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ZIMBABWEAFRICA

CROSSBEAMS

April, 1992

TRAGIC NEWS FROMZIMBABWE!

Normally the rains stop in Apriland do not begin again until October or November. Thb year ithas been different The rainsstopped as usual in April of 1991and the first rains (rf the nextseason began In November of1991. However it did not raingain until it was too late to put incrops. So, this year there will noharvest it has not rained In thesouthern part of the country for 5years and the cattle all over thecountry are dying.

In the past the government haskept a reserve supply of maize(com) to last for atout 2 years.But all of the maize has been soldleaving nothing to fall back on.The people face a tragic situation.Starvation Is everywhere In Africa.People riot when food truckscome to unload what little there Isavailable; The government ismoving to bring maize into thecountry but for many it wili be toolate. We are trying everything wecan to arrange for maize to beshipped to Zimbabwe throughU.S. AM. Maize meal is theirstaple diet We are working withthe relief organization called :in-ternational Disaster EmergencyServices (I.D.E.S.) from Kempton,Indiana on this project Pray thatwe will be able to find food forthem.

AIDS STILL SPREADING

I will quote from a letter fromChidamoyo Christian Hospital,"We had 89 new cases of AIDS for1st 2 months of 1992 - at this rate-wiii hii 500 new cases for the year.Already seeing more and moredeaths. It's hard to believe K willgetworse."

UNEXPECTED MEDICALEXPENSES

When we return to the UnitedStates we have to rely on moneywe have put aside for medical expenses. We have tried to buy insurance but since we live outsidethe U.S. we have found It Impossible. Since coming back homeon furlough, dental costs,medicines and reg ular visits to thedoctors havedrained those funds.Then we found out that Carolynhad to go into the hospital for unexpected medical treatment So,we have a hospital bill of $1163.00plus $1064.00 In doctor costs topay before returning to Zimbabwein July.

OTHER OUTSTANDINGDEBTS

As the time draws near for ourreturn to Zimbabwe, we can seethat the money we borrowed tobuy equipment will not be paidback In time. $3loaoo for thecomputer, and $1500.00 for thecopy machine on which to printthe lessons is still outstanding.

AN APPEAL FOR HELP

Any appeal for funds on our parthas been rare. We try to make dowith what is given. However,those who know of our problemsat this time have encouraged us tolet those who have supported usthrough the years know of ourneed.

ARE YOU WILLING TOHELP?

If you are willing to help pay offthese debts, send your contribution marked "EMERGENCY FUND"to the address below.

Central Africa Mission

The Bill DeLaughter Family

P.O. BOX 193

Crown Point, Indiana46307

All checks made out to:

Central Alrtca MIlon

are tax deductable

ZIMBABWE CROSSBEAMS

n

Mr. & Mrs. Don Swinford Bill DeLaughter Family Mr. & Mrs. Bob Kleinhans

THE SEARCH TS OVER

THE DON SWINFORD FAMILY TO BE NEWFORWAR DIN G AG ENTS

Since August of 1991 we have been without a forwarding agent This meant that all of thebook work normally done by such a forwarding agent, had to be done by Bill. We canappreciate much more now what these self-sacriGcing servants go through on our behalf.

DON SWINFORDDon and his family live in Herrin, Illinois and have an accounting business there. They aremembers of Carolyn's home church. Don is an elder in the First Christian church, Herrin,and has served in many capacities. He was chairman of the Missions Committee when we leftfor Africa in 1976. So, we have known him for a long time. His wife, Marilyn, is a deaconessand serves on the missions committee. Their older son, Brian, is also an accountant andworks with his dad in the family business. Brian is a deacon in the church and will be assistingwith our affairs. Hieir younger son. Bill, is youth minister and their daughter, Beth, is acollege student and will help with mailing, etc. for the mission.Don can be contacted during business hours at phone number (618) 942-6649.

