by Pat Hastings IV
I will start out by telling you just a little bit about Zimbabwe. If you don’t know where Zimbabwe is, imagine the southernmost part of Africa and that’s South Africa. Zimbabwe is the country directly above that. In area it’s about the size of Montana and the population is about 12 million. About 99% of the people are black so 13 Americans, particularly in some of the areas we were in, attracted a lot of attention. The capital city is Harare where I stayed the entire time I was in Zimbabwe. The most notable geographic feature of Zimbabwe is Victoria Falls which was discovered by the missionary David Livingston.
I’ve had several questions about the climate. "Was it too hot?" "Did it rain every day?" Actually, because Zimbabwe is south of the equator the seasons are the reverse of the way they are here. So while we’re experiencing summer here it was winter over there. Daytime highs were in the 70’s and the temperature dropped into the 40’s at night, so overall the weather was really nice. It was also their dry season so there was no rain and almost no humidity which meant—this is something I’m very thankful for—almost no bugs. I did stay with reptiles and rodents but that’s another story.
Zimbabwe is classified as a third world country although it has many western influences because of its former ties with the United Kingdom. Zimbabwe has many resources but the country is being destroyed by politics. The country is run by a dictator whom much of the country has turned against and he in turn is putting the blame on others. Overall it’s just a nasty situation and the results have been disastrous. Within the last year the economy has collapsed and they’ve had severe inflation. Each day tens of thousands of people walk over ten miles to and from work because the bus fare alone would consume half of their monthly salary. Many of the people want change and I think that makes them more receptive to the gospel. Several pastors told me they are experiencing growth like never before in their churches.
My trip was through Awana’s MIT program. "MIT" stands for Missionary-In-Training. The goal of MIT is both to share the gospel and to give the teens involved a flavor of what life is like for a missionary on the field. My team had one adult couple and eleven teens ages 16-18. We first met in Chicago at Awana headquarters for a couple of days before we began our trip so we could get to know each other and prepare.
Before I tell you about what I did in Zimbabwe I’ll first tell my story about getting there. There’s a saying that half the fun on a trip is just getting there and for this trip that was definitely true. The team was supposed to change airports in London and because of the long layover we thought we could see some of the city. However, we made some miscalculations regarding time and missed our flight to Zimbabwe. I know you’re thinking, "Why did you do something so dumb?" And it was, but I think that was a turning point on the trip and God used our mistakes in incredible ways. We contacted a former Awana missionary who lived near London and he and several of his church members took us into their homes at 2:00 am.
We were in England for 3 ½ days because there aren’t many flights to Zimbabwe. God used that time to prepare us for what we would be doing in Zimbabwe. We were able to run a small Awana club in a suburb of London which gave us a chance to critique our work and we participated in a Sunday morning worship service there. I think the most important thing that happened while in England was the way the team came together. I could have never imagined the team coming together the way it did. Incredibly, as far as I know during the entire trip there was never a case of conflict between anyone on the team, and I know that was only possible with God.
Now that I’ve finally finished my tale of just getting there I will tell about what I did in Zimbabwe. There are over 100 Awana clubs in Zimbabwe, which is the fifth most Awana clubs of any country in the world. The Awana missionary wanted us to help introduce Awana to a lot more kids. The main ministry the team did while in Zimbabwe was in elementary schools. Religious training is a required part of every child’s schooling. There has been a renewed interest in that in particular because of the AIDS virus and the dire need for morality in society. Approximately one in every four adults is infected with AIDS and 20% of the children have lost at least one parent because of it. In fact, because of this the average life expectancy has dropped over the past decade from 65 years to less than 38 and is still falling. The people of Zimbabwe have an urgent need to know Jesus Christ, and to know Him now.
Each day our team would go to a different school. The school staff would usually combine several classes together for us to do our presentation. Sometimes the kids would pack into a classroom—one time there were 200 children in a room with 40 desks—but usually we were outside. Our presentation would generally last between 30 to 45 minutes depending on how much time we were given by the school staff. In the presentation we did puppet skits, sang songs, gave a gospel message and then led the kids in the salvation prayer. Each day we did our presentation as many times as necessary to cover the entire school, which could mean repeating it as many as 8 times to a total of over 1000 kids. The most kids we ever addressed together during a single school assembly was 1600 children. There was no amplification so it was a challenge to talk to so many kids.
During the trip we had only minor problems with the language barrier. The official language in Zimbabwe is English; however, the first language of most people we were around was Shona. Both languages are taught in school so by 3rd grade most children can communicate in English. With younger children the Awana missionary acted as an interpreter for us.
On Fridays and Saturdays we visited the Awana clubs at churches. There was a very wide variation in the facilities we were at. The first club we visited had a large sanctuary, a sound system, and a permanent game circle. The 2nd club we went to the sanctuary was a tent behind a member’s house and the game circle was set up in the street. When a car needed to pass by, the games temporarily halted to let the car through. In all we visited and worked in 6 different Awana club meetings. Unlike at the schools, at the Awana clubs we were able to talk either individually or in small groups with children that were interested in knowing Christ as their personal savior and let them ask questions.
On Sundays we visited churches, usually singing a few songs and giving a couple of testimonies. In the churches the Christians sang very enthusiastically, often accompanied by the traditional African drums you might think are only a stereotype. It was beautiful to behold.
Although it was impossible to keep count, during the 2 weeks in Zimbabwe I estimate we shared the gospel with about 12,000 children. Everywhere we went we received a very enthusiastic response. When we drove away from some of the schools dozens of kids would line the street waving goodbye. Only God knows how many of the children actually accepted Christ but I believe many children came to know him through our ministry.
In all the trip lasted three weeks. Those were the three busiest weeks of my life and I know I was only able to do it through God. The one thing I learned most through this trip is that God has a plan and God is in control of that plan. A verse that states that is Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Certainly that doesn’t mean everything will be pleasant or easy, but it does mean God uses our shortcomings and mistakes for His glory. I knew that before the trip, yet it’s one thing to know it because someone says so whereas now I know it because I saw it and experienced it, and I have seen the incredible results of what can happen.
Finally, I want to say thank you to everyone for their support. Many of you have told me you were praying for me. I am extremely grateful for that. When added to the prayer support for each team member there were literally hundreds of people praying for us, and the results showed. For everyone who prayed it was a way for you to be a part—a vital part—of the team. I ask you to please continue praying. Pray for missionaries. Pray for missions everywhere, both here and overseas. Do what you can to be a part of it.
Last Updated: July 22, 2001