Rev Neil M Ross
Zimbabwe.
The missionary work of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland in Zimbabwe has grown enormously since its small beginning under Rev John Boyana Radasi at Ingwenya more than 100 years ago. So that the people would derive more benefit from the Word of God, as he taught and preached it in the community, he established a small school there. This has grown to be a secondary school which has just been upgraded to include Fifth and Sixth Forms and has recently featured in the Zimbabwe national press as one of the top six schools in the country.
Our mission growth in other areas over the years – the founding at Zenka of a church and school; at Mbuma of a church, teacher training centre and hospital; at Bulawayo of a congregation, children’s home, office, bookroom and translation department; in New Canaan of a number of congregations; and in many other places of outstations and schools – is the result of the Lord’s blessing, not only on the labours of ministers, teachers, doctors, nurses and others but also in providing resources through our Church people and, since 1964, mainly through our Dutch friends in Mbuma Zending and their many generous supporters.
But there is a limit to what our Church can do, especially during times of economic and political instability, albeit with much help from Holland. This is the reason why our Jewish and Foreign Missions Committee is presently engaged in an overall appraisal of those departments which are “handmaids to the gospel” – especially Ingwenya Secondary School, Mbuma Hospital, Thembisio Children’s Home and the administration office in Bulawayo – to ascertain where savings might be made and how these departments might operate even more efficiently. In carrying out this complex review, the Committee has the invaluable help of Mr Hugh Mackenzie, our Zimbabwe Mission Co-ordinator.
The last review was done in 1965, following the decision of the 1964 Synod to send the Clerk of its Foreign Missions Committee, Rev Donald MacLean, Glasgow, “to make a fresh reappraisal of the religious, educational and financial structure of the [Southern Rhodesian] Mission [as it was then] in view of the changing political and educational situation”. Mr MacLean, after almost two months of preaching throughout the Mission and interviewing many people, produced an exhaustive report with many recommendations. Today, as the present review goes on, each department continues with its tasks.
At Ingwenya Mission, the completion of the extension block for Forms 5 and 6 has enabled the John Tallach Secondary School to enrol its first group of Fifth Form pupils. It is a heartening prospect that pupils will now be under the gospel for two extra years. In practical terms this means that all pupils must attend worship at morning assembly each school day, all church services on Sabbath and weekday, Sabbath School, and examinable religious instruction classes in their timetable. The boarding pupils must also be present at morning and evening worship in their dormitories every day. As Miss MacLean, the Deputy Head, underlines, there is an ongoing need for more people on the staff who have the ability to impart Bible knowledge, and it helps greatly when visiting teachers from abroad assist in this work.
At Mbuma Mission, the objectives of our hospital staff in their constant round of duties are the saving of lives, healing of the sick, and prevention of disease, but behind these aims “is the desire”, says Dr Anneke Snoek, “to reach more of our patients with the gospel”. They were therefore pleased that their request for an extra Catechist has been granted. When he is appointed in the near future, God willing, he will work with Mr G Nkwane and Mr N Mpofu in “looking after the spiritual needs of staff and patients in the hospital” and in the “wider area around the hospital”.
A new Sabbath School session has begun at Mbuma, with the classes meeting between services. The more than 100 children also meet on Saturdays when, under their teachers, they work through such children’s books as Peep of Day, Line upon Line, and Truths of God’s Word.
The hope of having Mr Leendart Boon resident at Mbuma, as the new Administrative and Technical Manager, is not yet realised because he is still being refused a work permit by the Immigration Department. However, he is able to do much of his work for Mbuma from his home in Holland.
In the New Canaan area, the pastor, Rev Zororai Mazvabo is much encouraged by the completion of the fine new church at Maware, well built by the people themselves, and by a pleasant communion season there, the local chief being present at most of the services. Mr Mazvabo looks forward to the completion of the new church building for his Ebenezer Congregation at Zvishavane (where his manse is located) and for reaching out with the gospel to the surrounding homes of the employees at the Mimosa platinum mine.
The Translation Committee reports that the new translation of the Ndebele Bible is now in the hands of the Trinitarian Bible Society (TBS). The TBS has informed us that the new translation is now typeset and that they expect it will be launched in Bulawayo in the autumn at a public ceremony, at which our Church will be represented, God willing.
Thembiso Children’s Home operates smoothly under its new system of five family units. Mr Mapala, the Superintendent, expresses his appreciation of the recent visit of Miss Margaret Macaskill and Miss Petra Beukers to the Home for six weeks to give further training to the housemothers.
Kenya.
From Sengera, Rev Keith Watkins reports that the work continues despite the difficulties caused in the area by the activities of a new Church led by sodomites from North America. The improprieties, some of a pagan nature, occurring at funerals, and against which our Church there has witnessed for years, have increased. This has necessitated our Church withdrawing from a situation in which God-honouring worship cannot be conducted. Our people would wish it to be otherwise and alternatives are being explored, but it is almost impossible to prevent their extended families imposing their wills on the proceedings.
However, work among the youth is more encouraging. Another well-attended Youth Conference was successfully held at Sengera in December. The Mission has also begun a new scheme, of giving help on Saturdays with school homework for secondary and upper primary pupils, which is being used by some 30 pupils. Although they need more than education, it is hoped that they will do better in their examinations as a result and that, by the Lord’s blessing, they will be made a blessing to the Church.
Israel.
Although Rev John Goldby has withdrawn from Israel, he is still involved in the publication of the new Westminster Confession of Faith in Hebrew and the revision of the Hebrew New Testament (of which the Gospel of John has been finished) but it has been decided that, “with the completion of the present translation projects, the [Jewish and Foreign Missions] Committee expect our work in Israel to cease meantime”. Mr Goldby hopes that the Gospel of John will be published soon, and we pray that the distribution of it and the Westminster Confession will bear much spiritual fruit. After Mr Goldby returned to Britain, church services continued in Jerusalem under Mr Al Hembd (a communicant in our Texas congregation and employee of the TBS, who is studying at the Hebrew University) but, as there is no longer a core of people attending regularly, these have been discontinued for the present.
In conclusion, it is encouraging to those who are engaged in mission work that “the Word of God is not bound” (2 Tim 2:9). Their labour is not in vain in the Lord, whether sowing the good seed of the gospel or maintaining the institutions which are handmaids to it. God says about His Word: “It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Is 55:11) – surely a great motive for plying the throne of grace to plead for His blessing on its proclamation.
Strive above all things to obtain full assurance of future bliss. To this end take heed of neglecting your communion with God in holy duties. Take heed of bitterness, wrath, anger; by all these the Spirit is grieved.
Thomas Case