Saving Zimbabwe
For Elizabeth and I, we start 2009 as the new parents of a book! Yes, “Saving Zimbabwe” is soon to appear in printed form. While we are in fact older and more experienced, the birthing of this book reminds us of being first time parents. We have all the same diametric emotions of excitement and fear. We have wrestled over the last few weeks with how best to promote the book and the problem we have is with the word “promote.” From our long history in the Christian community, we have painfully observed the practice of hype and sensationalism that tends to “over promise and under deliver.” We are very uncomfortable with that approach and would prefer to see Saving Zimbabwe promoted by personal endorsements through word of mouth rather than an organized marketing campaign. Our strategy is to let you decide for yourself so we have created a website with the first part of the book. Please take some time to view it and acquaint yourself with the story. If what you read moves you and you think it has a compelling message, purchase the book and refer it to your friends and colleagues. The proceeds will help us fulfill the burden in our hearts to bring healing, restoration and hope to the people of Zimbabwe. In the meantime, please also forward this email and the website link to any of your contacts. For those of you who have no idea what Saving Zimbabwe is about, here’s the summary from the back of the book: Saving Zimbabwe is the gripping story of a group of extraordinary black and white Zimbabweans who lived together forming “The Community of Reconciliation.” They chose love over hate and integration over segregation. They believed in harmony over discord and that loving your former enemies was a higher way of life. Against all odds they succeeded in transforming a region of the nation into a life-giving community. By example they demonstrated that the course of Zimbabwe could be changed, and provided a working model for the road ahead. Tragically, on November 25th 1987, the sixteen white members of the Community made the ultimate sacrifice and were martyred. Their killers thought they were “liberating” their people but in fact drove the black community back under the oppressive forces of poverty. Why did they die? This book takes you on a journey to discover the answer to this haunting question and more. With the current atrocities being committed under President Robert Mugabe’s government, the message of Saving Zimbabwe is needed more than ever. The country needs transformation which must start in the heart of her people. The destiny of a nation and millions of lives are at stake. While the setting of the book is Zimbabwe, what I’ve written about applies to the Christian community around the world. It’s about the teachings of Jesus transforming us and those around us. It is gut-level honest and written from the heart. I have bared my soul and hope that in my lifetime I will witness firsthand the transforming power of truth birthed in a nation. 
I knew most of the 16 precious lives that perished in 1987. I remember I was doing grade 7 in near-by Mbizingwe Primary School, when the news came. I also knew some of the perpetrators of the crime personally, the experience was very painful, it almost brought my own life to an end.
When the Community of Reconciliation started its work in New Adams and Olive Tree Farms, the lives of people in the nearby communities improved significantly. We had hope, we had vision, we were beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, but it collapsed before we could emerge.
A few days later, the murderers were released without charge under the "Unity Accord". Though we felt hard done by the justice system, we hoped that the Gukurahundi era that had tormented the whole Matabeleland region will come to an end, and indeed it came to an end. Now the people of Zimbabwe are suffering under the worst conditions in the history of that country, ironically from the person whom they thought was their saviour.
We mourn those who have lost their lives under the Mugabe regime, their blood and our tears shall never be in vain.
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Thank you for writing and for your heartfelt words. It is our hope that "Saving Zimbabwe" will be a source of inspiration and hope that things in Zimbabwe can change for good. I believe so strongly that the Community of Reconciliation set out to forage a new path. Their deaths were not only tragic for all of us that knew them personally but for the future of the nation. It is our hope and prayer that God can and will turn things around. One day I hope we can celebrate what they died for!
Kind Regards,
Bob Scott
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I remember i was in class that day when we saw the police coming with their santanas in this peaceful village and the devastating news came. I went home and I cried because most of those people were our friends especially Gaynor the lovely lady who used to play a guitar. We used to play with them at the farm and they will make tea and eat with us. I was devastated and had nightmares after that. I thought of my sister in Bulawayo who had left to do high school how their death would affect her.You see she was one of the few who could speak proper English at that time and they loved her. The pain of knowing that they killed even her innocent child not yet one year old........As I write this , the memory still comes, fresh as the morning dew. They were peaceful people,generous and they did not deserve that cruel death. it was hard to visit the farmhouse again after that event. It was painful and so sickening. I often wonder how the community of Zimbabwe will be faring now if they were still alive. You see in Mbizingwe, we would see lots of missionaries from Canada, Australia and Europe because of these deceased friends of ours.Even my grandmother on that day cried like a baby. And today we still ask the question, why ? My friend Gaynor and husband may your souls rest in peace. No doubt you are in heaven at the bossom of Christ.
