to all of our friends and supporters. We trust and pray the Lord is with you all as He is with us every day, our only hope and joy in a land of no hope and no joy!
The weekly Bible study that we hold in individual homes on a roster basis continues to be a source of fellowship and spiritual renewal for all who attend. Unfortunately, one family, the Davels, have been forced off their farm by squatters and have gone to South Africa. Please pray for this family of four who have to start up again in a new country. They are new Christians who I baptized just over a year ago and are vulnerable to the wiles of Satan. Please pray that they find a Bible believing church where they are. We are in constant contact with them by E:Mail. Thank the Lord for modern technology.
We are still in our home, against all odds. We can only praise God for His protection over us. We have continued visits from unruly members of the governing party demanding donations in cash and meat for their parties and political meetings. We must tread a tight rope, which is extremely stressful to us. If we give in to their demand, they come more often. If we turn them down, we earn their enmity, which can be dangerous to us. We do as little as possible for them, explaining that we are Christian workers and not politicians, but still the demands keep coming. If only they would ask for Bibles or song books, or prayer, we would be just too happy to oblige. But those things are not even on their lists. Romans 12:20, quoting Proverbs 25:1, tells us to "feed our enemy". Have you ever tried to doing that? The Lord sure knows how to test our faith and obedience!!
The Binga people seem to suffer more than most. They are a minority tribe which means they are marginalized more than most. They also live in a remote part of the country. When we go to Binga, that is the end of the road; you don't go anywhere via Binga. It is also a drought-stricken part of Zimbabwe with crop failures four years of five. But, worst of all, they overwhelmingly voted for the opposition party against Magabe in the general election. That means that the full terror machinery of the ruling party is turned against them -- the police, the army, and the local equivalent of the Gestapo -- are all relentlessly beating them down.
I will be visiting our churches, or as many as I can, in the middle of the month. I was there last month as well. I go for a day as not to draw attention to them or myself, a bad situation, but better than nothing. I usually have to sleep along the way as it is just too far to travel in one day. This also can be dangerous, as once I stopped along the road by a lay-by and settled down in the back of my pickup. (I always have a mattress and sleeping bag with me.) Halfway through the night I heard voices whispering and sat up and there were two men trying to steal the battery out of my pickup! I sprang up and shouted at them and they took off!! Debbie will not allow me to do this anymore, so now I stay in a hotel on the way, not up to any US hotel standards, but at least (I think!!!) I am safe!!!!! Please pray for all these Christians and, in fact, all the Tonga people in Binga.
Here in Filabusi where we live, the people also voted for the opposition and an opposition member of parliament was voted in. The ruling party took care of that situation by murdering their opponent, then starving and beating the voters into submission so that, in the bye election, their candidate was returned with very little difficulty. This is the background against which we try to live and do our work. These people are ruthless and certainly unopposed by the outside world. All we ask is, "When will this evil and madness ever stop?"
We are reluctant to leave Zimbabwe for greener pastures. Many people look to us for leadership, teaching, and so on. We would be letting many people down if we left. Also, we were born here. Our home is here, and most of our friends and family are here. We spent a lot of blood, sweat, and tears building our home, our children, learning the language, and teaching the Gospel. How can we just pack up and leave, even though some days it seems like "what is the point of all this??"
Just last week we had a phone call from friends of 30 years. Devastated, they had been thrown out of their home and farm, were not allowed to take any of their implements, and are camping in someone's yard in Harare. They had lived on their farm for over 30 years!! Annette called us in tears, saying that they now know that everything we have is just earthly things and material things are not important. The only thing is to be a Christian. Praise God. Amen!!! How great to be in the family of God.!!
Gayle is at home for a 4 week break. I have not seen her since Christmas, which for me is just too long. We are proud of her as she continues to do really well in her studies in Brighton University. She graduates in June next year, but is talking of going on to doing a doctorate. We pray that she will.
We don't write many letters anymore. In fact, we just don't, as our postage went up again last week by 400%. It never stops in this country. It is getting very tough to live any more!! One week something will be $900 an the next it is $1,400!! We have not put fuel in our vehicle from a gas station since January; it's just not available. We will have to buy all of our fuel in South Africa where it is cheaper!!! Please forgive us for not wring to those folk whom we used to write to. If you have any means of E:Mail, please let us know and well gladly contact you this way.
We appreciate the second-hand clothes some of you have put together and sent. Boxes seem to be getting here well. These people sure do appreciate anything you send.
We thank you all for your love, prayers, and support. Without this we cannot go on.
In Christian love