NEW ADDRESS FOR ALL MISSION CORRESPONDENCE AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Please consider this as a "Change ofAddress" notice for all contributions sent to us throughCentral Africa Mission. The new address is;

CENTRAL AFRICA MISSIONBILL AND CAROLYN DeLAUGHTER

P.O. BOX 626HERRIN, ILLINOIS 62948

PERSONAL MAIL - We will keep our Post Office Box in Crown Point for personal mail:Bill and Carolyn DeLaughter - P.O. Box 193 - Crown Point, Indiana 46307

WE MOVE AT THE END OF MAY -We can be reached at (219) 663-9911WE LEAVE FOR AFRICA ON JULY 8,1992Anyone desiring to contribute to our fund for shipping and import duty can send to

the address above, mark your contribution SHIPPING.BOB KLCINHANS will continue to handle our display to ship to you for a Faith PromiseRally, etc. Contact Bob through our Crown Point address or Phone (219) 663-3204.

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ZIMBABWE CROSSBEAMS

ON THE field:The Bill DeUugtrter FamilyBofX01Karol, Zimbabwe, Africa

Greetings in the name of the One^osecomingbasgivenall an eternalhope,no matterwhatlifeonthis earthbrings. Tbe devastating drought inZimbabwe conlinocs for many. Whilesome areas of the coantcy have badgood eariy rains, others have notOne of the Shona evangelists wholives aboat fifty miles southwest of oshas hftd no rain for planting. Harvestwon't come before March of'93 at theearliest. Hie big question is whetherthere will be enough rain to fill themany empty dams across the land.Additionalconceminvolves the manybereheles (hat arc being drilled anddropping (hewater table below whatcan everbe replaced. Pleasecontinoeto pray for rain in Zimbabwe. Withtbe blessing of the rain, also comes(be danger of lightning. So manypeople die (torn this cause (hat thenational newspaper prints a weeklylist and a yearly total . One of thosesad statistics was a woman ^o was afaithful Christian at the Chanetsacongregation. Her daughter andgranddaughteralsodiedin the lightning strike on their but. Few peoplehere use lightning rods. We hope to

. install protection on the ChanetsaQiorch building.

AIDS SEMINARAnothermi^orconcern is theincreas-ingnumberofAIDS related deaths inZimbabwe. Recently we took somechurch leaders and evangelists to anAIDS counseling day presented byKathy McCarty, nurse in charge atChidamoyo Hospital. She encouraged churches (o minisier toAIDS - patients and their families.After defining AIDS simply, plusshowinga videoon what is being donein Uganda in AIDS counseling, thepeople were given role-playing situa-

DECEMBER, t992

tions on different kinds of visits theycould make.

CHURCH AT MAGUNJEAn outgrowth of the AIDS ministry atChidamoyo is the new charcjb. begunat Magunjl, a growth ccntcr about 15k's northwest of Karoi. Magunji hasmany new buildings plus a grainstorage silo, a bant^ a service stationand many, many people, A group ofChristians began meeting there overa year ago but most have been transferred to other areas. One of theAIDS patients at Chidamoyo Hospital who had been baptized, returnedto Magunji and started anothergroupjust recently. Ihe bigproblemwas someone to lead them. IsaacChamonyonga, brother of one of theShona evangelists, has been teachingyoung people and preaching in theChanetsa Church and Chikangwe(Karoi village) Church for the past 5years. Isaac in nowgoing to Magucuitopreach every Sunday. (Billpayshisbus fare). Pray for the growthof thisnewcongregation.

RETURN TO ZIMBABWEReturning to Zimbabwe after the yearin the United States has been an easyadjustment for us. After surviving a"raild''winterinnorthcm Indiana, weno longer miss the snow (or theshoveling). And at ttiis season wepray for a wet and green Christmasand look for Oamc lilies in the fields.Being back to minister lias beena joyand privilege.

