12 Days From Africa

I am 12 days returned from Zimbabwe and honestly it seems like a long ways away.  Our lives here in the States and maybe everywhere are so buys and full of stuff.  Something very meaningful happens or we do something that has a deep impact and within a couple of weeks we begin to "lose it".  So many other things compete for our affections and for our time.  In light of this I would like to fight against it and share another encouraging story from Zimbabwe about the local pastors we visited with and ministered alongside.

The first is about Peter who is a pastor in Chinhoyi and who has been through quite a journey these past four years.  The pastors in Zimbabwe rarely collect any income from their churches because all of the monies given go to the widows, poor, and sick who don't have the support structure that Americans, Europeans, and other First World nations enjoy.  Anyway, after our visit in 2007 Peter's landlord decided to double his rent and thus force him out of their home.  There was fundraiser and Peter was able to get a home of his own.  Since then, Peter has also started a butchery where his family works alongside him in order to provide for the needs of the family.  In the middle of all that, Peter has served as pastor for Revival, his church in Chinhoyi, and is planning and praying for a new church building closer to the town center in order to have a greater influence on the city and its residents.  Peter showed me the plot of land during my visit and it is just an abandoned lot right now...but with faith, hard work, and the power and generosity of the Lord, it can become the center of compassion and grace Peter and his congregation envision it to be.

Over the past four years Peter has continued to serve his church as pastor, been evicted from his home and forced to find a new one, started a business for his family, and asked God for a vision to build a church closer to the center of the city where he lives and serves.  All of this in the midst of an economy that left the shelves at the grocery store empty and the people of Zimbabwe praying for God to provide their next meal.  Praise God for Peter and for His faithfulness to him through it all.

Sunday in Chegutu

On Sunday, August 14th while in Zimbabwe I had the opportunity to preach in the city of Chegutu.  The church there meets in a beautiful building that they have refurbished since purchasing almost five years ago.  Our team in 2007 visited this site and the walls for the building were only 6 feet tall and there were no ceilings or roofs yet built.  Zimbabwe has been hammered economically over the past four years and yet Moses and Rofina (the couple who pastor the church and run the feeding center) have been able to raise funding and finish building the facility God envisioned in them.  I was very proud to be there and to see their perseverance having come to fruition.  Currently, they have broken ground on another property where an orphanage will hopefully be built in the next couple of years.

The Zimbabwean church leaders that Vital Connections is supporting and whom we work with are working so hard to advance the kingdom of God.  They want so very much to bring Jesus to those in the community and especially to those in financial need.  I want to congratulate Moses & Rofina, Peter & Stella, Eshwin and Erita, who are pastoring the churches in Chegutu, Chinhoyi that we had the pleasure of visiting as a team.  God is obviously blessing your ministry and working through you.  Keep up the important work!!!

Back Home from Africa

It is Monday morning and our team has returned from Africa.  Lori and Rebecca returned on Wednesday afternoon and Nathan and I returned on Friday afternoon after a couple extra days traveling across the country of Zimbabwe.  I am so thankful for the trip and for the team who went.  There is much to think and pray about.  In fact I spent a couple hours this morning journaling and praying about the trip.  (Jet lag has had me up at 2, 3:30, and 3:45 the past three mornings...at least I think it is jet lag.  Maybe it is God wanting me to have extended time with Him which is an even better reason to be awake.)

Our trip was a success as far as I would have measured it before leaving.  I had some rough ministry expectations in several different areas and from my perspective, we exceeded my hopes in all of them.  The team members, their spiritual fervor, and their generosity of spirit to love one another and the people of Zimbabwe were crucial and essential in the overall success of the trip.  It was a pleasure and privilege to lead this team.

The locals in Zimbabwe were very thankful and grateful for our ministry and our team and team members were also deeply impacted on a personal and spiritual level.  There is much to unpack in the weeks ahead, but I wanted to update you and thank you for your prayers and support for our journey.  I look forward to sharing more in the days ahead.

In the meantime, here is a "nugget" God shared with us through Francis, a local Zimbabwean liaison and guide while in country who is also our friend and brother in Christ.  After returning from what we sensed was a very successful ministry conference to the young leaders in the local churches, he shared this with us during the next morning's devotional time:

After returning from a successful ministry effort where the disciples were casting out demons, healing people, and seeing the power of God manifest itself in many ways, Jesus gave them these words, "Do not rejoice in this...(the miracles and power)...but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven."

If you are a true follower of Jesus, ...rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.

