spirit, “‘Awake, O north wind; and come thou south; blow upon my garden.’ (Song 4:16). What a change the answer to this prayer would bring not only upon the souls of God’s people but upon the congregations of the Church both at home and abroad.” □