Rev Neil M Ross
Zimbabwe: The change in the currency used in the country, from the Zimbabwean dollar to the American dollar and South African rand, has been beneficial to the work in several ways. Because of the improvement in the economy the John Tallach Secondary School is fully staffed again and is able to meet its own running expenses. Miss Norma MacLean, Deputy Head of the School, met the Foreign Mission Committee while on furlough. She much appreciates the valuable help given by Miss Jacqueline Freeke and Miss Naomi Rowland during their stay in Ingwenya; she would be very pleased if others could be recruited to take their place.
Miss Margaret Macaskill also met the Committee and reported on the course for the five trainee house-mothers, at Thembisio Children’s Home in Bulawayo, which she, Sister Petra Beukers and others had run. This was in preparation for the imminent upgrading of the Home to comprise five separate family units. The course lasted for four months, and the trainees did well.
At the next meeting, Dr Anneke Snoek spoke on the work at Mbuma Hospital. The new projects – the Aids Clinic and Home Based Care (HBC) programme – are going well and lives are being saved. The Catechist, Mr Nkiwane, regularly accompanies HBC workers and conducts worship in the homes of families visited. There is now a need for an extra catechist. There is also a pressing need for a replacement for Mr Johann Veerhar, Administration and Information Systems Manager at Mbuma, who is returning home after his major contribution to the work
At the time of writing, a new Superintendent for Thembisio is to be appointed. Rev Neil M Ross was delegated by the Committee to chair the interviewing committee in Bulawayo in November.
Kenya: Rev Keith Watkins, the Mission Superintendent, writes: “At Sengera, we had a meeting with the architect recently and await his plans and costings for the new church building and teaching rooms.”
“Some years ago,” says Mr Watkins, “many mission workers had their ‘customary’ marriages confirmed with legal marriage certificates. With our licence to conduct marriages, we are in the process of doing the same for quite a number of couples in the congregations.”
It is hoped to print, before the end of the year, the new and expanded edition of the metrical psalms in Ekegusii. In the congregational Catechism class, the people are memorising the order of the books of the Bible, as an overview of each book is taught.
“The children and young people are in the midst of end-of-year examinations as I write,” says Mr Watkins. “For those in the last two years of primary, the Mission has been giving extra help in the way of tuition and practice examinations. Meanwhile, the work among the young continues to be encouraging. Another conference is planned for the end of the year, which will be residential for the older ones. In the five Sabbath School classes, from the youngest first, the teaching is currently on short Bible stories, the Ten Commandments, the life of Jesus, the attributes of God, and meeting Christ. Many complete the Scripture and Catechism Exercises. Among the older ones especially there seems to be a maintained interest which we hope is spiritual in some.”
The Mission’s partnership with Rianyakwara Primary School continues. One room has been fitted out as a library, and Mr Watkins would greatly appreciate donations of suitable children’s reading and reference books which people no longer require. “Reading ability is not high,” he says, “so we are needing fairly basic books, from nursery level upwards.”
Israel: Mr Goldby’s work in Israel – preaching the gospel, translation work, and maintaining the contacts he has made – goes on regularly. “Often people ask us for Bibles,” he says, “which we give free of charge.”
“Shortly after our return from Scotland,” he adds, “we were kindly invited to a (Jewish) Sabbath evening meal known as Kabbalat Shabbat or the receiving of the Sabbath. Part of the regular synagogue Scripture reading that week was from Genesis 22 about the binding of Isaac. This important Torah portion gave rise to interesting discussion with our Jewish friends.”
He has had several visitors to the Lord’s Day services recently; among them were a group of 23 from Scotland who were touring Israel; one of our ministers and his wife on holiday; a gentleman from one of our Scottish congregations, and some friends from Holland. “Mr H. Remmelzwaal led the singing,” says Mr Goldby, “and some who had never heard Metrical Psalms being sung expressed their appreciation of the sweet Psalms of Israel.”
With regard to translation work, Mr Goldby reports, “The revision of the Delitzsch Hebrew NT, with the support of the TBS and friends from Finland, also continues steadily. By the spring of 2011, God willing, we hope to issue the Gospel of John, possibly in the form of an English/Hebrew diglot together with an explanation about the importance of the translation being founded on the Received Text of the Greek NT. The modern Hebrew NTs are
based on the critical text with whole verses missing. Many in Israel are unaware of these omissions.”