Zimbabwe Mission Trip October 15 – 28, 2011
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The members of the Genesis Fund for Catastrophe Relief Zimbabwe Mission Team of Friendship Missionary Baptist Church would like to express our gratitude to Reverend Chamunorwa Chiromo and the members of the Emmanuel Baptist Church for opening their hearts to us and for helping us to experience their country through their eyes.
Harare, Zimbabwe Rev. Dr. Chamunorwa Henry Chiromo Founding and Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church Centre and Ministries, Baptist Convention of Zimbabwe Cleopas Neuso (chief); driver, personal assistant Lancelot Muteyo, driver and interpreter Nyasha Kunze Jane Mazivanhanga (airport/customs, baggage) Francis Thembo (driver) Innocent Paradza (treasurer) Senior Deacon Chandisaita Georgina Neuso (personal assistant) Alice Chinhaire (office assistant) Hativagoni Masamba (Meikles Hotel)
GURUVE – Reverend and Mrs., Mondoka CHIMANIMANI – Reverend Dhube, united Baptist Church of Zimbabwe
Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Table of Contents Acknowledgements Executive Summary ............................................... 2 The Land and the People ....................................... 5 Our Physical Journey Nets for Africa Plant Visit and Inspection ............... 8 Mosquito Net Delivery 1: Guruve Experience ........ 9 Mosquito Net Delivery 2: Rusitu Experience ........ 12 Mosquito Net Delivery 3: Martin Luther King, Jr. Primary School ................. 14 Mosquito Net Delivery 4: Emmanuel Baptist Church Tree Planting .............. 17 Our Spiritual Journey Learning from our brothers and sisters ................ 18 World Hunger 5-year Strategic Plan Future Opportunities ........................................... 21
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Executive Summary Our mission began in January 2010 with Pastor Jones’ message from the pulpit. He told us that children are dying from malaria in Zimbabwe at alarming rates. He reminded us that we take mission seriously at Friendship and we had to help. That simple but powerful statement started our journey to first, learn what malaria is and to understand malaria and its impact. What is Malaria? Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. In 2008, there were 247 million cases of malaria and nearly one million deaths – mostly among children living in Africa. Malaria can decrease gross domestic product by as much as 1.3% in countries with high disease rates. The health costs of malaria include both personal and public expenditures on prevention and treatment. In some heavy-burden countries, the disease accounts for: Up to 40% of public health expenditures; 30% to 50% of inpatient hospital admissions; Up to 60% of outpatient health clinic visits. Who is at risk? Next, we needed understand the solution. We studied literature from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) to identify the affected populations. Malaria disproportionately affects poor people who cannot afford treatment or have limited access to health care, trapping families and communities in a downward spiral of poverty. Approximately half of the world's population is at risk of malaria. Most malaria cases and deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, malaria was present in 108 countries and territories. Specific population risk groups include: For internal use onl y: Use and distribution of the report is limit ed to purposes prescribed by the G enesis Board.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Young children contribute the bulk of malaria deaths worldwide. Non-immune pregnant women are at risk as malaria causes high rates of miscarriage and maternal death rates of 10–50%. Semi-immune pregnant women in areas of high transmission. Malaria can result in miscarriage and low birth weight, especially during the first and second pregnancies. An estimated 200,000 infants die annually because of malaria infection during pregnancy. Semi-immune HIV-infected pregnant women in stable transmission areas are at increased risk of malaria during all pregnancies. People with HIV/AIDS are at increased risk of malaria when infected. International travelers from non-endemic areas are at high risk of malaria and its consequences because they lack immunity. Immigrants from endemic areas and their children living in non-endemic areas and returning to their home countries to visit friends and relatives are similarly at risk because of waning or absent immunity. What is the solution? An insecticide-treated net is a mosquito net that repels, disables and/or kills mosquitoes coming into contact with insecticide on the netting material. LLIN, a long-lasting insecticidal net is a factory-treated mosquito net made with netting material that has insecticide incorporated within or bound around the fibers. •
WHO recommends universal vector control coverage, and in most places, the most cost effective way to achieve this is through provision of LLINs, so that everyone in high transmission areas sleeps under a LLIN every night.
