Pickett Judith 1992 Zimbabwe

8/18/2019 Pickett Judith 1992 Zimbabwe

1/7

ZJM3

ABWE

forwarding

AGENTS:

Sam Mitchell

P.

0.

B o x 2 7 4 6 , N a p a , C A 9 4 5 5 8

TH

"Therefore go

and

make

disciples of

all nations..

Matt.

28:19

PI K TT

Judith L. Pickett,

Secretary

to Central Africa Mission

P . 0 . Box

392,

C hinhoyi, Zimabwe,

Africa

LIN

March 1992 Newsletter

Matthew 25:40 - "The King

w i l l

reply, I

t e l l

you the truth, whatever y ou did for one of

the

least of

these brothers

of

mine,

you did for

me."

Dear Christian Friends:

Time certainly flies.

I t

h a s b e e n a y e a r n o w since I ' v e b e e n b a c k i n Zimbabwe, b u t

i t

s e e m s

l i k e

s u c h

a s h o r t t i m e . I t h a s b e e n a

v e r y

b u s y , d e m a n d i n g , b u t c h a l l e n g i n g y e a r . a m

a l s o

working on my 23rd year in

Zimbabwe...Incredible

T i m e s a r e

g e t t i n g very h a r d f o r the A f r i c a n p e o p l e h e r e

n o w .

L i k e

everywhere

else i n the

world,

prices

are

going

up. Salaries are

up too, but prices s t i l l

far exceed

the income.

Many necessary commodities are

in short supply a n d

sometimes off the shelves for

months

at

a t i m e . S u c h

t h i n g s

a s

c o o k i n g

o i l , r i c e , s u g a r , a n d n o w

m e a l i e

m e a l , w h i c h

a r e

p a r t

o f

t h e

e v e r y d a y d i e t o f

t h e A f r i c a n

p e o p l e a r e

v e r y

h a r d t o f i n d .

W h e n

o n e f i n d s t h e m , t h e p r i c e s ^

are

always up and

supply is

limited

to one

or two

p e r

customer.

S c h o o l

fees

are

exorbitant.

S c h o o l

uniforms are v ery expensive ev en when one

buys

the

material

and makes them or has

a

tailor make

them.

W e h a v e h a d v e r y l i t t l e r a i n o v e r m u c h

of t h e c o u n t r y , a n d

r i v e r s a n d d a m s

(lakes)

a r e

d o w n

to

u n d e r t e n p e r c e n t i n many

areas. B u l a w a y o ,

o u r s e c o n d

largest city,

h a s

only t w e l v e

w e e k s

w a t e r l e f t f o r i t s

m i l l i o n s of p e o p l e .

D i s e a s e s , e s p e ci a l l y A I D S , a r e

k i l l i n g t h e p e o p l e ,

a n d

c a t t l e , e t c . a r e d y i n g

b y

t h e h u n d r e d s d a i l y .

I n

t h e l a r g e

A f r i c a n

s e c t o r

of

C h i n h o y i ,

t h e r e a r e

f r o m

two to five f u n e r a l s

every day. S o u n d s v e r y d e p r e s s i n g

to

you, I a m sure; b u t

w e

m u s t a l w a y s k n o w

t h a t

G o d i s

i n

c o n t r o l . P l e a s e p r a y f o r the

Z i m b a b w e p e o p l e

e s p e c i a l l y

those that I work

with

and come in contact

with

every day.

A n o t h e r s a d e v e n t t h a t t o o k p l a c e i n o u r c o u n t r y

w a s

t h e

d e a t h

of M r s . S a l l y M u g a b e , w h o

w a s

t h e h i g h l y r e s p e c t e d w i f e

of

o u r P r e s i d e n t .

S h e

h a d b e e n i l l

f o r

a b o u t e l e v e n y e a r s w i t h

a

k i d n e y d i s e a s e .

S h e w a s a v e r y b e n e v o l e n t

p e r s o n a n d h a d d o n e s o m u c h w o r k f o r t h e

p l i g h t

of African women

a n d

children. The people mourn

h e r

passing.

