December 2010

 At this time of the year we are reminded of the Person in whom we live, move and have our being - our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.  We look back at the lowly stable, in the little town of Bethlehem, where our Almighty God became a humble servant - a moment in history that has forever turned the world on its head.  With the birth of Jesus, and His later death and resurrection, we received a great gift, but also a great responsibility - to follow in the footsteps of our Lord.  "He has already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don't take yourself too seriously - take God seriously" Micah 6:8 (The Message).  Jesus gave us the ultimate, and radical, example of what it means to take God seriously, while at the same time gifting us with the grace and mercy we so desperately need. 

As we come into this Christmas time, and the end of 2010, let us remember this gift of grace, the remarkable person of Jesus, and the joy we now have in sharing in His continued work in our world. 

Looking back…

Over the year we have covered stories of people in Zimbabwe whose lives are being transformed through the work of our partners in Zimbabwe: children who have been able to attend school, mothers who have received support to feed and clothe their families, medical bills that have been paid, whole families who have met with Jesus in the form of committed volunteers who are His hands and feet.  For these, and all the people who have been touched through the work of Rubatsiro, we give God all the glory, and thank Him for His continued faithfulness and presence.

 In this newsletter we would like to uphold you, our supporters in New Zealand and abroad, who have made the work of Rubatsiro possible.  During 2010 you have committed over NZ$29,000 towards meeting the needs of those in Zimbabwe!  We are amazed and truly grateful for this incredible support!  We acknowledge each one of you for your faithful giving and would like to share with you three stories of supporters who have encouraged and inspired us over the year. 

Heather Ameye-Bevers is a teacher at Murrays Bay School, Auckland.  She attended a Rubatsiro coffee evening in 2009 and felt  burdened to  find a way  to support  the  children at Mawabeni  Primary  School.   Heather  shared  about  the students at Mawabeni with her Year 6 class, and the class decided to prepare a presentation for the whole school to encourage them to support the students at Mawabeni.  The students organised a Mufti day and all brought a gold coin on the day for Mawabeni.  A number of them, also, wrote letters to the children at Mawabeni Primary.  The children at Murrays Bay School reminded us that helping others is not complex and is something we can all do.  Their initiative challenged us not to tire of doing good but to use what we have to bless others.  Thanks Murrays Bay School!

Aileen Mete has been a supporter of Rubatsiro for over 2 years. Earlier this year Aileen travelled to Zimbabwe and visited Mawabeni Primary School, as part of a short term mission trip.  Aileen first heard about Rubatsiro at Westgate Baptist Church and felt she needed to support this ministry.  As with most of us, Aileen had a number of financial commitments already, so she told the Lord that if He wanted her to support Rubatsiro He would have to make a way.  Soon after Aileen was asked if she could babysit some children in the church, this became an ongoing job and all the money she receives from babysitting she faithfully gifts to Rubatsiro.  Aileen reminded us that God will make a way if we are obedient to His prompting.  Thank you Aileen - you are an inspiration to us!

Lastly, we recently heard the story of four young men who heard about Rubatsiro at Belmont Baptist Church.  They too decided this was a ministry they felt called to support, and having little money of their own they came up with a creative way to raising funds.   Each of them found sponsorship to have their head shaved - and this sponsorship was gifted to Rubatsiro.  From these four young people we are reminded of God's amazing creativity and sense of humour.  We are humbled by the effort they put in to contribute to work in Zimbabwe.  Thanks guys!

Looking forward….

As the year draws to a close we look forward with hope and expectation for what 2011 will hold.   We trust and pray that God will continue to use Rubatsiro as a vessel to bless those in Zimbabwe.   If you have any interest in promoting Rubatsiro in your church, amongst your friends, or through any other organisation please do get in touch with us.

Thank you once again for your support throughout 2010 and " may blessings and peace of heart be your rich gifts from God" (1 Thes. 1:1) this Christmas and New Year.

Meeting the trustees continued…