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The net must retain its effective biological activity without re-treatment for at least 20 WHO standard washes under laboratory conditions and three years of recommended use under field conditions.
Our Quest begins… In May 2010, Genesis initiated research to acquire mosquito nets by sending a Request for Information (RFI) to participants of the October 2009 UNICEF Annual LLINs Supplier Meeting held in Copenhagen, Denmark. Each participant was asked to provide the following information:
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Company information: Name(s) of companies that supplied LLINs, Country in which the company is based; length of time in existence; length of time in partnership with UNICEF/WHO Mosquito Net information: Types offered; UNICEF evaluation of the various net types; Types approved/suggested for use in Zimbabwe Purchase information: Order quantity requirements; Delivery method; Delivery timetable; Payment methods
Three companies responded; the Genesis Board contacted a private corporation used by all three companies for vetting purposes as UNICEF does not provide references. Population Services International, the private company, gave all three vendors high marks, indicating they were tops in the industry. PSI noted that the shipping cost would vary based on volume and that the greatest variable would be lead-time as there is a backlog for LLINs with most companies. Based on the research, the WHOPES manufacturer in Tanzania, A to Z Textiles, was the strongest candidate and warranted additional review. The final evaluation criteria included the cost for shipping, cost per unit and availability, delivery costs, and payment requirements, all of which would have an impact on the number of nets purchased. The initial target was 1,280 nets (980 small one-person nets and 300 large 4-person nets). We were in the final stages of our negotiations with the Tanzanian company when God blessed us by identifying another company, Nets For Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe! Moreover, the company volunteered to accompany the mission team and deliver the nets to Guruve, Zimbabwe with no pre-payment requirement. In fact, payment was not required until the delivery was complete! With God as our compass, we increased the number of nets to 2,000 large nets and began our journey to Zimbabwe.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
The Land and the People The land and the people of Zimbabwe are more than geographical and socio-economic statistics. There are more than 12 million people: 82% are Shona, 14% are Ndebele and the remainder Asian. All are a portrait of resilience because of the hand of God! There were stark physical differences in Zimbabwe between the early 1990s and today. It is evident that the inflation and the economic devastation exceeded the reports on NPR and other international news outlets. Every area of the growth of the nation was affected by the economic collapse. It is important to remember that the people of Zimbabwe chose NOT to be refugees in South Africa, Zambia, and Botswana. They chose to remain steadfast; while suffering greatly, they trusted God. Emmanuel Baptist Church Host Family We were hosted by Rev. Dr. Chamunorwa Henry Chiromo, the founding and Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church Center and Ministries and the Emmanuel Baptist Church family. Reverend Chiromo was the first African to be elected to office of the President of the Baptist World Alliance Youth Department (BWAYD) 1988-1993, which culminated in a historical worldwide Baptist Youth Conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. He is Past President of the Association of Baptist Denominations in Zimbabwe (ABDZ) and Vice President of the Baptist World Alliance. He is also one of the longest serving presidents of the Baptist Convention of Zimbabwe with three terms (1998-2001) and (2004-2005). We were hosted by people who remained faithful to Jesus Christ in the very worst of times since the revolution, which ended in 1980. The Zimbabweans had no idea HOW the crisis would end, but they knew with a steadfast, deep faith that God would see them through.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our hosts were a testimony to faith through crisis. In 1993, Reverend Cassandra Jones was invited by Rev. Chamunorwa Chiromo to prayer walk on acreage that he wanted to claim for the continued ministry of Emmanuel Baptist Church. At that time, the congregation worshipped under a tree. The group walked and prayed and claimed the land for ministry that would be a model for the Harare community and throughout Zimbabwe. Today, on that land stands a 500 seat sanctuary, offices for staff, classrooms, a primary school, and a kitchen. Emmanuel Baptist Church has also begun construction on a sewing school. All of this construction and growth occurred when the nation was going through one of the worst economic inflation experiences in the world. While many if not most were unemployed, the building continued. While many were under-nourished because of the lack of nutritious food, the building continued. While the government seemed to intentionally forget its people (the country’s most precious resource), the Christians knew God had not forgotten them and they trusted Him more! These