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GEOGRAPHY

Area 390,759 sq.km. Landlocked state in south-central Africa.

These UN-projected figures do not allow enough for the death rate due to AIDS. The possible 2025 population may be around 9 million.

Capital Harare 2,300,000. Other major cities: Bulawayo 800,000, Gweru 130,000, Mutare 124,000. Urbanites 27%.

PEOPLES

Over 42 peoples.

Indigenous 90.9%.

Shona 70.5%. 9 major peoples speaking related dialects and numbering 8.2 mill.

Nguni 14%. Ndebele 1.55m; Kalanga 196,000 (a Shona group being absorbed by Ndebele).

Other 6.4%. Tswana-Sotho 210,000; Shangaan-Tsonga 143,000; Tonga 137,000; Kunda 134,000; Venda 114,000.

Non-indigenous 9.1%.

African 7.9%. Many work as farm labourers. Chewa 575,000; Lozi 130,000; Sena 105,000; Yao 46,000.

Other 1.2%. European 90,000; Coloured 60,000; South Asian 25,000.

Literacy 85%. Official language English. Trade languages Shona is widely spoken, Ndebele in the west. All languages 19. Languages with Scriptures 11Bi 2NT 3por 4w.i.p.

ECONOMY

Rich in agricultural land and minerals. One of Africa's most successful economies in the 1980s but being dismantled in the 1990s by the corruption and military adventurism of the government and ruling political party. Decline has been accelerated by periodic droughts, the impact of AIDS and the 1999-2000 seizure and plundering of many of the white-owned farms on which the economy and urban population depend. Unemployment has risen above 60%. HDI 0.560; 130^th/174. Public debt 38% of GNP. Income/person $720 (2% of USA).

POLITICS

The Rhodesian declaration of independence from Britain by the white minority in 1965 led to intense guerrilla warfare and eventually independence as Zimbabwe in 1980. The ruling party, ZANU-PF, has so mismanaged the economy that the increasingly unpopular President Mugabe has only been able to retain power by intimidating all who speak against what is going on. Thuggery, murder and destruction have become common. After losing a referendum in early 2000 and only winning the election in mid-2000 by massive intimidation and election fraud, the country has become a virtual dictatorship. The sending of troops in 1998 to support the Kabila regime in Congo has been economically disastrous for the nation, but enriched army and political elites.

RELIGION

There is freedom of religion despite post-independence attempts to impose Marxism-Leninism.

Missionaries from Zimbabwe
P,I,A 250 of which about 50 are in 16 foreign countries.

Missionaries to Zimbabwe
P,I,A 500 in 80 agencies from 26 countries: USA 259, UK 93, South Africa 47, Canada 25.

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Answers to Prayer

1 The great freedom since independence to preach the gospel in public, on the media, in schools and prisons despite the worsening political climate.

2 Target 2000, the multi-denominational vision for saturation church planting, set the goal of doubling the number of churches from 10,000 in 1992 to 20,000 in 2000 – the goal was reached!

3 Strong church growth in the 1980s accelerated in the '90s with the number of Evangelicals rising from 1.3 million to 3 million. This growth has been across the spectrum of evangelical and mainline Protestant denominations but especially marked in the indigenous Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZOAGA) and a number of younger ministries such as Faith Ministries, Glad Tidings Fellowship and the Alliance Church.

Challenges for Prayer

1 Zimbabwe needs a government that will serve the nation rather than those who govern. Pray for early, non-violent change and for this land to be brought back from the brink of a social and economic abyss. Malnutrition, threat of food shortages and unemployment are growing rapidly and the country is becoming a time bomb.

2 The AIDS calamity in Zimbabwe is one of the world's worst cases. A combination of government neglect, lack of healthcare resources, promiscuity and social reluctance to face up to the drastic measures required are the root causes. Over 25% of all adults carried the virus by 2000; the number of orphans had risen to nearly 1 million (9% of the population). Deaths rose to 700 a week and the economy and life expectancy has plummeted. Pray for:

a) A radical change in hearts and attitudes to sex and to AIDS itself.

b) Effective government, NGO and church action to stop the spread of the infection.

c) Specific programmes run by Christian agencies to address the issue. Pray that all churches might face up to the moral, spiritual and economic implications of the pandemic for their ministry.

3 The land issue needs resolution. Under white rule much of the best land was tamed for agriculture by white settlers. The 4,000 farms became the source of 90% of agricultural exports and most of the marketed food of Zimbabwe and provided employment and homes for up to 2 million people. The need of land for the growing African population has long been a hot issue, but one inadequately addressed by the government. The state-sponsored anarchy in occupation of 1,600 farms by 'war veterans' could cause the eviction of hundreds of thousands of farm workers. Pray for the rule of law to be reinstated and an equitable solution found.

4 The Church has grown, but so have the challenges. Pray for:

a) A multiplication of mature leaders. Praise the Lord for godly men and women in leadership today, but their numbers must increase to cope with the rapid growth.

b) The Bible schools and seminaries. In 1992 there were 22 such institutions. There are an increasing number of church-based and TEE programmes being set up. Pray for effective teaching and discipling of those called to serve the Lord.

c) Spiritual unity. The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe links together over 160 churches and organizations, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Zimbabwe has brought together ten denominations and Fambidzano links other African Independent Churches for fellowship and theological instruction. Target 2000 helped to unite many denominations in a common goal for saturation church planting.

d) A prophetic voice for the Church. Politics has been left to the politicians. Christians are divided on how to cope with the burgeoning political crisis, and often remain silent when a clear moral stand is required.

e) A clear stand against witchcraft and demonic powers or veneration of ancestors in the guise of nationalism. Pray that Christians may not compromise, but know power in the name of Jesus to both protect and deliver from fear and bondage.

