Team Zimbabwe

Team Zimbabwe 2008- bringing hope to the hopeless

Zimbabwe Bound 2008- bringing hope to the hopeless

2 years ago a young couple from Brisbane felt an unexpected call on their lives to the country of Zimbabwe. Andrew & Jodi Muller were both working in the hospitality industry and Andrew was studying part time at theological college. They traveled to Zimbabwe for a 3 month visit to investigate this strong sense of call.

Despite many people trying to leave [one quarter of Zimbabwe's population have left and most reside temporarily in South Africa], Andrew & Jodi decided to commit themselves to going back. At the beginning of 2007 they flew out to an uncertain future. They settled in Bulawayo and divided their time between working with Youth for Christ and with orphanages.

During last year they took on a young girl called Gabi who had to be rescued from neglect. Over the last 10 years Zimbabwe has been transformed from a breadbasket to a basketcase. The Mullers have seen this as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

Andrew currently manages the Willow Park youth camping facility which belongs to Youth for Christ. It is conjoined with the Samkele girls orpanage for girls aged 9-15. Andrew is also currently conducting a number of projects to help the local people set up micro industries and learn building skills.

As the supporting church of the Mullers, South Pine Community Church has decided to send a team to help with at lest one important project. Team Zimbabwe consists of 10 people, including 5 tradespersons. Our primary task is to complete a new dining hall facility for the youth centre. This will involved fitting doors, windows and a roof and associated electrical and plumbing.

Other support activities will be conducted with the Samkele orphanage.

The building project will also impart skills to a team of young people who will be learning from all our tradespeople. A thatcher will train our team and our helpers in the art of roof thatching using grass harvested from the Willow Park property.

The team will spend two weeks in Zimbabwe, with the aim of completing the project. It is a very challenging time in Zimbabwe as can be witnessed in the daily news. The team are travelling to a safe area but nevertheless the impact on the people of the team coming out at this uncertain time will be immense. The team has had to raise the funds for their individual costs and in addition they have been working hard since last year to raise $6000 to purchase the building materials which will be used.

Life at Willow Park will be quite challenging, with fairly basic sleeping conditions and extreme winter cold. The team will fly in via Victoria Falls before travelling by road for 6hrs to Willow Park. If the situation permits they will visit Bulawayo and attend church in the middle weekend before returning to Willow Park.

Willow Park is a 200 acre property that is owned and run by YFC, located about 30 km out of Bulawayo. There are four main ministries that run at Willow Park; Willow Park Camps, a Training Centre, Samkele and a small farming industry.

Willow Park Camps is designed to be a retreat for teenagers and young adults, were they can come and chill with other people from their youth group or school. YFC will soon be running leadership development courses at the campground which will encourage the teenagers to enhance their communication and group dynamic skills as well as promote a Christ centred life.

Agriculture is going to be the backbone to Willow Park, providing food for the ministries as well as training for the students and revenue to help Willow Park become a self funded and self supported ministry. ‘08 will be a huge year for the agricultural sector as it will expand from just producing small amounts of vegetables to producing different types of meat (chicken and rabbit) as well as starting up a strong dairy and egg “industry”.

This will be a life changing event for all the team members, most of whom have never travelled overseas before. Any support you can offer to help Josh on this expedition into the unknown is greatly valued

You can follow the week to week acitivities of Andrew & Jodi and see a map of where the team will be going at www.zimbabwebound.com

You can find out more about South Pine Community Church at www.southpinechurch.com.au