Marcia Kay ThomsonP.O. Box H 96

MAR 22 1983Zimbabwe, Africa

Forwarding AgentsMr. 6 Mrs. Wilford LeasureRoute 1West Union, Illinois 62^77

February I983

Dear Christian Friends,

Thank you for your response to my December newsletter. I received more correspondence from that letter than any other I havewritten in the 19 years I have been here. The financial response has also been good and has come at a very welcome time.There are many expenses at the college and with Penningtons going on furlough they will have extra expenses. We are growingso rapidly we need to add on to the building. The fellows needa shower room and more bedrooms are also on the plan.

There are so many things to write and so little time to write.

Zimbabwe Christian College now has 8 full-time students,one girland seven fellows. Two students are right out of high school butmost are older. The average age of the student body Is 26. Besides English the students speak Shona, Afrikaans, Portugueseand French. How would you like to go to college in a languagethat is not your mother tongue?

Many of you have asked where I am living. I am at the college.The college girl and I are in the apartment where Jack and PeggyPennington were living. They have been house-sitting for someone who has been away for awhile and are now getting a place oftheir own. The Ballards who are coming to replace Penningtonswill stay there while Penningtons are away. Ron Emery will beteaching until May and then Floyd Clark will come to teach forthree months. He has been at Johnson Bible College for manyyears. In September the Penningtons will be back and we hope theMorris and Burrls families are also here by then. I am to teacha typing class from March to May.

My jobs are varied. I should never be bored; in fact, I changedirections so often that most of the time I do not know where Iam going. My areas of work Include bookkeeping, buying, meal-planning (10 for most meals except noon when there are usually13) and dorm mom.The Penningtons have been overworked for years.While Penningtons are gone I will be in charge of all the practical aspects of running the college: buildings, equipment,grounds and laundry. We have ^ African men that work for thecollege who will be under my supervision. Jack has done much ofthe repair and maintenance himself;obvIously I will not be ableto do most of It but will have to see that It Is done. We arehoping that a couple will come to take many of these responsibilities. I have given my word that I would stay for this year.Then I will determine whether I should stay or should return toMasvingo.Even if others come there is still much work to be donein-^a city of this size. I have been asked to teach Scriptureclasses In the schools here but have said, "No, I do not havetime." Please pray that I have the wisdom to use the time to thebest advantage and that I wi11 have extra strength for this year

Jack has also been the one to go to the Immigration Office withthe necessary documents to get new people approved to come Intothe country to work. For several years we had few new peoplearriving, but now there are many preparing to come in. 1 havealready delivered some of the forms to the office but will bedoing more of this In the next few months. Dale Marshall willalso be involved In this but he Is about 60 miles away.

LUCELUXH-DU

BY AIR MAILPAR AVION

>AEROGRAMME

AIR-LETTER

HorizonsP. 0, Box Zi*2?Knoxvilla, W 37920

SECOND FOLD

Sender's name and address:

Marcia Kay Thomson

P.O. Box H 96

Hatfleld, Harare, Zimbabwe

Africa

An Air-Letter should not contain any enclosure. ^ If it does, it will be surcharged or sent by ordinary ma

ISaid 3903 SIHl ONGIVinO N3dO 01

Harare Christian Church meets here at the college. My SundaySchool class is the junior girls. For some time they had beenmeeting with the junior boys so most of them had stopped coming;therefore, I need to build from scratch. The class meets in myapartment as we are so short of space.

At the December meeting of the Central Africa Mission they elected me to the office of secretary. I am still the editor of theCentral Africa Story, The May meeting of the mission is to beheld here at the college. The August meeting will be incorporated into a conference for all the missionaries in Southern Africa.I am in charge of the local arrangements as it is to be at acamp grounds called Rest Haven just a few miles from here.

Thank you again for the reassurance that you have given me Inthis decision to move to Harare. Please continue to pray forme as it is only through His strength that the work will beaccomplished.

Because of Christ,

Marcia Kay Thomson

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Marcia Kay ThomsonP.O. Box H 96Hatfteld

Harare

JUN 1 0 1983 Zimbabwe, AfricaForwarding Agents

Mr. S Mrs. Wilford LeasureRoute 1West Union, Illinois 62^77

May 1983Dear Christian Friends,

Greetings from Harare. This is an exciting place to be.So many things are happening that we are sometimes breathless .

