Sabbath 27 January 2018, a 12 member Mission Go evangelistic team visited Bulilima District, close to Plumtree on a pre-campaign fact-finding mission. The team was warmly received by the local church pastor, Pastor Sibanda, and the general church leadership in the district. After a late 1pm but uplifting divine service program at Molapo SDA branch we sat down with the pastor and his aid,Thuba, to get more information about the area. Also accompanying was Pamela, district hospitality coordinator from Plumtree.
The church district is still fairly new having been organized in February last year (2017). The area is geographically large, covering a diameter of 150km. There are 2 organized SDA churches and 33 branches and many unreached areas. The most common language in the district, which shares a border with Botswana, is Kalanga, though the people do understand other languages like Ndebele and Shona. The district also houses a Khoisan community in some parts and among these the Adventist faith is not yet existent.
After discussions and deliberations, the church recommended having at least 2 evangelistic sites, one at Malalume and the other at Madlambudzi which are the major centres of population. The community is made up mostly of elderly people and children, with most young men being said to have crossed the border in search of better livelihood. Also noted is a high level of school dropping out trend. The predominant church is the Zion denomination, there are no Pentecostals.
The Pastor was happy with the visit and the proposed plans, and to him it was an answered prayer having tried before without success to engage different groups to evangelize the area. The church also promised to mobilize many workers for the evangelistic series. From Molapo, we passed through Madlambudzi church and also had an uplifting worship experience as we informed the church on the upcoming efforts.
MISSION GO 