Of

course

h e r

funeral

a n d

the

w e e k

of

m o u r n i n g w a s t e l e v i s e d a n d m a n y f o r e i g n d i g n i t a r i e s a t t e n d e d . S h e w a s o r i g i n a l l y

f r o m G h a n a a n d a m e m b e r

o f

a c h i e f t a i n ' s f a m i l y , s o a l a r g e d e l e g a t i o n f r o m G h a n a i n c l u d i n g

her

very

aging mother attended. She was buried in

HERO'S ACRE

in

Harare.

On a lighter note.

Mai Custudio.

Her

c h a t t e d a b o u t o u r w o r k a n d p l a n s

t o

v i s i t s e v e r a l

of

o u r f a r - a w a y w o m e n ' s g r o u p s i n t h e

future. The next day, Mai Cu studio couldn't

wait

to tell me

her

brother-in-laws' c o m n

A few

days

ago I

was

visiting

in

the

home

of my

fellow worker,

brother-in law

was

also there.

He

sat

very quietly while M a i

a n d I

near

comments

a f t e r

I h a d

l e f t

h e r h o u s e . S h e s a i d

t h a t

h e

j u s t

s h o o k h i s h e a d a n d

a s k e d H o w

d o e s y o u r

A m b u y a , ( g r a n d m o t h e r ,

a

t e r m

of

r e s p e c t ) ,

s t a y s o

h e a l t h y a n d h a p p y t r a v e l i n g

a r o u n d

i n t h e

b u s h

w i t h u s A f r i c a n s

a n d

a l l

o u r

d i s e a s e s ? M a i ' s v e r y

w i s e ,

w i t n e s s i n g a n s w e r

c a m e

q u i c k l y . "Oh, s h e

i s

p r o t e c t e d b y G o d

a s

s h e

w a l k s

w i t h

H i m

a l w a y s .

N e e d l e s s

to s a y t h e

brother-in-law was impressed as he is not

a

Christian.

I have a great praise for the

continuing recovery

of our Evangelist Michael

Nyandoro. He is

n o w a b l e to b o a r d a l o c a l b u s a n d t r a v e l to a n d f r o m t h e t o w n a n d i s p l a n n i n g a t r i p b a c k

t o

t h e a r e a

of

h i s

m i n i s t r y , G o k w e , f o r

a n

E a s t e r m e e t i n g . H e

s t i l l h a s

a n o t h e r o p e r a t i o n t o

face for

the

removal

of the

four pins

that

are In

the

leg

he broke,

but

he

is confident that

all

will

go well.


2/7

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

2659

FIRST

STREET

NAPA

CA 94558-5599

Non-profit Organiz

U.S.

Postage

Paid

Permit No. 28

Napa

CA

94558

HORIZONS

OX

427

KNOXVILLE

IN

37901

G o d c o n t i n u e s t o b l e s s i n

s o

m a n y

w a y s . F o r s o m e t i m e

n o w

I h a v e b e e n

s a v i n g

t o w a r d

a

c o m p u t e r t o h e l p m e w i t h m y w o r k . T h e r e i s m o n e y

i n

t h e

S t a t e s t o w a r d t h i s p u r c h a s e , b u t G o d

h a d o t h e r p l a n s . I n N o v e m b e r ,

o n e

o f t h e H a r a r e m i s s i o n a r i e s r e t u r n e d f r o m

t h e

S t a t e s w i t h

a n e w c o m p u t e r . H e a l r e a d y h a d

t h e o n e

I a m

t y p i n g t h i s n e w s l e t t e r

d r a f t o n t o s e n d t o m v

f o r w a r d i n g

a g e n t f o r

p u b l i c a t i o n .

H o w e v e r , w h e n

h e w e n t

t o s e l l

i t , h e

f e l t

h e

c o u l d n ' t

q e t

e n o u g h m o n e y o u t o f i t s o

d e c i d e d

t o g i v e i t t o a n o t h e r m i s s i o n a r y w h o d i d n ' t

h a v e

o n e

M v

f r i e n d M a r c i a T h o m s o n i m m e d i a t e l y s a i d , O h J U d y i s

w a n t i n g

o n e f o r

h e r

w o r k . S o h e r e ' l a m

t h e

p r o u d

o w n e r o f a

w o r d

p r o c e s s o r . I t

i s

n c f t t h e l a t e s t m o d e l b u t q u i t e s u f fi c i e n t f o r m y

n e e d s

a t t h e m o m e n t . I h a v e a l r e a d y

s t a r t e d p r e p a r i n g

m y o v m s i m p l i f i e d l e s s o n s o n t h e

L i f e

o f

C h r i s t f o r m y

w o m e n ' s

g r o u p s .

