7.30.2009

One on one with Stu Austin

Stu Austin
Stu came to Ebenezer with a team from Florida USA. They spent time with the Ebenezer team and the apprentices, getting a feel of what is happening this side.

M.M: Tell me about your background Jack?
S.A: I grew up in Connecticut in a Roman Catholic home. I have my parents and 2 older brothers. I had a comfortable upbringing. I went to Boston College and met friends who were part of Campus Crusade for Christ. Through those friendships, I came to know the Lord in February of 1979. I was discipled by one of their leaders and developed an interest in going into ministry. In 1981, I entered Gordon Conwell Seminary and in the summer of 1982, I went to Turkey as a short term missionary to see if I was called into the mission field. From that experience I realized I was best suited to send people than to go myself. I met my wife Ethelanne in the seminary and we fell in love at the same time. We dated for 3 years before getting married in July 1986.

M.M: How would you best describe your family life?
S.A: Blessed more than I deserve. In 2002, Ethelanne and I moved to Fortmyers in Florida to serve in the church.

M.M: Is this your first time to Zimbabwe?
S.A: Yes, but I’ve been to Africa twice before.

M.M: What are your first impressions?
S.A: I came with great expectations but I am also aware that the country has been through alot. I was hopeful for what I’d see, especially through Ebenezer.

M.M: What were your impressions of Ebenezer?
S.A: Ebenezer has exceeded my expectations through the staff. They are intelligent, have depth of spirituality which is impressive and warm.

M.M: Thanks Stu. What did you think of the Cell meeting last night?
S.A: The Cell meeting was intimate. You can see people have a shared history. The songs were different but altogether it was a wonderful experience.

M.M: What work do you do back in the States?
S.A: I’m the Pastor of Missions and Outreach at New Hope Presbyterian church. I’ve been doing that for 7 years.

M.M: Any highlights?
S.A: Yes, when I went on a Retreat outside Johannesburg and received an education on HIV and then we went to Swaziland.

M.M: What have the challenges been with your work, if any?
S.A: We left PCUSA (Presbyterian Church USA). It was becoming increasingly liberal and we decided we wanted to move to EPCUSA (Evangelical Presbyterian Church USA). We have a great sense of excitement and we’ll build new facilities.

M.M: What is your favourite quote?
S.A: John Perkins said: “Until those who are not affected by injustice are moved as much as those who are affected, nothing will change.”

M.M: So true! Lastly, what do you do to relax?
S.A: I love going t the gym and exercising.

M.M: Thanks so much Stu. I really hope you enjoy your time in Zimbabwe. It’s been a pleasure meeting you.
Interviewed by Molly Manhanga

7.29.2009

American Invasion!!!

Team Visit from
Florida, America
A team of 4 from Florida , USA are visiting Ebenezer at the moment. Deborah and Paulina Fransway, Bill Whitaker and Stu Austin. This is their first time to Zimbabwe and they find the people friendly. The weather is somewhat chilly for the American team. I did a minute interviews with 3 of them and this is what they had to say…..

A minute with Deborah Fransway

Deborah Fransway

What is your favourite quote?
No guts, no glory.

Who has influenced you the most recently?
God – with praying

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Raw quail eggs

Give us a highlight of family life.
My husband and I and our children to Europe as a family.

What do you do to relax?
I play my bass guitar


A minute with Paulina Fransway

Paulina Fransway


What is your favourite quote?
Life is like a garden – dig it.

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My boyfriend because he has made me more understanding

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Calamarie

Give us a highlight of family life.
Traveling a lot with my family.

What do you do to relax?
Sleep
Paulina with her mum Deborah

A minute with Bill Whitaker

Bill Whitaker
What is your favourite quote?
Yes we can.

Who has influenced you the most recently?
Stephen Manhanga.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
I enjoy eating so nothing has been weird.

Give us a highlight of family life.
Family reunions. It’s important to us. We love visiting and being with extended family.

What do you do to relax?
Mission trips – I find it relaxing and stimulating.


7.28.2009

A minute with Molly Manhanga

Molly Manhanga

What is your favourite quote?
“Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up.”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
Quite a few people like my hubby Stephen, Liz Holden, Matthew & Grace Hosier, Steve & Catherine Hunter, Joel Virgo, Gary & Carol Fry. They all have qualities I’d love to emulate.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Mongoose – at Ebenezer.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Peaceful. Being able to be myself, praying and sharing heart with Stephen.

What do you do to relax?
Read under a duvet with a hot cup of coffee and mush mellows.

