March 4, 2015
Cowdray Park Baptist Church
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Africa
ccm Cross #0072
GPS/DMS 20°08’60.00″ S 28°34’59.99″ E
3756-7 cdd A Walk in Faith
Cyber Daily Devotion
Volume 16 Number 050
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:5
“That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” NKJV
My name is Pastor Godwill Petelo Moyo. Everyone calls me Pastor Godwill. I grew up in the Bulawayo, Zimbabwe area with dad, mom and three sisters. I was the third born. My father was a Baptist Pastor and we learned early to go to church. What we had to learn on our own was to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. Being brought up in the church I knew it all. So one day I took a time out. I left the church. For three years I did not go to church or have anything to do with my Christian friends.
My life changed and I became empty inside. I graduated from school and worked as a bank executive. Life was good but something was missing. I found myself three years later waking up in a hut at a camp in the mountains. As I woke up I was drawn to the window. It was still dark but there was a glimmer of light beginning to show. It was peaceful and quiet. My thoughts raced toward Jesus. The one I had abandoned three years prior.
Soon and very soon the sun began its climb into the sky. As it peeked over the mountains I heard things I had never heard before. The birds were chipping so loud and singing like I had never heard them before. The monkeys were joining in with their calls and chatter, other animals, birds and insects chimed in. Soon there was this chorus I had never heard before all sending praise and glory to God. It was an absolutely incredible hallelujah chorus.
Then as the sun continued up into the sky the mountains exploded like it was the day they were born. New colors I had never seen before came forth. It was absolutely magnificent.
That’s when I heard it — was it a voice, a whisper, a nudge in my spirit? I heard “GLORIFY ME”. I fell to my knees and knew that the King of Kings was communicating with just me — it was a simple enough question of which Jesus demanded an immediate answer. The answer leaped out of my being “YES” I shouted.
I resigned from the bank and entered the Theological College of Zimbabwe. My intent was to seek and find the answer to the question I had already answered. But how do I serve Jesus and “GLORIFY HIM”. I would learn in school and then go back to the bank.
My time at the college was one of learning but it was the practical application of what I was learning that set me on my path. While in college I attended Cowdray Park Baptist Church. After a time I joined in teaching and doing a little preaching. Over time I became more involved. I met Sihle at the college and we married. Before graduation we gave birth to our son Mandisi Joel.
Soon after graduation I was asked to be the Pastor of Cowdray Park Baptist Church. We accepted and for the past 14 years I have been learning to serve Jesus “GLORIFYING HIM” while pastoring the church. I never did go back to that bank.
At Cowdray Park Baptist Church we met in an old dilapidated tent for the longest time. Being in a country with more than 70% unemployment — with more than 60% living below the poverty level — makes it difficult to ask, let alone accept money from the church members. Then the Holy Spirit inspired me.
The next Sunday I announced, in faith. We will burn the tent down and wait on the Lord for another structure for worship. Until then we would meet and worship under a big tree.” It was a gigantic step of faith. Would the people accept this? Would they follow my faith lead? Or would they leave the church?
The next Sunday we held a prayer meeting and burned down the tent. I asked the people to bring anything they could offer to help in the building of a new church. Maybe a pot, a brick or two, a shovel or maybe some wood. That next week we witnessed an incredible miracle. One by one these Christ followers showed up with whatever they had. None of them had jobs yet they assembled in that weeks’ time all the materials necessary to build a temporary shelter. That next Sunday we were in our new temporary home.
Then another miracle. The church grew rather than receded. Our next step was to challenge everyone to build a set of toilets. Again the totally unemployed found what was necessary.
Followed by a third miracle. An engineer by trade came forth with a plan for our new church. Part of that building has two classrooms. We determined to build the footings for those two class rooms. When we did people we didn’t even know showed up with bricks to help us build on the foundation. We temporarily left out the separation wall between the two rooms and we now meet in this new area as our church.
Our country’s economy may be one of the worst on the planet but the God we serve is far mightier than currency or government leaders. This building project has brought hope where there was no hope. It brought people together who need each other. And it fashioned an opportunity for people to stand up in their self-image of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Bill the Cross you are planting is a beacon of hope beyond where we could have ever imagined. You don’t know us, you never heard of us yet Jesus sent you here to re-enforce His love and compassion for us. Thank you — it is an honor to receive this Cross.
My favorite Bible Verse is Matthew 6:33
“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” NKJV
In my time in ministry I have learned that ministry is my relationship with Jesus. If my relationship with Jesus is fine — my ministry will be fine. Also I’ve learned that going from one of the most prosperous nations on earth to a destitute nation has been a challenge none of us could have imagined. But through all this Jesus has given me an abundant love for the people. And a wife who stands by me and every day is encouraging me to move forward with the Lord.
The Cross is everything. Without the cross where would I be? I hold on to it. For no Cross would mean no hope — no hope for mankind without Christ.
This Cross standing here shouts hope. It communicates to the entire community who we are and who we serve. Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It shouts we preach Jesus Christ who was crucified for you and me. It shouts we believe in the power of the Cross and salvation. It shouts no matter how destitute our nation or repressive our government the Cross will see us through. Thank you.
Prayer: Father we stand with Pastor Godwill and echo, “The God we serve is far mightier than currency or government leaders.” In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Removing Cross from the church in preparation for planting
Attaching the two beams
Securing the nuts and bolts
Into the corn field to the planting location where the Cross
will be visible at a busy intersection
Pastor Bill shares a Power Point presentation of how to plant the Cross
Pastor Carol prays for the team
Lifting the Cross
One final big push
FIRE IN THE HOLE
Pastor Godwill secures the base of the Cross with rocks before pouring the cement
Mixing the cement
Filling the hole
Pastor Godwill and Pastor Bill
Twila and Kayla from Ontario, Canada have been traveling
through Africa for more than a year.
They stopped by to give us a hand. Kayla joined the men for heavy lifting.
Twila used her photography skills in helping Pastor Carol with pictures.
Our team was large, helpful and a blessing as the Cross was planted with ease.
Pastor Godwill helped deliver all the Zimbabwe Crosses and we could not have accomplished all we did without him.