Editor at large J. D. Douglas lives up to his title. Before covering the Chinese Congress on World Evangelization in Singapore (p. 39), he filed this assessment from Salisbury.
Reflecting the piety of a past owner, my hotel in Zimbabwe had a little chapel on the top floor. In it I found a visitors’ book with an entry referring to the country’s first anniversary celebrations earlier this year. It said: “I pray that this land will overcome its problems of intolerance and political hooliganism. May all Black and White learn to respect each other.”
Some people are gloomily predicting a black backlash against the whites who have remained in the country (many have left for South Africa, Australia, and Britain). I saw no sign of this, apart from a couple of restaurant waiters whose surly attitude made me want to say, “I’m as good as you are.”
One hears of isolated incidents in rural areas, but on the whole, even critics of Prime Minister Mugabe have expressed surprise at Zimbabwe’s political stability. Unexpected confirmation of this came one morning when I saw Ian Smith, the last white prime minister, walking alone in a Salisbury street.
Asked how political events have affected the church, African Enterprise’s local team leader, Chris Sewell, said: “I think the church, like all of the white population, was apprehensive about its future when the present government came to power with a strong Marxist reputation behind it. So far, no statement has suggested the government is anti-Christian or anti-church. Christians have been loudly and clearly exhorted to tailor Christianity to the African tribal tradition of going to God through the ancestral spirits. That is a very definite point.”
A challenging task confronts Christians in this young country, which captured world headlines for some years. That they are facing up to it impressively can be seen from a monthly prayer leaflet I picked up. The wording is imaginative and discerning, pinpointing problems but doing it positively. Some sample requests:
“Pray for the schooling of children and for closer understanding between parents and education authorities. Pray for the Minister of Education.” And it names him.
“Pray for a good harvest and sufficient transport to carry the crops to market. Pray for the Minister of Agriculture.” It names him.
“Pray that all who handle public funds may be faithful stewards. Pray for the Minister of Finance.” It names him.
“Pray for the homeless, the destitute, the unemployed. Pray for the Minister of Labour and Social Services.” It names him.
“Give thanks for God’s hand on this land. Pray for the Prime Minister.” It names him.
The efficacy of prayer was underlined when I accompanied an African Enterprise evangelist to the rehabilitation unit of a Salisbury hospital, where he was to lead devotions. We greeted each of the physically handicapped people in this interracial group, and drank tea with them.
All the time, the telephone was ringing, and the department head, a vivacious lady of English origin, was answering it. Then an extraordinary thing happened just as my black colleague was about to start the singing. “Gibson,” she called to him across the room, “rebuke that telephone!” Gibson at once commanded the devil to come out of the instrument, and prayed that God would restrain potential callers until the end of the service. That telephone’s next ring was 30 seconds after the benediction.
It has been suggested that the future of Christian evangelism in Zimbabwe is very much in the hands of young people. Confirmation of this is found in Operation Foxfire (the name comes from Judges 15), one of the ministries of African Enterprise. Its young evangelists, average age 20, go out two by two, often into dangerous areas where guns have been more common than Bibles. “Never mind,” they say, “we wall go for Jesus.”
Foxfire started in June 1980. Its 16 members have had a remarkable impact wherever they have gone, preaching the gospel and living after the apostolic manner. Into areas ravaged by war they have brought a message of hope. They have inspired other young people so that a countryside accustomed to other slogans may resound with the chorus, “Alive! Alive! Jesus is alive!”
A school principal reports: “These two young men have been going into areas which have been ‘no-go’ areas for preachers. They have no fear. They have no time for anything except to preach the gospel. They have opened a floodgate. What these two are doing is better imagined than described in words. Last Sunday a whole congregation wept—including me—when they ministered to us. Men, women, and young people are inviting them into their homes. Never in my life have I come across young people of this quality. They are staying with me and I feel as though I’ve got God in my home.”
Part of the evangelists’ task is to keep a diary, which they send to headquarters weekly. Some excerpts:
“In the morning we went to Loreto Mission to visit the war refugees but we were forbidden to preach by Commander Comrade X. He told us he believed in science, not God.”
“We went to preach at the well where many people fetch water. One of us was preaching and the other drawing water for them.”
“We helped the Reverend to carry his manure to the fields.”
“They took us into the bush. They showed Steven where they were going to bury him. They said, ‘You are trained guerrillas.’ They circled us. Some of them went to take poles so that they may beat us. Others said, ‘Leave them!’ But some said, ‘Kill them!’ Then their leader said, ‘Depart from here, go back to Salisbury. Away with your Jesus! When you want me to worship Him, bring Him here!’ We said, ‘He is here!’
Foxfire is seen as a demonstration model of biblical evangelism: Christians dressed to blend in with the local culture, going to the people, living with them, working side by side with them, crying with them, rejoicing with them, caring for them, and sharing Jesus with them.
Leading the overall outreach of African Enterprise in Zimbabwe is Chris Sewell. During his former career as a policeman, he founded an organization he called TIC-TOC (“Take in criminals—turn out Christians”). He is anxious that the success of Foxfire not be the occasion of boasting.
“It’s our beloved Lord we are excited about,” he says. “It’s our Jesus we see walking through the fields of the tribal trust lands, in and out of the kraals, along the ridges, into the valleys, over the streams—touching the heart of a dejected minister, healing the asthma of an old woman, delivering a young girl from madness, bringing hearing to the ears of a deaf old man, encouraging the backslidden, dispelling their fear.”
In this young country, tribalism and political factionalism are responsible for much of the continued restlessness. Influential people are saying, moreover, that Christianity will have to be adapted to fit African tribal religion. This syncretistic outlook may be the first point of real conflict between church and state.
As that prayer sheet said, “Give thanks for God’s hand on this land. Pray for the Prime Minister.” His name is Robert Mugabe.
