THE

Non-Profit Organiz.

PI C K E T T

U. S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 28

LINE

Napa, Calif. 94558

2659 First St.

Napa, CA 94558

Mission Services
Box 177

Kempton, Ind.

Chidamoyo Christian Hospital

Box 330

Karoi, Rhodesia, Africa

April 1974
NEWS FLASH !!!!!

AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON AFRICAN FREEWAY

MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1974, URUNOWE RESERVE

An automobile accident occurred on the "Rocky Road Freeway" about five miles from
Chidamoyo Mission. One victim walked away apparently uninjured, while the other
"victim" limped home with a bent fender. It was a rainy day as the blue Land-Rover,
driven by the Hospital driver, traveled down the "freeway" carrying a patient to
Chidamoyo Hospital. The road was banked on both sides by beautiful tall
grass.
The Landy was traveling well, when all of a sudden, out of the grass came....a donkey.
The Landy swerved, but the donkey was right there, making the collision unavoidable.
The donkey walked away on all fours, but the Landy returned home with a badly crushed
fender and broken headlamp.
But behind every cloud is a silver lining
the next
day, the Landy was taken to the car hospital (garage) in Karoi, and had her dents
straightened and light repaired. All is well except for a few tear spots left on the
Landy by the owner.

The above is a description of the first accident to happen to my beautiful Landy,

but, praise God, no individual or animal was injured. Our "freeways" are quite hazardous-these days with the^nrud-very-slick, the grass very-tall, and-the-animals-run
ning free. Many times I have narrowly missed a chicken, dog or goat myself. The
African driver was so upset because he had not been able to avoid the impact, thus
putting the first scratches on the Landy, that I couldn't be angry with him. However,
after repairs, the "scratches" are barely visible.
Rain, Rain, and more Rain, is our theme song these days -- we have had over triple
the amoimt of normal rainfall.
The people are beginning to fear for their other
wise beautiful crops which are beginning to rot in the fields. Just a few days of
bright sunshine would mean so much to so many right now. Rivers are constantly in
flood, and the roads are rutted and mud-slick, making it very difficult to visit our
churches, women's clubs, youth clubs and medical clinics.
The other day. Bill
Harrison andnurse, Cathy Grogg, flew to Masampakarumba, and upon landing, promptly
got stuck. Sending out a call for help to push the plane, they were delighted when
the entire student body of a school, plus the Chief, came to help.

Due to an intensive spraying campaign in the villages by Government Health officials,

we have seen much less malaria this year. However, we have seen many, and lost
several, cases of malnutrition due to last ycjar's drought.

Many of you Christian friends have been making and sending baby layettes to the
Hospital. Recently, we had four mothers being dismissed at the same time. What
a joyful sight they were when they receive! their lovely layettes, and went hurriedly
about dressing the babies so that I couldj take a picture of them. I only wish that
each one of you could have been here to expcirience their joy.
But the most wonderful joy of all occur

when we see a soul won to Christ,

other day, a man by the name of Mukuti c^me into the Hospital.

The

It was discovered

that he had T.B., and was advised that he would be transferred to a T.B. hospital
about 100 miles from this mission. Beforj^i he left he did much thinking. He had been

in our Hospital once before for an operatilon,

and at that time, vocally refused to be

converted. But, this time, he realized h:.s deep need for Christ, went in search of
When he left Chidamoyo he left
the Hospital Chaplain, and asked to be ba.ptized.
Ip
him
bear
it. Praise God for men like
with a burden, but now he had Christ to he:
Mukuti.

May I again thank each one of you for your constant support in service, finances and
prayers for the work here. Also, I want to thank all of you for keeping the letters
coming. These are so welcome and uplifting to my spirit, as is any mail to all missionaries so far away.

]!n Christ,

JvHSS JUDY (PICKETT)

Forwarding Agents:

Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Anderson

1521 Menlo Ave.

Napa, CA 94558

THE

PICKETT
LINE

"Miss Judy" Pickett

Chidamoyo Christian Hospital
Box 330

Karoi, Rhodesia, Africa

June 1974

J'JL23 1974

Dear Christian Friends

It is a beautiful sunny Sunday here in Rhodesia, and I am enjoying a relaxing

day after being very busy for the last month or so. May, indeed, was a very
busy month, and June promises to be just as busy.

On May 10, Miss Ola Marion, Cathy Grogg and X loaded my Landrover with five
young men and headed for Chengere farms near Gatooma, Rhodesia. The occa
sion was the marriage of our Head Teacher here at Chidamoyo, Mr. Nyoni. We
were all excited at the prospect of the trip. I especially was glad, as I
had never been to a very formal African Christian wedding.

