Late breaking news from Open Hearts Helping Hands, just to keep everyone “in the loop.”

FROM MIKE DIVIS AT OH3

I leave for Africa on May 27, for my ninth trip.  My routing is Omaha to Atlanta, on to Johannesburg, SA, with an overnight stay, then on May 29 I fly on into Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.  I will be there for nearly a month, returning on June 24 and arriving back in US on June 25.  While there I will be working mostly with Mountbatten Brewer.  We will do most of our work in Tsholotsho area and I am very interested in seeing the brethren who we are helping with OH3.

As you may know, this is a very large area.  In June of 1996, Brewer and I first traveled to this area to preach at a saw mill.  There were no churches in this area, only Christians who lived in other areas and came to work at the saw mill.  They worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for three weeks, so they would worship at the saw mill.  We walked about 10 K, nearly seven miles to meet with a chief and request the opportunity to preach, which he granted.  In the next year, Brewer met with every villager in that village, and the Sikali church began.  It is the church that you see in the pictures with the big flat bed truck unloading meal in front of the building.  There are now over 20 churches in that area.  

I have left most of the planning for the trip to Brewer, but have been invited to several areas, Tsholotso, Binga, Winkie, Vic Falls and the Eastside, which I have never been before.  I look forward to working with Brewer again, and spending time with the young preachers, especially Solomon Chikomba and Israel Lunga.  I have invested interest in these two.

Recently, in the last few weeks, Brewer reports that he has made contact with the true remaining bushmen, who are nomadic.  They have heard, and some have obeyed the gospel of Christ.  This is a big event.  These true bushmen reject modern change and isolate themselves from society.  Some have even wondered if they still exist.  They live in a very remote area of the bush in Tsholotsho.  Praise the Lord, and Brewer’s tireless efforts on behalf of the kingdom.

*****

FROM MAC

Mike is still trying to raise $2000 for his travel expenses on this fast approaching trip. If you ‘d like to help him as does kingdom work in Zimbabwe you can contact him directly at MikyyyD@aol.com. As well, to save precious funds used in wiring help to brethren, OH3 will be using Mike as our messenger.

If you like more info about Open Hearts Helping Hands or Mike’s trip, keep checking out the webpage at www.OpenHeartsHelpingHands.com and if you’d like to keep up with Mike while he travels in Zimbabwe check out his travel blog at www.EvangelismUpdate.com.