Another Unexpected Blessing

One of the collateral goals in my Volunteers in Mission trip to Zimbabwe was to further the relationship between the pastors, people, and congregations of the Hutchinson District of the Kansas West Conference and the pastors, people, and congregations of the Mutare District of the Zimbabwe East Conference. That happened in both expected and unexpected ways--all of them blessings.

I had taken with me the "Harvest Thanksgiving" offering and signed "Future with Hope" card from the people of First United Methodist Church in Hutchinson for presentation to the people of the Streamview United Methodist Church. I took items from the Stafford and Alden United Methodist congregations for their partner congregations--the Zimunya North Circuit and Muradzikwa respectively. I carried with me a suitcase filled with "prayer bears" from the people of the Hillsboro United Methodist Church for the children of the Fern Valley United Methodist Church. I brought a copy of the 2008 Book of Discipline and the 2008 Book of Resolutions for the Mutare District Office.

In addition, I took with me a set of envelopes for the pastors, retirees, clergy widows, and conference appointees of the Mutare District. Each envelope contained a $20.00 bill, a $10.00 bill, and a "Three Simple Rules" bookmark.

The financial gift was in keeping with a goal that we have set for ourselves as pastors in the Hutchinson District to send a "love offering" four times a year of at least $20.00 for each of our counterparts. We had done so twice already, and I carried the third such gift with me.

The "Three Simple Rules" bookmarks just seemed like a good idea. They are a modern adaptation of John Wesley's admonitions to "Do No Harm. Do Good. Stay in Love with God." It seemed like the kind of admonition that the clergy in our two districts always need to keep in mind.

Earlier in the week, I had given the envelopes with the money (and bookmarks) to the Rev. Tazvi Nyarota, the superintendent of the Mutare District. She said that she wanted me to present these envelopes to the pastors in person. As the week unfolded, nothing ever worked out, and I assumed that other arrangements had been made. As it turned out, there was another unexpected blessing in store for me.

This blessing came on Friday afternoon, July 31. That morning, our Volunteers in Mission team finished work at the Zimunya Skills Training Centre. We had then shared another excellent noon meal at St. Peters United Methodist Church. The next thing on my schedule was attendance at the Zimbabwe International United Methodist Summit, scheduled to begin on the campus of Africa University at 2:00 pm.

I knew that I was going to be late for the start of the meeting, so I was hurrying across the Africa University campus toward the chapel. To my surprise, Tazvi Nyarota stepped out from among a group of pastors and spoke to to me. "The people who have been waiting for you are here," she said. At first, I thought she meant the people at the summit where I was headed. But she meant the pastors from the Mutare District who had been waiting for my arrival.

They had been at Africa University that week for Pastors School. Unlike the Kansas Area Seminar on Professional Ministry, this week-long event is well attended! Pastors School itself had ended on Friday at noon--or perhaps with the noonday meal. In any case, the District Superintendent had kept her pastors waiting for me to get there. She knew my schedule, and she wanted me to present the envelopes myself.

And so there came another unexpected blessing. Rev. Nyarota had me call the name of each pastor aloud and then present them with the envelope containing the money and the "Three Simple Rules" bookmark. After the presentation was completed, one of the pastors spoke words of appreciation on behalf of his colleagues for me to share with the pastors in the Hutchinson District. And then, of course, we took a picture!

Like so many other experiences on this trip, this unexpected blessing was simultaneously uplifting and humbling. The pastors of the Mutare District graced me with their patience in waiting for me to show up that afternoon. They blessed me with good humor as I mispronounced their names in sometimes spectacular ways. They blessed me with their good will as they expressed their appreciation for what was a modest gift by American standards by a significant one by Zimbabwean standards. They blessed me with the depth and breadth of their faith that sustains them in remarkably difficult circumstances. They blessed me with the joy that shows through in so many ways.

It was another of the many blessing--expected and unexpected--that I encountered during my trip.

Bread at Zimunya

Our Volunteers in Mission project at the Zimunya Skills Training Centre came to an end on Friday morning, July 31. By then, we had settled into a rhythm of work (and rest!). One of our faithful local volunteers--Mrs. Ressie Nemaramba--was not at the work site that morning when we arrived. I didn't really pay attention to her absence, perhaps assuming that she had other obligations, responsibilities, or commitments.

Midway through the morning, however, the reason for her absence became apparent. Mrs. Nemaramba came walking up the path, carrying a gift of fresh, warm bread for us to share. She had brought it with her, wrapped in a towel to keep it warm.

Mrs. Nemaramba had raised the wheat. She had harvested the wheat. She had processed the wheat into flour. She had baked the flour into bread, and now she had brought the bread for us to share. It was her gift to us for having shared in work that week at the Zimunya Skills Training Centre.

It was a sacramental moment. The Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16) were blessed with bread that came to them unexpectedly. We were only in Zimunya, but we were equally blessed with bread that came to us unexpectedly. As one of our team members received the bread, we gathered around--VIMers, brick layers, local volunteers, and the caretaker's children.

There was a word of blessing, and then the bread was broken and shared. It was round, warm, fresh, and delicious. And there was more than enough for everyone to have some. It was the best possible way to end our week of work at the Zimunya Skills Training Centre!