CAROLYNCarolyn is involved in two weeklywomen's English studies, a bi- weeklyShonawomen'sgroup,and individualdiscipling, and Sunday School. Thewomen who led Sunday School while

FORWARDING AGENT:Don SwlnfordBox 626 Htrrln, lU, 62948USA

we weregonehavecontinued teachingthe primary and preschool childrenwithCarolyn teaching thejuniors.

BILLBill has been busy with many activities besides preaching and Biblestudies. Constant breakdowns of theChanetsa well prompted him to turnover the maintenance of the pump tothe District Development Fund, agovernment agency that keeps allrural government wells worldng. TheChanetsa Church has hired men totuckpoint their buildingwithcemcnt.Advising the Shona evangelists andkeeping theirmotorbikcsrunning oc-cupics more of his time than anyonerealizes (About$1000,00 U.S. dollarshavebeenspent this past month andneither bike is on the road yet). Herushed Kenneth Chamonyonga andhisnine year oldson, Bamabas, to thehospital in Harare vriien a braintumor was diagnosed . The growthturned out to be an abscess Crom infected teeth. Some of bis teeth wereremoved and the bone scraped and heIs recovering. Gerald Chademana'swife bad their eighth child, anotherdaughter, last month. Bill puts intothecomputerthetranslations ofBiblestudies in Shona by Kenneth. Billalso runs off copies-of Englishstudies, Bible school materials, andthe Karoi Christian FellowshipNewsletters. In addition Bill continues to serve on the board of governors at the Dandawa High Schoolnear Chidamoyo.

LIFE IS DIFFERENTPeople often ask us how life is different for us in Zimbabwe. Two of themain differences this time have beenthe lack of water and shortage ofelectricity. Fora few monthsafterour

our citywaterhas been fairly constant,BUT we try to keep extra water onband. Karoi has more electrici^ thanmost of the rest of the country whichhas scheduled times off and oa Butwe still need to be prepared withcandles, kerosene lamps, etc. becausewe have 12 or more hours at a timewithout electricity with no warning.We also have made a small solar waterheater and a solar oven just in case.Still, we are on a strict ration ofelectrical units. So, after every electricalusage we read the meter. Before weuse anything electrical we have todecide if we can spare the units. Ourwater heater is turned on for onlyanhour each day. We recentlybought anew electrical refrigerator becauseour old one couldnot be repaired ary

Zisbabveis situated insouthern Africa.Neighboringaations are Zaoibia,HozaDblque, Botswana,Haaibia and South Africa.

From:Bill DeLaughter FamilyBox 61 .Karoi, Zimbabwe, Africa

more. Beause we have a small electricfreezer, we tried to go without arefrigerator for two months. Butkeeping food was difficult in our hotclimate.. We could do withoutelectricity but it would involve havinggas appliances or relying on wood.Trees are disappearing in our countryso that creates another problem.Overcoming these and othershortages havemade usappreciate theeverydaythingsinlifeweoften take forgranted.

Billy and DavidDavid ishomewith us during December. HehadagoodtermatRiftVall^Academy, Kijabe, Kenya. Besidesearning honors with a 91% average inhis classes, he played trumpet in iie

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Karoi* flarare

ZIMBABWE

senior band, sang in the junior highchoir, was chosen for the Jr. Hi All-Star soccer team, and worked at thestudent center. We are grateful for hisdorm parents, Mr., and Mrs. PaulZimmerman. Besides caring for 21eighth grade boys, Mrs. "Z" hadanother son in November, a brotherfor their two year old Sam. Please bein prayer for peace during and afterKenya's national elections, Dec, 29th.David's return to R-V.A. has beendelayed until Jan. 12th to allow timefor things to settle after the electionsBillywill be with us again on December 19th, the Lord willing. He will beworkingwith other missionarieswhilehere. He presently plans to return tothe U.S in June.

ThanksOnceagainwearegratefulto allofyouwho through prayers and financialsupportallowus to continue servinginZimbabwe. We pray thatyou havethegrace and peace at passes all understandingthroughourjMed