A cursory look into the open Zimbabwean landscape often reveals long-bearded men with clean-shaved heads sitting opposite headscarfed woman wearing long white garments. Known as Vapostori (Apostles), the gatherings are of pseudo-Christian groups who mix traditional African beliefs with select Bible teachings – mostly drawn from the Old Testament.
When Pastor Tafara* attended an OM outreach to a Vapostori stronghold in Zimbabwe, little did he know he would be reaching out to more and more of the groups. On a family visit in another area, Tafara took an opportunity to preach at a gospel rally and 42 people indicated they wanted to follow Christ. ‘I expected resistance, but the people came to Christ in their numbers,’ said Pastor Tafara jovially.
More surprises
But the man of the cloth was in for more surprises. The people who came to Christ showed a deep hunger and an eagerness for more. ‘I could not believe it, because suddenly I had a big crowd of people looking up to me,’ he explained. This prompted Pastor Tafara to probe deeper into the people’s lives. He discovered that most of them were previous members of Vapostori sects and were prevented from reading the Bible for themselves by their former leaders who claimed direct communion with God. ‘[The people] did everything their former leaders asked them to do because they believed it was God who had spoken!’ narrated Pastor Tafara, as though in deep pain.
Starting a church
Pastor Tafara then started a church with the group and resolved to help the people grow in their walk with Christ. He nonetheless encountered challenges, as he had no Bibles to give each believer to study for themselves. That’s when Pastor Tafara remembered that his passion had begun during an OM outreach and he approached OM to assist with Bibles. He also asked OM missionaries to come and teach word-sharing skills for the new believers to reach out to their friends who remained with the Vapostori sect. OM has helped supply 14 Bibles (plus 12 audioBibles to those who cannot read) and other materials to help Pastor Tafara continue helping the new believers.
