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Zimbabwe UBF Annual Report, 2011

(James Lee)

“Rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1Ti 4:7b-8)

Prayer: Heavenly father, I thank you for your grace and love. When I look back on 2011, I really give thanks to you. Thank you for giving me good health and your wonderful love and grace. I only made many mistakes and sinned yet you are gracious and have blessed our ministry. Lord help me to remember your grace and have a clear new year’s direction. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

1. One to one ministry

After the 50th anniversary celebration, I tried to focus on one to one Bible study and Bible Testimony writing and Dr. Lee and all our missionaries worked hard to have one to one relationships with all of our members. It is very important to inherit the legacy of our ancestor of faith who served God’s work through a one to one disciple-making ministry. Through one to one relationships, our missionaries and sheep have established love relationships and understand one another more deeply. Missionary Anna is also helping Tingao’s co-worker, Charity. It is an historical event that Missionary Sus Yoon served one to one with sister sheep. Through this one to one relationship, our leaders also come to know how to serve sheep.

2. Dr. Samuel Lee came as a silver missionary.

I attended the 50^th anniversary meeting in Korea. During the meeting, Dr. Samuel Lee asked me about his coming to Zimbabwe as a missionary. Dr. Samuel and Anna Lee arrived at Harare Aug  29 by faith. Their coming to Zimbabwe is a blessing. Our missionaries are busy with their self-supporting jobs and could not serve all the sheep one to one. Dr. Lee is supporting us through prayer and shows a good example of one to one fellowship. Our missionaries and local members are very happy for his life of faith and co-working. He also prayed to open a Korean language course at the University of Zimbabwe. On Nov. 3, the first historical Korean language class took place at Zimbabwe University. Thank God that M. Samuel Lee received a two year visa to stay in Zimbabwe. We can see signs of God’s blessing on his missionary life.

3. Bible Academy

We held an Easter Bible academy from April 16-17 at our center. We raised 13 life testimony sharers and 3 group Bible study leaders. Five medical school junior students participated in this preparation despite their busy schedules and upcoming exams. We prayed for each leader to invite at least one student and God heard our prayers and brought many students. Most of our students are suffering from severe family matters and personal problems. But we thank God for their spiritual growth in Jesus. Martin confessed that true blessing comes from learning from Jesus, not from human success or solving problems. Blessed delivered a message on John 21, “Do you love me?” and we made decisions to feed sheep by obeying Jesus’ words, “Feed my lambs” Thank God for our growing leaders who worked together with stewardship.

We held a summer Bible academy from November 25- 27. We had 20 new students and a total of 60 attendees. Our leaders prayed a lot and prepared very heart-moving messages by the help of the Holy Spirit. The messengers were: Blessed on “Jesus came to call the sinner” (Mt 9); Spe on “Jesus is the living water" (Jn 4); and Oliver on “You will be a blessing” (Ge 12). We learned that Jesus’ forgiveness of sin is the best gift of God and it has transforming power. Jesus solves our thirsty problems by giving us a spring of living water. “You will be a blessing” taught us to be a blessing by giving the word of God and becoming like Abraham in our generation. We have a vision to be a missionary-sending nation. Our three women missionaries, Petra Lee, Rebekah Shin, and Sus Yoon, also shared their graceful life testimonies. They were very honest and renewed their hearts through God’s calling and vision. Martin, Onward, Sally, and Apollonia shared their testimonies based on the main messages. Particularly, our sisters made decisions to marry by faith. It was a great work of the Holy Spirit that changed our sisters’ hearts. Dr. Samuel H. Lee gave us a special lecture on UBF history which gave us vision and the hope of God for this nation. He also conducted Communion and Baptism ceremonies. CBF children and Jacob Yoon received baptism.

4. Growing disciples of Jesus.

Our students leaders are growing and they are having one to one Bible study. Shepherd Lovemore, Tapiwa, Martin, Honest, Blessed, Onward are growing and they struggled to serve sheep. This year, Sister Spe, Apollonia and Sally graduated from the University of Zimbabwe. They are also trying to serve campus sheep as mothers of prayer and student shepherds are raised.

5. Co-working.

I thank God for our co-working missionaries. Missionary Caleb and Dr. Samuel Lee and Shepherd Tinago, Oliver and Hungwe delivered powerful and gracious Sunday messages. Missionary Caleb’s family cared for the sister’s tents. Especially, Genesis messages were very touching for each of us. Missionary Peter and Anna, Rebekah, and Sus Yoon worked together and prepared a good environment and sister ministry. I thank for shepherd Tinago, Oliver, Hungwe, Jona, and Edington. Hungwe’s wife delivered a healthy daughter and she recovered her health. Shepherd Oliver was promoted and he could serve students with the word of God. Shepherd Jona is still praying to be a lecturer at college. Edington worked at the Amb’s residence as an assistance cook; now he has a job as a teacher. During Christmastime, we collected U$1,000 dollars and gave 6 brothers and sisters support for their sick family members. 

6. 2012 New Year Direction

Last year, during the African Directors’ Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, I fell ill. Dr John Jun and Moses Yoon and Mark Yoon (Kenya) helped me to go to Korea for a general check-up. Jong-ro coworkers prayed constantly for me. I stayed for three weeks and went back to Zimbabwe. I thank God who has given me necessary health.

2012 Prayer topics and personal direction.

My new year key verse is 1Ti 4:7b-8.  To be a good minister of Jesus Christ, Paul urges Timothy to train himself to be godly. Through Bible study and prayer and all activities we are to imitate Jesus’ character. I have direction to be a good minister of Jesus Christ. So I have to train myself to be godly. Godly training will enable me to serve his mission and make disciples of Jesus Christ. I pray to be a good minister of Jesus Christ by training myself to be godly holding on to the promise of God.

Personally, I thank God who has blessed my second daughter to enter Handong University and receive a scholarship from the Korea Foundation.

Prayer topics;

1. To raise 12 shepherds, 12 shepherdesses through one to one discipleship training.
2. To pioneer other universities in Zimbabwe (Bible Zimbabwe)
3. To raise house churches
4. May God bless 2012 Southern Region Conference, we pray for 20-25 attendants and two messengers from ZIM UBF.

One word: A minister of Jesus Christ.