are the people who hosted us. These people are living demonstrations of who God is and what He will do with faithful people. These are the people who ministered to us, who encouraged us and who prayed for us. These people showed such hospitality and graciousness with everything they had. These are the people who are building Zimbabwe again to not only be stronger, but to be a nation that honors God alone. We were endeared to individuals who are trying to pay for their education and those who desire to complete college educations. We dialogued with people who have the responsibility of educating the nation’s children and youth with little or no tools or supplies. We prayed with mothers and fathers who want what every parent wants - children who are safe, happy, healthy and free to achieve their highest goals. We worshipped with people who are excited about their relationship with Jesus Christ. We sang, prayed and praised with our brothers and sisters who
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
were not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We broke bread with people who shared their human joys, sorrows, and their dreams. The people of Zimbabwe are made in the image of God. The people of Zimbabwe love their country and they know that God’s hand is upon them and will lead them to their bright future. One phrase that shows the love they have for the land of Zimbabwe is, “One the 7th day God rested. When He rested, He was in Zimbabwe”. This is how beautiful the country is to every person who has the opportunity to visit Zimbabwe. Our team did not travel to Zimbabwe to just deliver mosquito nets. We engaged with the people of the country. We talked, we prayed, we laughed and we cried. We experienced the life of the Zimbabweans. God has a strong future for the country of Zimbabwe. It is our belief that their future is strong, in a large part, because of the undying faith and work of the Christian believers throughout the nation.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Physical Journey: Nets for Africa Plant Visit We began discussions with Nets For Africa in July 2011. We listened in awe and a bit of quiet skepticism as John Travers, CEO, described the services the company provided. After all, we had research the topic for nearly two years. But God, in His infinite wisdom, saw fit to bless the mission in ways that we could never have imagined. We began our mission work in Zimbabwe with a trip to the Nets For Africa factory in Harare, the capital city, on October 17. Nets For Africa and Blankets Over Africa are part of the Waverly Company. The Blankets Division provides blankets to the military and to refugees in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa. We were pleased to see the company employs more than 700 people, providing an economic boost to the local economy. We saw each stage of the manufacturing process and are pleased to report that the nets produced by Nets of Africa last 5 years or 20 washings, thereby exceeding WHO standards. The company is working with the country’s Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to abtain the formal certification from WHO. As a native Zimbabwean, John Travers understood the need for the nets and embraced our efforts. He volunteered to provide trucks and drivers to transport the nets and to acccompany us to Guruve and Rusitu at no additional cost to the mission.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Physical Journey: Guruve Experience - Mosquito Net Delivery 1 Guruve was the first mosquito net delivery. As part of our research, we learned that Guruve is one of seven districts in the Mashonaland Central province of Zimbabwe. The district capital is the town of Guruve. Guruve is located 148 km (92 miles) from Harare, the capital city. We approached the trip with excitement, anticipation and prayer. Our trip took nearly 4 hours and we stopped at a local hotel and broke bread with our hosts. We began by washing our hands at the table. We ate sadza, hoku and rape – grits, chicken and greens – we felt right at home! Our hosts were quickly becoming our family. Reverend Chiromo shared with us that missionaries typically do not look like us – as AfricanAmericans, we were a rarity. After lunch, we continued our journey to the Chingwaro Village. Many villagers walked more than 10 miles for the nets. We distributed 890 mosquito nets and we left 110 with Reverend Mondoka, the local pastor, to distribute to some of the community leaders who could not attend because of distance, health challenges or farming chores. Brother Joe Muse captures the spirit of the Guruve experience. The highlight of our very rewarding and very successful mission trip occurred at Chingwaro Village in Guruve during the ceremony where we distributed mosquito nets. For the last 60 minutes of the trip, I was among a team of five men packed onto the bed of the pickup truck for the last, dusty part of the trip to the village. As uncomfortable as it may have looked, we really benefited tremendously from this journey. I believe the fact that Dave and I volunteered to ride in For internal use onl y: Use and distribution of the report is limit ed to purposes prescribed by the G enesis Board.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