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I knew all those 16 members of the community and my grand dad Stephen was staying with them at Olive tree farm.I was years old after writing my ZJC exams at Nsezi secondary school.We used to work part time at New Adams and Olive tree farm herding cattle, goats,sheep and working in the garden.Mike Town was our manager in herding goats and sheep.We couldn't eat or sleep for some days after that incident.I still remember one day we were having a prayer meeting at Mbizingwe village Thabani's home and the dissidents led by Gayigusu came over.Everyone in the church was asked to walk from Mbizingwe to New Adams farm at night around 21:00.We walked for an hour with the elders and the dissident Thambolenyoka was driving New adams truck.All the young lads were asked to get inside the community hall at New Adam farm to get food serve everyone on that night.John Russell was still alive at that time and Thabolenyoka took coat from Russell and wrist watch.On that day noone was beaten or killed.We will never forget that morning on the 25th of November 1987
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Kenneth, thank you for sharing your story. For all of us associated with this event, our lives have never been the same. Its my hope that Saving Zimbabwe will bring to the worlds attention this amazing group of people who set out to heal their nation.
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Hi Bob,I have so enjoyed all your blogs since the beautiful wedding of Matt and Jen.I have read Saving Zim., Matt lent me a copy early in the year.Have many friends eager to read it,cannot locate it yet, might it be available soon. God Bless
Regards
Brenda Lamberti
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Hi Brenda,
So glad to hear that you've enjoyed the blogs. We have just finished up the legal details with Random House-Struik and they will begin working on the book this week. They are anticipating a late March or April 2010 release date. I will let everyone know dates as soon as things firm up. I so appreciate your help is getting the word out.
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Dear Bob,
I have just finishing your book. I found your account of the Community of the Reconciliation verying moving, thought provoking, but also gripping and samewhat very disturbing. I was also left with a similar emotional and spiritual handover after reading 'The Shack' by Willam Young. Your book is wonderfully written. It is also left me deepling intrigued and curious about the people involved in the Community of Reconciliation. But the one thing that has gripped my curiosity was the phenomena of the two lights. I believe that God manifests himself plainly to the senses under very extraordinary circumstances. The massacre of the 16 who gave up everything to follow Jesus was an extraordinary tragic event. The Bible is full of aoccunts where God discloses Himself to sense perception such as in the instance of Moses and the burning bush, Paul on the road to Damascus and finally as the Word made Flesh, our Lord Jesus Christ. In your book you mention that the lights appeared twice, once on each farm. The lights were witnessed by both the dissidents and the black members of the community. Hence, there were many witnesses and the sighting of this phenomenon thus had independent corroboration. Also you would not have reported this in your book if you yourself where not convinced of the truth of these reports. My question: are you satisfied with the veracity of these reports? Are they genuine and reliable?
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Vince,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book. I'm encouraged that it was "thought provoking". Yes, the account of the lights appearing at the martyrdom of the two groups at the community was first shared with me by Mike Town who lived at the community for a few years. He heard the story in person from Esinath who was there that night and witnessed the events firsthand. Subsequently, others have confirmed that's what happened.
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Hi Bob,
Thanks for your reply. Kind regards Vince
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Bob,
I am Gerry Keightley's brother. We lived through this tragedy and never understood why someone would want to detsroy something so good. Thank you so much for this book.
By the way, I would like to share a little miracle of our own. We could not have children, but Gerry insisted the last time that we saw him that we would have a child. We left on a work assignement to the USA when the tragedy happened. The miracle was when we were told soon afterwards that my wife was expecting. We now have a 21 year old son who was born on Gerry's son Barnabas's birthday, his name is Ryan James Keightley.
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Alan, thank you for your kind words. Hearing them from you means a lot to both Elizabeth and I. It is my hope that the story of the people of the Community of Reconciliation will both inspire and challenge others. They held the key to transforming Zimbabwe in their hearts. Maybe now is the time that the world will finally listen to the message of their lives!
Your story of the miracle of Ryan just sent a chill down my spine!
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Dear Bob,
My husband and I just returned to the States after a vacation in South Africa - our first time to Africa. While there, I found a book in the guest house library entitled "Mugabe" by Martin Meredith. I could not put it down, as my daughter had been on a mission trip to Zambia in 2008 and called home to ask us all to pray for the people of Zimbabwe. She was involved in taking food to the border to give to missionaries. At the time I knew nothing of what was going on in Zimbabwe.
