MISSION SERVICES

BOX 177
KEMPTON, INDIANA 46049
Address Correction Requested
^otes
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Jixus
MISSIONARIES:
Bill & Jeanne Nice
Chidomoyo Hospital Mission
Box 330
Koroi, Rhodesia, Africa
FORWARDING AGENTS:
Mr. ond Mrs. Kenneth Reed
Route 2
Waterloo, Indiana 46793
Volume 2, Number 1
Bill examining a leper patient.
HON-PIOFIT OkOANIZATIOH
CENTRAL
AFRICA
MISSION
of the
Churches of Christ/
Christian Churches
To
. . PREACH
. . TEACH
. . HEAL
April 1971
Dear friends.
Greetings to you once again from Africa. It is April already and although everything is green and beautiful,
the rains are about finished and we know browness will begin to creep in. With the bountiful rain we've had and
day after day of hot sun, the flowers and shrubs have grown to twice the normal height. We thank God many times
over for the beauty of the earth.
Tanya Jean is nearly four months old now and a real charmer. No one can help yielding to her smile and gur
gles of happiness. She and Tara get along fine and there is even a hint of future friendship as they grow up
together. Tanya has indeed adjusted well to the bush. Chidomoyo grows healthy children just as it grows healthy
plants. Tara is talking more and more each day; her vocabulary has grown considerably in the lost few weeks.
Thank goodness she can now make her needs known. She continues to be more of a monkey than a lady, however.
We ore enjoying our children so much.
A few weeks ago, the Nice family followed through on an old African custom and that is "makorokoto." This
is the Shona word that stands for "baby congratulations." Let us elaborate for you. On Sunday afternoon, after
being invited by Jeanne, 35 women descended upon ourhouse, clapping and singing hymns. We all gathered inside
the house because of the rain and preceded with a program. Carol Kelley gave a short sermon on the responsibil
ities of a Christian mother and several others stood up and spoke a few lines on whatever they felt Jeanne should
have advice. It was then Jeanne's turn to speak to the group. She told about the two mothers who fought over the
baby of one of them and compared it with the similar love God has for us In giving His Son. After several hymns
had been sung, a plate was passed around for the ladies to present their gifts. This never amounts to more than a
few pennies from each but we realize that even this is a true sacrifice for them and we are grateful. Then the pro
gram was finished, a dinner of sadza and chicken was served. On the hint of one of the African girls, we hod
only prepared enough food for 10 to 15 people. It is a good thing that this type of food stretches easily! At the
end, all went outside and danced and sang for another half hour. By this time Tonya was awake and she enjoyed
the dancing as much as anyone in the sure arms of Mrs. Chikonda, the African evangelist's wife. You see, all
this is given in honor of the birth of o new child to a mother. It really is quite similar to an American "shower"
but we have to agree that the African custom is equally wonderful. We wish all of you could have been there!
Jeanne has started another women's group for Bible study and sewing with still another in question if the
time permits. This particular group at Mudzimu, has been meeting on their own for quite awhile with from 14 to 30
ladies in attendance. They have been sewing with materials that we supplied and going ahead with the Bible
study. They were thrilled to know that someone would be coming and right away expressed a desire to make
dresses all alike (uniforms) in preparation for the big women's meeting coming up in June. They are, therefore
going to sew dark green dresses with yellow collars, buttons and dukus (head coverings). We shall include a pic
ture of the finished product in a future newsletter. They have also chosen to begin a study in a book entitled
"We ore Called," explaining the names Christians are called and why. Jeanne is really looking forward to a won
derful experience.
Bill is continuing his bimonthly visits to Lusulu and his weekly flight to Binga, with the days in between
equally busy here. He received a call one Saturday morning that there had been eight deaths in the Lusulu area
caused by measles. Upon his arrival there, many children received vitamin injections and antibiotics. The next
week came with the joyous news that only one more death had occured; which was a little girl who had not been
treated. Over and over we thank God for material things, like the airplane that enables us to help people like the
Batonga who are so far away from any hospital.
We are now enjoying a fine fellowship with Dr. and Mrs. Kenny Messman who arrived a few days ago from
America. They will be staying with us for a few weeks to get oriented to the country before they begin their min
istry in the Bingo area. Bill enjoys having another doctor near to talk over medical problems.
Easter is a wonderfully joyous time here just as it is in the U.S. In a few days we will again experience this
spiritual uplifting. A big meeting is being planned to include all the churches in the Chidamoyo area. Not only
will there be much preaching, singing and worship but there will be classes for everyone. We ore taking this
opportunity to teach some who don't have many chances to hear. The whole weekend will be filled with this activ
ity. How we look forward to occasions tike this. Bill will be flying to Bingo on Easter Sunday to hove a special
service with the European community. We hope this invitation from the Bingo community for the Easter service
can be the beginning of a regular worship service there.
Once again we wont to thank all of you for your letters and prayers. Your financial support has also been
heartwarming. Thank you for taking the needs of the hospital and the African people to heart.
