bacon james lisa 2001 zimbabwe
TRANSCRIPT
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J BACON
SSION, 06:03 PM 4/13/01 +0200, BACON'S APRIL LETTER
Deli\ered-To:
From: J. BACON MISSION
To: Pickett, Judy . ,
Peter Jackson
,
MSA ,
Morris Brion & Joyce , Mo ,
MKBrooks
,
Michael Jacob ,
Merri tt Harold & Roz
Cc: Peril, Marie France ,
Peril Jacques & Margaret ,
Pennington Jack ,
Peggy
Pennington
,
Paul Reyman ,
Paul
Dwight ULM
,
Paul Dover
,
Paul
& Margaret Pennington
,
papapaul2 ,
Neil James(Skelmersdale.c.c.) ,
N
Burtenshaw
,
Mt
Carmel Church
-
Chamberiain
,
Subject:
BACON'S APRIL LETTHR
Date: Fri,
13
Apr 2001 18:03:56
+0200
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook
Express 5.00.2314.1300
B CON S PRIL LETTER ^ 0 I
It
has been
a long
time
s ince we
sent
a newsletter, although
we
have
corresponded
with
most
of
our
supporters,
in the
past
few
months. We
thought it appropriate to write as we
enter
the Easter holidays, and as we
celebrate the
Risen Christ to
gi fi
an account for
the
HOPE tha t is in
us.*...(1 Pet 3:15...)
More
than e\r,
we
need that HOPE, as Zimbabwe
is suffering from high
Inflation, a
shortage
of foreign
currency,
and
scarcity
of
many basic
commodities. Tliere are long lines of vehicles a t ga s (filling)
stations;
people
are buying candles, as power cuts
occur
nearly e\ery night. You must
ha\ read about
th e violence and
lawlessness
prevailing in some
parts
of th e
country . Many
people are
leaving for
greener and safer
pastures, while
many
businesses close down. The s itua tion is very severe. Amid all this
tumioil, we know that God is in control. This is
apparent,
as the building
industry is still viable
because
of the
many church
buildings being erected
at present
Jim ha s
been
wori
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J. BACON MISSION, 06:03 PM 4/13/01 +0200, BACON S APRIL LETTER
Nearer home, in our little church on
the edge
of
the
city,
the
demand on our
ownfeeding program has suddenly escalated. With a minimum wage of 1000
(US18),
the
economic climate
has
created extreme hardship with our people.
We
sent
17 AIDSorphans to school last tenri,
fiv
seniors and twelve
juniors. To those who ha\e a parent, we pay school fees only. For
those
who have lost both father and mother, we buy items of school uniform (which
Is compulsory in Zimbabwe),
shoes,
books, providesupplementary groceries;
and for a 16
years
old orphan we pay lodgings. To
the
donors who
are
financially helping many of
these
children we give
thanks.
Know
that
ALL
your donations go to help these children.
We
also sent an underprivileged
girl to college, to leam dressmaking. This was an expensi>e undertaking as
fees doubled in
that
period, and strained the budget.
We
thank God that
she
completed
th e
course
Looking after
these
orphans
poses
many problems, as
we constantly
face
interference fr om
the
orphans
extended
families. Many
an
uncle
ha s taken
th e
food destined to
the
children.
We also
have
to be
careful when handing
money to the children to pay their school
fees
as th e uncles prey on them,
and
they
are
so
defenseless.
As
we
make
mistakes,
we
leam
how to
cope
with
these
situations as they arise.
Please
pray that God grant us wisdom to
work with
these
people.
We are
again looking fora suitable site to build a church in Daylesford.
This is proving urgent
because
of a sudden decision of
the
landlord to
charge rent for
the
bam
we
use as church building. It is not easy though;
the City council
will
not give land,
as there
are already two Christian
church buildings unfinished in th e City.
Dinki Sumaili, Jim s co pas tor, is still doing a good job. He has a number
of bible studies with the youth during the week. Lisa
teaches
the women on
Tuesday afternoons
and
to a mixed group on Wednesday e>nings. She
continues
with
th e
Christian
Business Womens group
on
Thursdays.
We had
one
set back at the church, when a small elit is t group led by the
newly ordained evangelist with
Pentecostal
leanings
broke
away to
spend
more
time
in worship . As Jim and Dinki feel their call is
to
evangelism and
winning
and
nurturing souls it is comforting to note that the empty chairs
ar e
filling fas t. At
th e request
of
some
of
th e older men
In
the church,
Jim preached during
th e
month of March.
