Isaiah 1:2             Let the earth hear the voice of the Lord

Psalms 9:20         Judge the nations in your sight, Father, and put them to fear

Psalms 9:20         that they might know themselves to be but men

Romans 8:22      Father, the whole creation groans and labours

Romans 8:21      to be delivered from the bondage of corruption

Romans 8:21      into the glorious liberty of the children of God

John 15:26           Send forth your Spirit of truth to bear witness of you

John 16:8             and to convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement

Ezekiel 14:6         Cause them to repent and to turn from their idols

Haggai 2:7            Shake the nations, so they will come to the desire of all nations (Jesus)

Num 23:24          Father cause your people to rise up

Joel 3:11               Gather your mighty ones to prepare for war

Joel 3:14               Bring the multitudes into the valley of decision

Jer 49:14              Send your ambassadors into all nations

Col 4:3                  Open to them a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ

Mt 24:14              that the gospel of the kingdom might be preached in all the world

Ps 111:6                You have declared to your people the power of your works

Ps 111:6                in giving them the heritage of the nations

Phil 2:10               Let every knee bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord

Isa 61:11               Cause righteousness and praise to spring forth

Hab 2:14               Let the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory

Hab 2:14               of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea

Isa 43:9                 Father, gather the nations together

Ps 22:27                that they may worship thee

Ps 46:10                and exult thee in all the earth

Gal 3:8                  Let all the nations be blessed through your people

Zech 14:14           and let the wealth of the heathen be gathered together

2Kin 22:5              and be delivered in to the hands of your people for the work of the Lord

Isaiah 49:6           Send forth your salvation to the ends of the earth

Mk 12:36              and make your enemies to be your footstool

I was struck by how dry Beitbridge is. The immediate border town area is covered in rocks, stones and dissected by gulleys that chaotically cris-cross the area. I wondered if anything apart from the ubiquitous Mopane tree could grow in that environment. My question was soon answered by the barren and equally dry fields along the highway. April is harvest season and the fields should be green. But Beitbridge is an adamant corrosive rusty brown. I began to wonder how one could rehabilitate such a landscape which seems to be an extension of the Namib desert. The rains that had been falling along the way from Johannesburg had quite clearly not reached Beitbridge, that’s the trouble with being of low altitude, some good things miss you.

Further into Zimbabwe the landscape began to change. Grass, albeit golden rather than green, began to appear. A few goats and many other signs of being habitable began to emerge. Is the challenge of reviving agriculture so big, I wondered as the bus sped along the highway in the early morning light. I remembered a discussion with an elderly villager from Nkayi who agreed with me that rural farmers need training in order to make the best of and get the best from the land.

Sadly, the picture as we went past the Esigodini farming areas was no different from barren Beitbridge. As the pictures show, the red dusty fields were populated by dried out stunted maize stalks. It does look like a severe famine is looming, certainly in Matabeleland south

Surprisingly on my second day in Bulawayo it rained heavily – a proper afternoon African thunderstorm, hail, lightning and thunder. The locals were all surprised that it’s raining so heavily in April. On my way to visit someone in Nketa I came across the farming Gods way plot in Nketa 8. The maize crop looked bad. I havent seen anyone on the plot so I havent spoken to them to find out what happened. But generally in Bulawayo the urban agriculture failed this year because of the erratic rains.

What then shall we say to this? That we are forsaken of the Lord and no good shall anymore come out of Zimbabwe? No, we know the one in whom we have believed and this is what we shall say:

Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to go on the heights.

Habbakuk 3:17

There is a place which for me speaks of the visible proofs of God at work. Ebenezer – nestling in the rocky Matopo hills of Zimbabwe – about 70km from Bulawayo – started when the Lord led those who trusted in Him to build a dam. The place was a wide and dry expanse of land, with a small trickle of river that did not always have water. There were many problems with this – there was no money to build the dam, and with the country’s massive brain drain, there wasn’t much expertise either. The size of the river hardly warranted the expense – it did not look likely to amount to much. It all seemed impossible, expensive and probably futile. Besides, as any Christian will tell you, we are never 100% sure that God spoke to us – that the God of the universe would impart understanding to the heart of man is itself a barely believable miracle. But where God leads, he equips – and through a series of what can only be described as miraculous provision, the dam was built. It was completed in the winter of 2007, was filled by January of 2008.

Over time, the vision became clearer and Ebenezer was born – a place where local young people could come and be equipped with practical skills to run agricultural businesses and with spiritual guidance to lead Christ centred lives in their communities. The vision was a simple one, take rural young people whose local options were extremely limited, and teach them how to farm. They will learn by doing – waking up early to work in their fields planting a variety of crops. Help them to market the crops, and from the income earned they will pay the college for the costs of their education, and pocket the rest. This is apprenticeship at its best, learning and earning. When they leave they not only have the skills to run a small agri-business but they also have raised some capital towards starting their own enterprise.

