A pre-visit mission by a pastoral team from the North Zimbabwe Conference has already begun opening doors for evangelism in Mozambique, weeks before the official Impact Mozambique evangelistic campaigns scheduled for May.

Led by District Pastor Francis Lameck, the delegation from the Muzarabani District traveled into remote border communities to prepare for the upcoming meetings and connect with residents who have had limited access to Seventh-day Adventist teachings.

The journey itself reflected the determination of the team. Traveling first by motorbike through rugged terrain in northern Zimbabwe, the pastors eventually left their vehicles behind to cross the confluence of the Mukumbura, Musengezi, and Zambezi rivers by small boats before entering Mozambique.

Despite rough mountainous roads and long hours of travel, the group pressed on, sometimes moving through the night to reach communities where the upcoming evangelistic meetings are planned.

Located along Zimbabwe’s northern border with Mozambique, the Muzarabani District is known for its challenging conditions. Temperatures are often extremely high, rainfall is unpredictable, and many families depend on limited farming opportunities for income. Travel across the mountainous region is difficult due to poor road infrastructure, yet church leaders in the district continue to pursue outreach opportunities beyond their immediate territory.

During their visit, the team encountered two men from Mozambique whose spiritual journey had already led them to begin searching for a church that observes the biblical Sabbath.

The men, Mr. Chakanetsa and Mr. Marunga, shared that they previously served in leadership positions at a Pentecostal church. Their interest in the Sabbath began after they watched a short video discussing the biblical teaching about the day of rest.

Seeking clarity, they approached their church leaders but said the explanations they received did not satisfy their questions. Determined to understand the issue for themselves, the two men decided to spend a night in prayer on a nearby mountain.

According to their testimony, that night they experienced a dream in which several Bible passages came to mind, including Deuteronomy chapter 5, which speaks about the fourth commandment and the sanctity of the Sabbath.

“Since then we have been looking for a church that teaches these truths,” they told the visiting team, expressing excitement upon learning about the upcoming evangelistic meetings.

Pastor Lameck said encounters like this highlight the importance of establishing an Adventist presence in the area.

“There is currently no Seventh-day Adventist church close to Chinyudze 1 where we will be preaching,” he explained. “The nearest congregation is a small company that our district opened in 2022, but it is quite a distance from where the campaign site will be.”

Because many residents regularly move between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the pastor said the border communities have long been part of the district’s informal ministry territory.

The upcoming campaign, therefore, represents a unique opportunity to strengthen outreach and provide sustained spiritual support to communities that have had little exposure to Adventist teachings.

As preparations continue for the May evangelistic meetings, members in the Muzarabani District are already making sacrifices to support the mission. According to church leaders, some members have begun selling goats and other livestock to help fund the evangelistic effort.

The original article was provided by the Zimbabwe East Union Conference in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division.