A minute with Siphilisiwe Mlilo

Siphilisiwe Mlilo

What is your favourite quote?
“Silence is golden.”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My hubby George. He is steady, resolved and never gives up.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Some worms – “spaggettish stuff I had in a Chinese restaurant.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Going on holiday in the “bundu” (the bush) where it is quite serene and it’s just my son, my hubby and I. I love barbeques out there.

What do you do to relax?
I read lots. Currently I’m reading “The God Chasers” by Tommy Tenny and its mind blowing I must say.

A minute with George Mlilo

George Mlilo

What is your favourite quote?
“Silence is often misunderstood but never misquoted”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My wife Siphilisiwe. She has stood by me through thick and thin.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
Shrimp.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Spending time with my family is all I value the most.

What do you do to relax?
Watch television, read and so on

A minute with Augustine Nyamayaro

Augustine Nyamayaro

What is your favourite quote?
“But seek yea first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My wife Gertrude especially when my mum passed away at the end of May this year.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
Crocodile tail.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Being married to Gertrude and having 3 sons who are all saved and know God.

What do you do to relax?
Watch television, talk to my wife etc .

A minute with Gertrude Nyamayaro

Gertrude Nyamayaro

What is your favourite quote?
“No weapon formed against me will ever prosper”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My husband Augustine. He is unwavering.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
Roasted rat.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Being truthful and transparent.

What do you do to relax?
I read an interesting book.

A minute with Gerald Mangena


Gerald & Laura Mangena


What is your favourite quote?
“Measure twice and cut once”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
Gottfried Hertzer.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
Black jack leaves dried and fried.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Holiday trips to Harare and picnics by the dam in Kezi.

What do you do to relax?
I play the guitar

7.27.2009

A minute with Laura Mangena

Laura Mangena

What is your favourite quote?
"If a man wishes to find a woman, her heart should be so hidden in Christ that he should have to seek Him in order to find her! "

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My husband Gerry and Gottfried Hertzer.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
Impala brains and juices from impala eyeballs.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Quality time spent together – especially picnics by the dam in Kezi.

A minute with Lance Edwards

Getting to know the Ebenezer team
Lance Edwards

What is your favourite quote?
"People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Who has influenced you the most recently?
My brother Darryl. His coming to the Lord and watching him walk through it.

What is the wierdest thing you’ve eaten?
I’ve eaten quite a few weird things like, sheep brain, lion and monkey.

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Stability - The children going to a normal school, having sport, drama etc. Our children’s stability is very important.

7.03.2009

Does Ebenezer excite you?...........Read on.....

Business. Challenge. Community. Discipleship. Development. Leaders. Farming God’s Way. Grassroots. God at Work. Holistic. Leaders. Miracles. Relationship. Sustainability. Transformation. If any of these words excite you then Ebenezer will too!

Ebenezer Training Centre, in Southern Zimbabwe, is designed to equip young people in rural areas for everyday life in Christ. Our heart is that after the two year residential training program these young people will be red hot for Jesus, have a passion for serving their family and community and the skills and resources needed to run their own small-scale agricultural businesses. The young people that come to Ebenezer may not have finished school, may come from broken families and may fear the witch doctor more than God. They are ordinary, not very educated people … (remind you of anyone?)… God LOVES them and desires to work with them for the GLORY of his name… and we pray that by his grace he will!

God is part of every aspect of life. God works through relationships. These are truths that we strive to live and teach at Ebenezer. It is for this reason that the staff team live, eat, work and play alongside the apprentices. It is also why we make our training as practical as possible. Therefore, there are not only classroom training sessions on agriculture, business and Biblical foundations but each apprentices also receives a plot of land on which to start their OWN small-scale agricultural business! By the end of the program the apprentices should have paid back their starting costs and be running a profitable business. They will then be able to transfer their businesses back into their own communities. We believe this is a sustainable business model but more importantly a model that God can use to transform lives and raise up leaders. We pray that the apprentices will become lights in their communities, active in their local church, with healthy family lives and a sustainable living.

An Apprentice’sTestimony
My name is Constance Ncube. I am 20 years old. I came to Ebenezer in November 2008. I was given a 30m x 30m plot. I planted 1 600 tomato seedlings. When my plants were still small, I had to water them constantly. They did not look like they would do well because of water logging and a shortage of fertilizer. I then put compound D and urea on my plants. They recovered and grew very well. To date I have harvested 1000.5kg of tomatoes.

Of course, any work that desires to see people zealous for God is going to face challenges, and we do on every side…which is why we appreciate you praying with us. www.ebenezerzimbabwe.blogspot.com