Posts
February 26,2010
Dear Heroes,
God is doing amazing things – which continue to keep me in awe of his love and desire to lift up the people of Grippis Farm, Zambia.
I just got off of the phone with Vincent Luwizhi (pronounced Luigi) and his wife Samantha and their 4 year old daughter. Things were rather hectic in their household – as we were talking, the movers arrived to remove all their furniture from their home in Tyler, Texas. Their 7 suitcases were packed with the only belongings they can take with them for their family of four for a move to Zambia! They found renters for their house in Tyler only two days ago. They have no home yet identified in Zambia, and their finances are not all in place to support their family while living there. The faith that this young couple has blows me away. The call of God is so strong on their hearts that they are leaving a comfortable home, steady jobs, and all the amenities of life in Texas to take up the leadership role in community development for Grassroots Heroes projects in Grippis Farm! I can hardly believe it as I write it. It chokes me up.
Since we began doing development projects in Zambia, we knew that we needed someone on the ground to manage them. But how that would ever be possible, we could not even fathom. We didn’t need to figure it out – God already had a plan, and he put it into motion. YWAM directors in Zambia who have known and worked with Vincent over the past 15 years, described him as a “community development superstar” and suggested him to us. We contacted him, and he went to Zambia in November to check out God’s work in Grippis. He was so moved and felt so sure that God wanted him there, that he came home, and three months later has moved all his furniture, bought his tickets and packed his two children ages 7 months and 4 years and his wife up to leave next Wednesday for Africa! With a theology degree from Liberty University, and training and experience in community development with Mercy Ships and YWAM in 5 countries in Africa, Vincent is the man that God has chosen to lead the charge for God’s redemption and development work in the people of Grippis.
He will begin by listening to the community leaders and members. Then, will start addressing any world view that is not consistent with the Bible. He grew up in Zimbabwe and knows first hand the mindset that Animism, a prevalent religion of ancestor worship, has on people’s ability to succeed. “My given name is Chimsoro, which means Big Head. My one brother was named Shorai, meaning Criticize Me Always, and my other brother’s name was Bhayi, which says Kill Me Just Now. When the white missionaries came to our rural village, they questioned our names. My parents told them that the spirits told them what to name their children, and they were too afraid to disobey them. After I got saved, the missionaries gave me a new name – Vincent – The Conquering One. This is just one example of the bondage many Africans are in to their worship of ancestor’s spirits. Once they accept the Biblical world view - that they have value, that God has a plan for their lives, and that God gave them talents and gifts to use, they can break out of mindset of poverty and hopelessness.”
In addition to teaching the biblical world view, Vincent will do leadership training with the community leaders to enable them to be godly leaders. He will be overseeing the ongoing chicken project and revitalizing the sewing cooperative, helping the women’s cooperative to find markets for their handicrafts and working with the community leaders to do other skills training at Heroes Farm for the people of Grippis.
How amazing is all of that?
How is God prompting you to support his work in the people of Grippis? Would you respond in as radical a way as Vincent and Samantha to what God asks you to do? If he is moving you to contribute to the financial support of the school and community development projects in Grippis, you can do it right now on the web site. We each have a part to play in this divine plan – all of us are needed and vitally important. As Blackaby says in Experiencing God, “When God shows you where he is working it is an invitation to join him!”
Blessings as you walk with God, and obey his leadings!
Tanya Brenneman