The first apprentices arrived in 2007 – to this empty patch of land which now boasted a large dam and nothing else. They lived in tents while cutting trees and clearing the land. They baked the bricks and built the houses with their bare hands. They marked the fields and started planting the first of the crops. It was hard work at a hard time in Zimbabwe. 2007/2008 were probably the worst years the country has gone through in our recent history, and it was all too easy then to be utterly discouraged. But as the scriptures say, those who know their God will call on him, and he will answer and show them what to do.

So what has happened from that one dam? Well, as of December 2011, Ebenezer Trust has held 3 graduation ceremonies, graduating 39 students. Not only did they leave with skills and a new confidence, they also graduated debt-free. All of them managed to pay back the college from the sweat of their brow, and they managed to pocket quite a bit too. One of the young men who started in January 2011 made US$1,000.00 from his very first plot of tomatoes. He now has half a hectare of the crop, and is looking forward to buying the equipment he needs to run his own agricultural enterprise when he leaves Ebenezer. Simanga and her friend (pictured in their cabbage field with dad), Sithabiso who made over $2,000.00 each during their time at Ebenezer have now both left and are employed as agricultural mentors in a local irrigation scheme. Justin Thebe used some of the profit he made to build himself a house. He has now moved in, and is running his own farm using a small petrol pump to irrigate from his well.

In this past year alone, the young people of Ebenezer produced 181,700kg of tomatoes, 24,150 dried onions, 23,143 bunches of green onions, over 10,000 head of cabbages, as well as butternut, green maize, carrots, broccoli, peas, and garlic. They have also started looking after broiler chickens in groups of 6, and each member of the group makes an average of $200 with each batch of 3,000 chickens which take 6 weeks to grow.

The ripple effect

It’s not just the apprentices who are benefiting; the local community now has access to a wide variety of fresh vegetables which they come to buy, sometimes from miles away. Local businesses buy in bulk to supply their shops in Maphisa and other areas. There is even a shop in the Western suburbs of Bulawayo selling fresh vegetables.

Local farmers are getting in on the act. Ebenezer holds field days where up to 250 farmers at a time receive training from the apprentices. Recently 100 local farmers signed up to start a 5m X 5m vegetable patch in their homestead under the supervision of the apprentices. A local irrigation scheme at Antelope mine has received 6 of the graduates who are now training farmers, especially in how to grow tomatoes. There is a good reason for this, a new company is setting up to process tomatoes and needs plenty of local growers of the produce. This ensures markets for the farmers so prices won’t fall with increased production, and in turn, the company is assured of a ready supply of the input. And jobs are created for local people.

Ebenezer is not just about farming, it’s about integral mission – it’s about the church impacting the community for good. The three churches local to the area are seeing an increase in numbers, and a few of the apprentices minister in the churches in different areas. Last year two mobile clinics visited the area and people received free medical attention. The apprentices proved invaluable interpreting and encouraging local people to attend. An eye clinic has recently made the decision to visit the area annually. The benefits go far and wide – one of the lady apprentices has taken a post training single mothers in a project in Bulawayo how to support themselves from agri-business. And Ebenezer is now providing internships for graduates from the University of Zimbabwe.

Ebenezer: thus far the Lord has helped us.1 Samuel 7:12

In this then, we can say that this is the year of the Lord’s governance.  Zimbabwe belongs to the Lord, and through prayer we shall see his governance in the nation.

As people, we are always searching for a better future, for peace, for financial liberty, and for harmony with one another. Zimbabweans, whether inside the country or outside, have faced challenging times, and it can be so very easy to despair, to feel the challenges can never be overcome.

But rejoice! For the Lord has already spoken and told us that Zimbabwe is a sunshine city, she is a city of praise. The times of weeping are over, now is not the time to be crying about the government and poverty. This is the time to look up; it is the time to allow the governance of the Lord in our midst.

The prophet Isaiah wrote ‘for unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder: his name shall be called: Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father: The Prince of Peace, Mighty God!’ Isaiah 9:6

This is the year to trust the Lord for our nation, He will not fail us.

SO LET US SHOUT IT ALOUD LIKE A TRUMPET CALL ONCE AGAIN – OUR GOD REIGNS!

The 2012 campaign will be launched in Birmingham on the 10^th of March. If you are local to the United Kingdom get in touch and we will direct you to the meeting. If you are not, organise your own launch and tell us where you are – send us details of your meeting and we will put it online so others near you can join you, send us your photos to encourage us with what you are doing. This is your campaign, if you wish to pray we are here to pray with you.

