Safe in Zimbabwe

We arrived in Zimbabwe like Seth. He is the Fry’s* Yorkshire terrier. Teenager that he is, Ian Fry will hold Seth a few inches off the ground and get him worked up by pretending there is a mouse loose. Seth’s little legs run frantically in the air, Ian drops the dog to the waxed floor and he scampers in place like crazy before shooting forward. It is hysterically funny.

We hit Zimbabwe running in place then shot forward. After 48 hours of travel, we spent an hour or two attempting to locate missing luggage, drove to the orphanage in time for dinner, and went right to work praying over a boy troubled by a demon. The thing threw him off his bed, choked out his voice, and left an oppressive weight on the teen’s chest. He was better for a few days but still needs your prayer. Pray Lazarus will learn how to assume his spiritual authority in Christ over this evil presence.

The next morning, Dani began working at the clinic. Nurse Judy was away so Dani has been working directly with two nationals who understudy. Dani comes in each evening tired and emotionally spent after seeing 50 patients. It is hard to see the suffering up close and not be affected. One patient fainted in the examine room from hunger, another had herpes so advanced they had to maintain a flow of aerosol deodorizer so they could work on the rotting flesh. Another patient, Susan, had been living with a Nonga, a witchdoctor. By his influence she became host to a demon who goaded her into wrapping a tunicate around her breast. The result was a gruesome abscess devoid of skin. Dani and the medical team called for prayer back up. Don and a black pastor, Bester, explained the Gospel and the power of Jesus to deliver. The demon attempted to agitate the woman so she could not hear the truth and be set free. Dani and the nurses kept up a steam of prayer to mute the spirit while baptism was explained. Before Susan entered the water the demon railed again. The prayers blocked any verbal abuse but her face contorted, her tongue worked wildly, she pointed at the Americans in our party and made lewd and sneering gestures. The demon was attempting to plant fear in our hearts which we dealt with by reading John’s words concerning spirits:

1 John 4:4
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Susan was baptized and became a child of God on May 13. How ironic that a victory should be snatched from Satan’s hands on Friday the 13th.

The Bol family that came with us are all fitting in famously. Denise has been sewing for the orphans, teaching one orphan to sew, and making a great many friends among the nationals. Denise has an irrepressible good will that bridges any cultural separations.

23-year old Lindsey has done everything from passing out toys at the clinic, to making bandage strips from bed sheets, to painting the church, to restoring playground equipment. In spite of a raging cold acquired during the long flights, Lindsey is working hard at her primary assignment of spreading joy.

Steve is setting up the satellite internet system. He could use your prayers. We had a rough start when the five-foot dish was lost by the airlines for six days. This was apparently Father’s way of clearing all the equipment through customs. Thanks to your prayers, 700 pounds of equipment, medical supplies, and Bibles made it through. The oversized dish was eventually found while Susan Fry was on hand back in Harare attending a teachers conference. Susan was able to exercise her spiritual gift of stubbornness to free the captive dish from customs with several visits and $38 in fees. She is our heroine. The dish arrived at the orphanage within hours of when the mast was completed and it was time for installation. If you prayed with us for this, please join us now in praise.

Sunday was a blessed day. The English service was a time of reunion with dear friends and great encouragement from the Holy Spirit where much was needed. The Shona service pulsed with loud colors, zeal for Jesus, and African harmonies. Don preached both messages and we celebrated many decisions for the Lord including five baptisms. But there were surprises down at the lake.

The first two baptisms were beautiful. An older man and a young woman were asked, “Do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and do you accept Him as your Lord and Savior?” They enthusiastically said yes and were briefly lowered back into the water to symbolize death to the old self. They were resurrected to a new life. The next two women shocked us.

The Bible promises when a person is baptized the Holy Spirit moves in. The baptisms went fine, but when the Holy Spirit showed up He found the house still occupied by evil spirits. The evection was not pretty. As these came up out of the water they began to writhe and scream as though they were burned with fire. We had two men raising these small women out of the water yet the demons caused their bodies to leap out of our grasp and flop madly like fish. Steve caught some of the action on video. I’m anxious to show it to folks back in the States who question the efficacy of baptism. A holy transaction takes place and the other side does not take it casually as we often do.

We pray you are blessed and safe even as we are. You are part of our trip by your prayers. Thank you for joining us.

Blessings in Jesus,
Don & Dani



*Kevin and Susan Fry founded Eden Children’s Village orphanage.