Despite all our efforts and all the assurances from the local Zanu PF officials, last week we were issued a 90- day eviction order. The local Member of Parliament wants our home and come what may he is going to get it. He already has homes and a farm but he wants ours. Greed is a terrible thing.
We will be paid nothing for our home or for our land, we just get off in 90 days or the local police will arrest me. IDES has given us money to grow crops and feed the local populace, our corn and tomatoes will ripen and be reaped within the 90 days, but the potatoes require 5 months so we will have to abandon them.
It is hard to believe that we can just be evicted from our home and land with no payment, no appeal and no recourse to justice at all. Someone just pitches up with a piece of paper saying you have 90 days to be gone. They even got my name wrong on the eviction paper and the final indignity was a threat that I would be arrested if I was still there after the final date.
The local pastor from the Victory Fellowship telephoned us the day before and warned us that it was coming but even so it was quite a shock to us. It was most upsetting that others, not even connected to the event, knew we were to be evicted before we were told.
We are trying to keep a brave face and we certainly pray about it every day. We know the Lord has something in mind for us, we must just wait on Him.
We have found a small house in Bulawayo, about one hour away, to rent
and people have offered to help us move. We will have to sell a lot of our belongings, as the house is quite small and will not hold very much. We are going to have to rethink our futures and try and work out just what and where the Lord wants us to be and work. Over the years we have had such an impact with the Gospel on hundreds of people. Perhaps the Lord wants us to move on and share the Gospel else where? Please pray for and with us that this will be made clear.
I am 63 and Debbie is 60 so we don’t think we should be too adventurous, but who knows, only the Lord sees the future and our place in it and He gives us the health, strength and ability that we need to accomplish His work and will.
This is a very difficult newsletter to write. Debbie and I were convinced that our plans to work among the AIDS orphans was the way to go for BZCM and ourselves. Now we are unsure again. Living in Bulawayo will make us an hour to an hour and a half from Filabusi, which does not sound like much but fuel in Zimbabwe is very scarce, in fact unavailable, at gas stations, and only available on the black market at extortionate rates. Another problem for us is that the ClO is watching us and marking all kinds of nonsensical accusations against us, which is very disconcerting. We certainly don’t want to be arrested on some trumped- up charge and end up in their vicious hands.
Please pray for us and our Christian witness in this community and wherever the Lord may direct us in the future. We certainly haven’t given up on Zimbabwe, but we cannot oppose the Lord and if He wants us to move on then we must obey. We just want to be sure and do the right thing. We will continue to visit the churches in Binga as often as fuel will allow, at least once a month. Fortunately the Binga churches have remained strong through all the turmoil in this country and we are certain that with the Holy Spirit’s guidance they will continue so. We actually leave tomorrow for Binga and will be visiting with the churches for 4 days.
In our weekly Bible study we did Chapter 2 of I Timothy and in verse I Paul says “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone.” Paul is saying that praying takes primacy in Christian worship, we must pray and never stop, and prayer is perhaps the most neglected form of worship. To have a meaningful relationship with anyone there has to be communication and prayer is our means of communication with our Lord. Paul urges us to pray. Debbie and I urge you to pray for and on our behalf that God will reveal His will for us clearly and unequivocally and that He gives us the strength and will to obey and do.
We love you all and appreciate your love, prayers and support and faithfulness. Without you we cannot continue our work.
We love you all, God bless,
The Lee’s, Richard and Debbie
Greetings! from the Lees. Debbie and I are chomping at the bit to get going for the Kingdom again. A lot has happened in our lives since we last wrote you, but the most amazing happened over a month ago, which I will presently relate. But first, I want you to know that Debbie and I believe in miracles and God’s goodness. Yet, we still get surprised when they happen -- especially big ones!!
A very big miracle happened in our lives in January. We had been up to Zambia to find out what the exact requirements were to get in there. We were told we had to have a minimum of $US 35,000 to invest in an existing business or $US 55,000 as individuals before they would consider us. We could not enter as just plain missionaries -- we had to be investors.
