Tennessee Volunteers were all over Sanyati in the month of May. We had a great month with lots of activity throughout the hospital and community. It started with a group of ten from Pleasant Heights Baptist Church, many back for the third time and a few newbies.
Serving in the Medical venue were a few doctors a nurse and a pharmacy tech.
Also on the team were some hearty young men (and Wilbur) worked deconstruction and ceiling installation in the maternity wing. The termite eaten bed dividers and rotting ceiling panels were swiftly removed by the boys in the maternity wing, while babies were being delivered and tended to on the other side of the hospital.
The nurses were coming daily to teachings provided by the volunteers and pharmacy was lent extra hands sorting the meds by others on the team.
All this took place during the work day and the evenings were filled with playing in the yard with all the kids and singing and dancing with the ladies staying in the Matumbas.
Saturday was a special time of ministry for the women. Dr. Karen did a teaching on when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and how we needed to serve one another likewise. As an application of the Scripture, we girded ourselves with African wraps, called ‘Zambias’, and proceeded to wash the ladies feet, about 45 pairs in all. Then the young girls on the team painted the toenails of anyone who wanted it done.
The Matumba Ladies definitely felt pampered and loved on. Some were embarrassed at first, saying their feet were too dirty and ‘cracked’ but we encouraged them that it didn’t matter and in the end they all felt loved.
This first team paved the way for the next Tennessee volunteer team which arrived a few days later and came from Central Baptist Church in Crossville TN. Again, this church was sending a team for the third year in a row; however everyone on the team was new to Sanyati. Five Youth and 3 adult leaders bounded off the transport van with smiles, energy and enthusiasm.
Fun and hard work characterized their team. Early the first morning (on a Saturday) they were busy beginning to paint the new ceiling boards the last team installed, and working on getting walls prepped to be painted.
It was easy to tell what their job was and what color the hospital walls were just by looking at the youth. Three full days plus, were spent painting the walls in the Maternity wing, and three days were spent going out to the local elementary and secondary schools and sharing songs and testimonies.
Every student spoke in assemblies, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and each team member had a chance to share at the morning hospital devotions. The team also did a wonderful job leading the Children’s Bible Club in my backyard, attracting over 100 kids, along with sharing songs and devotions with the Matumba Ladies also the other afternoons.
A highlight of all the teams is getting to share a Traditional Meal with a family in their Village. The Host families cook up big pots of Sadza, greens and chicken for the teams and throw in a special treat of Mopani worms. Under star-filled skies we share traditions, songs, testimonies and prayers. Both teams enjoyed these evenings immensely and most volunteers even ate a Mopani worm.
For our volunteers, these trips are an opportunity to serve an underserved people, share Christ’s love both in Word and in Deed, and get away from their own comfort zones filled with distractions and focus on the LORD and someone else. For us, the teams bring energy and encouragement, yes extra work, but it is an opportunity to work alongside fellow Americans serving the people of Sanyati. For the Nationals, it is nice to know that they are “not forgotten”, and having a hospital refurbished for them to continue to come and be treated at medically is a BLESSING beyond measure. The Zimbabweans continue to “HEAR” and “SEE” the Gospel as it is demonstrated to them in Word and Deed.
Thank you to all the volunteers who have come and to the many preparing for their trip.
submitted by Angie Byler
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