S u p p l i e s

( s ^ c h

a s

p a p e r , f l o p p y d i s k s ,

e t c . )

w i l l

h a v e

t o

b e

purchased in South Africa

n o

but that poses

for major truck servicing.

p r o b l e m

a s I

g o d o w n at l e a s t t w i c e a y e a r

H y

g i r l s

a r e b o t h h a p p y i n t h e i r w o r k _ a n d d o i j i g w e ] , ,

l ^ o u l d

e o v e t y o u n

p r a y e r s

o n

b e h a l f

o f a p r o b l e m I a m h a v i n g w i t h m y

n e c k d u e

t O ; a r t h r i t i s i n

t h e s p i n e V n d

a c o u p l e o f

d i s k s

p o p p i n g o u t

f r o m

t i m e t o

t i m e a n d

p i n c h i n g a j n e r v e .

D e s p i t e t h i s , I

c o n t i n u e t o

k e e p v e r y

b u s y

a n d G o d g i v e s m e s t r e n g t h t o g e t e v e r y t h i n g d o n e . T H A N K Y O U f o r y o u r c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t

and interest in the work

here

in

Zimbabwe.

Love

in

Christ,

Judy Pickett

z t

JUDY S

HARMONY

HALL WOMEN S

G R Q i J P

MAI

CUSTMDIG STAND ING AT

FAR

RIGHT


3/7


4/7

FIRST CHRISTIAN

CHURCH

2659 FIRST STREET

NAPA CA 94558 5599

Non-Profit

Organlz.

U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 28

Napa CA 94558

HORIZONS

OX

427

KNOXVILLE

TN

37901

A s

a l w a y s I a m

v e r y t h a n k f u l f o r a l l y o u r p r a y e r s u p p o r t f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t a n d j u s t f o r

c a r i n g .

I h a v e

a p p r e c i a t e d a l l

t h e

l o v e l y

l e t t e r s

a n d b o x e s c o m i n g f r o m C a l i f o r n i a l a t e l y .

May G o d

b l e s s

y o u for

y o u r care a n d

c o n c e r n

for me.

Love In Christ

Judy

P i cket t


5/7

ZIM WE

JUDITH

L.

PICKETT, MISSIONARY

CHINHOYI

CHRISTIAN MISSION

(CENTRAL

AFRICA MISSION)

CHINHOYI, ZIMBABWE, AFRICA

Judy

Pickett

was born April

23,

1936

at

New

Winchester,

Indiana, She received

her

primary and secondary

education in Ladoga, Indiana and

her

B.A.

Degree in

Religion

from Johnson Bible

College, Knoxville,

Tennessee

in

1959

During

her college years

at

Johnson , Judy dedicated her

life to

serving

the Lord on the

mission field wherever

He might call her. After

graduating

from Bible

college, Judy

served

as

a

secretary/youth

director,

f i r s t

a t Carlisle,

Kentucky;

the n

f o u r

years

a t Bethany

Christian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana; and f i n a l l y

five

years

at

First

Christian

Churc h, Napa, Cali fo rn ia.

In Napa,

sparked

b y visiting missionaries such as

Dr.

Dennis Pruitt, a

pioneer

in medical missions in

Rhodesia, Africa and Mr. Cyril Simpkins,

her

former

Bible

professor,

who

had

become

a

missionary in Ghana

and later Rhodesia , Judy s smolderin g mission interest

was rekindled. A former bible college classmate,

Madonna

Burgett

(Spratt),

who was a nurse

at

Mashoko

Hospital

in Rhodesia, challenged Judy

to

become

t he

secretary/bookkeeper

for Chidamoyo

Christian Hospital,

sixty mi les fr om

Karoi

i n

t h e African b ush.

