* I'V '!

'

Marcia Kay Thomson

In Zimbabwe
P.O.Box 231, Masvingo, Zimbabwe
May 1999

Phone: 011-263-39-62285
E-mail: marcia@icon.co.zw

It was good to see many of you during my travels in

1998, but it is good to be home. I found things in good
shape for the most part. There is always some mainte

Contributions to:

Central Christian Church

nance that needs to be done. The people that say things

get better by themselves do not have their eyes open.

Marcia Kay Thomson in Zimbabwe

Evolution would never be believed if people were ob

P. O. Box 632

servant. 1 have spent time in my house and garden

making some improvements and seeing that the weeds
were pulled. We had almost 35 inches of rain at my
house. The average is close to 25 inches. The local

Mt. Vemon, IL 62864

For display, video tapes and information:

dam has risen from 49% to 74%. It is the largest dam in

Forwarding Agents:

the country. Manysmaller dams are 100% full. The area

Charlotte & Wilford Leasure

Central Africa Mission

of Bulawayo has not had good rains like most areas.

It seems that I have gone from one thing to another

ever since I got back. I will try to give you a picture of
my activities in this letter. Ihad some of this information
prepared to be sent in January but CAMELS was so
busy that it did not get printed. I will update that part

13898 E. Harley Rd.

West Union IL 62477-2405

(217) 279-3366
E-mail: leaswc@comwares.net

and add recent news.

Attention All Financial Contributors

Leasures have been my forwarding agents for 30 years and will continue to do almost all the sarne

things that they have been doing before. The one change is that the finances will be in a special
account with Central Christian Church, Mt. Vernon, Illinois instead of a Central Africa Mission Account In
a bank in Robinson, Illinois.

The Central Africa Mission Account will be used until the end of 1998. Starting 1999 the money will go

into the new account. This change will make bookkeeping easier by beginning at the New Year.
Contribution checks, for tax deductible purposes, should be made out to Central Christian Church and
sent to:

Central Christian Chur<

Marcia Kay Thomson in Zimbabwe

P. O. Box 632

Mt. Vernon, IL 62864

Central Christian Church is listed with the IRS as a non-profit organization. They will receive and receipt
the funds, which will then be available for the work in Zimbabwe.

Central Africa Mission and other missions have decided to change procedures because some mission

organizations have had court cases regarding IRS issues. Most other CAM missionaries have already
changed from CAM accounts. The members of the missions and finance committees of the Central
Christian Church met with me just before 1left the USA to work out the details of this change. Central
Christian Church is my home church and has been supporting my work for the entire 35 years I have
been in Africa.

CAMELS PRINT SHOP

Masvingo

iOB

Christian

SHOP

Church
There have been bapiisms
conducted as people have
given themselves to the
Lord. One day four people

including Yolanda (pic

tured), her brother and
mother were baptized.

Masvingo Christian Church

had a 50 day Spiritual ad
venture again this year.

We looked at provisional plans for the new church building. '

people made suggestions and said what ihey

... L

Southern African Christian Resources

Exhibition (SACRE) in Harare

count imporiani. The plans are now with the March 25-27 was set aside for SACRE. Newton Nzviyo and
architect to incorporate the changes. Pledges I drove to Harare the 24ih pulling a trailer with the mobile
have been made and money is coming into
tiic bulkHng fund.

Easier Sunday morning there was a Sunrise Servicc ai

McDaniel's overlooking the lake. What a lovely setting.

Wedding of Jephitah Mavangano

He is now leaching

al Shingai School
and attending the
Tshovani church,
his home church.
Watson
Mabona

had the ceremony.

People from all the

areas where he has

CAMELS

bookstore. Bill DeLaughler printed many copies of the les

sons he has been working on. We shared the booth al SACRE
and had a good response from people who were looking for
teaching materials in different languages. We sold some of
our books but also look forward to the contacts we made bear

ing fniit in the future.

