The graduates speak out pt 1

August 2010……My expectations… pt 1

Ebenezer introduced a graduate programme beginning August 2009 to August 2010. 8 of the 19 apprentices were selected to join the Graduate programme. They will work their businesses, mentor the upcoming 1st year apprentices as well as help at Crossroads Community Church.

These are their expectations in the early days of the programme:

Mxwayisi Dube: I’m hoping to get more experience in farming and business.

Brilliant Khoza: I’m hoping for my leadership skills to improve as I’m running my business. Spiritually – I’ve been learning the Bible chronologically and I’m hoping to teach Chronological Bible Storying as well.

Tawanda Moyo: I’m hoping to improve my business acumen and have a very successful business. I also want to grow spiritually.


Thabani Sibanda: After this programme, I’m expecting to be a successful farmer.

Busy, Busy Busy - at Ebenezer

“Busy” is the name of the game…At Ebenezer

It’s quite a busy time at Ebenezer at the moment. Many different things are happening. We have compost being made, lessons continuing, compost toilets being build, thatching of the classrooms and the dining hall about to happen, the post graduates beginning their programme, tomato crates being made, revamping of internal systems and we are preparing for our annual Selection Camp.

The staff have their “heads down” and are set for the tasks ahead.

Compost toilets

Tomatoes getting ready for market

Thatching grass for the classrooms

Compost for the apprentice fields

By Molly Manhanga

Planting has begun at Ebenezer

A thriving tomato seedling

The first year apprentices have been busy planting their second tomato crop. They prepared their fields diligently, filling in the planting stations with manure and soil from ant hills which is rich in nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. They are hoping again for an excellent harvest. Some have started collecting mulch.

Constance Ncube watering a newly planted tomato seedlings

By Molly Manhanga

A brief chat with Lance Edwards

Lance Edwards
Ebenezer’s Operations Director

M.M: What did you think of Ebenezer’s very first graduation?
L.E: Very tasteful and well done.

M.M: New chapters are beginning in the lives of the apprentices. 8 of the apprentices have been selected to stay on for the graduate programme. Tell us more about this programme?
L.E: We have an opportunity to take those apprentices who have excelled in the original programme and further train them in leadership and managerial skills. We’ll also continue to input into their lives spiritually so that they can become powerful church leaders.

M.M: What are your hopes for the first graduates joining this programme?
L.E: The programme initially is for a year. I’m hoping that in a very practical way, they’ll see that life is not about themselves but about God. I also hope they will be truly fulfilled.

M.M: Thanks so much Lance. Be blessed as you continue to lead the work at Ebenezer.

Lance, hard at work making tomato crates

Interviewed by Molly Manhanga

A minute with Elizabeth Edwards

Elizabeth Edwards

What is your favourite quote?
Talk it over and work it out

Who has influenced you the most recently?
John Elder’s book “Wild at Heart”.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
I haven’t eaten anything weird. I control what I eat.

Give us a highlight of family life?
Taking the children to Victoria Falls - they enjoyed that. Also now that it is school holidays, I can be out at Ebenezer with Lance and our children.

What do you do to relax?
Take a hot bath and read.

Ebenezer Graduation pt 2

Ebenezer’s Graduation Day

The 1st year apprentices did extremely well in helping with catering and the general running around while the 2nd years – the graduates celebrated ‘their day’.

Apprentices enjoying themselves at graduation

The support from the parents and guardians was wonderful. Each apprentice received a Bible, a certificate, wheelbarrow and a hoe. 5 apprentices received special awards for their efforts over the 2 years. The best apprentice in Agriculture was Mqondisi Moyo, in Business was Thabani Sibanda and in Spiritual was Mkhululi Ncube. The apprentice that excelled all round was Brilliant Khoza while Sithabiso Thsuma received an award for exemplary behavior. These apprentices received a rake and shovel on top of the other awards.

Peter Cunningham addressing the parents

Highlights were listening to Peter Cunningham and Scott Marques’ speech. Peter spoke about Jesus being our Guest of Honour; that He is the original vision Creator: He saw Ebenezer, planned it, was excited by the lives of the apprentices and is honoured by it. Ephesians 1:11. Peter painted the Kezi of Ebenezer, Kezi, Zimbabwe, Africa and then the map of the world saying how God chose us and each apprentice is especially known by Him.

Peter Cunningham, assisted by Kimberly Marques

Scott Marques followed after Peter had spoken and he reiterated again that each apprentice was chosen by God. He read from 1 Thessalonians 4:1 – 12 and encouraged the apprentices to live peacable lives, to abstain from immorality and to work with their hands. Scott got the apprentices to jump from their seats and shout “I’m chosen”. The apprentices did this energetically, believing the truth of those precious words that they are chosen by God.