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS

My class for junior girls has grown from nothing to eight.Last Sunday two of the members of the class were baptized.These two come to church with their families. I need to goout and meet the families of some of the other class mem-

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Last week we had our Vacation Bible School which is caTledHoliday Bible School here. This year our college terms aredifferent from the government schools. This meant thatcollege classes were held in the morning and VBS was in theafternoon. Some of the college students helped with the VBSwhich gave them practical experience. We had a recordattendance starting with 125 students the first day and ahigh of 157 one day. Several of our new contacts came forBible School last Sunday. The VBS closing program was heldoutside as the building is not large enough to hold thecrowd. In fact, during the VBS we took the chairs out ofthe church and had the children sit on the floor so theywould all fit. Besides we needed all the chairs in theclassrooms. All the children sang during the closing program and some of the parents seemed impressed with whattheir children had learned. Refreshment time gave a chancefor people to get acquainted.

BIBLE COLLEGE

We have 8 full time students at Zimbabwe Christian College.In the picture you will see the seven resident students.-One student, Paul Eastwood, lives off campus. Two of thestudents are In their third year of college and since ZCCIs only a three year school they will be leaving at the endof the year. Others just started In January. It L5. Terwarding to see the students grow as they study the WorLd^ Ido not teach any classes but buy enormous amounts of foodto see that they are fed and try to keep things running.Rosemary Ballard is teaching the typing classes that Ithought I was going to be teaching and I have enough to dowithout them.

AIRPORT

Harare is the capital of Zimbabwe and we are about a 15minute drive from the airport. As people come and go wemake many trips to the airport. Several times I have beenat the airport four times In one week. It Is exciting tosee people arriving. Some are visitors that are looking atthe work to see if they will fit into the picture here. Ioften feel as if I know the new workers before they arriveas I make application to immigration for permission forthem to enter the country. We would love to have you cometo see us. If you cannot make it in body, please be praying for us as we work for Him here in Harare.

In Christian love,

UJccm

X

HDU

BY AIR MAILPAR AVION

^ 31 Mr. 1983 ,2 ^ /

AEROGRAMME

AIR-LETTER

HorizonsP. 0, Box 2^^27Knoxville, IN 37920

IAS. fit

SECOND FOLD

Sender's name and address;

Marcia Kay Thomson

"P". 0. Box H 96

Hatfield, Harare, Zimbabwe

Africa

An Air-Letter should not contain any enclosure.If it does, it will be surcharged or sent by ordinary mail..

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Unto us a Child is born... "December 1983

Dear Christian Friends,Christmas greetings from Harare, the capital city of Zimbabwe. Forseveral weeks we have been practicing for our special Christmasprogram which is to be held December U between Uand 6pm Itwill be held outside. There will be people of all ages particip'ati'ngWe are praying for rain as we have had a drought here but we needjust a couple of dry hours for the program,HARARE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Last year as I was making plans to mov6 to Harare the congregationthat meets here at the college had 62 in attendance. Today we had122 for church. This year we have had 37 baptisms and 2 transfers.It has been exciting to be here this year and see the congregationgrow. We are like sardines so are trying to find a means to get moreroom for the congregation. We have looked into building andremodeling. The minimum for building a new auditorium would be$30,000 If we had a new building for the church then we could usethe space that the church is now occupying for Sunday Schoolclasses and for the college as it needs to expand. Also much of theplumbing in this old building needs to be replaced. Next Sunday isMiracle Sunday and we will see how much the members of thecongregation will make available with Cod's help for expansion.YOUTH GROUP

The high school group has been growing this year. Some of theircontacts have brought whole families to church. Their meetings areon Friday nights and their largest attendance has been 60. Kathyand Paul Eastwood have been In charge of this program. They havebeen doing a great job but will be in the States next year. Thosewho have been asked to come during their absence have not made adefinite commitment.

SCRIPTURE CLASSES

Since September I have been teaching 130 children at the WiddecombeSchool on Tuesday mornings. This year two teachers from thischurch have gone to teach Thursday mornings at Hatfield GirlsHigh. Next year they are wanting to increase to two days a weekbut we do not have the personnel to cover this.STAYING IN HARARE

The couple that were recruited to take over the jobs I am doingwere turned down by the Immigration Department. This means that Iwill stay at the college in my present position. Until someone comesto take over the purchasing, planning of meals, being dorm mom andbookkeeper, et cetera, I will not be free to teach very many classesin the schools.

NEW WORKERS

Brion and Joyce Morris have come to work with the WaterfallsChurch and teach some classes at Zimbabwe Christian College. Steveand Linda Whitmer and their children have arrived to work at theCreencroft Church. The Arcadia Church still does not have aminister so the Bible College students and our church members taketurns preaching in the mornings and we meet with them in the'evenings to share the leadership.

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