Zimbabwe Mission Partnership
(Article taken from, A Friendly Place to be Near God, Compiled by Elizabeth Price)
Ralph and Roberta Pippitt of the New Hope Presbyterian Church in Castle Rock have made several trips to Zimbabwe and have worked with the people near Murewa since 1995.
The Pippitts were instrumental in helping build three schools and establish the Heather Chimboga Orphan Care Center. The center provides food, medical care, school supplies and school uniforms for more than 1,000 orphans daily, many coming to the center from their homes for these services.
The Pippitts contacted Presbyterian churches in the Denver Presbytery and the Zimbabwe Mission Partnership was formed with nine churches, our church being one of the nine as contributing members. The Yellowstone Presbytery in Montana has joined the partnership as an associate member.
In 2004, our church was privileged to host the Rev. Wilbert Sayamani, who gave a powerful Christian witness to what was happening in that very poor and divided country. Since then there have been others who have come from Zimbabwe to present and preach to the member churches.
Since 1995 several 40 sq. ft. containers filled with rice/beans, clothing, school supplies, hygiene kits, and computers have been sent directly to Murewa. Three more of the containers were ready to be sent in June of 2007.
Doris Aldrich, the only original board member still serving on the Zimbabwe Mission Partnership board, has been the driving force in our congregation to recruit supplies and help collect items for the containers. She continues to keep in contact with the two Presbyterian ministers, one being The Rev. Wilbert Sayamani in Murewa, so she can keep us posted on the economic and social conditions in Zimbabwe.;