After

much prayer and recommendations

fr om the

Napa

Church and

her

home church

in

Ladoga, Indiana, Judy

began

raising funds; and

In November

1969,

she

departed

f o r

w h a t

w a s t h e n

Rhodes ia, Afric a. Judy

s e r v e d a s

secretary

t o Chidamoyo Christian Hospital

f o r

ten

years. During

t ha t tim e s he

became Involved

i n

wo r k i ng

with th e

Shona-speaking Christian

women

and young

gi r ls.


6/7

Judy

started the first Bible Study Club for single

staff w o i n e n

at the h o s p i t l and

also

worked

with

several adult

women's

Bush (rural) Clubs teaching

Bible, sew ing, and cooking lessons.

Rhodesia's

war for

independence had begun in

the early

1960's, but it

was not until

1978

that the

fighting

w as

intensified, especially in the bush areas.

When

Judy

returned

from her

second

furlough

in the United

States

in Kay 1978, she served

just

two months;

and

then

because of

the

intensity of

the

fighting,

the

mission

had to be evacuated

Judy

was

asked

by

the

missionaries in

the

small

town

of

Sinoia (now called Chinhoyi) to work

with

them. Her

activities have been

varied

while working in Chinhoyi.

Serving first

as

manager for a mission-owned

book

store

(Good News

Productions) and then

as

a full-time

secretary

for

Brother

Dale Marshall,

chairman

of

Chinhoyi Christian

Mission

under

the

Central

Africa

Mission. (Rhodesia

is

now called Zimbabwe).

Over

the

years, Judy's

duties

included starting

Bible

Study classes with the

Shona-speaking

Christian women

in the

Chinhoyi

area

and

six

years as

director

of a

multi-racial Sunday School

for primary-aged children on

Sunday

afternoons.

She also became involved

in

working

with

the

church at Hillside Chapel, an English-speaking

congregation

ministered to by

Brother

Marshall.

The

government schools Include Scripture classes in

their curriculum,

and

for

three years Judy taught

a

seventh

grade

class in the local

primary

school.

After

independence of

the

country,

she

began teaching Bible

studies and adult literacy to

women

on a part-time

basis. At one time she was trav eling to

five

different

clubs a

week

and

also

doing

secretarial

duties

for

Brother Marshall.

Through

the medium

of

these clubs,

the Lord started

t wo

new

churches;

and

many souls w e r e

won for

Christ

Judy's wo r k with

women

has

evolved

into superv ising and

supporting four, full-time, literacy teachers and

helping with the

coordination of

the

women's

wo r k in

several of

the 75

Shona-speaking Congregations under

the supervision of

Chinhoyi

Christian Mission^


7/7

In

June

of

1980 Judy

was asked

to become

the

foster

mother

to

two,

teenage-colored

girls. The girls are

now

grown-up, young women; but still

make their

home with

Judy and

will

until they find

life partners or make homes

of

their

own.

In 1991

Brother

Marshall took

his furlough, and Judy

took

on

extra duties, which

included

house sitting for the

Marshall's,

taking

care of their personal

and

financial

responsibilities

In

Zimbabwe, and working

with

the

African

evangelists

In charge of the Shona-speaking work.

In

1992 Judy

will

have served

23

years on

the

mission

field

In Africa

and feels

that

Zimbabwe Is

now

her

home.

Future

plans Include Increasing

the women's work

and

continuing the work with

the

Chinhoyi Christian Mission.

The government

there Is

still

work

Is often

challenging to

steeped

In

Opportunities

overwhelming,

are white unto

of

Zimbabwe

Is a

socialist

government,

but

the

freedom to

preach the Gospel.

The

disappointing and

discouraging,

but ever

get

the Gospel Into the hearts of a people

traditional worship of ancestors,

to

preach the Gospel

are

sometimes

The scripture says It well, The fields

the harve st, but

the

labourers are few.

Judy has given

her

total self

to

showing love for

and

Improving

the lot

of

the

little bit of Africa God has

given her to care

for.

Documents

Pickett Judith 1992 Zimbabwe