Scott Marques speaking to the parents

The apprentices rounded off the graduation ceremony with a song.
Lunch followed and then a volleyball tournament between the Ebenezer staff comprising of Scott, Peter, Steve, George, Tendai and Mbonisi versus the 1st year apprentices and the 2nd year apprentices. The staff lost their first game but were unstoppable after that.

By Molly Manhanga

Ebenezer Graduation pt 1

Ebenezer’s Graduation Day

19 apprentices graduated from Ebenezer Training Centre after a 2 year programme in spiritual, business and agriculture.

Ebenezer’s graduating class 2009

I loved the atmosphere, the speeches, the songs, the skit, the awards, the food and the people who attended. I just LOVED EVERYTHING about Ebenezer’s very first graduation day. Parents and invited guests arrived early – waiting in anticipation for the ceremony to begin. Some of the parents walked for 3 hours to come and witness their children graduating.

Parents waiting for proceedings to begin

We were supported by the local Councillor, the Village heads, local pastors and other Kezi community leaders. Our Guest of Honour was Peter Cunningham and he did an excellent job of turning the Guest of Honour to Jesus Christ. Zimbabwe’s Apostolic leader within the New Frontier family of churches, Scott Marques, his lovely wife Claire and daughter Kimberly were a real breath of fresh air as they graced the graduation with their presence.

After opening the celebration with a word of prayer and singing the National Anthem, Lance Edwards – Ebenezer’s Operations Director, began by introducing the invited guests with the help of George Mlilo. Stephen Manhanga followed next, speaking about the history of Ebenezer – the joys and challenges faced by the apprentices as well as the spiritual growth and understanding of the apprentices as evidenced by them passing their final exam and giving testimony of how God has worked in their lives.

Lance Edwards addressing the parents

The local Councillor aired her delight with the developments in Ward 16 – the Ward where Ebenezer is based. She encouraged the parents to send their children to Ebenezer as it will help to empower the young people and prevent them from going to near-by countries like South Africa or Botswana.

Councillor, Ethel Nyamkuta addressing parents

Two overjoyed parents were given the opportunity to speak about how Ebenezer has transformed their children. They encouraged the apprentices to work even harder now that they are back in their communities.

Between the speeches their were songs, a poem and a skit. It was brilliant seeing the parents participate in jubilation as the apprentices sang and danced. The light heartedness and atmosphere of joy was amazing.

By Molly Manhanga

Counting down to Ebenezer Graduation.......

Six days.... and counting ! Counting down to Graduation

Steve attending to one of the apprentices

The count down has begun! A buzz is in the air as Ebenezer’s very first graduation day is fast approaching - on Friday 14th August 2009. Preparations are underway and the 2nd year apprentices are counting down to the day. They had their end of year Spiritual exam with Stephen Manhanga and they are winding down their business and agriculture activities.

A few 2nd year apprentices hard at work in their final exam.

We are all looking forward to this event as we see our pioneers graduate and then start another chapter of their lives………

By Molly Manhanga

A minute with Tendai Mapfumo

Tendai Mapfumo

Tendai is the most recent employee at Ebenezer Training Centre. He started working yesterday and he is intending to get married in December. This is what he said.....

What is your favourite quote?
“If you want to see God doing what you’ve never seen Him do before, you’ve got to be prepared to do what you’ve never done before.”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
Pastor Godfrey Mhlanga

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Crab

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Getting married

What do you do to relax?
Play my guitar

A minute with Stephen Manhanga

Stephen Manhanga

What is your favourite quote?
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a life time.”

Who has influenced you the most recently?
Tim Keller’s book “The Prodigal God”

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
Cockles

Give us a highlight of your family life.
Romantic evenings with my wife Molly

What do you do to relax?
Go fishing or hunting

Fun with Art

“FUN with ART”

Laurel Pritchard

Laurel Pritchard from Northern Alberta, Canada came to Ebenezer to spend a couple of hours with the 2nd year apprentices having “FUN with ART.” Laurel is a primary school teacher who comes to Zimbabwe during her summer holidays and helps out at Family Impact in Bulawayo.

The goal of her session was to draw, paint and see if we can listen to God while doing art.

Laurel explaining to the 2nd years about ART.

What is art? We use shapes and lines that compose the different objects and structures we see in the world. The 2nd years were asked to draw a straight line, curved line, closed and open circles, different shapes as well as outside contours of anything they liked like leaves, branches or trunks of trees. Deborah and Paulina from Florida also decide to join in the art workshop.

Deborah and Paulina Fransway focusing on their art.

It was fun seeing the apprentices’ creative skills at work. Some were much more artier than others. Laughter filled the air when the apprentices were asked to draw a simple hippopotamus and they concluded that some hippo’s looked like cats. Much appreciation went into admiring God’s beautiful creation that was being expressed through art in the form of drawing and painting. It was a really relaxing session.

By Molly Manhanga