AFRICAN EVANGELIST

CYRIL C. SIMKINS, Missionary RHODESIA, AFRICA

P/Bag 56 Zaka, Rodesia, Africa
Forwarding Agent: Robert L. Mize Route 4, Admiral Drive
Concord, Tennessee
Vol. 1 August 1965
Professor Alder At Mashoko
SThestudents of San Jose Bi
ble College, California, sent
Professor George Alder to visit
the mission field in Rhodesia.
He arrived in July and spent
three weeks teaching in the Bi
ble College. Teacher Training
School, and the church. The Bi
ble College students fell in
love with Mr. Alder and asked
him to return. The highlight of
his visit was a one week revival.
Both the attendance and the
GEORGE ALDER - TEACHING singing indicated the interest
the Africans had in this meet
ing. We will remember for a long time this revival and the weeks of
training which were so thoughtfully provided by the students of San
Jose. God is blessing us in so many ways. Everything that we do at
Mashoko has an evangelistic emphasis. The visit of Brother Alder
gave us an added push for evange-
lism in the area. Just before
Professor Alder was to leave, he
contacted malaria. Consequently
he has seen both the good and
bad of Rhodesia but God is heal
ing him from his illness and we
know he will soon be back teach
ing and preaching the Gospel of
Christ.
( 18th NATIONAL i
j MISSIONARY CONVENTION |
I September 28 -October 1 |
I JOPLIN, MISSOURI (
BAPTISM DURING REVIVAL
The Church At Umtali
to ground this church in
sound doctrine and in New MEETING PLACE OF UMTALI CHURCH
Testament Christianity. We spent several days in Umtali talking
with the congregation and teaching the Gospel of Christ. Brother
Dick Hostetter has now arrived from the States to take charge of
this work. Our experiences with this African congregation has
taught us a lot. We are convinced that we can start churches in
every city as well as the villages. The church is spreading in
Rhodesia and congregations like the one at Umtali make the future
look bright for the cause of Christ.
African Funeral iViissionary Young People
- The fat-her-of a-nurse ^t-the
Mashoko Hospital passed away and A C
the family asked for some" boards V-.T* jBt
to build the coffin. This is ^ wjj^ a
rare this country as no em-
balming is ever done. At the '8
kraal area, where huts of the
family are situated, the coffin
was wrapped black cloth and
placed in the main hut. They VBHII
then carried the coffin out and
started down a path toward the Although most of our time is
distant mountains while we all spent with the Africans, we are
followed. As we walked along the "Ot unmindful of the needs of
women sang hymns in Shona. children of the missionaries.
At the grave site they asked Dr. We held special services for
Pruett to give the message and I them in Fort Victoria and later
gave the prayer. As everything took them to Zimbabwe. Above is
is so very dry, they did not have ^ picture of some of the mission-
flowers. After the coffin was ^'"7 young people. They are left
lowered into the ground, all of to right: Larry Van Dyke, Mary
the men present took turns shov- Simkins, Darrell Pruett, Pamela
eling in the dirt. When level and Mark Pemberton. Cyril Sim-
with the ground, the men laid on kins, Steve Van Dyke, Mark John-
large rocks. For the return trip son and Eddie Cooper. David
the headmen walked in single Pruett took the picture,
file, then the women in single
file, followed by the other men.
Although most of our time is
spent with the Africans, we are
not unmindful of the needs of
the children of the missionaries.
We held special services for
them in Fort Victoria and later
took them to Zimbabwe. Above is
a picture of some of the mission
ary young people. They are left
to right: Larry Van Dyke, Mary
Simkins, Darrell Pruett, Pamela
and Mark Pemberton, Cyril Sim
kins, Steve Van Dyke, Mark John
son and Eddie Cooper. David
Pruett took the picture.
Mashoko Bible College Teacher Training
The students of the college
are training for the ministry in
Rhodesia and we already have
preachers in Umtali, Fort Vic
toria, Chiredzi. Bulawayo. and
other places. Since coming to
Rhodesia to train African evan
gelists. I have been impressed
with the interest of these young
men. They are not on as high an
academic level as comparable
college students in the U.S. but
it is a delight to teach them.
They have a good grasp of the
English language as well as an
even better knowledge of their
native Shona. American students
often try to do as little study
ing as possible but here it is
quite the opposite. They are
very anxious to learn and want
the education. We desire your
prayers for these young men.
They have many obstacles to
overcome and many temptations to
resist but the Lord's work needs
them as well as many more to
preach the Gospel of Christ.
Three of them are preachiftg reg
ularly on Sundays. Often, it
is not only necessary to train
the preacher but to begin the
church where the preacher is to
preach. This is also a part of
the training they receive. The
door is wide open in Rhodesia.
