Zimbabwe: Attitude of Gratitude

Women of Faith

Evelyn Lunga

Softly, she sings in her native tongue of Ndebele, “Kumnandi Ukukhuleka.” As the tune flows, one may quickly recognize the song as “Sweet Hour of Prayer.”

Born in Tshabalala, Zimbabwe, Evelyn Lunga, 60, has been widowed for more than 20 years. She has four children, two living in Zimbabwe and two in South Africa.

Lunga’s kitchen was empty when she first received aid during an on-going food distribution project in Zimbabwe.

“God knew there were people in Zim who were suffering just like me,” Lunga says. “And God started providing us with all that we need to survive.”

When Lunga began volunteering her time at the Baptist Publishing House in Bulawayo, she was caring for her 18-month-old granddaughter. The baby’s father lives in South Africa, where he is unemployed and unable to care for his daughter.

With her granddaughter on her back, Lunga walked several kilometers to the publishing house to show her appreciation for the food she received by cleaning and assembling exercise books for orphans in a nearby village.

Lunga and other widows knew the orphans were suffering as much as they were, so they wanted to do something to benefit the children directly.

“We picked the exercise books because they were going to be sent to the schools where there was need,” Lunga says.

Lunga continues volunteering at the publishing house most Saturdays, helping any way she can.

Margaret Silundu

Margaret Silundu remembers, as a young girl, watching her mother prepare tea for missionaries in Rhodesia, the former name of Zimbabwe.

“They used to visit our home, share in the Bible, sing and visit other Baptist members,” Silundu says. It was the early 1960s and Silundu was a girl of no more than eight years old.

Silundu, 59, was born in Baroswiland, Zambia, but began grade one in a school at Mpopoma Baptist Church, just outside Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where she also attended church.

Silundu has always been active in the church, being involved in programs such as Girls in Action and now a member of the Women’s Missionary Union.

A widow since 1982, Silundu finds herself raising a grandson and battling issues with blood pressure. Lack of food and proper medicine does not help her situation.

Despite her daily hardships, Silundu remains faithful in believing God will provide and care for her each day as He did with a food distribution project from Baptist Global Response.

“I just thank God each and every day,” Silundu says. “I must kneel down and pray that God is my Savior.”

Thumbing through a hymnal, she chooses just the right song. “Simuzwa, Simhlonipha.”

Her voice echoes through the room with the melody of “Trust and Obey” as Silundu closes her eyes and sings the timeless hymn in praise to her Lord.