The Powerhouse - A Respite for Zimbabweans

I met Simioni and four of his Zim friends several weeks ago at a gathering of men between the ages of 20-32 at the Powerhouse church. This gathering came out of the leadership of several 20-22 year old guys seeing a need amongst men in the community and listening to the call of God. They said, “we need a place to open up about the issues facing us as men, ask questions without being criticized, and encourage each other in the truths of Scripture.” Within just a few weeks, more than 30 men have come out of nowhere with this shared need, and the momentum and energy in these guys is contagious. After the first meeting I attended, I dropped these five Zim guys at a place they found to stay. En route, I learned a little about their stories, and saw an opportunity to encourage them through offering them scholarships (Thanks, Ranch!) to our computer, web design, and business classes. They immediately filled out the applications and returned them to us the next morning with excitement. Three of them have moved on for various reasons, but we still have three Zimbabweans that are thriving in our classes. *What we are finding is that many of these men are highly-educated and skilled workers in business, IT, administration, education, etc, but are in absolute destitute situations.* Simioni became one of those who would move on when he told the group of guys last Sunday of his recent calling.

“The glory of young men is in their strength…” Proverbs 20:29

In his short time at the Powerhouse, God has revealed to him that he must now return to Zimbabwe (he’s only been here for 4-6 weeks) in the middle of this crisis and use his gifts in administration and eight years of training in the military to play a role in restoring his beautiful but broken country. The day before Simioni told anyone of his plans, Mandla, the son of Pastor Nyathi, received a vision that Simioni would return to Zimbabwe. *I think Africans have a more direct line to the Spirit for these things!*. You can imagine the applause, celebration and encouragement that happened that evening. On the spot, Pastor Nyathi said that he would donate his laptop (thanks Aaron Kip!) to allow Simioni to more fully utilize his administrative gifts. *Now, the pastor is without a computer, but our local computer genius, Innocent Madonsela, will try to rebuild a few broken PCs to create one that works for him.*

In a moving church service on Sunday, the Pastor presented the laptop and R500 cash ($50-thanks to my supporters!) to him, prayed for him and, essentially, sent him out as a missionary from the Powerhouse. So, after being rejected for every job he applied for, the Powerhouse took him in, gave him the little construction work they could, and even more, gave him the grace, love, and care that the Church is called to administer in the name of Jesus.

Below is an email he sent to me before he left:

Remember Simioni Mazunga the Zimbabwean guy you met at the the Powerhouse. It was a pleasure having you. God revealed a lot concerning you and all the people I met at the Powerhouse. Little did I know that my being in South Africa was a blessing in disguise.

Thanks very much for the laptop that is going to play a major role in a project set ahead of me. During all the days we were together, God revealed something to me in a dream. He instructed me to write something to all the whites, a race that African political leaders (and not the majority) taught people to hate.

Because of the love I saw you guys portraying I was delighted and felt so much challenged. God instructed me to have a way of teaching blacks, especially Zimbabweans, to reconcile with all the whites they chased from their country. A one that they call theirs and not God’s. A shame to them.

For with God all things are possible. Thursday, I will be leaving for Zimbabwe.

Our almighty Lord will help us meet again and continue blessing us. For a specific reason we are on this earth and we have to fulfill it.

Simioni

Zimbabwe Facts:

• 94% Unemployment (according the UN’s aid arm)
• 5.1M people in desperate need for food (also according to UN’s aid arm)
• 65,000 have been infected from cholera since October, (according to a recent CNN article) and…
• 3,400 people have died from cholera (completely avoidable with correct water and sewage treatment, but it is still not under control)

Who is responsible? One tyrant, Robert Mugabe, and his chronies.

On Wednesday, February 11, a new leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was sworn in as prime minister, while Robert Mugabe remains president in a power-sharing deal. However, I do not see how anyone could power-share with such a sick person. But it is something, and Zimbabweans need something, anything to give them hope.

Our team, partnered with The Powerhouse, is in a unique position to potentially offer more help to Zimbabweans HERE than one could in Zimbabwe. We are currently strategizing on how to best help, and would encourage anyone’s ideas and creativity towards this matter.