the bed of the truck and were the first ones to climb aboard, sent a very strong message that we were not guests but family. During the ride up, we had time to talk, bond and reflect on the session in the village. During these discussions, I learned the some of the villagers had been waiting more than five hours by the time we got there. I also learned the villagers knew someone from America was coming to distribute mosquito nets but they did not expect African Americans or someone who looked like them. Although I was anxious and eager to get to the village to achieve our mission goals, the discussions made me very nervous about what to expect. When we arrived at the village, I was completely “blown away” - the sight of all the faces of the people in the village and the warm way in which they received us was indescribable. They looked like our grandmothers, our grandfathers, our aunts and uncles.. I later learned there were over 1,000 people gathered in the village for this effort and this was the largest gathering of any kind in this village in 11 years. When they began to sing in their native tongue, I couldn’t understand the words they were saying but I could feel the joy and happiness deep within me. During Reverend. Dr. Chiromo’s introduction of us, he told of how our ancestors were snatched from African soil, loaded onto ships and taken to America for a life as slaves. Thunderous applause broke out when he told the crowd we had come home to Africa and that we didn’t come empty handed but had brought nets and a willingness to help our brothers and sisters. Needless to say, this ceremony was very emotional for me. I don’t cry very much or very easily and nothing I could do would stop the tears that began flowing. To feel the love and warmth and to see the gratitude of everyone was very touching. To hear a mother tell of how she had to shield her babies from the mosquitoes at night or to hear the village elder talk of how he made fires at night so the smoke would drive the mosquitoes away affirmed to me that we had indeed done a very good thing with this mission. I had done a little reading on some traditions and customs and I knew that livestock and food items are very valuable. I knew it was a very high honor for us to be presented with the live chicken by the village chief. Before I took my seat after accepting the chicken, I made a point of looking the chief eye-to-eye at close range as I said “thank you”. He stared back at me and said, “thank you”, and the look in his eyes said it all the more. This ceremony was as moving a religious experience as I have ever experienced.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Following the ceremony, the Headmaster of the school shared with us that the local elementary school needed a roof. The classes were still being taught in the building despite the condition of the roof. In fact, one of the first things we saw here when we toured the school was a lesson on a chalkboard on the properties of magnetic energy. After seeing the building and hearing the passion of the teachers, we enthusiastically agreed to fund the cost to finish the roof, $450.00. Genesis will also look for opportunity for bringing electricity to the school as part of 5year strategic plan.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Physical Journey: Rusitu Experience – Mosquito Net Delivery 2 When we left the United States, we had planned for and had scheduled one mosquito net delivery. Because of God’s grace, mercy and bountiful goodness, we had more nets than the villagers in Guruve would need. As such, Reverend Chiromo arranged for us to visit the Rusitu Baptist Mission near Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, approximately 30 km (19 miles) from the Mozambique border where we distributed 820 nets. We also provided 50 nets for the Biriwiri Secondary School. The trip took more than two days to complete. Brother David Belton and Sister Maxine Swayne capture the spirit of the Chimanimani/Rusitu experience. Our journey to Chimanimani and the Village of Rusitu began on Monday, October 16 when Reverend Chiromo shared with us that we had more nets than Guruve needed. He shared with us that Chimanimani, Zimbabwe was one of the hardest hit areas for malaria and asked if we would consider going there. The trip would take two days to complete and would require us to drive to and stay in Chimanimani overnight and take another 3hour ride to Rusitu. Although we had done some preliminary research on Chimanimani, we had not planned to go there however we knew God had given us another opportunity so we readily agreed. Reverend Chiromo introduced us to Reverend P. Dhube, host of the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe (UBC), with whom Rev. Chiromo chose to collaborate with this mission effort. The first day journey to the Rusitu Camp involved a three-hour drive, including a stop in Mutare, a town infamous for the mining of ‘blood diamonds’. In Mutare, we transferred into a four-wheel-drive vehicle at UBC’s HIV boarding house. The remainder of the drive led us into night where we noticed many locals and animals walking in the dark along our route to the town of Chimanimani. We stayed at the Chimanimani Hotel and spent the night before continuing our travels to Rusitu the next day. During dinner, Reverend Dhube shared his own personal story of malaria. His young son was stuck with malaria but survived. He described the fever and the hallucinations, and his fear that his son might not live. God was merciful and his son survived. The second day of the trip, we traveled on unpaved, pitted roads through steep mountain passages lined with banana trees. Upon arrival at the Rusitu Baptist Mission School &