The congregation
saw the death
of two of its
senior members.
Mr. Martin,
Dinki s father in
law
died
last
month. Dinki
had baptized
him a month
be fo re h i s dea th .
The wife of a Mos lem
man
who
comes
to
church
regularly also died.
She had
glvsn instmctions to her
husband
for a Christian burial. She died very
peacefully, knowing
th e
Lord,
as
Jim
had
baptized
her some
4
years
ago.
On a persona l note, we wish to report
that
we have had bouts of
health
again. J im s blood pressure kept fluctuating from high to very high.
Before th e
doctor could settle
on
the
right pills, Jim
was prescribed
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Mission
Services Association
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J. BACON MISSION, 06:03 PM 4/13/01
+0200,
BACON S APRIL LETTER
various medications which had not proved effective an d which had left him
i ling
illall
th e
time. With
th e
general feeling of unrest in
th e
country, an d
Jim s
condition, Lisa is feeling stressed. Howe\r, we both
k n o w t h a t
unless
the Lord
tells
us
o t h er w is e o u r w or k is
in
Z i m b a b w e .
Please
pray for us: for God s protection an d provision, for our safiety,
that
God
grants
us patience, perseverance,
strength
an d
good health; but
most
of
all that we still have lo\e in ou r
heart
for th e
people
of
this
country.
We
thank
you for
your
prayers, your help of
ou r
orphans, your financial
support, an d your fHendship. May God
bless
you.
J im n Lisa
US Agents: OOF,
2627
Redwing Rd 111, Fort Collins, CO 80526 Cheques
made
to James
Bacon
Mission)
UKAgent: Kevin
Yates,
3 Guilfbrd Dr, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1HG
Cheques to J. Bacon)
Australia Contact: Mrs. MF Peril, 1/8
Topaz
CRT, Mulgrave, Vic 3170
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J
BACOI^ISSION 09:58 AM 8/17/01 0200
J ^ /0{fi 9
Detivered-To; [email protected]
From: J. BACON MISSION
To: Hilderbrand Gill &Allister
,
, Richard Smith ,
Cc: Ronald E Heine
, nhudgson ,
MSA
.
Mapiwa
,
MAKUWATSINE GRACE
Subject:
J
Date; Fri, 17Aug2001 09:58:13+0200
X-Mailer Microsoft Outlook
Express 5.00.2314.1300
J a c o n Mission
August
Newsletter 2001
As
we
write this letter, a cold
and
icy wind is blowing in Gweru, which
matches
th e
economic climate
of th e
country High inflation,
the lack
of foreign
currency,
cormption,
lawlessness,
violence
and unemployment
ha s seriously
affected e\ryone in Zimbabwe.
Ne\er
ha s
there been
a
greater need
for
our
Lord
Jesus; ne\er
ha s there been
a
greater need to
put on
the
whole
armour of
God,
as the
spiritual
battle
intensifies.
And we know that God is at work when we notice
church
buildings being erected, places of
entertainment
being turned into
meeting places
for Christians, and Christian
programmes
being broadcast on radio and
television
everyday
of the
week.
Our work with
the
orphans continues.
We created
great
excitement
at
the Senga
Junior School, where
eight of
our
orphans attend. On 'Open Day'
when
parents examine their children's work and confer with
their
teachers,
Amai
and Baba Bacon went
along.
Our
presence caused
quite
a stir
and our
kids felt like a
million dollars We were
able
to discuss our orphans' academic performance and act accordingly.
We ha\e had
to
step
up
supplementary
feeding, because of escalating
prices
on basic
commodities. So to
donors
for individual children, we tmst
that you
won't mind
us
utilizing
surplus money
for
an extra
child in
need. All designated funds a re used for
th e
children; none are used for administration purposes.
Last month, we took thirteen of
our
children to the local dentist , for a check up; he
also
kindly did some
extractions.
