Brian Molyneux

It began during the Fellowship conference at Rora in 1990 / 1991. At the conference it was announced that a work party was being arranged through Tear Fund to build a second dam on the farm at Ameva. John Valentine had spoken to Ray to see if he would lead the team since he had worked with Tear Fund in the past. Ray knew that I had a desire to be involved in some way with the ministry at Ameva and had in fact been talking about it earlier that year. It was no surprise that after John had spoken to Ray he came hot foot over to my caravan to ask me to join the team.

At the time I was responsible for running a factory of around 100 workers and only had 2 weeks annual leave. I was unsure if that would be sufficient time for a meaningful contribution to be made, so I was wrestling with making a decision.

That evening in the main tent meeting Mr North was preaching and as he sometimes did, he stopped mid-sentence, looked over his glasses, pointed directly at me (it seemed) and said (Go man, just go) then carried on preaching. With such a clear word from the Lord, I was on my way. I definitely had Gods word to go but as it turned out not when I expected it to be. With Gods direction comes Gods timing.

Tear Fund have a policy that anyone going on one of their overseas trips must attend an orientation course for a minimum of one week. That would have left me with less than 5 days on site after time travelling was considered, which was just not practical. That left me totally confused since everything had slotted into place and Gods directive could not have been clearer.

The directive was clear I just had the time wrong. It took 7 years for the situation to present itself, by this time I had taken early retirement and was available when Jim Bailey contacted me to say another work party was being organised. To put the foundations in for the secondary school assembly hall and to erect a water tank close to one of the bore holes on the farm. Gods timing was not only perfect for me, but it coincided with the Lord providing a gift of exactly the air fare for my wife to come too.

That began our long-term involvement and attachment to John Celia and the ministry in Zimbabwe. Since 1998 I have had the privilege of visiting Ameva several times on my own to help out on the farm installing lighting in the bible school complex, the dairy and finishing off the wiring in John and Celia’s bungalow. Fellowshipping with John Celia and the saints in the church in Chegutu.

In 2006 I joined Jim and a small team where again we repaired building on the farm and ministered in various churches around Chegutu.My latest visit was in 2010 with Ken Oatridge where we had the privilege of teaching in the Bible school

Keith Kelly

John Valentine invited me to go with him to Zimbabwe to look at a farm in a town called Hartley in 1981. It’s now called Chegutu. John and I had worked together in Nigeria at the Bible Schoolin Benin City.We both came from the Devonshire Road fellowship in Liverpool. It was just after the Rhodesian war and the farm we went to see was empty except for a company of crop sprayers called Agricair who used a runway on the farm for their work. Brick walls were built all around the windows of the houseson the farm- no doubtto provide protection from snipers. It had previously been a tobacco farm. We had a few scary incidents encountering snakes on our second trip out a few months later. I believethe previous owner had kept them in a snake pit and then abandoned them behind when he sold up. One day I was in my bedroom at the main bungalow farmhouse listening to a tape recording. I heard a dog barking feverishly. I just ignored it. Then I heard my wife, Christine shouting ‘Keith, Keith.!I could ignorethe dog but not my lovely wife. So I struggled up… opened the door and looked down the corridor. Shock! Horror!A big black snake (I think a black mamba) was swivelling straight at me. I couldn't retreat into the bedroom. The windows still barred from the war. Opposite my bedroom door was a door to a garageand a way out. Normallywe kept it locked. It was now or never. I grasped the handle and thank the Lord, this day it opened. I escaped like an Olympic runner. The snake swivelled in and under my bed. African ladies (from their Convention) surrounded our room. I kept well back. My friendBraveheart Mickey Wrightmarched into the bedroom-faced the intruder. The snake reared up. Puffed itself out. Mickey swung his weapon, and the snake fell dead. We all proceeded out for a photo shoot (when it was safe). What an adventure! I’ve often preached on the Scripture in 1 Corinthians 10:13: ‘ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,that you may be able to [a]bear it. Our wonderfulGod knows how to providea way of escape in trials and temptations.

Well, to cut a long story shortthe Lord wonderfully answered John’s faithand provided the meansto take over the farm and starta Bible schooland later a Church on the farm and in Chegutu.

My initialwork was writinga prospectus and starting the Bible School.I had one student to begin with, a very nice fellow, aptly called Sweetman.

We linked up with local believers in Chegutu -the Gibsons and also with some fine Christians on anotherfarm-Martin and Jill Tracey. God gave us favour, and we found a warm welcome everywhere.

We started nightly meetings in the small village on the farm. I also made forays to speak in Chegutu and on the Tracey farm. Later We used the football stadium in Chegutu to hold an evangelistic crusade. I guessedabout 7000 Africansturned up and one white man, Ian Gibson. The P.A failed but I’ve got strong lungs and preached anyway. Many responded. We also used a community centre in the township to reach out. It got jam packed. Happy days!

What wonderful work had begun!

Ray Wright

My First introduction to Ameva was when John asked me at the 1992 Rora Conference if I would lead a Tear Fund Team (Work Party) to Ameva. Tearfund a Christian mission assembled volunteers from across the country who wanted to help in a practical way for a short time. The project was to build accommodation for Pastors and family to attend the Bible training. The team was very mixed in terms of age and abilities, no builders among them. Charlie and Ruth Foster were in the team and Charlie was a vet animal Doctor, He got up at 4.00am each day before work to help with the Cows in the dairy. After the project was complete, he and his wife returned for several years and helped establish the animals on the Farm. The stones we were given to make concrete foundations were excavated locally and had 25% silt in them which accounted for a lot of structural cracks in existing building. The Ladies on the team set too and sieved and washed the stones 16 tons by hand. The local community were amazed as they had not seen white women doing this harsh work. We completed all the Brickwork up to roof height in the 6 weeks including some decorative panels and features.

Ameva was a contact point for other teams I led with Tearfund and Reap ministries to Mozambique and Maforga Christian Mission. Later on, I Lead a large team from the Fellowships organised by Jim Baily. Many Tasks around the Farm were undertaken but one is memorable, and the subject of a hilarious DVD made by Brian Molyneux (Emmaus) A huge stainless-steel tank was to be used as a water header tank. This needed to be elevated 4 meters above ground 2 miles from its location and weighed appox.8 Tons, with no crane to raise it. It stands today on top of a 4-meter-high brick tower, a shining beacon and testimony to Gods provision, not only supplying clean water to the school in Ameva but also to John’s farming neighbours in a time of drought.

I took much encouragement from my time at Ameva and when asked to teach in the bible school accepted the challenge. I about this time had a career change and qualified as a lecturer at Hugh Baird in Liverpool. On Friday nights for the next 3 years, several of us met at above the Contact Christian Bookshop I completed the very course that was being Taught in Zimbabwe (Bible Training Centre for Pastors) Thanks to Paul Evans and Brian Rainford. That was the second and last time I was to teach there as it was no longer safe to travel at that time.

With Love and Gratitude to all the Saints associated with Ameva Farm /Bible School