It is currently 7:45 am in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. Today begins a busy three days. We have a service tonight (5:30) at Chiredzi Christian Church. Tomorrow morning I go to the Shona churches gathering to preach on the resurrection, then return to Chiredzi Christian for a Saturday night service. Sunday has two services: a 6:00 am sunrise service, followed by breakfast, and an 11:00 am service, followed by lunch.
Now I want to talk about the weeks leading up to this weekend. We have spent the last couple of weeks mostly in Chiredzi. We did travel on Sundays, to preach in Chingami and last Sunday in a new church in Ngundu.
Following our Sunday in Chingami, we continued to Maranda (Dine) to check out the guest house and prepare for the dedication events next weekend. However, there was a bit of drama surrounding getting there. I do not like to go into the rural areas without a full tank of fuel. My habit recently has been to buy fuel at the last station before heading out. However, that Sunday, the only station in Neshuro was closed. On top of that, the road from Chingami to Maranda is very bad, or so I am told. I had three options: go without filling (I had just over a half tank, so technically plenty), or we could retrace our tracks back through a detour and then on to go down that bad road.
A final solution, the one we opted for, was to go back to the tar road, go South, find fuel at a station in Rutanga, and then go to Mranda via a road I did not know and had never travelled. With the help of a big sign at the turn, which read, MARANDA 67 KM, and a good GPS program, we made it with no issues. It helped that after the turn, there were no real options. We spent that day, night, and the next morning in Dine doing an inventory, checking the men’s dorm for beds yet to be delivered, and watching a mechanic work on the pastor’s car.
We made it home in good time and settled in for a week of sermon writing, gathering supplies for the guesthouse and the Rushangarumwe clinic. We had a car repair or two to attend to. (I don’t think I mentioned here that on one trip back from Rushangarumwe, we did so without brakes. Another time perhaps.)
Now the slower pace ends. This weekend we have five services in three days. Monday, Donna and a team from Highline in Seattle arrive in Chiredzi for a couple of days. We head to Dine for the dedications of the Waiting Mother’s Village and the new church in Mlelezi. Then we head to Harare so the Highline team can fly home and pick up our team from Shelton/Olympia. Then it is back to Chiredzi for a couple of days. We plan to paint some rooms at Chiredzi Christian, visit a game park, and see the village (an orphanage). Then we hit the road for three days, dedicating the new Rushangarumwe clinic, holding revival at the church there, and VBS. Once those are over, it is back to Harare, with a side trip to Chiredzi for the rest of our equipment, and then flights home. More on all that later.
And lest I forget, we had visitors to our humble abode last night. Mark and Mehgan Burbidge and family stopped by for a visit. They have been our hosts, guides, and go-to friends since our second trip to Zimbabwe. Since last year, they have moved from Chiredzi to Bulawayo and we have not seen them this year. It was a joy to sit and catch up and share what God is doing.
So this morning, my prayer and desire for you is that you have a wonderful weekend. Celebrate with jubilation the resurrection of Jesus. Remember the cross solemnly. This is the week when the Enemy’s defeat was ensured, and eternal life was made available to all who believe. Until next time, happy Easter and God bless.