19th Annual Zimbabwe Preaching Summit
by: Al Serhal

I arrived in Zimbabwe late on Tuesday, February 7 which allowed me a couple of days to get acclimated and just spend some time with Zebedee (Managing Director of HVCM in Zimbabwe), talking over many of the issues and plans that we have for HVCM going forward.  Zebedee was able to bring me up-to-date on some of the challenges the mission is currently facing as well as some major victories.

I then had the weekend to prepare for my preaching class at Zimbabwe Christian College which was scheduled to start the next Monday morning.  I preached both Sundays that I was in Harare at two different churches. I especially enjoyed the second Sunday when I was able to travel with 3 of my preaching Students out to one of the churches where we worked as a team for the day. The boys translated and prayed with many of the people who came forward during the service.  I really enjoyed traveling with them and just talking and getting to know them and their stories.  During the week I taught from 8:00-1:00 every day for the next 8 days. During that time I was able to present every student with a brand new NIV Study Bible (60 students) and also provide each of my students (2nd & 3rd year students) with a copy of Haddon Robinsons “Biblical Preaching” as our textbook.  

On February 22, two brothers from the Tomoka Christian Church in Ormond Beach, FL arrived.  That night we had a cookout for all of the ZCC students, faculty and staff.  It was a wonderful evening filled with singing, food and fellowship!

We then took the FL guys down to Chiredzi to see the mission work  We went to two mission schools and then spent the evening with the children at the Children’s Village. On Sunday, we went out to one of our rural Churches to worship with the folks there and Greg from Tomoka preached.

On Monday we began the trip back to Harare for the 19th annual Preaching Summit.  About 125 Preachers attended and they all received Bibles and a copy of John Stott’s book, “Basic Christianity”, along with pens and handmade cross necklaces.  Speakers were, Pete Konkle from SC, Dr. David Fiensy from Kentucky Christian University, Dr. Darrel Pruett from FL, Greg Holmgren from Tomoka and myself.  The spirit and attitude of the Summit was wonderful and the food was exceptional this year.

This year at the Summit we had preachers not only from Zimbabwe and Mozambique, but men also traveled 3 days to get there from the country of Malawi.  One evening the men from Malawi asked to speak to me.  We met outside where they pleaded with me to bring some kind of preacher training to Malawi.  They say there are 200 Christian churches in Malawi and less than 100 preachers.  A few of these preachers had some formal training at a small non-instrumental college there in Malawi, but most of them have not had any formal education and they are hungry for teaching and resources for Preaching.  I felt very convicted to try and do something to strengthen the pulpits in Malawi.

On Friday, March 3rd I began the long journey home.  I finally arrived at my little house in Grayson, KY around 3:00 in the afternoon on Saturday, March 4th.  I battled some issues with dehydration for several days due to the long flight home, but am feeling much better now.  It is good to be home with my wife and family and to sleep in my own bed for a while.
                                                                         
​-Al Serhal

While I have enjoyed all of the office work, I am looking forward to meeting our 1,000+ kids, as well as helping with the Christian School games coming up next term. These games are when all the Church of Christ/Mashoko Christian Schools get together for four days out of the second term and compete in various activities. This includes: netball, soccer, volleyball, handball, music, drama, biblical quizzes, and extra for the High Schoolers, debate and chess. Pastor Cephas tells me that our Living Proof kids are the “torch bearers” of this event, because they are the ones leading services and singing, as well as helping to organize. It is so wonderful to see the vision of training up Christian leaders become a reality!
 
Speaking of which, over the course of this year we hope to be writing a curriculum for our Living Proof Bible program. I cannot wait to do this, and to get out into the schools! I run the Children’s program at my Church here in Chiredzi, and helping kids develop a firm Biblical foundation is something I am very passionate about; as well as I just love kids J
 
That’s all from me for now! Needless to say I think you will need to watch this space as our Living Proof Program keeps growing and developing. Please keep praying for us, specifically that:

• We continue to evaluate and perfect this fast growing program
• More sponsors will come on board as we look to bring on additional kids
• Our Living Proof kids continue to grow in “wisdom and in stature” as leaders of their schools and communities
• That the Lord would equip us to disciple and to empower, which will in turn affect change not just schools and communities but ultimately the country of Zimbabwe

Until next time, Chisarai munaJesu (Goodbye, stay well in Jesus)! 

Love,
Steph
steph@hippovalley.com
 

As we head into a new year, it is good to look back and remember the years past.  Check out this old newsletter from Hippo Valley's John C. Pemberton in January of 1970.  Now 45 years ago!!

This year, Hippo Valley Christian Mission will be launching a new initiative known as the Living Proof Campaign.  The inspiration for this comes from none other than our own managing director, Zebedee Togarepi. Think about it, Zebedee IS the product of this great mission! He is the Living Proof of the impact this great mission has had and still has in Zimbabwe. He is what John and Marge Pemberton dreamed of as early as 1956! His role as head of our mission in Zimbabwe is what John Mark and Bob worked so hard to cultivate! Zebedee attended our mission schools as a small boy and his parents were led to Christ through the ministry of John and Marge Pemberton. He was recruited to the ministry by John Pemberton and became the first graduate of Zimbabwe Christian College. He was sponsored by the Pembertons to receive his higher education in the United States, earning his bachelor’s degree from KCU and his MRE from Cincinnati Christian Seminary. Upon his return to Zimbabwe he was brought on board as a full partner in the mission work with John Mark and Bob Pemberton, a move that was almost unheard of at that time.   

Zebedee is Living Proof of HVCM but he is only one of, literally, thousands who have passed through the doors of our schools and gone on to lead productive lives and become leaders in our churches and the community! This is what we hope to focus on as we develop this exciting sponsorship program. The product: Living Proof! Not to be confused with our regular orphan sponsorship program, here is what the new school-children sponsorship program will look like:

• We will be seeking sponsors for the school children probably beginning with 4th-6th graders.
• The $20 sponsorship monies will go directly to the mission for ministry and evangelism efforts within our 27 schools. This may include salaries, expenses for revivals and evangelistic programs within our schools, and school related administrative costs.
• The sponsoring persons or families will be given an actual child, picture, personal information and mailing address and will begin corresponding with the child to encourage him or her to do their best in school, to always attend church, and to be an active participant in Sunday school. We sincerely want our sponsors to partner with HVCM to develop friendships with these precious children, to pray regularly for your child and help lead them to the Savior.
• $5 per month from the $20 sponsor gift will be set aside in an account to be used for the sponsored child when they graduate from high school for further education. We also hope to make additional scholarship opportunities available for sponsored children who desire to attend Zimbabwe Christian College.
• Every sponsored child will be presented with a Bible given to them on behalf of their sponsor.
• Although the children will not be given their sponsor’s personal address (only the mission offices will have that information) they will send personal letters back to their sponsors through the mission office in Zimbabwe.
• Sponsors will not be permitted to send money directly to their child (the children and their families will be informed that money requests are not permitted). However, sponsors will be given the opportunity to purchase pre-selected $10 gifts from a catalog. These gifts will be given to your child at Christmas, wrapped and in your name.

In addition to this exciting opportunity, our own Zebedee Togarepi has been asked to be one of the keynote speakers at the International Convention on Missions, which will probably see around 10,000 people in attendance. What an opportunity to launch this exciting program! 

Our goal is to have five-hundred $20/month child sponsors by the end of the year.  This is a lofty goal, but thankfully we have the King of Kings on our side!  If this is something you are interested in learning more about, please submit a new contact form by clicking here, or by emailing us at hvcm@hippovalley.com.  We would love to have you on board with us during this exciting time.