A South African’s view of Champs
07 March 2011
The only word to describe the March 2011 Champs Conference in Harare is amazing.
A large group of South Africans was among the 250 people that attended the conference from 1-3 March. And right from the word go it was a great experience. The very efficient administration team at River of Life Westgate, the headquarters of Foundations for Farming in Harare, made sure that everything, from the bookings to the transport from and to the airport and bus station, was done in a professional way. Under the leadership of Jessica Shumba, the team went out of its way to ensure that everything possible was done to take care of the needs of those attending the conference.
On Monday evening we had the first session of worship and prayer. Already, you could feel that something special was under way. And over the next three days, lots more time was spent in singing and praise. To try to describe the experience is next to impossible – you would only be able to understand if you had been at the meetings! I can only say that we could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit uniting us all together as brothers and sisters in Jesus.
Craig Deall, who leads Foundations for Farming in Harare, was the anchor throughout the conference whose theme was” Rebuilding Nations”. Brian Oldreive, founder of Foundations for Farming, shared his testimony and we found out how it all started as well as how the work has grown, over time, to become what it is today. And to all of us listening, it was clear that Foundations for Farming is a force that will impact the rebuilding of nations in the way God intends, according to His Word. Several church leaders delivered sermons at different times on topics that supported this during the conference. In between, delegates were exposed to the practical side of Foundations for Farming. This was done through several demonstrations and visits to trial plots.
Most delegates agreed that what had the most powerful effect on them, however, were the personal testimonies of other participants. Who will ever be able to forget the story of how the Lord turned Makesure Muchenge, a goldpanner, into a small scale farmer and then into a trainer, through Foundations for Farming? His faith in the Lord, and how God has rewarded that faith, is close to unbelievable. And that is just one of many testimonies by ordinary people that shows the way God always rewards faith in Him. For me personally, this was the highlight of the conference. A close second was the wonderful interaction and relationship-building between, not only fellow South Africans, but also delegates from as far as the Ukraine, India, Mexico and many other parts of the world. There was ample time during lunch and tea breaks and after hours given for this very purpose. We have now met and made many new friends that will remain so for years to come.
Meanwhile, Boet Pretorius, Koos Hamman, Pietie Uys and I also had an opportunity to tell the conference about Foundations for Farming in South Africa and our plans for the future. We are confident that it will grow into a powerful instrument of transformation in this country.
Previously, when I thought of Zimbabwe, the first thing that came to mind was the bad shape the country seemed to be in and the fact that it didn’t appear like this would change soon. But the conference has changed this perception. Now that I’ve heard of the success of Foundations for Farming and the different programmes they run, I see hope for Zimbabwe. Not because of what people are doing but because God is at work. I strongly believe that, as the theme of the conference indicates, the rebuilding of the nation will gather momentum and that the previous “basket case” of the world will become a beacon of hope.
To those of you who thought of going to Champs in Zimbabwe but in the end didn’t, I am sorry to inform you that you missed something special. But the good news is that there will be a chance to rectify this. The next Champs in Harare will be held on the first week of September, 2011 (Watch this website for details). We also plan to have one day gatherings in SA in most of the different regions during the next couple of months. We will keep you informed.