One group we met al SACRE is planning to work among the

Tonga speaking people in the northern pait of the country.
They were thrilled to hear we havetrainedTonga speakersal
zee and have printed a Tonga Hymnal since 1973. They
are imeresied in other Tonga materials as well.

TheTongaHymnal has been a 92-page 4-inch by 6-inch book.

We are working on a 60-page 6-inch by 8-inch book. It will
have two columns on a page. The original songs will have
the same numbersso people will be able to use the old books.

taught the last three

years were at ihe ; We have added a few songs and 8 pages of scripture verses.
wedding because
ihey think so highly When I was at ZCC graduation I made a snap decision to
of him. Marilyn bring Jairos Muleya to Masvingo to type the Tonga Hymnal.
Richards
would
He had not used a computer before but for the new layout we
have been pleased. needed it on a computer. We set up my dining room as an
He is pictured with office and I stayed nearby lo help him when he had trouble.
his bride and his
When he did not require my help I could work on my laptop
brother and sister.
computer. He typed the 60-page book in less than three weeks.
He left to go back to his home area and find people that know
Tonga to proofread the book.

We have spent a lot of money on repairs at CAMELS. Our

computer repairman was in from Bulawayo. Besides repairs
and maintenance, he helped us set up so scanned images would
prim faster. The numbering machine was sent to Harare. It
look a while to gel spares from England and get it back to us.
Hand-operated numbering machines slowed things down. One
of ihc priming presses required the repairman lo make two
trips from Harare. We had to buy new staplers as there is no
longer a place to buy McGill staples.

During ihe months thai Style Mawanza was ill we worked

short-handed. After his death we hired another primer. We
also hired Mr. Mawanza's son. We have had several students

working on their industrial attachment. Some students have

worked on the computer and some on the light table. We are
really bu.sy al CAMELS and the building is full. I work mostly
from my house on promotion and new publications.

Funerals
Mr. Mawanza died February 1. He had not worked at CAM
ELS since the first week in September. He had surge^ on his
back and was unable to walk after the surgery. I visited him
inSt. Giles in Harare a coupleof times. Thenjust afterChrist
mas he came home, as an outpatient. He went into a diabetic

III

coma and was admitted to a local clinic but died the follow

ing day. His funeral was February 3.

Harare Christian Church Retreat
Tlic Retreat for Harare Christian Church at Resthaven was

Judy Pickett's adopted daughter, Irene, died Valentine's Day.

I went to Chinhoyi to be with Judy through the funeral on the
16th. Judy phoned April 23 to say that hersister. Joyce, died
in the USA. Judy will be awayjust over a month.

Api il 9-11. Pictured here is Dr. Dale Ericksoii when he spoke

.11 the evening. He had a workshop earlier. Sue Alice Erickson

From the 28th ofJanuary until^he 16th ofFebruary I attended

.ind 1 also had workshops.

3 funerals aud-aifiemorial service." ~ -

A Treat for ZCC Graduates

For many years I
have taken the Zim
babwe Chri.stian Col

lege graduating class

E-mail address is:

marcia@lcon.co.zw '
Notice thatTRaVe^a new~e=maiLaddi:es& Wid not intend

to change but Iwas having so muchtrouble connecting

to CompuServe I decided to start using the icon ad

This is a treat and

dress. It would be great if at least one person in each

church that is willing to share news with the churchwould
give me an e-mail address. ! have been sending out
some updates by e-mail. 1will try to put out something

will help them know

each month.

out to eat at the

Sheraton Hotel just

before graduation.

how to conduct
themselves if at a

If we work out the problems, this letter with color photos

later date ihey are

can be seen on Mission Outreach. Internet home page

faced with a similar

address = http://www.sofnet.com/~outreach

situation. This year's

class was smaller
than usual with 2
women and 5 men.
Mr. & and Mrs.