We came back home very despondent and certain that the Lord did not want us in Zambia. That amount of money was just impossible to raise! (Although, Debbie kept saying that no amount was too large for God to provide and if He wants us there, He WiLL provide). We contacted Don Hart, our Forwarding Agent, and told him our findings and he, also, agreed with us that this amount of money was beyond our hopes. Not long after this, he emailed us with the news that an anonymous donor had given him a check for the exact amount we needed as partners to get in on an existing company. He told us that he and his wife, Nadine, just hugged each other and cried. Debbie and I did the very same. We had been praying about it every day, but when it happened, it was such a big surprise and blessing. One thing we do know is that nothing is impossible with God — we just need to have stronger faith! We sure do now!!!
We don’t know who this person is, but we know that the Lord knows. We give grateful thanks to that person and to God for laying it on their heart to give so generously. We also thank so many folks who have given and shared what the Lord has put on their hearts to make it possible for us to continue in the service for His Kingdom.
We have just returned from Zambia again and have submitted our application to Immigration and sorted some things out with the bank. You would not believe the red tape required for such a simple thing. But, everywhere in Africa, the same situation exists. We had to employ a lawyer to oversee all the paperwork. Otherwise, bribes are demanded by every person you deal with or your paperwork gets lost or pigeon-holed and you never get anywhere. Please believe us; we have been through it all before.
Debbie and I were almost afraid to accept this money. It was so much, and it puts a huge responsibility on us — especially as we feel so inadequate.
But God must surely have something big in mind for us and we pray and ask you to pray, too, that we are up to the task.
We still have the Zimbabwean Government to deal with to get ourselves and our goods out of this country. Zimbabwe is the most corrupt in the entire world. Please pray for us as we meet all the trials. We know the Lord is in charge and His will is impossible to defeat, but it still helps to know that faithful Christians are praying earnestly for us.
We are also busy negotiating for a piece of property some ten miles from the church where we will minister in Zambia. We will have to clear the piece of land and build a house, which our son, Zane, will help us do if we are successful in purchasing this piece of property. There are not many options open for us to get property in this area, so we pray that our offer will be accepted. We are so anxious to get going, it just seems to take forever. We hope to be in Zambia by the end of May, at the latest -- settled and serving. We will keep you informed of progress.
We have been very grateful, and more so the Christians in Binga, for all the boxes you have been sending. But, we have to tell you that it has now become such a mission to get these boxes, which is such a shame for the ones who benefitted from them. Just
to get one box this past week took us 5 days, backwards and forwards, to town and cost us $44,800zw to get it!! So, we ask that you please hang onto any more you might have to send until we get to Zambia. Or, you could send them to South Africa. We don’t have any trouble getting them there. If they are sent to South Africa, they would need to be shipped to Debbie’s sister’s address.
We called Zane, our son in Zambia, yesterday and he spoke to Immigration on our behalf. They said we should know "yes" or "no" this week. He doesn’t seem to think there will be a problem with us getting in. He also said that Immigration has, this past week, changed all the laws of getting into the country, but we “shouldn’t” be affected as our application went in before these new laws came out. They told him that it was primarily to keep the Chinese out as they were pouring into the country. God’s will be done!
You folk most probably watch the news on BBC? Well, there has been a lot on Zimbabwe lately. There is so much going on here right now. Please, watch if you can.
Don Hart, our Forwarding Agent, has resigned and will be leaving San Jose the end of April. He and Nadine have been such a great part of BZCM. Thanks will never be enough to say how grateful we are to you both and how you will be missed. We know that Central Christian Church will also miss you so much. We look forward to working with our new Forwarding Agent. Please continue sending to the address you have and you will be informed of changes.
We thank you for your love, prayers, support, and faithfulness. We love you.
God bless,
Richard and Debbie
Our Board of Directors Botswana Zimbabwe Christian Missions c/o Art Hammond (Chairman) P.O. Box 663 Acworth, GA 30101 Sheryl Massey - (Treasurer) Acworth, GA 30101 Dr. Troy D. Hammon - (Board Member) Pittsburg, PA