August 13th, 2023
Each time I visit Zimbabwe I learn a little more about the country, where the major cities are, and where the brethren live. I always try to locate the towns, villages, trading centers, and growth points I hear about on a map. This helps me better understand how far spread out everyone is, what it might be like to visit them, and who might gather where on the Sabbath or Holy Days. It seems that each time I speak with Mabasa there is another small town or village to locate and remember. Sometimes because there are new contacts and sometimes because he is telling me more specifically where a family might be located.
Here are the places in Zim I have visited so far: Harare, Mabelreign (neighborhood in Harare), Avenues (neighborhood in Harare), Harare South (neighborhood where the airport is), Lake Chivero, Kadoma, Eiffel Flats (neighborhood in Kadoma), Clonmoran (neighborhood in Kadoma), Mutare, Kwekwe, Gokwe (often called Gokwe Town to differentiate it from several regions of the same name), Bomba (village near Gokwe Town), Manoti, Chemba
A few places where brethren live near that I haven’t had the chance to visit yet: Zvishavane, Gawa (the small village near Gokwe Town not on maps – not to be confused with similarly named towns), Masvingo, Bulawayo, Gweru, Chevecheve (spelling on this one may vary)
God calls people to His Church in many different ways and at different times in life. There are some who God calls at the very beginning of life — there are a few biblical examples of people being called from the womb and some even named before they were conceived — and others towards the end of life. Some leave the faith (walking away from the fellowship of the Church of God or forgetting what they once believed) and then, as of woken from sleep, turn back to the truth and continue as if they had never been away. In this modern era there are many different groups and organizations of various sizes who I would consider part of the spiritual body of Christ. I might refer to us all collectively as Churches of God even though there is only one Church of God composed of believers who have been given the Spirit of God.
Each organization has their challenges in their endeavor to preach the gospel and feed the flock. There have been some whole congregations in Zimbabwe from various groups or organizations who have started congregating with their brethren in the United Church of God because there hadn’t been a minister to come and visit them for a very long time. Since it is the duty of the ordained ministry to baptize and lay hands on individuals, some have waited a very long time to be baptized. This unfortunate situation reminds me of the importance of visiting people, something which was thankfully heavily emphasized in my pastoral training. I am very thankful that in Zimbabwe we have elders and deacons who have maintained the practice of visiting their brethren for a very long time, although we only have one pastor there currently.
Sometimes when a senior pastor visits places, he is asked to anoint the sick, perform funeral and wedding ceremonies, bless little children, give sermons and Bible studies, and also baptized people. In 2022 I baptized a total of 9 individuals in Zimbabwe. Many of those individuals were from places like Chemba, Chevecheve, and Gawa. We had planned that today the two deacons who help serve the brethren in the area near Gokwe Town would travel with a few of them who might be ready to be baptized. The elders and deacons would have a group counseling session (really more of a Bible study on the topic) and then meet with the individuals for one final session. There were 12 people who came, including the two deacons Paul Pombi and Mr. Magova. These brethren were from Bomba and Gawa. Many of them I had met before. Most were already baptized — one of them by me in Chemba. After prayer, counseling, and discussion we decided to baptize 4 individuals. But first lunch and finding water to baptize them in.
Mabasa suggested his bathtub. At first it seemed like the most logical solution. It would be easy enough for us to fill the tub with water — true biblical baptism is by full immersion in water. Some of us weren’t too sure the tub would be big enough for everyone so we started to think of other options. Finally Mabasa thought of his neighbor’s swimming pool. The house directly across the street from his house isn’t currently occupied. In fact a while ago the house had caught on fire. Everything in the house was lost. Essentially only the walls remain intact. The ground are beautiful and mostly well maintained. A friend of Mabasa’s is the caretaker who lives just down the street. He said we could use the pool for the baptisms. In fact he would even put water in it!
There was a young gardener working on the grounds who cleaned out some of the debris and dust at the very bottom of the deep end. Then the gardener and the caretaker began filling the pool. Eiffel Flats has municipal water connected to many of the homes there. This particular house also had a hose connected to a pump in a borehole well. A small hose hooked up to the city water and a large hose from the well were both turned on as Mabasa and I looked on and discussed exactly who would be getting in the water in a little while. We agreed that I would do the baptizing. Nick figured not all of the elders would need to get in the water. Someone would have to translate the ceremony into Shona. I had worked with Paul before, and he is always ready and willing to help in any way he can. He has help counsel many of these people so it seemed only right that he should be involved in this part of the process as well.
Everyone who was going to go into the water got ready and then all 16 of us headed across the street to the house with the pool. It turns out that a well pumping water into a swimming pool can run dry. We were left with the slow flowing city water to try and get the water deep enough. Everyone sat and waited as Paul and I took turns checking the water level. Eventually the water level in the well refilled and we were able to again have two hoses filling at the same time. Although much later than we had hoped, we had enough water to baptize the two men and two women. Just barely enough water. Only one of them had to be dunked a second time.
As soon as everyone was out of the pool and had hands laid on them by the three elders, we headed back across the street so the brethren could start heading home. Those who were baptized changed out if their wet clothes and then we took a group photo to document the day. Mabasa climbed into his truck and drove the visiting brethren into town so they could catch a bus home. Many of them left first thing in the morning to come to Kadoma, and most of them reached their homes very late in the evening. I always admire the determination of my brethren to travel long distances in difficult situations to be together. It was a beautiful day.
– Lewis VanAusdle
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