God bless you all.
In Christ,
The Nices
Bill, Jeanne, Tora and Tanya
.
Women dancing al the "makorokoto.' leanne s new iadies group.
MISSION SERVICES
BOX 177
KEMPTON, INDIANA 46049
Address Correction Requested
JVotes
^ tk
Jiius
MISSIONARIES:
Bill & Jeanne Nice
Chidomoyo Hospital Mission
Box 330
Karoi, Rhodesia, Africa
FORWARDING AGENTS:
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Reed
Route 2
Waterloo, Indiana 46793
Volume 2, Number 2
HON-Pior IT OlOAHItlTIOH
Two headmen, the chief and Dr. Nice prepare
to take an airplane ride on the clinic's opening day.
CENTRAL
AFRICA
MISSION
of fhe
Churches of Christ/
Christian Churches
. . PREACH
. .TEACH
..HEAL
August 1971
Dear Christian friends.
The last few weeks have been very eventful for the Nices at Chidamoyo. We have had Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe
Nice from Cookson Hills Christian School visit us for three weeks followed by Mr. and Mrs. Lester Seggerman and
daughter, Michele. Both sets of grandparents were very eager to meet their newest granddaughter, Tanya, ond to
do their best to spoil Tara. It was a great experience for all of us, and it was certainly good to see our families
once again.
Our schedule here at Chidamoyo changed a month and a half ago when Dr. Kenny Messman moved to Binga and
took over duties as the government doctor. He is now stationed permanently at Binga and will be doing the clinics
we had opened in that area. I will travel to Binga only occasionally to assist in surgeries there.
Events continue here at Chidamoyo. A few evenings ago our hospital evangelist, one of our orderlies and I
walked down to the airstrip and climbed aboard 36 Charlie. After a brief check of the airplane, we were winging
our way over the smoking hills as brush fires roared below us. Fourteen minutes later, we circled a small home
made airstrip that runs up a rocky ridge from the Gungugwe River, it looks like a short hole on a golf course with
a dog leg to the left and a water hazard at one end. We came to a stop after an amazingly uneventful landing.
People quickly appeared from all directions, most never having seen an airplane close before. These people had
all hoped, prayed in their own African way and worked hard so that this event could happen. It was no easy task
for them to clear this area with no tools but their handmade axes.
Shortly after we landed, Chuck Kelley arrived after two-and-a-half hours of rough roads in a Land Rover. We
cooked our supper (sadza and meat) over the fire and by sundown had a large crowd for bioscope (fiImstrips). We
spent the next hour and a half showing them stories from God's Word, singing songs together and expressing God's
purpose for them. Three people accepted this purpose and came forward. We had been to Mashame before for
teaching and church services and were glad to see this visit bear fruit.
That night as we stretched out in our sleeping bags and watched the reflections on the airplane's propeller
from the camp fire nearby, it was a time for other reflections - the hard labor of the people who desired medical
help, the safety of the journey to this place, the many plans and hopes that had gone into this evening, the four
falling stars seen before we drifted off to sleep. Mashame Clinic is nowa reality. We hope that through our medical
effort here many people may come to know the Great Physician.
Jeanne's "sewing group" has turned into a Bible study and prayer service. We expected the number of people
attending to drop drastically, as we know the desire of these women to sew and make clothes. The number has
decreased, but we have been encouraged by the faithful who return week after week to share Christian fellowship.
Their course of study is the Life of Christ and the prayer circle has become an important part as she sees more
people participate each week.
This month we see some changes in our fellow workers here. The Dave Campbell family will be returning to
the States for furlough. Finally, after one-and-a-half years of hoping and praying, we have a nurse coming to help
us. Miss Cathy Grogg, R.N. from Bill's home town of Waterloo Is due to arrive. She will be a welcome addition
to our staff.
The last week of this month Chidamoyo will be Invaded by an army of Americans - the Lord's Army, that is.
We wi II be entertaining about 60 of our fellow missionaries from throughout Rhodesia as we come to meet together
for business and fellowship. We are looking forward to a great time.
The hospital is filling up again after the usual midwinter slump. We have had time to do a number of elective
surgeries for people with chronic problems. These people are always very grateful for what we can do for them
and they're willing to listen to us when we teach them from the Scriptures. Not all are ready to give up century-
old traditions of sin and superstition, but we do see inroads made.
We have ordered the new airplane engine and understand it has been shipped. We are very grateful to all who
have made this possible. We had to borrow $1,200 to finish paying for It but feel certain this soon will be repaid.
We are very grateful for this support as the age of the old engine has been a concern for some time.
Many thanks to all of you who make Chidamoyo Christian Hospital possible.
Yours in Christ,
The Nices
A premature baby ready to go home because
two of our churches* young people's groups bought
us this incubator.
-'t .. .
Mr. Choto treating a tropical ulcer
at Mashame Clinic