Gospel crusade gives hope

Resolving Personal &
Spiritual Conflicts

The gospel crusade conducted in Chivhu last weekend caused quite a stir. No part of Chivhu society was left untouched. To the already converted, the crusade was a spiritual revival. To the unconverted, it was a great opportunity to find Jesus Christ.
 Pastors from various denominations in the town were unified in a greater way. Members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) were refreshed by God’s word. Hospital and clinic staff members greatly rejoiced in hearing the gospel preached to them in a different way. Teachers and students gladly received God’s word. Members of Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and local council were filled with gladness as the gospel was delivered to them powerfully. Prisoners and orphans had great hope instilled in their receptive hearts through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chivhu  ministers’ fraternal, a union of pastors from various denominations in the town of Chivhu, in partnership with African Evangelism Enterprise Zimbabwe (AEEZ), an organisation that evangelizes the cities of Zimbabwe in partnership with local churches, had organised the gospel crusade for Chivhu town. Posters and fliers were distributed in Chivhu township advertising the gospel crusade which was held at an open area near Vee’s College in the suburb.

The gospel crusade began on Thursday and ended on Saturday night. Each night witnessed a great turn out of residents from the Chivhu to attend the mega crusade. The gospel preached on those nights under the theme When the storm rages based on Mark 4:35-40 was really good news and more than 200 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ. It was quite encouraging to see many pastors from different denominations share ideas and work together in unity at the crusade.

During the day times stratified evangelism was done in different places like the hospitals, ZRP headquarters and local station, EMA, schools, prison and orphanages. I attended the meeting at Chivhu prison on Saturday morning. We were welcomed by prison officers and the prison chaplain pastor Wutawarova. We gathered in an open space in the midst of the prison yard together with about 104 male inmates and only four female inmates. AEEZ team leader, Reverend Guide Makore delivered an inspired message to the inmates that caused their eyes to sparkle with hope. His explanation that imprisonment is like death in the sense that you do not know the day when it will happen, and that it is not a respector of persons a pastor or anyone can be imprisoned anytime, received a loud applause from the inmates.
He went on to tell the inmates that to err is human but to forgive is divine while urging them to reform from bad behaviour. He said, “One time offense is common but habitual offending is wrong.” He also said that though imprisonment means limitation of freedom every prisoner must use that time of imprisonment to reflect, examine yourself and meditate on what brought you in and learn from it so that you avoid coming back to prison.       

Bible donations accompanied the preaching of the gospel. About 600 Bibles (English and Shona New International Version) were distributed to the various institutions and churches in the town.
 A visiting couple from Australia, Michael Hunter and his wife Lesley said, “These Bibles were donated by Australians to support the Chivhu gospel mission and the work of AEEZ.  We are very pleased with the reception of the Bibles which have been distributed to the police, hospitals and the prison.”
By and large the Chivhu gospel crusade was a hope injector to all. The AEEZ missions director Evangelist O. M Hove commented, “Chivhu gospel for Jesus mission was very successful although it could have been better had our plans not been delayed.” The chairperson of the Chiuvhu ministers’ fraternal pastor Makoni Goredema had this to say, “The mission was a blessing. It strengthened the ministers’ fraternal and removed barriers of individualism and denominationalism. The general comment from the public is that people were touched by the gospel and especially by the donations of Bibles. The community’s response was overwhelming and we would want AEEZ to continue coming.”

Though the gospel crusade brought hope for people in the humble town of Chivhu, it was quite amazing to witness great nation building projects of hope being done in such a small town.
Pastor Goredema is not only a pastor but also a social worker who is running a successful orphanage called Vana Childcare. Chipo G Muteve founded the Mustard Seed project which currently serves 120 children orphaned through HIV and Aids.

The great work being done by these social workers in bringing hope to the hopeless must be greatly appreciated and supported by individuals and the nation as a whole.
-For feedback contact Reverend Makore on +263 772495029 or email g.makore@aient.org You can also call pastor Mairos on +263 772889766 or email mairos78@yahoo.co.uk