We knew we needed to get an early start to our trip to Kapfunde, as we were going to make the full round trip in one day. There just wasn’t any facility to accommodate all of us who were making the trip ... we are quite the entourage. We got everyone in just two vehicles (Dad, Bud, Francis Mpindu and I, Doug Everswick, Lynn and Judy Everswick, plus two from their North Carolina church, Rebecca and Wes). Then there were a number from the E.C. leadership that had grown up in the Kapfunde area and who still have family in the area. Bishop Nyamhondoro, Pastor Clever Dyck (Pastor at the Mbare EC who is the son of our cook while I was a kid, at Kapfunde), Garlington Mawire (who is high up in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) and his brother Dr. C.J. Mawire (The Medical Director at the new Chinhoyi hospital), along with Mr. Mbrego (who taught at the Bible College when it was still at Kapfunde) and some others, plus 25 food packs for those in desperate need.
Kapfunde had a special place for so many of us going back to the 1950’s when Mom and Dad moved there to start building the Evangelical Bible School. Dad was involved with almost every building that was on that mission station, in some form or another. I was born while Mom and Dad were there and it is the place that I have my earliest memories. A deeply sentimental connection is also from the death and burial of my sister, Valerie, near our original house. We knew that a lot had transpired in the many years of absence and the possibility of finding the grave marker would be pretty small. For Lynn and Judy, Kapfunde is the first station
posting after language school and where they began raising their oldest kids. Kapfunde was also the location that the E.C. had planned to open an agricultural and trade school, but with the problems with TEAM & the EC, in the '80's and '90's, they abandoned the idea even though they had a great desire to help the people there.
posting after language school and where they began raising their oldest kids. Kapfunde was also the location that the E.C. had planned to open an agricultural and trade school, but with the problems with TEAM & the EC, in the '80's and '90's, they abandoned the idea even though they had a great desire to help the people there.As we approached the Station we could see that this region had gone through difficult times and that there had been a steady decay of all the buildings and infrastructure. It
was immediately evident that the houses that were once the mission homes were hardly even inhabited. The first house we approached was the house that was Lorraine Waite’s and though it was still standing, it was hard to tell if it was still being used, as there wasn’t much upkeep around it. The house that had been the Hendrickson’s & Everswick’s home was not even standing, other than the original fireplace, with grass sprouting up all over the slab. We drove a little further up the hill where w
e could see that the latest house that had been built was still standing, (it was one that we lived in during the ‘70’s), but it was in extreme disrepair and was actually being used by the church to meet in. Windows were broken, inside it was blackened by soot from fires, there was junk piled up in rooms and all of the fixtures were either removed or broken. If these walls could talk, there would be some stories to tell, I am sure. As we opened doors to other rooms, we were astonished to find the large o
riginal school/church bell amongst the rubble. This beat-up, damaged and repaired bell sat in a room of junk, waiting to be rung. A couple of strong young men lifted it and a haunting sound rang out that brought memories flooding back as it was calling the kids to school or signalling that church would start in an hour or two. What a symbol of the life of this station. It needed a purpose to ring again. 
was immediately evident that the houses that were once the mission homes were hardly even inhabited. The first house we approached was the house that was Lorraine Waite’s and though it was still standing, it was hard to tell if it was still being used, as there wasn’t much upkeep around it. The house that had been the Hendrickson’s & Everswick’s home was not even standing, other than the original fireplace, with grass sprouting up all over the slab. We drove a little further up the hill where w
e could see that the latest house that had been built was still standing, (it was one that we lived in during the ‘70’s), but it was in extreme disrepair and was actually being used by the church to meet in. Windows were broken, inside it was blackened by soot from fires, there was junk piled up in rooms and all of the fixtures were either removed or broken. If these walls could talk, there would be some stories to tell, I am sure. As we opened doors to other rooms, we were astonished to find the large o
riginal school/church bell amongst the rubble. This beat-up, damaged and repaired bell sat in a room of junk, waiting to be rung. A couple of strong young men lifted it and a haunting sound rang out that brought memories flooding back as it was calling the kids to school or signalling that church would start in an hour or two. What a symbol of the life of this station. It needed a purpose to ring again. 
We were now interested to see if we could locate the area where Mom and Dad had made Valerie’s grave, around 53 years ago. We quickly realized this would be a significant challenge as the bush had not only over taken that general area, but it had completely over taken even where the concrete slab of our original house was. In the ‘80’s there was still evidence of where the house stood by the large slab of the demolished house (the bricks probably removed to build someone’s own home). But now it was grass, thorn bushes and gro
wing trees. With help from some of the local folks, we found evidences of our old original outdoor toilet. What kind of evidence? Well it appears that Dad had made the “bench sitting area” and the floor of the outhouse from concrete ... substantial concrete and the bush could not envelope that. Some amusingly speculated it may still be usable. Then we found the old house slab, but no sign of the small anthill that was near the house and used as the grave site. There was speculation that the anthill had been the source of good clay to make bricks and all signs of it was now gone. The best we could do was approximate the location and imagine that this could have been close to the site. Remembrance of a daughter and sister, now with the Lord and with Mom.
