Learning from experience at Chikwaka

Visit to Chikwaka, 7th to 9th Dec. 2007; team: Liberty Zinhara (leader), Ms Viola Motsi, and Colin Makeche.

They say that it is hard for a man to cry, but in Chikwaka, when they gave a Seminar this weekend, they gave the teaching on repenting and believing in more of a preaching way, and men and women cried.

As God is touching people’s lives and meeting their needs, more people are coming to the BLCC Community at Chikwaka to ask about this Jesus.

Those who came at the start and then disappeared are coming back. They are admitting that they cheated us before and pretended to praise God but now they are repenting because they see God is answering the prayers of those who believe in Jesus.

At the last visit, the team prayed for one woman who was disabled and using crutches for eight years. This time they found she had put the crutches aside and she is walking normally.

They had also prayed for a broken marriage. The father had left, and for twelve years was not looking after his family. The team found this time that the man is providing clothing and school fees for the children.

There was also a woman with a hysterical pregnancy. She had consulted n’gangas (witchdoctors) and diviners and this had caused her stomach to swell as if she were pregnant. When she found she did not give birth to a baby, the doctors told her there was no foetus. Nevertheless, she remained with this swollen stomach for twenty-two years. After prayer, she returned to normal.

Recommendation: next time we need a team to continue with point-of-need ministry while others help the people at Chikwaka to give a Seminar.

Based on a report from Mr Liberty Zinhara

COMMENT

There seems to have been some superficiality in our ministry at Chikwaka, when we thought things were going on well, and we have to develop our approach.

Originally, we used to give a Seminar on a weekly basis with one teaching per week; that is probably the best way to give a Seminar. But it is difficult to do it this way with out-going ministry, and we rarely do it that way even in Harare.

Nevertheless, it might be better, especially in a new place, not to give the whole of a Seminar in a single weekend, but to give only two teachings in a weekend, on different evenings, while carrying on with point-of-need ministry during the day. In this way, we will complete a Seminar over three visits.

This will give time for the teachings to sink in, and it will give time for the people to adjust their lives and to grow. It will also encourage the people doing the Seminar if the team visits them in their homes and prays for their personal and family needs.

This could result in a deeper change in a person’s life and a better Seminar.