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Adoption Program, we were welcomed by a delegation of Chiefs and the Headmaster and were served breakfast by the infirmary nurses. We also heard another malaria story; the assistant headmaster survived the disease; he still suffers recurrences today. As we had done in Guruve, we held a small ceremony with Lance Muteyo serving as our interpreter of the Shona language. Rev. Dhube and Rev. Chiromo gave a welcome introduction with a history of how our partnership began. Rev. Chiromo gave a graphic illustration using a little boy to demonstrate how Africans were forced into slavery and taken to America. Speaking in English and Shona, he deliberately walked over to a young mother and wrenched her small son from her arms. He pointed out that our ancestors were wrenched from the continent and bound in ropes and chains for passage to America. It was both poignant and painful. He shared that the goal of our visit was to save lives by distributing mosquito nets and that we were indeed a “blessing.” Sister Maxine Swayne read a scripture, introduced the FMBC mission team and Reverend Cassandra Jones delivered a sermonette to over 600 people. Recipients expressed their gratification with hugs, smiles, and other warm expressions. While organized by groups, the distribution was complicated as several participants attempted to obtain more than their fair share of mosquito nets. Of course, we were able to spot those taking multiple trips through the distribution line because like us, they really didn’t all look alike. After a tour of the grounds of the “Camp,” the Headmaster and Chefs presented a couple of bushels of bananas from their garden as a token of appreciation. The return drive back to our hotel in Harare was punctuated with the news that pieces of our lost luggage had been located at the airport and returned to the hotel.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Physical Journey: Emmanuel Baptist Church Child Development Center – Mosquito Net Delivery 3 On Friday, October 21, the FMBC mission team visited the Emmanuel Baptist Church Child Development Center. We were greeted by a delegation of 21 singing pre-schoolers who marched to their classroom singing “Marching in the Light of the Lord”, properly enunciating every word and singing at the top of their lungs! Rev. Chiromo informed us that in the summer 0f 2012, the pre-school will merge with a nearby primary school under the name of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School. God blessed us with another ‘loaves and fishes’ experience. We had planned to deliver nets to one location in Guruve however we were on our third site where we distributed 87 nets to the students at the preschool. This was yet another amazing experience. Each team member personally contributed school supplies and toys that we packed in four Pullman suitcases, which was stored in luggage that was lost between Addis Abba, Ethiopia and Harare, Zimbabwe. As God would have it, the airline found the last of the bags the night before we visited the children! Although we brought the items the school requested, we ‘super sized’ everything. After introductions, the FMBC Mission Team presented the students with school supplies (writing pads, books, pencils, crayons, a first aid kit, etc.) and mosquito nets for their families and a black doll, a rarity in Zimbabwe. In fact, we had enough to supply the child development center and the preschool! Brother David Belton and Reverend Dr. Cassandra Jones capture the spirit of the Emmanuel Baptist Church Child Development Center experience. As former public school educators, this was one of the team’s most favorite memories of the Zimbabwe mission. The children were like many children around the world: beautiful, curious, happy, musical, with an eagerness to learn.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Actually, this delivery site was the only site where the tool “The Malaria Cube” was used to educate BEFORE distributing the nets. Because we were in a classroom where the tool could be seen easily and the teacher could be heard, this was the only site where teaching from the cube would be effective. This audience was the most important: the future of leaders in Zimbabwe. They are the future parents who must teach their children. However, they are also the present teachers of this lesson for their own parents. Using the cube, we taught them how the disease is caught; how the disease is NOT caught, what should be done when symptoms are evident, and the importance of sleeping with a net. After hearing and learning about the disease, it is natural that each person would want a net. Each child received a mosquito net and a malaria cube. On Sunday, after preaching at Emmanuel, one of the elders shared that his daughter taught he and his wife the lesson when she returned from school. The experience at MLK Primary was rich. The children were anxious to demonstrate what they knew. They were honored and thrilled to hear from our team members that “they