Filming at ‘Flames of Victory’ Revival Conference in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. This was a new tent with room for some 300 people. Over a dozen local pastors at the conference received their bicycles through the ‘Wheels for God’ scheme. They were also presented with their ‘Heart of Man’ charts and other outreach literature. Ate sudsa (maize flour cooked slowly until it resembles mashed potato) with conference delegates.
£1962 handed over to Harold Peasley c/o Grove Baptist Church. At tent for evening service. Was able to hand out tracts, pens and Bible book-marks to children and their parents while walking to meeting tent.
Away at 6.30am to Kasane Baptist Church over the border in Botswana. Ian preached and I gave my testimony.
To Victoria Falls to film Harold Peasley being interviewed on the work of Multi Ministries.
Filming at evening service at conference.
‘Grove’ video tape left for Kasane Baptist Church.
Had to make detour on way home to the house I was staying at because of two elephants on the road!
To Bulawayo in central Zimbabwe.
With Barry King at Luveve Methodist Church. Opened evening meeting in prayer. Great praise and excellent preaching. 14 came forward at the end of the service. Chatting to local people at church door. They do not have much but are a happy people fully reliant on the Lord.
Away for 7am to first of three schools.
Gave my testimony at Malindela Primary School. All the children were very well behaved and listened very well to our team.
Back to Luveve Methodist Church that evening with Barry King.
Managed to get my bag back today. Got a few days out of my ‘overnight bag’!
Who needs clean clothes when you’re doing missionary work anyway!
To local orphanage later that morning. Held meeting in their church. Gave my testimony through an interpreter. Really good spirit in the meeting. All ages there and a good number came forward to receive Jesus as their Saviour at the end.
In the afternoon I gave out tracts to people queuing for buses to get home near the market in Bulawayo, while Barry King preached. Couldn’t get over how well the people reacted to the message.
Was to give testimony at church that evening, but no one there when we arrived.
Went to another church nearby and I handed out gospel tracts out on the main road near the church. People are obviously really struggling - some really good chats. Most of the folk I spoke with wanted to know how they could be sure of a place in Heaven.
Leaving for Masvingo and then on to Mutare with Jurg and Henri - first leg of our journey to Mozambique. Travelled all day and camped in Mutare in the rain that night. Even with 4 people in a 3-man tent, it was still pretty cold without a sleeping bag.
Up before 6am and on to the border. Reached Dondo, a village about 20 miles from Beira (Mozambique’s second largest city and situated on the coast).
Set up tents and tried to find my plane ticket to get back on Sunday - no joy.
Staying with Francisco, a local Pastor and his young family. Food and facilities were very basic but it was a joy to spend some time with these lovely Christians.
Up early and helped Francisco get water from the communal hand-pump.
Into Beira to try and locate plane ticket - still no joy!
Gave out Gospels of John (in Portuguese, from ‘Every Home Crusade’) around Dondo. These also have the Gospel summarised into ‘7 Steps to Salvation’ at the front of the booklets.
Couldn’t get over the desire of the people for the Word. The only Portuguese we knew was ‘Bom Dio’ - good day, and ‘Obligado/Obligada’ - thank you!
Up at 6am and in to airport. Still no ticket but managed to buy one (after borrowing $100 - Pastor Wilson still had all our money - and after the lady in charge of ticket sales decided to come in to work, 15 minutes prior to the plane’s departure!)
From Harare, got the local bus up to Kariba in the north of Zimbabwe. Seven hours later, but with my bag still in the luggage area (a minor miracle) I arrived in Kariba at 9pm. Remember: Placard on back of bus in front of our bus - “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me”. Hadn’t seen one other white person within thousands in that seven hours! Great to see Pastor Wilson again at the hotel with the rest of the Kariba team.
To local Methodist church to film Ian teaching local pastors and church members.
To Nyamhunga High School in the afternoon. Our team was allowed to speak to the senior school (about 600 children) and I was asked to explain God’s plan of salvation. This I did, with much help from the Lord and a good number came forward when asked if they wanted to accept Jesus as their Saviour.
Back to Nyamhunga High School where we were allowed to speak to the junior school (about 500 kids). Same format as yesterday and one young boy at the end, with tears in his eyes, told me he had just asked Jesus into his heart - the whole trip would have been worth it for just this one soul!
Packed our bags and headed on to our houseboat for our overnight trip on Lake Kariba. There were only 3 bedrooms for a dozen of us, but Pastor Wilson ensured he obtained one of them! After some engine trouble, we arrived at the fishing village on the other side of the lake, where we brought the gospel to the locals through Gospels of John (via EHC), gospel tracts and a short open air meeting. Remember: Mary converting the whole island and then her asking why they were all kneeling away from her. (She had told them to do exactly what she was doing!!).
Up early again and had short meeting before breakfast. Headed back to Kariba due to further engine trouble with the boat.
Travelled with the team to Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.
Reunited with other teams, including Harold Peasley, for dinner.
Up at 4.30am and on the early morning flight to Johannesburg. Spent day with Paul Craig, originally from Ballykeel Baptist. Late night flight out of Joberg to London.
Safely home - to God be the glory.
By Barry Adair