Wherever you are in the world, join us once again to raise our voices to the God who is above all things. Simply fill in the form here, and receive regular updates about this campaign.

God bless you as you pray.

The blueprint (based on Isaiah 58)

1. Repentance
   1.  From rebellion – we are a rebellious people who do not depend on the Lord, but make our own plans, depend on our own ways, thoughts, ideas, logic, culture, traditions, rights, comforts etc.
   2. From idolatry – depending on anything or anybody other than God, including hoping in the world’s money for our help.
   3. From a selfish heart – it does no good to fast and pray and plead with the Lord when our heart is full of selfishness.
2. Make a plan for the poorest of the poor

This is the ultimate expression of unselfishness when we spend ourselves on behalf of people who can never repay us. God has revealed a very important agricultural component for this in the form of Foundations for Farming, (we will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters do not fail).

1. God receives the glory

If we would do this, God’s people who are called by His name will be known as the rebuilders of the nation. We will be able to see clearly (our light will shine), people will see that we have the Lord’s favour (our righteousness will go before us), and God will receive all the glory (His glory will be our rear-guard).

The Rebuilding must be based on the Age-Old (eternal) Foundations.   Jesus is the only true Foundation and Cornerstone (1 Cor 3:11 and Eph 2: 02), and especially on His Humility and Unselfishness in the hearts of His people.

Making a plan for the poor

The bible says when the poor cry out, God hears them. There has been a huge drift from the agriculturally failed rural areas to the towns and cities, resulting in many very poor squatter communities.  Those left in the rural areas are themselves in very dire conditions. Unemployment is high, much of the land in the nation is underutilised, and some is lying idle, unused, or grossly abused.

We believe and pray that God’s plan for Agriculture will reverse this, and ensure the faithful stewardship of the first resource and responsibility He gave to man and to any nation, which is the soil and the animals and the plants on it. (Gen 1: 28-31 and Gen 2: 15).   The plan to revive agriculture in Zimbabwe cannot exclude the poor who are on the land.

God’s Plan to Resuscitate Failed Agriculture.

• The Lord has given Foundations for Farming as a tool, with which to teach and train the faithful stewardship of the land. I would urge everyone reading this to gain an understanding of what Foundations for Farming is about, and why it is so crucial.
• In the current economic climate, a large-scale food grain farmer is virtually unviable economically.  Crop expenses such as synthetic fertilisers, chemical, hybrid seed, labour costs, machinery, fuel, repairs and maintenance, overhead costs, interest and redemption etc are so high that they cannot realistically achieve a profit margin.
• A well trained Foundations for Farming small-scale farmer can use compost and organic fertilisers made from the free materials around him/her, use very few (if any) chemicals, can use OPV seed at a fraction of the cost of hybrids, does not need expensive machinery and its ancillary expenses, provide his own labour and incentives, and most likely would not have interest and redemption costs.
• Once there is sufficient production, secondary industries in manufacturing can develop, which in turn will lead to the development of national infrastructure, social services, and all aspects of the national economy.
• The Lord’s edict from the parable of the talents is that if we are unfaithful with what He gives us, He will take away from us, but if we are faithful with what He gives us, He will add to us.  Faithfulness with our land will ignite the rebuilding process
• I believe that this is a supernatural adding, which the Lord will add to Faithful Stewardship, and not just a direct consequential adding of cause and proportionate effect.
• This principle was exemplified in the Nehemiah story where the ruined walls were miraculously rebuilt in only 52 days.  This means if we are faithful with what the Lord gives us, beginning with the first thing He gives any nation, which is the land, the ruined walls of Zimbabwe will not take 52 years to rebuild, but in the Lord’s grace and favour, could be rebuilt in only 52 months which is four and a half years.  (With supernatural faith, unity and focus it could be 52weeks, i.e. one year).

Nehemiah wept over the ruins, the Lord gave him a plan, then he managed to get all the Lord’s people (even the women, the priests and Levites, the perfume makers and silversmiths) to unify and focus on building their portion of the wall.

The rate and time span for the rebuilding of Zimbabwe, God’s Way and on His Foundations, will depend directly on the degree of the unity of the whole Body-of Christ and their turning back to God, and their focus on the rebuilding task.

Our aim for the LoveZim campaign this year is to call on the church in Diaspora to join with the Zimbabwe team in unity and focus behind this plan for this season so that every gifting can take its place in the rebuilding of the wall.