were smart”. They were also proud to hear that “they were leaders!” The children sang songs and recited verses. They were very grateful to receive the special personal gifts of the nets and the cubes. However, they were surprised to see us open our bags and place on their tables the supplies we brought for the school. Our team members were more than happy to supply them with games, musical instruments, painting tools, writing utensils, and paper. The instructors were overwhelmed and the students were visibly excited and were very animated when the supplies just poured onto their tables. Our visit also allowed us to see the many needs of the school. An area of need is their playground and playground equipment. This could be an on site mission to build/install playground equipment. Although the furniture looked brand new, there are many areas of need that would assist the teachers in giving an effective instructional experience.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Pastor Chiromo shared that his dream is to expand the school to a full primary and secondary school, including a boarding school. Like his vision for the church in 1993, this was a dream. We know the power of God and we pray and claim the victory and the very ground on which the pre-school stands. The prayer is that God would give that land to the ministry and the educational arm of the ministry would thrive and grow in educating the future leaders of the country. The future M.L.K. Primary school is fertile ground for seeding and growth. There are many opportunities to share in the ministry of education. Our team just saw a glimpse of what God is doing and what He can continue to do through the partnership with Friendship Missionary Baptist Church.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Physical Journey: Emmanuel Baptist Church Tree Planting – Mosquito Net Delivery 4 In our final mosquito net delivery, we distributed 87 nets to members of the congregation and the community. Brother David Belton captures the spirit of the Emmanuel Baptist Church Child Development Center experience. On Saturday, October 22, the FMBC mission team was invited to a special tree-planting ceremony on the grounds of Emmanuel Baptist Church. The church’s goal is to plant 3000 trees by December 2011. During the ceremony we distributed 87 nets to members of the community in our fourth and final mosquito net distribution. We are also entertained by six members of the Shona gum boot mining dancing group, Hard Mashona. They were reminiscent of the American version of “stepping”; they stomped and turned and gave dap – it was like watching a frat step show. They interspersed their dancing numbers with dramatic vignettes of life in the mines of Zimbabwe. Rev. Chiromo led the church leaders to the center of the church grounds where they planted a tree amidst a lush garden of large African plants. Church members were led to the working garden where each was presented with a tree shrub to plant at their discretion. At the end of the ceremony, the FMBC mission team presented mosquito nets to assembled families after Sister Swayne explained the purpose of our visit.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Our Spiritual Journey: Learning from Our Brothers and Sisters We worshipped together, we broke bread together, we shared our world as African Americans with them, and they shared their world as Africans with us. Brother David Belton and Sister Maxine Swayne capture the spirit of the Emmanuel Baptist Church worship experience.
When I was asked to participate on the Zimbabwe mission trip, all of the airline tickets for the other participants had been made. In order to complete the team and secure the same ticket price, I had only 3 hours to make a decision of a lifetime to participate. After checking with my loving wife and my employer, I made the leap to accept the opportunity to take the time and make my first overseas flight to a foreign country without a cell phone or a laptop. It was the most vulnerable feeling to have but I had to trust the fact that I was being called by the church to help save lives in the Motherland on the other side of the world. Since I do not possess a medical degree, it seemed unusual to believe that I would have a hand in saving a life. However, after reviewing the research that Sister Maxine Swayne provided on how the rainy season in Zimbabwe produced the most deaths due to malaria and seeing that the simple solution to reducing the death rate was a treated mosquito net, going on this trip was the least I could do. However, what I didn’t expect was the sheer joy of gratification from those who never seen or even dreamed that a group of African-American missionaries would come to their neighborhood with such a gesture of love. Though they spoke only their native Shona language, it was evident from their eyes that a connection was made. Through their Chef, we were thanked with their highest honor, a live chicken; what was communicated as not your ‘usual thank you’. Instead, as Chief described it, we were a part of the full-gospel, accepted as a distant family member. I didn’t expect a full acceptance. Furthermore, on the last day of our visit, Rev. Chiromo taped a special message to Pastor Clifford Jones encapsulating the significance of our mission. In the middle of the taping, God spoke to me! It was so clear that he had enlisted me in a war on poverty around the world, helping to provide preventive measures to those most vulnerable to catastrophic events. The message hit me like a ton of bricks and I was so thankful for being an instrumental Christian soldier. Indeed, the song, “Marching in the Light of the Lord” took on a different meaning to me. I am here to serve and
