November Mission Report - Mushunje and Bezeley Bridge

Grace mercy and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

This Month:

• The temperatures in November were high but there was a little rain, it was 38-41 degrees Celsius (100° – 106° F). The sun was very hot, the rainfall we received was 10-15 mm. Other places the rain was more than ours. No farming activities so far in our place, others are ahead.
• The second week we celebrated the traditional marriage between sister Kuwaza's son, my wife and I did personal evangelism, and my garden near Odzi was destroyed by cattle.
• The third week the church at Bazel gathered at Hobhohouse church of Christ.
• On the 4th week the church at Bazel hosted a three day workshop, Mutava was rejected by Mutare school of preaching, and Laura collected her grade 7 results .

The second day of the month sister Kuwaza invited relatives, church mates and friends to celebrate together the marriage of her son Richard. He was also blessed with a baby boy. This celebration is normally done in the early days they stayed together, but they had one year staying together, even though the Lobola* was not paid. Nowadays people are encouraged  to have a marriage certificate. I preached to 108 people. Lunch was provided and gifts were presented. Together with my wife we gave them 6 mug tea cups .

Together with my family and sister Chidzikwe on the 17th we went to Hobhohouse church of Christ 50km North West of Bazel where Br Mazenza preached. Brother Tanhera, a lecturer at Mutare school of preaching, preached. I song led together with Br Mukoyi. We were 91 and the giving was $57. I encouraged the members at Bazel to stop their habit of not attending church service after they failed to move due to financial issues. This time the attendance was 15.

The second  week together with my wife we were doing personal work as we visited sister Masere who was a victim of polio is no longer moving but wanted to be in church on Sunday. We visited sister Chadzingwa who lost her brother in Chivhu  after he was poisoned by a wife when they quarreled over the 10000 loan they received. The woman wanted to buy new property, but the man wanted to  buy a stand. The wife was chased away without attending the burial. She was deeply cut as I encouraged and comforted her at the same time she lost her uncle again after a brother's death. It was so painful.

On the 10th after attending church service, I went to see the garden and I found the cattle destroyed my thorns wall and ate my maize, vegetables and sugar cane. It is embarrassing but the only solution is to fence the place. I hope next year it will be done since I already have some fence already I need some more.

Br Dube a Southern African Director of Boreholes is also a Director of Christian Women and Village Saving Loan Association sponsored by Healing Hands international and a preacher at Chigodora Church of Christ. We agreed together with the church members to host a three day workshop on the 25th-27th from 8am to 3pm. We invited non and church members and 70 people attended. The objective of the training was to focus on the formation and management of microfinance projects. Elderly and young  women attended. Food was served in the morning and afternoon. I was also surprised to see the two sisters of Kwezeya. They're concentrated on business and neglected to attend the Lord's day. We were blessed to have such programs it's part of evangelism. After attending a course, they received certificates of completion.

Laura did exceptionally good in her schoolwork. It was a remarkable achievement. She worked a lot looking her age and managed. She was baptised at the age of 12, born the 24th Jul 2012, she got 12 units. Jesus Christ had 12 Apostles and we read of 12 tribes of lsrael .The Lord was in control of everything we thank him for helping us to reach where we are now. She was accepted at St Augustines High an Anglican mission church School. Our mission school is in Murehwa in Mashonaland East the distance is long. The bus fare is $15 to and from which is not equivalent to Murehwa you need $40 for transport.  My wife grew up under Anglican church. She dismissed the church tradition practised there when she saw the correct way of worship in the Lord's church. The boarding fees are much and the passes are high too when children are serious with school work. I will be happy when my daughter achieves her desires.

Mr Mutava was rejected by Mutare school of preaching because he was a beer drinker, liar, fornicator and a thief. I looked for a job for him but he stole the project’s fish, eggs and chicken as he was loving women with these items. He followed people with chicken credits and collected the money to buy his beer. He appears to be good at first, but his mind is full of cheating. After he realised that I now know all his tricks he stopped coming to church and his wife they were on a mission. Everyone who heard that he will be trained at a preacher's training was mocking us and the church, I was worried with all the efforts I did. It is hard to bear. Thank God we saw all his mischievous behaviour before the resources were wasted. He was given a full scholarship. He will not get another opportunity. He was working at Mwashusha home staying with an old man. They took all the groceries in the house and left.

I want to thank you for your continued support may God richly bless you all.

Yours ln Christ 

Simbarashe Gondo 

*In Ghana, Lobola, also known as bride price, is a significant cultural practice in traditional marriages.