We spent the

night in Sinoia, and then left early on Saturday, and after five hours of
driving, arrived at the Village. The initial ceremony had been held the

week before in the Bride's village near Gwelo, but this reception was in
the village of the Groom. It was so interesting to watch the different
customs. The groom, bride and attendants, were all in the house when we
arrived, and after eating, the ceremony began. They marched to a very

fast jazzy record from the house to a grass shelter where they received
well-wishers and gifts. The gift-giving is held much like we would hold an
auction in the States. Each individual goes up before the bride and groom,
and an announcer counts the money (most accepted gift) and calls out the

amount of each gift.

This announcer makes quite a show of the gift receiving,

and each name is written down, and the gift.

After this ceremony the

couple and attendants dance back to the houses to change clothing. The groom
then has to pay each time his bride is inside the house before she will be

let out by her relatives. The bride's family can be quite ruthless in the
charging of Labola (bride price) and the groom has to pay for every little
thing until he actually has his bride at home.

For instance, as the bride

and her family came to this village, they stopped at the outer edge and he
had to pay $5.00 before they would let her come into his village. The wedding
march was a dance step to the jazz record, and was quite beautiful to watch.
The bride was not allowed to lift her head or smile during the whole ceremony.
May was a very busy month at the Hospital. Dr. Frasure and Nurse Cathy Grogg
completed 53 major and minor procedures in our operating theater, besides

seeing many seriously ill patients.

Four "C" sections (Caesarian) were done

and we were sad when one mother had a heart arrest and died before the doctor

,T H E

Non-Profit Organization

PICKET!

U. 8. POSTAGE PAID

LINE

Permit No. 28

Napa, Calif.

2659 First St.

94558

Napa, OA 94558
Mission Services

Box 177

Kempton, Ind 46049

'h\\ \

-2-

even began to operate, but the operatic^n was ccnnpleted in an effort to save
the baby, but it, too, died. Another child was dead when the mother came in
for surgery. But two of the operation^ were complete successes and both
mothers and children were doing fine.

The month of May also saw me getting bick into full swing with my ladies^
groups and enjoying it tremendously. Cin May 31 I taught the ladies here at
Chidamoyo how to make pumpkin bread, "^ey raise many pumpkins and cook
them for special treats for their families. They were especially happy to
learn how to make a cake from them.

Our Hospital Bible Study group are still thrilling my heart by being so
dedicated in their study of the scriptures and participation in discussion.
Each week the Holy Spirit blesses us all by this session. The Singles
girls' club which has been meeting at pur home has been a blessing to both
Cathy and me. The girls enjoy a sweet fellowship together, and lots of

singing. Just recently I introduced tliem to conversational prayer, and

what a joy to hear these girls give thpir hearts to Jesus and let the Holy
Spirit lead in their prayers.

Please pray for a replacement for Nursje Cathy Grogg, who is leaving for her
As yet we have ini,<Jt received-any~wordof^^^eplaeenient
for her. This is a serious need. If you know of a nurse who might be
interested in giving a year, two or evfen three years, to the Lord's work here

"~furlough~in mid-July.

in Khodesia, please contact Dr. James S

Hhodesia, for further information.

Erasure, P.O. Box 330, Karoi,

Do continue to pray for the work here in Bhodesia, and may God bless you
all for your continued support of me p<ersonally.

"MISS JUDY"

(Judith L. Pickett)
Forwarding Agents:

Mr./Mrs. Stanley Anderson

1521 Menlo Ave.

Napa, CA 94558

THE

PICKETT
LINE

Chidamoyo Christian Hospital

m
1

Box 330

Karol, Rhodesia, Africa

"Miss Judy" Pickett

DOT

September, 197^

Dear Christian Friends:

Greetings from Chidamoyo once again. I have so much to tell and so little space to tell

it. So many things have happened since my last letter that 1 hardly know where to begin.
As I mentioned in the last letter, July saw the departure of Miss Cathy Grogg, R. N. at

the hospital, and my room mate. She is sorely missed by both the staff of the Hospital,
and myself. But the Medical Assistants (African) are carrying on in a tremendous way^

in her absence. Mrs. Frasure is helping out in emergencies as she is an R. N., but with
three small children at home, she is rather hampered in the time she can spend at the

Hospital. Mrs. Eunice Smith manages to get over from Binga from time to time to help
for about ten days or two weeks at a time, but the need is still great for a regular

R. N.

The end of July brought the local "Fair" or "Show" at Mujumje township. We four Mis- sionary women were asked to be judges, along with three other women. Oh, my, what a
task that proved to be. 1 was Judging the crochet work, and it was all excellent, and a
very difficult decision to choose the first, second, third and fourth prizes. We were
thrilled when the Chidamoyo School girls' netball team came in first place in the compe

tition, and so were they.

