Gweru, Zimbabwe

Sitting in an internet cafe in the middle of the city of Gweru, Zimbabwe. Lots of locals around me, so this blog may not be as in depth...

We've been working with OM Zimbabwe, and it's been an honor to be a part of the work they are doing here. Most of them are from Zimbabwe, and they have a difficult task before them. It is very hard to evangelize here, because a lot of people are not open to the gospel. We walked the streets and prayed the first day we arrived, and the people barely looked us in the eyes. There is a lot of political corruption here. People mine golds and metals from the ground and sell them on the black market. The unemployment rate here is ridiculously high, yet many people are well-dressed and flashing big bills around. It is a very strange atmosphere.

The streets are full of beggars. The market is full of women and men selling handmade goods or goods bought in other regions of Africa. They wake early in the morning and stay at the market all day, often making very little. I met some women who are staying at the church we are working with. They sell bananas at the market every day from 6a.m.-6p.m. While doing street evangelism, I was able to talk to a woman at the market selling handmade pottery. She told me her story. Her husband left her, and his new wife is not kind to her three children. He does not provide for the family, so she has to provide for her and her children on her own. She sells pottery every day, but business is extremely slow. She told me that she goes to bed at night and sometimes cannot sleep because she is so anxious. Sometimes she cries herself to sleep. I spent some time with her, prayed with her, and shared some scriptures. There are people out there who live so differently than anything I have ever known.

We also helped out with a 2-day conference that OM Zimbabwe held to mobilize local churches. OM Zim's goal is to send out 500 missionaries from Zimbabwe by the year 2020. The reason this is so difficult is because the church in Zimbabwe struggles to reach out to the community. For a long time, they have been on the receiving end. Missionaries from all over the world come to them. But the people of Zimbabwe need the church of Zimbabwe to give to them. OM Zim members led the main sessions at the conference, which were intended to give local pastors the means and the motivation to mobilize their congregations into missions.  We performed dramas and gave testimonies. I have been dubbed the drama queen of the team, so I have been doing a lottttt of acting. It's been fun :) The work OM Zim is so significant. They know that they cannot reach Zimbabwe if the believers in Zimbabwe are not a part of it.

We also ran a bunch of church services (this happens every Sunday...). The first service I went to was so awesome. This church was full of people on fire for God. We were able to do a presentation for them and encourage them to get involved with missions. They had no idea we were coming (also common in Africa...), yet the pastor's message was in total harmony with ours. All God. This church made me feel like there is still hope for Zimbabwe. So many churches here are doing nothing to reach out to those around them. It should make us rethink how we live our lives as well.

For some reason, this city has been the most emotionally difficult for me so far. I want to see people come to life, and all I see around me is pain, darkness and corruption. I wake up in the middle of the night, with images of the people of Zimbabwe running through my head. It is difficult to entrust people to God, but I have to remember that he loves them more than I ever can and that his hands are the best place for them to be.

We leave tomorrow for Harare, Zimbabwe. We will be splitting up the team and staying at people's homes. Pray that God gives our leaders discernment in choosing the teams. Also pray for energy. Our program for the next week is going to be one of the busiest yet. And pray that I am able to trust God in the midst of some very broken places.

Also pray for OM Zimbabwe, that they remain strong and encouraged. Pray that the local churches are convicted to become involved with missions. And pray that God removes the spiritual blindness from the people of Zim.

To end on a funny note.... Every woman I have met in Zimbabwe has asked me two questions: How old are you? Aren't you married yet? One woman asked me if I know how to plow (as in farming) and cook. She thinks my lack of skills in these areas may have something to do with my difficulty in finding a husband. I did receive a few offers from local men who are looking for a way to get to America, but I declined.

Thanks for reading. And for praying :)