Isaiah 45:1-6

• Pray that God would release the Cyrus anointing to the LoveZim visionary and team.
• God has loosed the loins of kings to open the leaved gates. This talks of kings in the market place whose hearts God has already prepared to finance this vision. As Adrian networks with people pray that he discerns and sees the prepared people and God gives him the right words to speak.
• Vs2 God has gone before the team and is making the crooked places straight. God himself will break in pieces the hard hearts and prepare people to give to sustain this vision.
• Vs3 The promise in this verse of treasures of darkness is exciting, let us claim it in prayer and surely shall come to pass.
• Vs5 Continue to magnify the Name of the Lord and give him all the glory.
• Isaiah 41:17-21 As we pray for the poor of Zimbabwe, let us also pray for the fulfillment of this prophecy for Israel, pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they prosper who love her.
• Isaiah 60:4-6 Pray for the sons and daughters in the diaspora, to gather and turn their hearts in prayer for the nation and to give to the transformation of the nation. Pray that each person will find their place on the wall and work to rebuild. Neh 2:17
• Isaiah 58 is the prophetic anchor scripture for the Trumpet Call vision. Pray though the plans and purposes of God for Zimbabwe.
• Gen 49:22 Pray that Zimbabwe may be the fruitful land that God planned it to be as we farm God’s way.

The date for the LoveZim Prayer Network has changed to Sunday October 30th. This is to coincide with changes in Zimbabwe and to enable us, as a team, to build momentum and energy. It also gives you more time to plan your time and day.

Peter Cunningham (Member of Trumpet Call Executive and Director of Operation Trumpet Call, Zimbabwe) says: Trumpet Call in Zimbabwe has changed the format to having several inter-church meetings in each city within the zones, instead of one big city wide gathering. This will allow opportunity for greater involvement, organization and response from the pastors etc.

The meetings in Zimbabwe take place over a few days in October, hence the desire to change the date in the UK.

Please let us know what you are planning to do via the website or our facebook page… And don’t forget to ‘share the love’ and make your friends aware of this amazing opportunity. It’s easy to do, just hit the ‘share’ button on our facebook page and post the link to your wall or click the link at the bottom of any of our website pages.

Thanks for standing with us…

We’ll be back soon.

LoveZim Team

Saturday 27th August 2011

25 August 2011

There is a quiet revolution going on in Zimbabwe. From the places of our brokenness, something beautiful is coming to life. Our Zimbabwe based partner, Foundations for Farming, through church networks have been training and encouraging rural farmers to grow enough food to feed the country.

To achieve this, our farmers will need to raise their productivity at least 10 fold from the current 0.3 tonnes per hectare to at least 3 tonnes per hectare. Most are doing just that, some are achieving much more – the average is currently ranging from 4-5 tonnes/ha.

 
This program is changing Zimbabwe one village at a time. And from being recipients of food aid, our farmers are becoming the production engine for the nation. We believe this calls for celebration!

Join us on the 27th of August 2011 in Leeds to hear Foundations for Farming founder, Brian Oldrieve, share this astounding story.

Saturday 27th August
Bridge Street Pentecostal Church
Leeds Bridge Street
LS2 7QZ
2pm – 6pm
(Doors open at 1:30pm)

Book in now at www.theglobalnative.org.uk
or call us on     07852 136 034

Sunday 25th September 2011

17 August 2011

Last year saw the launch of something potentially nation changing. Thousands of people across the world stood in prayer with a common vision, to see the Church in Zimbabwe united, transformed and helping the poor by training them to farm in a profitable and sustainable way.

As a team of volunteers we had no idea just how impacting this could be and apologize for all the unanswered questions and people left wondering if this will happen again. The answer however is yes! We will be standing with Zimbabwe once again on September 25th to pray and seek God’s heart for the nation.

We have just had the privilege of hosting Brian Oldreive, founder of Foundations for Farming, and I managed to grab a few minutes with him. He said:

‘The International Prayer Day is not a one day wonder, it’s a process that needs momentum. In 2010 fifty-five demonstrations of the farming methods we teach in Foundations for Farming were provided in different areas of Zimbabwe and of all those that we managed to reach and teach, those that listened and planted to standard, on time and with joy reaped great success. Those that planted late were astounded by the difference as their crops failed. Everyone, however, received these principles deep in their hearts’.

Since the prayer day in 2010 we (Zimbabwe) are 1 million tons short of the nation’s required food and we are having to import. It’s been an extremely difficult season with 30 days of no rain in the critical stages of growth. We are encouraged however that there is growing momentum in the farming model.

So, we need to press on, we need to seek God again for this beautiful nation. Please join us, please tell your friends and family and help make a difference to many lives.

LoveZim Team
http://lovezim.org