Since reading mister Meredith's book, I've read another and am anxious to read yours. I hope it gives you some encouragement to know that although slow to find out, people care about the plight of the Zimbabweans.
Please let me know if there is something I can do to help.
God bless you all.
Laura
Atlanta, GA
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Laura,
Thank you for sharing about your trip. I have read Meredith's book on Mugabe and it is very enlightening. It looks like the timing of your daughters mission trip coincided with the upheaval surrounding the elections that year in Zimbabwe. She was very courageous in helping keep people alive during the political violence.
Yes, hearing from people like yourself that care about the people of Zimbabwe is always encouraging. The people of Zimbabwe have suffered long under colonialism, tribalism and now tyranny. It is my prayer that God will hear their cry and give them a new leadership team that stands for righteousness, Zimbabwe has huge mineral wealth, agricultural resources and the most educated population on the African continent. They have the building blocks to rebuild their nation. My book shares a story of reconciliation and though it ended tragically, I do believe God is not finished with it!
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The article is indeed thought provoking and invokes great sadness. I have visited Zimbabwe several times. I would have to say though, that I have a problem with the word 'martyr' It seems that these people were not murdered because they were Christians which is how I understand martyrdom ( remember that Robert Mugabe calls himself a Catholic) but rather because of the political agenda of the murderers
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Bob, thanks so much for your book. Our family were friends with the Keightleys and I was close to Deborah and Glynis, we were similar in age. I can still remember where I was when I heard of their death, sitting in the comparative safety of Mary Cairncross Park, Maleny, Australia.
Probably their death has haunted me as we might well have been there had we not immigrated, so might my brother and his young family if he'd have completed his PhD and joined up with his good friend David Marais. Even after 23 years the pain of their loss is great.
Your book is both painful to read, but also a beacon of light that these good people are remembered, and their work has echoes all around the world. I've spent 15 years in mission, tent-making community and know it works. I look forward to spending eternity with these blessed souls and the many people they reached for the Kingdom.
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Andrew, I deeply appreciate you writing and sharing your connection with the community. Thank you for your kind words about the book. Telling this story was emotionally conflicting as it was both painful and inspirational. I think the people who died at the community were not only heroes but visionaries. What they attempted to build was transforming and holds the keys to changing the current deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe.
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I am Andrew's [above comment] sister and on his advice have also just completed Saving Zimbabwe. Our Dad was the Director of Youth for Christ in Zimbabwe for 12 years [He left for Australia in 1985] but in the late 70's Dad and the Keithtley's ran an evangelistic crusade at the Church of Ascension along with the YFC band 'The Move'. Dad remembers Gerry as being a fairly new christian but a man on a mission and a real goer. Marian was the 'Gracious Follower'
I thank God that my parents instilled in us a love and respect for all people. In 1978 I moved to South Africa and was confronted by apartheid. As a Christian I could never accept the segregation and hatred I saw there. Many days I would cry in my little flat as the rain poured down mid winter and I knew that squatter camps close to where I lived were being destroyed, people displaced. I couldn't save the world but God placed on my heart a burden that couldn't be ignored. As a single Mom with 3 young children, I knew I could 'adopt' 1 family. Teresa Pali and her 6 children became my friends. Our children played together in the squalor of Crossroads squatter camp. We all piled into my car and went to see the museum or took trips to the beach where they saw the sea for the first time. All this happened when apartheid separated us and detention without trial was legal. My children are grown now but they have taken the lessons learnt about respect and compassion for all people into their daily lives here in Australia.
Once a Zimbabwean your heart is always entwined in that country. I return to Zimbabwe every year to work with the YFC Staff. I would love to share with you some of the amazing work being done there with orphans, abandoned children and girls who have been sexually abused. Like you I am inspired by these 'Heroes of the Faith' who, often unpaid, pour themselves out for the next generation.
Thank you for sharing the story of those who gave their lives up to try and bring reconciliation and peace to a country that had been devastated by war. I spent a few days in a village near Adams Farm in 2006 and heard the details of what life was like for those beautiful people during the war and the 1982 genocide. Zimbabwe's only hope is found in forgiveness. There is so much hurt and bitterness but yet the evidence of God moving and building up young men and women whose passion is to see God heal and restore their land is so encouraging.
I agree, we cannot remain passive! Thank you for all you are doing, fighting on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. I would love to be able to share more. My email address is above
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Thank you for writing and sharing your own amazing story!
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