The second week of August brought the tri-annual Missionary meeting in Salisbury, and all

of us here traveled in for that.

It was a good meeting, and we were all blessed spirit

ually, although w e had great heartache during that time. One of the children of the
Ammerman family, daughter Gay,-had recently been operated on for appendicitis, and it was

""found

that she had a growth that was very serious.

They were advised to return to

America immediately for further treatment. This saddened our hearts. From our latest
reports, prayers are still requested on her behalf.

Immediately after the Missionary meeting, I traveled to Dadaya Mission (400 miles) to the

bi-annual Churches of Christ Conference. 1 loaded my Landy with nine members of the Hos

pital Choir, and we had a tremendous time in the Lord. The choir girls had made long
blue dresses, with matching blue shirts for the men, and they were invited to sing sev
eral times for the conference, and gave a great witness for the Gospel in that place.

The complete trip was made without one bit of car trouble. Oh, Just a not e of humor.
I had been having trouble getting enough petrol (gasoline) rationing coupons, and I had
told the choir that I would be unable to take them because of this. However, one of
the members of the choir said he had an uncle whose car was not running, and perhaps he
would let us have his coupons. I told him I would need about thir^y more than I had.

^ I thought he would probably get a few, but when we met up for the trip he informed me he
had 181 coupons!

They wanted to make sure we got there!

,/ Then I recently had a mountain-top experience which I want to share with you.
vise a women's club-^at one of: our^churches about A5 miles from the Mission.

I super

The last

^time I was there, they informed me that they had some candidates for baptism, and would

cr I come with one of our Hospital Chaplains to help them with this.

Last Sunday I went,

expecting to have three or four baptisms, and what a glorious shock (and shame at my

little faith) when 24.^|:pple stepped forward at the invitation, 12 adults, eight teenagers
and six older chi^fS'^n. Praise the Lord. But the great Joy was when the Headman of the

-^Village and Church stepped forward to rededicate his life. He had a 20-year-old son who
''^ was a strong Christian and had recently died. Before he died, he told his father that
he must get closer to the Lord. This Headman had four wives, only one of which was a

THE PICKETT LINE

2659 First St.

Napa, Ca. 9^558

: Napir illi?: 94558

nCT i Q ''.974

Mission Serviced

Box 177

Kerapton, In, 46049

Christian. After the son's death, he made arjrangements for the care of three wives, and
sent them back to their homes, remaining with the one Christian wife. The shocking and joyous
part of this is that in the African custom, the wife who cannot have children is usually the

first to be rejected. This man chose to stay w|ith the dedicated wife who has no children, but
who is taking care of his other children and raising them as Christians, which the other wives
f would not do. Praise the Lord for His Holy Spint who can change lives. This is one of our
strongest churches, and I am so humbled that t^ey consider me their Sharawari (friend). Be
sides the 2k baptisms, there were 70 others present for the service.
Last evening we shared another rich experience;

Mr. Marova, one of our Hospital Chaplains,

asked if I would take him to a little church aljt^ut 12 miles away for a Bioscope program. Again
the Landy was loaded with young people from the Hospital and we set off. Whenever a Bioscope
program is held, not only the Church people att^nd, but people from all over the coiranunity.

This is an excellent opportunity for witnessing

and prayer.

of the Gospel through preaching, film, singing

Last evening present in the servi'

ce was a drunk.

with loud talking and laughter. Much to our jpy

He kept interrupting the service

the Church members turned.to him and told

him that he rmJst be~^iet", tfr^t he was slnmngrpTnTRi

his drinkihg, anT'that he sfioliid De quiet
and 1isten to the Lord's message. He was quiet the rest of the service. It was a blessing
to see the growth of these Christians and their desire to help this man in a Christian way.
This brings to mind a need of our Hospital Chap ain. We have been using the "Jungle Doctor"
series of filmstrips, which are excellent teachiing forms containing African characters. I am
wondering if there is available another such 1]i Im series that would serve in this way. We

have been using t hese for some three years now, and most of our people have seen them many
times. Perhaps some church women's group or Sunday School class would like to take this as a

project and help us with this^:;

need Is ton a simple, true presentation of the Gospel

through films. These must be adaptable for translation into the Shona language. Please contact

my forwarding agents if you would be interested {in such a project.

PRAISE THE LORD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW.
MISS JUDY.

Forwarding Agents:
Mr./Mrs. Stanley E. Anderson
1521 Menlo Ave.

Napa, California 9^*558