Living in the age of WhatsApp as ZPT Trustees, we are constantly presented with graphic reminders of life’s problems in Zimbabwe: the army worm (caterpillar) like an Egyptian plague eating through the maize plant stalks threatening the whole crop; people in hospital beds requiring emergency intervention; broken vehicles; drought stricken villages. But there are the
joyful pictures too, that make it all worthwhile: a bulging storage unit full of freshly harvested maize cobs; smiling faces eagerly holding copies of God’s word as they are given bibles in their own language for the first time; and orphan children enjoying a meal together.
We are daunted by the scale of need both for basic food and the sheer numbers of Christians and churches who still do not have their own bibles but we are encouraged by evidence of growth in the number of churches and appetite for good Christian teaching.
This means that we are in a critical moment of opportunity—to be a servant to the church in Zimbabwe and a channel to equip our brothers and sisters with the resources they need to live and prosper in the Lord’s work.
May Training of Trainers ministry trip
We are fast approaching a ministry team travelling from the UK to Zimbabwe to engage in the training of Zimbabwean pastors and teachers. There is a day conference on Thursday 15th May planned in Bulawayo with up to 150 in attendance followed by a ToT (Training of Trainers) week at the Lasting Impressions conference centre from 19th –23rd May with a much smaller group being ‘trained to train’. The day conference in Bulawayo is new although we have reached out to this group before via Zoom. Quoting from a recent report from Gideon Chishamba as he anticipates the one day Bulawayo conference:
The impact of the Equip conferences has been transformative, and we would like to highlight some of the benefits:
Gideon Chishamba
1) Pastors in rural areas, who often lack access to training or mentorship, are now being equipped to become competent ministers of the gospel.
2) Pastors are receiving the right tools to identify and refute the lies propagated by false teachers and prophets.
3) Church members are now benefiting from sound, undiluted teachings of the Word of God, leading to spiritual growth within
congregations.
4) These conferences have brought unity to the body of Christ, as Pastors who previously did not work together are now
connecting, praying, and collaborating.
5) Beyond prayer, these connections are fostering joint outreach initiatives, spreading the gospel further than ever
before.
The upcoming Equip meeting in May, which will be held physically
in Bulawayo, marks an exciting new chapter in this journey. We
are eager to witness the continued impact of these conferences as
we gather in person to strengthen bonds and further equip God’s
servants for his work.
This is a refreshing oasis for these African church leaders who normally must engage daily in earning money or growing some food – just to hold body and soul together, especially those responsible for a wife, children, destitute orphans, elderly relatives as many are.
This is a refreshing oasis for these African church leaders who normally must engage daily in earning money or growing some food – just to hold body and soul together, especially those responsible for a wife, children, destitute orphans, elderly relatives as many are.
The UK team we are sending consists of Mark Drury (ZPT Trustee), Ollie Land and Tom Fenning. We would value prayer for these three men as they prepare the sessions, that the subject matter will prove to be timely, relevant, encouraging, and pitched at the right level for participants who may be at very different levels of maturity and understanding. Please pray too for safety in using Zimbabwe’s dangerous roads!
We believe God has given us four major partners (Gideon Chishamba, Robert Chatindo, Trymore Mateyenga, James Kambudzi) to work with in Zimbabwe that have demonstrated a love for God’s people and the necessary skills to direct development and relief work accountably, and in a way which ultimately glorifies God with the transformation of lives and districts that benefit from the support provided. Some are better than others at written reports! But we are pleased to pass on news of some of the initiatives and progress in the last few months.
Fountain of Hope
Gideon Chishamba from Fountain of Hope provides us with detailed reports from many different areas. Below is an example quoting directly from a report entitled “Foundations for Farming.”
We are immensely grateful to ZPT for partnering with us. It is not just farming programs we are building—these initiatives are also powerful tools for spreading the word of God. Farmers group Bible studies have become vital channels for evangelism and discipleship, helping people grow in their faith and find hope in Christ.
Gideon Chishemba
Additionally, we thank ZPT for enabling us to provide Bibles to pastors working with our 500 farmers across Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, and Masvingo provinces. Through your support, the word of God is reaching homes, fields, and gardens, and transforming lives in remarkable ways.
Testimony of Transformation
The Makamure community, long known for ancestral worship, used to climb mountains to appease spirits whenever rain failed to come. However, the Foundations for Farming program has brought deliverance to this community. Now, instead of seeking help from ancestral spirits, people gather in their fields or gardens to pray and ask God for rain. The word of God has opened their eyes to the truth—that only God is the ultimate rainmaker.
This transformation is a testament to the power of the Bible study groups and the Bibles we received through ZPT’s support. See the picture above of people of Makamure praying together for rain. Thank you for enabling us to share the message of hope and salvation in places where it is needed the most.
We are excited about what God is doing through these initiatives and remain committed to improving food security while advancing His kingdom.
