Mission to Zimbabwe and the Congo

​By God's grace, our mission team to Zimbabwe succeeded in delivering Boxes With Love, food, Gospel booklets, Bible commentaries, evangelistic and discipleship materials and medical supplies to hospitals, pensioners, churches and ministries in Zimbabwe.

Overcoming Obstacles

As we were packing and preparing for this mission trip, news came through that the borders to Zimbabwe were closed, amidst massive congestion and chaos at the borders. Numerous contacts advised us that we had to postpone the trip as the doors to Zimbabwe were firmly closed.

​However, it was to overcome just such obstacles and to go through such closed doors, that our mission was established in 1982. After intensive prayer, we were convinced that this was God's timing, and that we should continue to load the vehicle and drive off in faith.

With violence and riots across the country, and with chaos at the closed borders, we mobilised our intercessors. The team had the joy of seeing many prayers answered and obstacles removed, as the Lord opened the way. As we were praying that the Lord would make a way for our mission team, just as He had parted the Jordan Rover for Joshua and the children of Israel, our very heavily laden truck and trailer passed customs at the border, road blocks and check points, with astounding ease.

Serving the Suffering

Soon destitute believers in Zimbabwe were rejoicing to receive life saving food supplies, Boxes With Love and medicines, which enabled previously out-of-all-supplies hospitals to continue to receive patients and care for the sick. Our team reported back that they knew that many believers were upholding them in prayer. They were very aware that we were involved in spiritual warfare. Thank you so very much for your prayers and support at this critical time.

A Letter From Zimbabwe

Today we received this communication from Zimbabwe: "May God bless each one in a special way for the gifts that you have delivered. Our heartfelt thanks and gratefulness go out to each one involved. I was so surprised. There will be much rejoicing. With the last delivery the folks were absolutely amazed at what was squeezed into the boxes and each item so very much appreciated. I must report that the books that were included with the last delivery were distributed to the college here for which they are most grateful and are using them. The other Christian books were distributed between the college library and the church library. The rural pastors were most grateful for the Biblical Principles for Africa. It is most useful. I must share with you that on my recent trip we went through ten roadblocks - each way - I'm wondering how you coped with them? We've been thrilled how excited people have been to receive these Gospel booklets. We just continue to look up expecting great things to happen because we know our God is in charge and although at times our hopes are raised and then dashed, He is working out His plan for the salvation of our country. Please continue to pray for us as we live one day at a time glorifying God for His mercies that are new every morning, and we are so greatly blessed - praise Him as all good gifts come from Him. Again our very grateful thanks to you all - all who are involved in these precious love gifts - our hearts become overwhelmed."

Hope and Faith

Another Zimbabwean wrote to us: "Without faith we cannot experience hope. Faith results in actions giving us the desperately sought after feelings of hope. That help will come, and help has already come and given me absolute hope. Our hospital has been truly blessed. Your teams arrived delivering to my doorstep desperately needed supplies of food and medicines, cloaked in words of encouragement. These teams and generous donors have given me a sense of hope that has eluded me for some time and for this I thank you. In Romans we are told that problems are good for us - they help us to learn endurance which develops strength and character. Our nation is not made up of old or new governance, but of the Zimbabwean who has persevered, strengthened and through faith we have grappled for and been given hope that we require for us to re-group and strive forward as stronger Christians for a stronger nation...'those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.' Isaiah 40:31"

Missions of Mercy

In the light of the colossal humanitarian catastrophe occurring just north of our border in Zimbabwe, Frontline Fellowship is conducting regular field trips to deliver life saving supplies and medicines to doctors and nurses, pensioners and pastors, widows and orphans - who are praying for the desperately needed materials which we can deliver.

Of course, we cannot help everyone, but we can help some. It is our earnest prayer that the Lord would use and multiply the inadequate supplies that we can provide as He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the thousands. We believe that the Lord is guiding us to greatly expand our ministry activities into Zimbabwe. For this we believe we need a three tonne truck.

If you have skills and/or resources which can enable us to serve the suffering in Zimbabwe please do contact us: [email protected] or Tel.: 021-689-4480.

Congo For Christ

The Congo must be one of the most difficult mission fields in Africa. The logistical complications, vast distances, endemic lawlessness and corruption frustrate travelers. Approximately 55 million people in an estimated 450 ethno-linguistic groups live in the Congo. Civil wars, assassinations and incredible brutality and cruelty have devastated this long suffering nation with literally millions slaughtered in the violence over the last decade.

Yet bad times can be good for spiritual work. Despite the upsurge in fighting in the Congo's North Kivu Province, Johan, Charl and John have conducted extensive mission trips throughout this vast central African state ministering as far afield as Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Kisangane.

Katanga for Christ

By God's grace, Charl has safely returned from ministering in Katanga Province. He was received at the airport with a television crew. Charl was a plenary speaker for the REDTCO Congress. The theme was The Search for Identity. The topics given to Charl were: Is Christianity Compatible with Secular Thought?; Can Women Change the Congo and the World?; The Place of Youth in Nation Building; Biblical Governance and Prayer as a Launching Pad for Action. The congress was especially dedicated to training youth.

The Minister of Education and the Minister of Sport were also speakers, as well as the Mayor of Lubumbashi. Some television interviews were interrupted by power failures. Charl also ministered at the local church school of 700 students.

Please pray for Johan's ongoing Congo River Mission and Mozambique Bible Project.

Missionary Speakers Available

If your church or school would be interested in a firsthand report back from the field please let us know. John, fresh from his latest mission to Zimbabwe, is conducting ministry throughout Great Britain during March.

Johan is available in the Transvaal.

Peter will be conducting speaking engagements throughout the USA late May. Peter will also be available for ministry in Europe in July.

Anniversaries

This July will mark 30 years since Peter began the military Bible study and prayer fellowship out of which Frontline Fellowship developed. 2009 is also the 20 th Anniversary of the coming down of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Iron Curtain. If you have not read Rev. Bill Bathman's book: Going Through - Even If the Door is Closed, and listened to his audio documentary on Communism on audio CD, these are available from Frontline Fellowship.

Rev. Bill Bathman will also be available for selected ministry opportunities in North America to celebrate the great move of God that brought down the Iron Curtain and opened up the Berlin Wall 20 years ago. Veteran missionary Rev. Bill Bathman has served as a missionary for over 55 years, most of that time to Communist countries, behind the Iron Curtain.

Thank you very much for your prayers and partnership in this mission.

Frontline Fellowship 
P O Box 74 
Newlands 7725 
Cape Town 
South Africa 
Tel.: 021-689-4480 
Fax: 021-685-5884 
[email protected]