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
am so grateful of the opportunity to do so in Zimbabwe. Thank your Friendship for allowing me to represent you on this mission. Our conversations began slowly – we were all on our best behavior. We were humbled to be in Africa – for Joe, David and for me, it was truly awesome as it was our first time on the continent. We were tentative at first; we spoke of flowers, trees and the weather, however, on the long rides to Guruve and to Chimanimani, we slowly opened up to each other. We learned that we were perceived as Americans first and Africans second. There was also an expectation that we would act as most missionaries do: come in and tell them what to do - and how to do it. We learned that, for those who had not been to the United States, their perspective of America was shaped by TV shows like BET. We were happy to hear that by the end of our visit, we dispelled those myths as we worked in partnership and look to them for guidance on local customs. Most of all, we treated each other as we would want to be treated; we showed each other respect that later turned to friendship. We talked about painful things. We listened in envy as they spoke of their centuries of family history while many of us could only back to the Civil War. Cleopas, or Chief, was actually a Zimbabwean Chief; family ties and traditions were evident as he shared with us that his son would be a chief one day, too. They listened in awe as Joe told of marching with Dr. King in Alabama. They listened as I shared my personal experience with integration. We filled in the gaps between being snatched from the shores of Africa until today. We shared Reconstruction, lynching, Jim Crow, segregation, education - how and why Dr. King and Malcolm X mattered. They spoke of painful things, too - the revolution in 1980, the inflation and the regime change. They shared stories of the devastating impact of inflation: paychecks issued in the morning but were worthless minutes later. They watched infrastructure that had been in place crumble, yet they celebrate freedom that was Zimbabwe’s and its potential. On Sunday October 23, we worshipped with our family at Emmanuel Baptist Church. As we entered the church in a processional, we heard the melodious, soul-stirring sounds of a familiar refrain. The language was different but the tune was one we have known our whole lives. We all, Zimbabwean and African-American, sang the words of our ancestors from our hearts, our words and spirits blending. It was so moving, it brought us to tears. Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Father’s throne Make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief,
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare, By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
Family, our extended family had church! The Children recited bible verses in rapid-fire succession, everyone danced and shouted– young and old. Reverend Cassandra Jones’ sermon, ‘You got this!’ brought many enthusiastic shouts of Amen and Hallelujah! We celebrated God’s blessings in bringing our congregations together to save lives. Mosquito net distribution total The total number of nets distributed by site is detailed below.
Guruve onsite Guruve distribution to Chiefs Rusitu Biriwiri Secondary School Emmanuel Baptist Pre-school Tree Planting Ceremony Total
890 110 820 50 38 87 1, 995
We left the remaining nets with Reverend Chiromo to distribute as he saw fit. In closing, we thank you, Friendship for being a blessing and allowing the Zimbabwe Mission team to be a blessing to others.
Prayerfully Submitted, The Zimbabwe Mission Team
Brother Joe Muse
Sister Maxine Swayne
Reverend Cassandra Jones
Brother David Belton
For internal use onl y: Use and distribution of the report is limit ed to purposes prescribed by the G enesis Board.
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Genesis Charitable Fund for Catastrophe Relief: Zimbabwe Mission Trip
Next Steps: Zimbabwe World Hunger - 5 Year Strategic Plan One of things we came away with is that Reverend Dr. Chiromo is a dedicated and visionary Christian leader of high integrity and someone Genesis and Friendship can collaborate with on future mission efforts in Zimbabwe. We discussed several mission opportunities that warrant consideration.   
Purchase a tractor that would be used to develop several gardens in the community surrounding Emmanuel Baptist Church in Harare. Purchase a press mill to process the corn grown by members of the community surrounding Emmanuel Baptist Church Install solar panels to provide electricity for the primary and secondary schools in Chingwaro Village
We are currently in the process of updating the strategic plan in preparation for the annual review and future mission planning.
For internal use onl y: Use and distribution of the report is limit ed to purposes prescribed by the G enesis Board.
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