We are trying hard to enter
while it is still open. Occas
ionally we have someone fall by
the wayside but for the most
part, there has been a very re
warding success in the training
of ministers here.
iL' j fi lui
In July we began a six month
teaching program for the African
Churches. Teachers, preachers,
and church leaders will come to
Mashoko once a month for inten
sive training in Christian Doc
trine. Stewardship, and the New
Testament Church. We plan to
educate them more thoroughly in
the Gospel of Christ and in New
Testament Christianity. Several
of the missionaries will be
participating in this program.
At the same time we are taking
the program into Fort Victoria
and Chiredzi. This will mean
that at least three weekends
every month we will draw in our
church leaders for training. It
is hoped that this program of
intensive training will greatly
strengthen the church in the en
tire area. The lessons will be
translated into the Shona lang
uage.
God Called Them Home
Our beloved friend and mis
sionary toBelgium, Don Castelein.
passed away a few weeks ago. Don
had a most unusual ability to
include in every conversation
some reference to the Lord Jesus
Christ. He could not keep from
talking about Him. Now he has
gone to be with Him. Your pray
ers are needed for his family
and for the work in Belgium.
Shortly after the news of Don
Castelein's death, another tele
gram arrived bearing the message
that Mrs. Simkins' mother had
died. Funeral services were be
ing held about the same hour the
telegram finally reached us. It
is only after this experience
that we realized how many of the
missionaries have lost a loved
one while they were on the mis
sion field. One thing we want
to say. "Her life was an inspir
ation to all of us. She not
only showed us the way to God.
but she walked with us."
Reeves' Reflections On Rhodesia
Robert Reeves, Minister of
the First Christian Church, Fair-
field, Illinois, is Secretary to
the Missions Committee in the U-
nited States. He has been asso
ciated with the work in Rhodesia
from the beginning. He visited
in Rhodesia this summer and the
following letter was written on
his return voyage.
"After spending a month visit
ing many of our mission stations
in southern Africa I am convinc
ed that what the Christian Chur
ches do in the next ten years in
Rhodesia could very well deter
mine the future of this aggres
sive young nation. It is impos
sible to conceive of what could
be done or what is being done
without seeing the Central Af
rica Mission in person.
The heart of
church and of a
for the church is
ministry. Cyril
an indigenous
hopeful future
in an educated
Simkins, John
Pemberton, and their associates,
are providing the kind of aca
demic opportunities that the
young preacher students of Rho
desia need.
They also have great plans
for a progressive and expanding
ministerial training program.
Those of you who support this
work can be confident that your
trust in these men is well
placed."
(signed)
Robert E. Reeves
Minister
First Christian Church
Fairfield, Illinois
AFRICAN FVANGILIST
published bimonthly for the
Central iSfrica iRiaisd'on
Churches of Christ
BY
MADISON PARK
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
21S North 25th Street
Quin^, Illinois
62301
Second Class Postage
Paid at
Quincy, Illinois
3uP 1136&
Missions Service
Box 968
509 W. Jefferson St.
Joliet, Illinois 60434
AFRICAN EVANGELIST
CYRIL 0. SIMKINS, Missionary RHODESIA, AFRICA
P/Bag 56 Zaka, Rodesia, Africa
Forwarding Agent; Robert L. Mize Route 4, Admiral Drive
Concord, Tennessee
Vol. 1 November 1965 No. 4
Gutu ivaagelism Pkmei
We are undertaking an evangelistic pro
gram in Gutu. Our first project in this
campaign will be to erect a church build
ing. I have promised three thousand for
this project and we know that the Lord
will provide it. It is possible that more
than this amount will be needed.
Beginning with 1966 we are opening a
secondary school in Gutu with Doug and
Frances Johnson in charge. When we enter
this area for education we want to begin
an evangelistic campaign along with it.
We intend to promote the evangelistic work
while they are doing the educational work.
Our work in Gutu has come primarily
through the work of one man, John Kurebwa,
our preacher in this area. Although blind
he has done an excellent job of planting the New Testament Church in
Gutu. It is largely through his efforts that we have been granted
the secondary school. The church has no building and no money but
they meet under the trees. In order
to give an impetus to his work, and
scatter it throughout, the area, we
need to erect one church building, I
have undertaken this task for 1966
and the people are planning for it.
Mr. Kurebwa is very optimistic and
believes that the Gospel can be
preached throughout the whole area.
We hope that, before the year is over
someone else will be in the Gutu
area looking after the evangelistic
work. Yes. God's power is every
where. The Gospel is the power to
save wherever it goes. We need
only to preach it and let God do
the rest.
JOHN KUREBWA
Weekly Schedule
No doubt some friends are in
terested in how the missionary
spends his time. This schedule
is sometimes interrupted and any
variation from it will only add
to it. We must take time for
others such as the nursing stu
dents or teacher trainees.
Monday
Morning - 4 hrs. teaching
Bible. Life of Christ.
Christine Doctrine
Afternoon - free for the
preparation of lessons
Evening - language lessons
Tuesday
Morning - 5 hrs. teaching
Bible, Life of Christ.
