Report from Zimbabwe

Phil Palmer
International Relations Representative

This is the shortest trip I have ever made with WBS (one week). The objectives were simple and I feel we succeeded in meeting them. One was to introduce Daniel Gaines, our new Ocean Bridge envoy, to the Service Center and Inventory offices and their workers and to a number of the Zimbabwe recruiters. The other was to hold a nationwide WBS Recruiters workshop.

Avondale National Recruiters’ Workshop

On November 14, sixty people attended the National WBS Recruiters Workshop.  The purpose was to give review training and encouragement to the main WBS recruiters from across Zimbabwe. We emphasized procedures that tend to get forgotten, or in some cases had not yet been implemented, such as the recruiters organizing student answer sheets before sending them to Avondale, thus saving our staff hours of work.

Fourteen recruiters gave summary reports on the works in their areas. Between them they reported 100 schools and several prisons where they are actively recruiting and doing following up, with many more open to recruitment.

Service Center Efficiency and Feedback

It is fantastic that the Konica-Minolta laser printer that the Harare team purchased in April is producing thousands more copies per toner than the old HP printer, saving money. WBS management has just approved buying the same printer for our two Kenya Service Centers.  The flow of Ocean Bridge lessons seems to be consistent enough now that complaints about delayed lessons, while not absent, are fewer. We emphasized to the WBS staff the goal of 1 week or less to scan received lessons and 2 weeks to print graded lessons, prepare next books and deliver them to the recruiters.

Future

This was likely my last trip to Africa for WBS. I have no planned trips to Africa in the future, but I intend to be open to opportunities God may give for further ministry there.

Thanks to WBS for 13 years of allowing Elaine and me to participate in evangelism and church growth in Africa.  Thanks to Hillcrest Church of Christ for amazing financial, spiritual and emotional support.  The Palmers have been greatly blessed by you all.

Pictured: Phil and Elaine in a recent planning meeting at World Bible School’s offices in the Austin area.  Much time is spent in prayer as we seek to share Jesus effectively with the world!

On behalf of WBS and many souls in the world who know Jesus because of the ministry of Phil and Elaine Palmer, I want to express our deepest gratitude for their love for the lost, their maturity in the faith, and their wisdom in missions globally!  Brian Davis