He
said
he
wanted
to
hear
th e children sing, which
they
dutifully did. The
younger ones
said
some memory \erses, and
I
noticed
a
lump
in
the dentist 's
throat. On th e way
back
home,
one
of the
smaller girls
tugged
at my arm and said Baba (father) I
am
hungry. I l ooked at the crowd of children, and
wondered
how
to sort
out
this
problem as I
knew
I
had
only Z$100 (US$2 approx.). With
t ha t money, they
bought
three cu t
loaves
sold at
the s ide of
the
road,
and
which
they
divided
between them and
happily
devoured, before we reached
our
destination. No complaints No
requests
for anything else They were
just
happy
that
someone
cared
During Dan McArthur's absence I have
again been taking care
of th e planting
and
feeding program at
Silobela, and of th e completion of the school at Makaranga.
Those
of
you who responded
to
our
request
for
second
hand
Bibles might like to know
that
some
of
these
ha\ found their way into
that area ,
and in th e
township
churches of Gweru.
offered a
ranch
a few miles from Daylesford for evangelical
outreach. We had
in mind to
house
some
of
our abandoned women, our orphans, and impro\
on
our self-help schemes and teach them
self-reliance. However th e government In its land refonn program
ha s
appropriated it. We have appealed
against
this, as
th e
ground
is
not arable enough
and there is insufficient water.
The
homestead
would
also
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J. BACON MISSION, 09:58 AM 8/17/01 +0200, J
be used for e\angeiical
outreaches, retreats,
etc. W e ha>e th e vision of establishing a Christian village,
an d build a worship centre and e>entually
de\elop
a Chris tian community. All this h as b ee n put on hold, for
th e present.
W e
continue to
take this vision to th e Lord,
an d
would as k
yo u
to pray that His will
be
done.
e s t nd o n the w o r d s
o f H a ba k ku k :
For th e vision is ye t for th e appointed t ime; it hastens toward th e goal, an d it will not fail. Though it tarries,
wait for it; For it
will
certainly come; it will not delay. (Hab 2:3)
W e have started a number of Bible studies in various
homes
in
t he a r ea
in which
our CD-pastor
Dinky is
involved. Amai Bacon is busy teaching t he Sh on a ladies
an d
th e High School kids a nd B ab a
Bacon
is
back preaching
an d calling.
Our numbers
ar e
again
increasing. W e
havs
ha d several
baptisms,
which
shows a positive response to our combined efforts.
W e a re
still
busy
with The Church
at
large in
th e
city. Lisa
continues
to
teach
an interdenominational
Business
Woman s
Group. Jim
meets
with th e indigenous Church of Christ
Pastors
on a monthly
basis,
an d
last month
preached
at
th e Senga
Church ofChrist.
Also, we
ar e
both
inNX lved
in helping an d working as facilitators in
th e
Craig Hill
Curses
to Blessings
(Ancient Paths
Seminars.
Our letterwould not be
complete
without mentioning The Tapuwa Openyu Orphan Project in which we ar e
both board members. W e have sufficient funds to start implementing th e programme in September.
We
will start working with th e
orphans
from
th e
Mkoba Church of Christ . The project Is s imilar to ou r own In
Daylesfbrd, but on a much larger
scale.
Dan
Theresa
McArthur
ar e
in
th e
U.S. at
th e
moment soliciting
funds for
this
project.
W e a re
planning to be in UK during October. Jim is anxious to be with his mother, who willturn 89 soon,
an d
visit his
eldest
daughter
an d
two grandchildren, who have
just
resettled in Leeds.
We
would like to
s ee a s
many of our faithful supporters
an d
friends, as time
will
allow.
We
will then proceed to Cincinnati,
USA. to
be
with our
so n
John Didi , wife Shannon, an d our four grandchildren. We intend to
be
with
them for
th e months
of November
an d
December, returning to Zimbabwe beginning of January.. Again,
w e
would like to usit with friends and supporters
as
may be ananged.
We
ar e looking forward to
some
time
out a s th e last 12 months have
seen
us under a lot of stress. Jim in particular ha s been dogged with
hypertension.
We
therefore
will
welcome this
blessed
time, when we
can
rest in
the arms
of our family.
Should you wish to
speak
with us whilst we
ar e
in UK
an d
USA,
th e
people to
contact
are; in England -
Kevin
Yates,
Tel: (0116) 221 7967
In US A -
Bacons,
Tel: 513-753-7418
We are grateful for your friendship, your support, your prayers and your partnership in the Kingdom. We
thank God for you.
Yours in Christ,
Ji m
an d Lisa Bacon
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