Do you want to hear firsthand how things are progressing in Zimbabwe?

It was a Sunday morning during our early years of church planting in Botswana. Joanne and I were fighting the battles I’m sure all parents face to get all 4 kids dressed in time. We set up the chairs in our living room, where we held church, and then waited. My heart sank as minutes ticked by and no one walked through the doors.

The temptation to give up on growing a church felt particulalry strong that day, and there have been many others like it.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain”

1 Corinthians 15:58

This Scripture verse is an encouragement to all of us who are involved in doing the Lord’s work one way or another. To be steadfast is to be firmly fixed and not subject to change, to be firm in belief and determination, and to be loyal and faithful. To be “unmoveable” means that we must stand stong in our faith and our committment to our work for the Lord.

The latter portion of this scripture states “your labor is not in vain.” Vain means empty acts that result in nothing, fruitless, pointless and having no purpose.” However, labor for the Lord, no matter how difficult and wearisome, will never be without meaning or value or purpose.

Those days, weeks and years spent building a church eventually paid off. The church we started in our living room is still meeting to this day. Everything we do in His name gives glory and honor to Him - that is the reward!

As I ponder this verse, I’m filled with gratitude to the Lord for the opportunity that He has given us to make a difference in the lives of so many believers in Zimbabwe (and Ghana) through the Peter Project Initiative.

I was also reminded again, that we’re not doing this alone - you, through your prayers and financial support, are laboring alongside us in this ministry. Together, we are making a comprehensive and affordable Bible training program accessible to the untrained pastor’s of Africa. Thank you!

As an encouragement I would like to share some brief introductions from Pastor Saidi Alubi to some of the men who are participating in the program in Zimbabwe (the video interviews with each of these men can be found on the website. Take a look.

Pastor Saidi Alubi

“Greetings to you. Thank you so much for everything. Please continue to pray for the whole team. Continue to pray for us. Thank you for your resources. We are going to meet again probably in March when we will be starting our classes after the books have arrived. Thank you for sending Pastor Peacocke and hopefully he can come again. Thank you for funding this program. May God bless you all. Until we meet in the flesh or probably in heaven. Thank you.”

Wellington Gudhu

Wellington Ghudu:

“This is Wellington Ghudu. He is my deputy in church. He is my young Timothy. He is under my guidance and leadership. He is a young man who is willing to grow. He is a very humble young man and he is very spiritual. He wants to grow and train, just as Timothy did under Paul’s leadership.”

Lisbon Mugodhi

“Lisbon is an evangelist, now training under the BTCP program. He is going to be ministering and planting churches in the Shurugwi and Gweru areas in the Midlands of Zimbabwe.”

Ronnie Mutsiba

“Ronnie is student in the BTCP program. He has been training with us in these training sessions that we have been having with Pastor Graham. He is is also interested in the Peter Project Initiative. We are praying that one day he will be able to teach after completing the whole course.”

Kaitano Lunga

“Kaitano is a young man who is rearing to go. He is very much interested in the BTCP program. Actually was previously in the Anglican Church, but after being exposed to this program and the teaching material, he has changed his mind. He now wants to go and plant his own church using these resources and tools which you have given us in the Chirumanzi area, in the Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. That is his vision. Pray this his vision will come to fruition and that God will bless him and lead him and that God would use him as a conduit to transmit His word to the Chirumanzi Province in Masvingo, Zimbabwe.”

I trust that you find these brief testimonies as encouraging as I did. God is doing a great work in Zimbabwe through the Peter Project Initiative, and each of these men. Just like those early days of church planting, I believe that the seeds of impact are being sown across our continent by the work of the Peter Project Initiative.

Furlough Update

As you know, we will be in the USA for a brief furlough from 1st September to 11th December 2023. We are thankful for a full meeting schedule that will take us to churches in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New York State, Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, Michigan and many other states in between.

We are so thankful for the provision of a vehicle through a missionary organization in Texas, who make vehicles available to missionaries on furlough.

A big thank you to all those who have given special gifts toward our furlough expenses. These will go a long way to help cover the cost of leasing of the abovementioned vehicle, accommodation, travel and living expenses whilst on furlough. If you would still like to help, please send your gift to IFM, clearly maked as “Peacocke Furlough Expenses”

We look forward to being back in the States and seeing many of you as we visit 20 of our supporting churches.

Please pray for our labor for the Lord here in Africa and please remember to pray for us as we prepare for our furlough.

Onward and Upward!

Graham & Joanne