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The Lord has blessed us so much that we are having to add a few more days to our “packing party” or more opportunities to do a “Local Foreign Mission Trip”. J
We have about 10-12 more categories of medical supplies to count and pack. If you are able to assist in this project, we need your help. The Lord has allowed us to complete about 900 boxes so far.
We are hoping/planning to assist at least 3 hospitals in Zimbabwe with these supplies. So you can go local (Kountze, Texas) and reach a foreign country (Zimbabwe). A group came on July 26 to help and was able to complete 3 categories. YEA! Praise God!
We have been having these packing parties since April of this year. So to those who have already assisted in this project, we would like to say “Thank you” and may the Lord continue to bless you. If you can, please come back as we need you. You are experienced now! You know the ropes or should I say the BOXES. J
Here are the dates for the future “packing parties”:
August 15, 19, 21,22,23, 25, 26, 28
September 2,4, 12,13, 18, 20
While we do not have an exact ship date yet, we are hoping to be able to ship at least by the beginning of next year. We do not want to ship during the holiday season again. Also, the Lord has not brought in the funding needed, but we have NO doubt that He will do it. These are His supplies and when He wants them in Zimbabwe, He will make a way. However, this is a prayer point….the funding for the containers. Thank you all for your love, support and assistance.
| Zimbabwe Summer Newsletter | |
Greetings!
"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6. While we still breath, we will continually praise HIS name for HE has done marvelous things. Our African ministry parntner, Tembi Matambo, and her husband did get their Visa to the States. Thank you for your prayers. They arrived in late March and returned to Zimbabwe mid-June. We were able to share in several churches, ladies' function , public schools and even one retreat. We are so thankful to have been given such opportunities to share what God is doing in the Zimbabwe ministry.
 In Pine, LA, we were privileged to meet a missionary lady (in pink) that served the Lord on the West Coast of Africa for over 30 years.  New Beginnings Christian School is one of the private schools which partners with Bethany Ministries. The children came and help with the inventory of the medical supplies. They do not only give of their finances, they are doing "hands on" mission work as well. |
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 AccommodationsSabine Neches Baptist Area has a wonderful mission house in Silsbee, Texas which we were allowed to stay in while the Matambos were in the States. The home is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house located in a beautiful, quiet neighborhood. It was a great location as it was centrally located to most of the areas to which we traveled.
Packing Party
I mentioned in the last newsletter that the Lord had given Bethany Ministries 4 more 18 wheelers full of medical supplies. So we are now having packing parties in Kountze, Texas. Kountze is the town in which the Lord has given us donated warehouse space. We are so thankful for the space and for those who have come to "party" with us. Here are just a few pictures of the party thus far:
We have had ladies' groups, men's groups, youth groups and the young and the mature all working together. When we first started during the inventory, we had to sort all the supplies into categories. Now we are taking each categories, itemizing and boxing them. Then we are allocating to the specific hospital in Zimbabwe. Bethany Ministries would like to say "thank you" to each of the churches and groups that have taken time to come and help and to all those who have prayed for us.
We even try to have some fun while we are working. Some days were like Christmas. We had no idea of what was in the boxes and when we unpacked them, it was usually a wonderful surprise....just like a Christmas present. Here is Tembi in a rare moment having some fun:
 The Shona ladies know how to balance items on their heads. They can carry large items for long distances. It is amazing to see how hard they work.Dumpster Diving
On one of the party days, Ricky Davis, a musical evangelist that is working with Bethany Ministries found in the dumpster 3 bicycles that had been thrown away. They are still very good bikes......so Ricky and a couple of the other men went "dumpster diving":
Future Packing Party Dates
If you are interested in being part of the packing party, here are the future dates: July 26, August 15,19,21,22,23,25,26 and 28. We hope to have completed by August 28th, but if you are interested in coming after this date, please email me.
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A week of Holiday Fun
We took about a week off from work and had some fun. We went boating on Toledo Bend Lake with Bro. Bo Owens. He took us around and showed us the beautiful lake. The Matambos had not been on the water much as Zimbabwe is a land-locked country and most of the bodies of water have crocodiles in them.
We had a special treat as one of the families that lived close to the Matambos in Kwe Kwe just happened to be visiting family in Dallas. We were able to meet them at a restaurant in Tyler, Texas. What a joyous reunion!
Later in the week, we went to the Botanical Gardens in Orange, Texas. It was gorgeous. The flowers were blooming, the boat ride (yes, another boat ride) was informative and the scenery was very relaxing. Just what the doctor ordered after we had been in the warehouse for many days prior. It was a time of refreshing.
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The Way Forward
The Matambos and all their luggage arrived in Zimbabwe safely. They crossed the border in Botswana without difficulty. We just praise God for the safe journey.
In 1 Chronicles 4:10, a man named Jabez prayed to the God of Israel that He might enlarge his territory. This prayer is what seems to be happening in Bethany Ministries.
Several schools in the area have donated to us text books.We plan to take them into the Zimbabwean schools. We are excited about this new opportunity. It is our desire that the Zimbabwean children have all the resources possible to them so that the future generation will have the knowledge that they need to go forward.
Please continue to pray for Bethany Ministries as we seek the Lord's face about the exact direction in which HE wants us to go.
Thank you again,
Your sister in Christ,
Is. 58:12
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