5 Vision for the 21^st Century. TheTarget 2000 vision was a great boost to the Church, but new initiatives and visions are now needed for the coming decade. Pray that the Lord might reveal His will in this. Missions vision is relatively small, with only about 50 missionaries sent out by 3 million Evangelicals. Pray that the Lord might envision the Church for training, sending and supporting hundreds of workers. Zimbabwean missionaries have had significant impact on Mozambique.

6 Young people brought up on the idealistic visions of independence have been disillusioned by empty political slogans, the greed of the powerful and the dearth of jobs. They have become the most receptive section of the population, half of which is under 15 years of age. Pray for the ministries of:

a) FOCUS (IFES), which is responsible for Christian Unions among the 40,000 students in universities and colleges; in nearly all of these there are lively, growing groups. Pray that Christian graduates may become key leaders in the nation.

b) Scripture Union, which has had a decisive impact on the educated by their work in the secondary schools. The number of these increased from 250 in 1980 to 1,535 in 1995, and there are large, active, outgoing Christian groups in most of them. The camp ministry has been especially fruitful. A smaller work in the primary schools is getting under way – pray that it may grow through an extensive programme of weekend camps. Pray for more Christian teachers to be raised up to nurture this work in their spare time.

c) The highly effective Aid for AIDS programme of Scripture Union which was pioneered in Zimbabwe, and has spread to many African countries. In this programme, young people challenge other young people to purity in sexual relationships, and to a personal relationship with Jesus as the one way to stop the spread of the disease.

7 The less-evangelized. Zimbabwe has been extensively evangelized, but areas of need remain:

a) The rural areas. In many districts churches are few and full-time workers even fewer. Pray for the calling of pastors and evangelists willing to serve in rural areas. Pray also for evangelistic outreaches and suitable literature distribution specifically to these areas. Especially effective have been teams showing the JESUS film and Operation Foxfire teams of AE.

b) The burgeoning cities, swollen with hundreds of thousands of rural migrants looking for non-existent jobs. Squatter settlements are multiplying and crime is on the increase. Outreach to the unemployed is a major challenge.

c) Less-reached peoples. There are congregations in every indigenous people, but relatively fewer among the Tonga, Nambya and Dombe of the Hwange-Kariba area in the northwest (where the AoG have made a significant impact with many new churches planted in the 1990s), the Kunda in the northeast, and the Ndau (SIM) in the east. The Kalanga and Ndebele have been exposed to the gospel for 130 years, but have been less responsive than the Shona peoples.

d) Farming areas. Nearly 2 million labourers and their dependants live on 4,200 commercial farms, many owned by whites. Over half these labourers are from Malawi and Mozambique. The CCAP(NGK), Salvation Army and others maintain an extensive ministry to these communities – especially to the Malawian Chewa-Nyanja speakers – but many farm communities are without an evangelical congregation of believers.

e)Muslims. They are a small minority but wield disproportionate influence on the country through foreign aid 'with strings', mosque-building and scholarships in Muslim universities. Most are Yao from Malawi, many are Gujarati in the main towns, and some are of the indigenous Shona-speaking Remba. Little Christian outreach has been made to win them, and churches are ill-equipped to do so.

8 The expatriate mission force has steadily been reduced in numbers because of government unwillingness to give visas for 'preachers of the gospel'. Though the need for missionaries is reduced, there are still a wide range of ministries where input is helpful. The mature church in Zimbabwe can cover most of the ministries. MAF has two planes based in Harare for serving the Church. Major agencies are: Chr Ch/Chs of Christ (91), YWAM (45), SdA (36), TEAM (29), IMB-SBC (23), NGK (20), Christian Brethren (15), SIM (15), Brethren in Christ (10).

9 Christian literature has become a major ministry in Zimbabwe and beyond – especially Mozambique. Pray for:

a) Scripture distribution. The Bible Society has a large Scripture printing and distribution programme. The government ruling for compulsory religious education in schools has led to a massive distribution of Bibles, NTs and Scripture portions. In June 1985 a new start was made to revise the Shona Bible; a reliable revision is long overdue. SGM's Scripture booklets have been widely used in comforting and challenging those impacted by AIDS.

b) Gospel Literature Lifeline which has developed a successful tract and follow-up literature ministry with correspondence courses. Much of their distribution is in Mozambique.

c) The Christian bookstores in most major centres. The shortage of foreign exchange and lack of variety of good, locally-produced materials limits stock and impact.

d) CAVA (Christian Audio Visual Action) which is, at present, the only major publisher of literature in Shona to counteract the renewed challenge offered by traditional animistic religion. Audio-visual materials are also produced.

10 Christian electronic media:

a) Radio and TV programmes are broadcast on the national networks. International broadcasts are also received from TWR Swaziland in English (33 hrs/wk), Shona (17), Ndebele (7) and Tswana (5). There is a large audience.

b) The JESUS film has been extensively used in 10 languages for church planting. A further 6 languages of Zimbabwe are in preparation.

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