3 Weeks To Africa

We are now three weeks away from leaving for our mission trip to Zimbabwe.  The team has got together for a phone conference prayer time the past two Thursday evenings and they have been very encouraging.  It is great to talk, share, pray, and feel our team growing closer together even though we are 500 miles apart with Rebecca living in Grand Rapids.

Please continue to pray for us as we finish preparing our messages and discussion questions for the youth leaders retreat, finalize our plans for the two days at the orphanages, and finish packing and getting ready to go.

Baby Update - July 18th

July 18th Update - It looks as if the hematoma was too much for the baby.  Julie has experienced some increased pain the past couple of days and after visiting the doctor today, the baby's heartbeat is no longer present.  Thanks for your prayers and encouragement these past several weeks.

For the 8th time in our marriage, the Zilkies are expecting a baby.  Our first five came along smoothly, except for the car accident during Caroline's pregnancy when Julie had to be on bed rest for 7 months.  Still, we are so thankful and grateful for the 5 children God has blessed us with.  Then 18 months ago we had an ectopic pregnancy which had to be terminated and than last summer we miscarried at about 8 or 9 weeks.

This time around things are good, in fact you can see the little Zilkie as the white dot in the yolk sac in the pictures above.  Notice also the big black blob next to the sac, this is what is called a hematoma and you can click on the link to read more about it.  Interestingly enough, we had one of these but a little larger after the car accident with Caroline.  The doctors said her chances for survival were slim, but we prayed, Julie took it easy and you all know the sweet little girl we have now.

So, we Zilkies are excited and so grateful for another child in Julie's womb.  We are also a little cautious and most prayerful that God would sustain this little Zilkie for the next 7 1/2 months.  We are so thankful to have been able to populate heaven with two beautiful image bearers these past two pregnancies.  We trust the Lord fully, but would love the chance to populate this earth with another Zilkie this time around.  We ask for your prayers for health for Julie and the Baby.  We also pray for God's will to be accomplished and His kingdom to be advanced however He in His immeasurable goodness sees fit.

Thank you,
The Zilkie Family

Some humor from Zeke this week at Bible School...

David & Jonathan's Baptism - 5/22/11

Zimbabwe Trip Update - May 29, 2011

As I wrote in my last post, the team gathered together here in St. Louis this weekend and had a very good planning day on Saturday.  Team members who didn't know each other had a chance to meet, hear each other's stories and heart for Africa.  It was very helpful having Craig and Teresa Pippel present to explain the larger vision of Vital Connections.  Rebecca and I having gone before "get it", but both Nathan and Lori expressed a deep gratitude for their clarification of purpose and vision.  The whole team seemed to engage the upcoming trip a step or two more intently as a result of our time together.  I am excited for this team and also for what we believe God will accomplish.

We closed out our evening with an extended time of prayer and that was a great close to the day.  It was great to pray and fellowship with Craig, Teresa, and Rebecca whom I have interacted with very little since we moved from Grand Rapids to Michigan.  They were so generous to sacrifice the time and expense to come and ensure our team was ready and commissioned for the August trip.

We still have some details to finalize so we would appreciate your prayers for the team:

• Preparing the messages for our youth leaders conference
• Planning the agendas and curriculum for our two days at an orphanage and feeding center
• That God would bring the right people in Zim to our gatherings and that He would speak into their hearts in a powerful way

Zimbabwe Planning Weekend

This weekend Craig and Teresa Pippel drove into town from Grand Rapids with Rebecca Taylor.  The Pippels lead the organization Vital Connections who we are partnering with in our August trip.  The Pippels were just there (where we are going) in April and have some updates for us as we plan for our trip in August.

Our trip is one of three trips each year that Vital Connections leads in support of the churches, communities, people, businesses, and ministries in Zimbabwe.  Rebecca went on our original trip back in 2007 and came with them because she signed up for this trip as well.

I am excited for the planning time, the chance to connect my St. Louis family and team members with my Grand Rapids family and team members.  It should be a fun weekend and hopefully a very productive and fruitful one as well.

A Long Time Coming

Tonight it has been confirmed that Osama Bin Laden was killed by the CIA in Pakistan.  His death closes the books on an almost ten year saga that has continued since the 9/11 attacks in 2001.  Terrorism is still a threat and our world will never go back to the way it was on September 10th, 2001.  And yet justice...at least earthly justice, as imperfect as it is, has been served.

Thank you to the military and intelligence personnel who have worked so hard this past decade to give the American people this gift.  Being a former military intelligence Marine I can understand and appreciate what has been accomplished and sacrificed these many years.

On a more spiritual plane, I wonder what Osama Bin Laden's encounter with the true God was like?  How surprised he must have been to not be welcomed by 72 virgins.

Good night and sleep well America.  This May 1st has been a good day.