The Peter Project Initiative Expands To New Areas In Zimbabwe
The picture above shows the Canola fields on the way to Greyton, a small town about an hour away from our home. I often travel out that way as we have two students enrolled in our training program there.
I love how the beautiful yellow of the Canola flowers is set against the backdrop of the mountains and the clear blue Autumn sky (yes, it’s Autumn here in the Southern Hemisphere.)
As I look at this picture I am reminded of the Lord’s words in Matthew 9:37,38: “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
We have been praying for many years for the harvest field of Zimbabwe. When we joined Independent Faith Mission in 2004, our desire at that time was to go to Zimbabwe as missionaries. It was in Zimbabwe that both Joanne and I were born and raised and it has always had a special place in our hearts.
However, the Lord had other plans and other harvest fields in mind, sending us to first to Botswana and then to South Africa. From here in South Africa, we have also been able to take our ministry to Ghana in West Africa.
New Opportunities In Zimbabwe
Since my last newsletter, the Lord has opened up an opportunity to begin working with a group of 15 new students desiring to be trained and equipped for full time ministry in Zimbabwe. In fact, many of these students are already leading small congregations in their rural villages, but have had no formal Bible education.
We thank the Lord of the Harvest for this new opportunity for which we have been praying for some time. Joanne and I will be traveling up to Zimbabwe next week to conduct a Teacher Training Workshop with a group of 10 national pastors who will in turn teach the group of 15 students and others.
This is the model we use for our ministry of training pastors in rural Africa, following the instruction of 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” Our role is to train the teachers who in turn teach the students.
Instead of the students having to leave their families and work and travel to the city to attend Bible College, classes are conducted in their own villages. This model has been very successful in Ghana where we currently have 7 teachers teaching 35 students in 4 different centres.
Once we begin these new classes in Zimbabwe, we will have a total of 52 students enrolled in the program in 3 different countries. As we are working with men in rural Africa who have very little income, most of the cost of this training is covered by our ministry. We do require that each student pay what he can afford toward his training, but the bulk of the cost is covered by the Peter Project Initiative.
What Does It Cost To Train a Student For The Ministry?
Just to give you an idea of the costs involved in the work we do:
$110.00 - the cost to put one student through the two year program
$20.00 - for a study Bible, given to each student at the start of the program
$140.00 - the cost of covering the gas for the teachers to get to and from classes each month
$100.00 - the amount we pay the translators to translate the material into the language of Waalli in Ghana
$2000.00 - the amount it costs to travel to either Zimbabwe or Ghana to conduct the training workshops and oversee the work in these countries
We will be launching classes in Zimbabwe in January 2023 after completing the Teacher Training Workshop on our upcoming trip.
How Can I Donate To The Peter Project?
If you would like to help us cover some of these ongoing costs, specifically our upcoming trip to Zimbabwe, please prayerfully consider making a donation to the Peter Project Fund. You can do this by sending you donation to:
The Peter Project Initiative
Independent Faith Mission
PO Box 7791
Greensboro
NC 27417
Please be sure to clearly mark your donation “The Peter Project” so that your gift can be correctly allocated.
Alternatively, you can donate by clicking on the button below:
Thank you for journeying with us in this exciting work for the Lord. We are so thankful for your prayers and support over many years which have enabled us to work in many countries in Africa.
On a personal note, we are doing well. Graham will be having his 6 monthly cancer check up this week. It has now been almost 2 years since his surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer. Please pray for a clear report this week.
We are tentatively planning a furlough trip to the USA in the latter part of 2023. Currently we are looking at September to December 2023. I know that this is still some time away but if you are starting to make plans for next year’s missions calendar, please consider having us visit your church during that time. More to follow on that.
Please join us as we ask the Lord of the harvest to raise up and prepare workers to send out into the harvest fields of Africa. Pray for us as we seek to train and equip them.
Onward and Upward!
Graham & Joanne Peacocke