World of the New Testa
ment. Apologetics.
Chapel for Bible College
at noon
Afternoon - 2 hrs. Greek
for third yrs. student
Evening - English class
Wednesday
Mern4ng 3hr-s-,teachin.g_
Bible, Life of Christ
Afternoon - 1 hr. teaching
Bible to missionary
children.
Evening - Prayer Meeting.
Thursday
Morning - 5 hrs. teaching
Bible, life of Christ,
World of New Testament.
Apologetics.
Chapel for Bible College
at noon.
Afternoon - 2 hrs. Greek
for third year student.
Evening - language lesson.
Friday
Morning - 3 hrs. teaching
Bible and Chris. Doc.
Afternoon - 1 hr. Bible
Class for missionary
children
Evening - English Class.
Saturday & Sunday
Trip for evangelistic cam
paign or six months teach
ing campaign or both.
Must find time to write home.
Nyhunda Campaign
1
BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS
Don Stoll and Cyril Simkins
are accompanying the Bible Col
lege students for two days of
extensive evangelism in the Ny
hunda area. They will go from
house to house inviting the peo
ple to come to the Sunday ser
vice. We expect to cover a large
part of the Nyhunda district in
this way.
The work in Nyhunda is grow
ing; nevertheless it needs fur
ther sTf^ngthehihg. The Bible
College students can be very
helpful in this kind of work.
This is the first of a series
of campaigns planned for the stu
dents. We plan to take them to
Fort Victoria and to Umtali, as
well as to other places. The
students will stay two nights
with Christians in the area and
will return to Mashoko following
the church service on Sunday.
Color Slides Available
A set of 41 color slides has
been sent to Robert Mize, for
warding agent. These slides a-
long with a synchronized tape
will soon be available to those
desiring to use them. Robert
Mize can be contacted by letter
to his home address, Rt. 4, Ad
miral Drive, Concord. Tennessee.
PRAY FOR YOUR MISSIONARIES
The New Testament Church
Our current program
for training the church
leaders is still in pro
gress. We have launched
a six-months program in
which we are grounding
the church leaders in
Biblical doctrine. Each
week I am in a different
area. On my last trip to
Fort Victoria 1 taught
concerning the conditions
for entering the New Test>-
ament Church. Not only
did the people listen
with great interest, but
they would not let me go.
I had to spend much time answering questions,
concerning the Church and
Teacher Training
These questions were
denominationalism, or about baptism and
the practice of sprinkling, etc. I was encouraged by the fact that
they were thinking about these things. The Fort Victoria Church has
invited us back for a preaching campaign and we plan to take all the
Bible College students there for this campaign.
In all our teaching we stress
the need for loyalty to the Word
of God. The Bible means what
it-^ays-.-and the meaning is con
tained in the words of ScriptuK.
Unless it is honored as God's
Word we cannot honor God. Un
less it is obeyed from the heart
we cannot please Him. The
things which bring us into the
right relationship to God through
Christ are indispensable to our
spiritual welfare. What the
Bible tells us to do we must do
if we are to enter the Body of
Christ and inherit the promises
of God,
Mashoko Bible College
The future of Mashoko Bible
College looks bright. We are in
the last term for the school
year during 1965. We have had
ten students this year and ex
pect more than a 50% increase
for the coming year. Thus far
the political crisis in Rhodesia
has not affected our work but it
seems wise not to go ahead with
plans to move Mashoko Bible Col
lege at the present time. The
WATSON MABONA, Minister
Fort Victoria Church
political situation does not now
favor going into Salisbury or
any large city where the tension
is greater. At present we will
remain in Matsai Reserve.
Since the African school year
runs from January to December,
we will be out of school for six
weeks sometime in December. In
January our 1966 school year be
gins. This is summer down here
below the equator.
r*
At Home In Africa
The metal house pictured
above is our home in Africa. It
is a house made by joining two
sections of metal so as to form
one building. Both the studs
and the walls are metal. The
inside walls are of a loosely
AFRICAN EVANGB.IST
piibiished limonLhly for the
Crntral iniS0ion
Churches of Christ
DY
MADISON PARK
CHRISTIAN CHURCH
316 North 2Sth Street
Quincy, Illinois
62301
Second Class Postage
Paid at
Quincy, Illinois
fitted beaverboard material. The
six room house has floors of
concrete. Even though the house
does not look imposing it is
quite comfortable and we have
learned to like it. Perhaps the
most discouraging feature is the
fact that there are numerous
crevices for insects to come in.
A rash of scorpions continued
for some time followed by large
spiders measuring two to three
inches in diameter. Our most
recent campaign has been direct
ed against worms. We combat the
problem by using insecticides
freely and by keeping the floors
clean which has to be done con
tinually. We have made the
house quite liveable and like it
very much.
"issions Service
Box 963
509 V. Jeffareon 3t,
Joliali, Illinois 60434
m 1