May - the Free Presbyterian church of Scotland

Our Gospel Work in Africa and Israel 153
Our Gospel Work in Africa and Israel
Rev Neil M Ross
Zimbabwe. The missionary work of the Free Presbyterian Church of
Scotland in Zimbabwe has grown enormously since its small beginning
under Rev John Boyana Radasi at Ingwenya more than 100 years ago. So
that the people would derive more benefit from the Word of God, as he taught
and preached it in the community, he established a small school there. This
has grown to be a secondary school which has just been upgraded to include
Fifth and Sixth Forms and has recently featured in the Zimbabwe national
press as one of the top six schools in the country.
Our mission growth in other areas over the years – the founding at Zenka
of a church and school; at Mbuma of a church, teacher training centre and
hospital; at Bulawayo of a congregation, children’s home, office, bookroom
and translation department; in New Canaan of a number of congregations; and
in many other places of outstations and schools – is the result of the Lord’s
blessing, not only on the labours of ministers, teachers, doctors, nurses and
others but also in providing resources through our Church people and, since
1964, mainly through our Dutch friends in Mbuma Zending and their many
generous supporters.
But there is a limit to what our Church can do, especially during times of
economic and political instability, albeit with much help from Holland. This
is the reason why our Jewish and Foreign Missions Committee is presently
engaged in an overall appraisal of those departments which are “handmaids
to the gospel” – especially Ingwenya Secondary School, Mbuma Hospital,
Thembiso Children’s Home and the administration office in Bulawayo – to
ascertain where savings might be made and how these departments might
operate even more efficiently. In carrying out this complex review, the
Committee has the invaluable help of Mr Hugh Mackenzie, our Zimbabwe
Mission Co-ordinator.
The last review was done in 1965, following the decision of the 1964
Synod to send the Clerk of its Foreign Missions Committee, Rev Donald
MacLean, Glasgow, “to make a fresh reappraisal of the religious, educational
and financial structure of the [Southern Rhodesian] Mission [as it
was then] in view of the changing political and educational situation”. Mr
MacLean, after almost two months of preaching throughout the Mission and
interviewing many people, produced an exhaustive report with many recommendations.
Today, as the present review goes on, each department continues
with its tasks.
At Ingwenya Mission, the completion of the extension block for Forms