wing trees. With help from some of the local folks, we found evidences of our old original outdoor toilet. What kind of evidence? Well it appears that Dad had made the “bench sitting area” and the floor of the outhouse from concrete ... substantial concrete and the bush could not envelope that. Some amusingly speculated it may still be usable. Then we found the old house slab, but no sign of the small anthill that was near the house and used as the grave site. There was speculation that the anthill had been the source of good clay to make bricks and all signs of it was now gone. The best we could do was approximate the location and imagine that this could have been close to the site. Remembrance of a daughter and sister, now with the Lord and with Mom.That looked after, we moved on up the hill towards the school and clinic. Further evidence of decay is visible on all the buildings and the grounds. The school built in the ‘60’s as an elementary school is now also a high school, but hardly looks like it would service as much of one. There is considerable commotion around the clinic, which in the early days was the Bible school chapel and clinic. We were able to meet the nurse who is struggling to run the clinic and it was painful to hear all the problems and lack of supplies or assistance. She rattled off a whole list of basic supplies that are non-existent for them, and have been for some time. The facility had no power, and it appeared no water. As we walked around the back of the bu
ilding a handwritten sign shocked us to reality ... “Cholera Ward”. Two people had died the week before and they had discharged a couple who had survived, the day before. We later heard that this area was seeing a rise in cholera cases and was one of the worst hit rural areas.
ilding a handwritten sign shocked us to reality ... “Cholera Ward”. Two people had died the week before and they had discharged a couple who had survived, the day before. We later heard that this area was seeing a rise in cholera cases and was one of the worst hit rural areas.When we returned to the vehicles, we could see it was nearing time for us to leave so that we could return to Harare before dark, as we had already had enough experiences driving on these roads in the dark. As we were getting into the van, the Bishop and EC folks asked if we would just come in and pray with the folks. So we gladly returned into the living area of our old house ... now the church ... and watched the many local folks filin
g in. As would always happen, spontaneous singing started. Although this was not as polished and amplifier enhanced, like the E.C. Celebration service earlier in the week, it was as harmonious and as entrancing as it had been in our youth. It must have echoed across the bush, calling more people to come, because they just kept filling that room with more people. By now, upwards of 70 people. A few of the E.C. leaders said some things and some more singing. Then Lynn Everswick was asked to say something (i.e. preach!!). Lynn borrowed a bible AND some glasses from his brother Doug, so he could read, and had such an appropriate message in light of the great suffering. After Lynn, some more people said som
e things and some more singing. The Bishop asked if people wanted to say anything and there were earnest pleas for the mission and church to come back and help, as before. They were begging for assistance in that needy place. Not only were they hungry and sick, but the local church had walls, but no roof and it was sitting unfinished... could we help? Pray for the Kapfunde people and church.
g in. As would always happen, spontaneous singing started. Although this was not as polished and amplifier enhanced, like the E.C. Celebration service earlier in the week, it was as harmonious and as entrancing as it had been in our youth. It must have echoed across the bush, calling more people to come, because they just kept filling that room with more people. By now, upwards of 70 people. A few of the E.C. leaders said some things and some more singing. Then Lynn Everswick was asked to say something (i.e. preach!!). Lynn borrowed a bible AND some glasses from his brother Doug, so he could read, and had such an appropriate message in light of the great suffering. After Lynn, some more people said som
e things and some more singing. The Bishop asked if people wanted to say anything and there were earnest pleas for the mission and church to come back and help, as before. They were begging for assistance in that needy place. Not only were they hungry and sick, but the local church had walls, but no roof and it was sitting unfinished... could we help? Pray for the Kapfunde people and church.About 2 ¼ hours later we were filing out, our hearts touched by the people who are suffering so much and yet knowing we were needing to get on the road. The church leaders now needed to d
istribute the 25 food packs that we had brought with us and it had been explained in the service that these were first for the widows and orphans and then the neediest. Some of us knew that in the African setting, this process could be a while and so to not be a distraction in the process, we decided to quickly go visit the village of Redfen Hwamaridza, the long-time maintenance man on the Station. We heard that he was not real well. Redfen seemed to have a variety of issues that he was suffering from, including cataracts, but he was very happy to see us all and that we had taken the time to come see him. His wife has had a stroke and was somewhat disabled on the one side. They too shared with us what the ravages of the economy and scarcity of seed and fertilizer had done to the area.
istribute the 25 food packs that we had brought with us and it had been explained in the service that these were first for the widows and orphans and then the neediest. Some of us knew that in the African setting, this process could be a while and so to not be a distraction in the process, we decided to quickly go visit the village of Redfen Hwamaridza, the long-time maintenance man on the Station. We heard that he was not real well. Redfen seemed to have a variety of issues that he was suffering from, including cataracts, but he was very happy to see us all and that we had taken the time to come see him. His wife has had a stroke and was somewhat disabled on the one side. They too shared with us what the ravages of the economy and scarcity of seed and fertilizer had done to the area.
When we returned to the Station, expecting to get on the road back to Harare, again ... somewhat late ... we were then told that a meal had been prepared for us by the women of the church. We could not turn down this gracious, sacrificial invitation and so we all went back into “our old house” and were served a marvellous sadza meal ... Again, people honouring us, even with their shortages. We were only able to leave Kapfunde around 4 pm and prayed our way back to Harare, once darkness fell. God was good and we arrived at the TEAM cottage about 8pm, to a city with no electricity and late to a supper that Joyce and Chris Goppert had to keep warm for a few hours. The Lord was gracious and had the power come on just as we were arriving at Gopperts for supper at 8:30pm.
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