Makusha are pic

tured

with the 6

graduates that were

able to come to the
Hotel. CAMELS

gives each graduate

samples of the books

we print. Graduation
was March 31.
Dale Marshall had

the message at the

(iradualion Ser
vice. He chal-

icnged the gradu

ates to go out and
unc their education

in the service of the

Lord
and
His
Church. He works

in the Chinhoyi
area

have

where

we

preachers

who

now

sons

that

have

graduated

from

ZCC

and

prc.k hing.

have

are

Area Meeting in Zvishavani

and Other Bookstores
Mr. Govo was a student at ZCC when I was on the staff. He

asked me to come as a guest speaker for an area meeting for

6 churches at Mabasa School on January 31. At the end of the

meeting Newton and I set up our bookstore on the parking

lot near the car.

Easter weekend is the time for the National Youth Confer

ence.We went to Dadayaand ran our bookstore for this event

on Saturday.
We also had a bookstore for the leaders conference at Dewure

Mission the last week of April.

Ten Minute Video

I thought I was 25 hours late

done in Zimbabwe. Some church libraries have

My plans were lo leave Masvingo Tuesday morning December 29

for Chinhoyi. Monday afternoon when I drove lo town the cardied
every lime I look my fool off the accelerator. I went lo the garage
expecting them lo find something like a loose wire. They said it

a copy of the 10 minute video that 1 used. My

Forwarding Agent, Charlotte Leasure, also has
copies that she can loan to you who missed my

would beOK when 1wasdrivingon the highway. 1should have ihe

carburetor worked on when I got back. I decided to have the car
10the bank and was in line at the ATM when Mrs. Dingwiza's daugh

presentation and are interested.

ter saw me. Mrs. Dingwiza wanted me to know that her friend,
Rati. died and she was going to Harare for the funeral. With her
daughter's help 1 found Mrs. Dingwiza. She got into ihe car and
said, "An hour ago I prayed for a safe bus lo Harare and now you

This furlough was a first for me to have video of

the work to help you understand what is being

repaired and delay my journey a day. Wednesday morning I went

' come 10offer me a ride." (There have been so many bus accidents

that people are concerned to get on the right bus.) I thought I was
aix)ui 25 hours lale but then I knew I was right on time. Midge
Goldihwaiie used lo leli me that the Lord's liming is perfect. I took

Mrs. Dingwiza loFanny's house in Harare. Yes, hisphone was siill

Iout-of-order but he had gotten the message and he would conduct
Ithe funeral.

'I went on loChinhoyi but I attended the memorial service that was
'held in Masvingo January 30.
i

Raii worked for Frances Johnson many yeare. Recently she helped

November 1, 1998,1 went to church with Mom be

i.Vlrs. Dingwiza with the pre-school. The Rujeko preschool children

fore I left Joplin. This picture was taken just after vs ere theonesthaisang"JesusLovesMe" on the videothatI showed
the church service at Spring River Christian Village. in the Stales.
Mom will be 91 in June. I thank the Lord for the

staff at Spring River that take good care of my mom

so that I can continue with this work.

My Car

C/)

Mif 1991 Ope['JQidett Cu8 that was fiit By tfw bus is

repairecf, 'The joS seems to 6e we[[ done. 1fiave fiad
some otfier repairs done on it andBougfit tfiree new
tires recently. 'With 150,000 fqns traveled it is doin
well Customs fias a special category for returning
residents. If1fiad$8,0001 wouldapply to Bring in a

SO

<

cr

S
CD

%
%

i-

d"
CQ
O

p S{
U3 2.
O

0)

CO fi)
-u. %<
O

0)

3-

3
0)

nezv air-conditionedcar on a customs waiver. On tfie

otferftandj then 1might not Be 25hours late when 1

am supposed to Be.
Praise for my safe journeys
Praise for the work at CAMELS

ZIMBABWE

Praise for contacts made at SACRE in Harare

Praise - the Tonga Hymnal has been typed

Prayer for Style Mawanza's family
Prayer for Judy Pickett in loss of loved ones
Prayer for the equipment at CAMELS
Prayer tbr Charlotte Leasure's health

Prater for j'nore jinatenaljn Jpnga hngua^e^

(D