Tariro Yeupenyu (Hope for Life) is run by James Kambudzi in the Mount Darwin area
James is very good at developing different initiatives for producing food. He is expanding the fish farming project, continuing to manage the goats and develop the community garden/ community field. These enterprises feed needy families and where there is a surplus, it can be sold to purchase supplies and pay bills. Two stories stand out from his recent reports which illustrate the desperate needs and how vulnerable some of these children, like Isolde, are.
Isolde (name changed for privacy) is 11, and the oldest child of the family. When she was six her father died and her mother remarried. The marriage however became miserable and abusive. Three years later she was raped. Isolde told no-one until TY ran a child-centred workshop. TY are now looking to find a safe place for the children, and have engaged with the authorities, who are investigating the allegation. Her mother is aware of the situation and fears for the end of her marriage.
Owen and Tadiwanashe Mapuranga – James reports
Here is a picture of Owen and Tadiwanashe Mapuranga. These orphans registered in December. Their mother died of cholera and left the children with the father, who deserted and left them in the hands of their grandmother. One day one of community families who had a watermelon project went to sell their watermelons. They met these children and were directed to their family home. They offered them watermelons because they were hungry, and they ate like no one has seen in this world. They then decided to bring the issue to us and register them on our relief programme. The family had spent a day with no food and no plan of any source of food. TY came in and helped.
James Kambudzi
Community Development Centre – Trymore
Summary of their work:
Orphan Feeding Program: Number of Beneficiaries: 150 orphans
Life Skills Program: 7 participants in life skills training. The training focuses on essential life skills, including: Welding, Carpentry, Building , Electrical installation, Sewing / Leather works and Shoe Manufacturing.
The CDC’s Orphan Feeding and Life Skills programs have positively impacted the lives of youths and vulnerable children in rural Mt Darwin. Despite challenges, we remain committed to providing essential services and supporting the development of our beneficiaries. We appreciate the support of ZPT and look forward to continuing our work together
Trymore Mateyanganga
Yesterday we had a very successful food distribution and orphan feeding. It went very well . The number of new children is continuing to increase and this is opening doors for us to provide guidance and have an opportunity to talk about Christ. It’s unfortunate that most of the children have no formal family, it’s either the mother or father that has died and are left under the care of grandparents. As a result some do not even go to school or they have done primary school and failed to proceed after the death of one parent. Every child has a sad story behind them. We thank God for His grace and mercy that CDC is able to send some to school and feed them once every month.
Trymore Mateyanganga – 10th March
Christian Faith Fellowship
Robert Chatindo has carried on his father Albert Chatindo’s work. He looks after several churches including a large displaced community at Killarney near Bulawayo who live in rough shelters. There are 120 shacks at Killarney like the one pictured below with a family living in each one, with no running water, sanitation, or electricity. In November last year there was a cry for help as the rainy season started and they began to leak. We were able to buy some black sheeting for them to bring a bit of relief.
Bibles
All our Zimbabwean partners report a dire shortage of bibles amongst the churches. We asked Gideon for an idea of numbers to attempt to get an idea of the scale of the need. He reports that he works with 72 Ndebele speaking churches in Matabeleland South and North and 69 Shona speaking churches in Masvingo provinces. With a rough average of 20 members per church this works out at about 2800 people, of which an estimated 2000 people will not have a bible. About 75% of Christians in these areas neither own their own bible, nor the means to buy one.
I was talking to Rev Graham Shaw (Zimbabwe Victim Support Fund) about the need for Ndebele and Shona bibles in the villages where we preach and plant new churches. Sometimes they have one bible or not even a bible at all.
A message from Bhekimpilo Siziba one of the pastors
We are very thankful for the Trinitarian Bible Society who provided a grant of 96 bibles last year and have just agreed a new grant for 2025 of 504 Ndebele bibles and later this year a grant for Shona bibles when new stock arrives.
Thank you so much for the heart you have for the vulnerable people in our communities who cannot afford to buy bibles. Your generosity is truly an answer to prayer.
Gideon Chishemba on learning of the 2025 TBS grant
Today, we met with some pastors who minister in rural areas, and we had a wonderful time praying specifically for bibles. I was so excited to get home and find your message waiting for me right after our prayer
meeting—what perfect timing!
At our March Trustees meeting, we agreed to allocate funds to enable our partners to purchase bibles in Zimbabwe. We are conscious, however, that in spite of the large TBS grant and funds allocated to purchase bibles, there remain many Zimbabweans who have no bible of their own. Please pray that funds will come in to address this famine of the word of God and that we will be given wisdom in how to best allocate what we are given.
New Water project proposal from Gideon
We complete this newsletter by passing on a plea from Gideon for help to fund a critical water project in the Vundembe community, Ward 17, Chivi District. Residents currently rely on water from the Runde River, which they share with animals. Unfortunately, cyanide from an upstream mine contaminates the water, leading to waterborne diseases. The District Health Office and local council have confirmed the community’s dire need for clean water.
To address this issue, they have obtained quotes for drilling and installing a borehole in Vundembe. The total cost, including a survey, is anticipated to be $5,500. They believe this intervention will not only provide safe drinking water but also enhance the community’s quality of life and food security