Pray For
- Bishop Isaiah Masiya, who began his term in 2016
- peace to prevail in the church
- reconciliation and solutions to the nation’s unemployment, health crisis and food shortages
- continued zeal for evangelism
- provisions and staff for education and medical institutions
PRESENT MINISTRIES
For several years the nation of Zimbabwe has endured terrible suffering. Its political leadership has been in turmoil. The economy is precarious, having a high rate of inflation. The church has managed to continue training pastors through the distance learning program of Wesley Bible College. The Chikombedzi Hospital is open but understaffed and lacking medicines. Despite the difficult time, the FMC still has the vision to reach new areas of the country and expand mission outreach in Botswana.
ORIGINS
In 1938 the Ralph Jacobs family was appointed to Zimbabwe. Large numbers of people were converted over the next two years. Work was centered in two main areas, Chikombedzi and Lundi. Village schools, medical work and a Bible training school supplemented the outreach of the church in the years that followed.
Guerrilla warfare broke out in 1976. All missionaries were withdrawn, with the exception of one couple. Although many entire Christian villages were destroyed and the people forced to flee, the church continued strong in the faith. In 1980 the people began returning to the villages and rebuilding. The mission hospital at Chikombedzi reopened in 1981 under the direction of the church. Zimbabwe became a general conference in September 2004 and elected Abner Chauke as their bishop.
Country Leader
Bishop Isaiah Masiya
Zimbabwe General Conference
Prayercast | Zimbabwe
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COUNTRY STATISTICS
General Conference
- Population: 14,266,000
- Evangelical Christians: 25.22%
- FM Work Opened: 1938
- FM Churches: 31
- FMC Membership: 2,036
- Bishop: Isaiah Masiya
- Ecclesiastical Accountability:Â Free Methodist World Conference
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Photo Credit: TUBS, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Extra Mile Projects
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Chikombedzi Mission Hospital Support
Chikombedzi Mission Hospital was established in the late 1940s by Free Methodist missionaries in the remote southeast corner of Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. The hospital played a significant role in providing healthcare for over one hundred thousand people while sharing the gospel of Jesus with those it served. Over the years, the hospital has expanded from its humble beginnings in a small building to a large complex providing out-patient and in-patient care for various medical conditions. A busy obstetrics department delivers over 100 babies a month. The hospital also serves as the referral center for 14 rural clinics, hosts an HIV clinic, has a center for youth and provides daily chaplain visits for all patients.
Since the country achieved Independence in 1980, Chikombedzi Hospital has continued to function under the authority of the Zimbabwe Free Methodist Church but has faced numerous challenges. In 2023, a water project brought water to the hospital from the Mwenezi River through a six-kilometer-long pipeline. A solar-powered pump was embedded in the river to provide sand-filtered water. In addition, new water storage tanks (with 60,000 L total capacity) were purchased and installed. The opportunity to have reliable running water has greatly encouraged the staff.
Because ceilings were in disrepair and creating hazardous conditions due to animal infestation, a project in 2024 repaired ceilings with materials impervious to rats and bats. Currently, the hospital’s most significant need is for electricity – a large and reliable solar-powered system. Despite the challenging circumstances, the continued goal is to move the hospital toward sustainability.