Zimpapers Logo

Rejoyce Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter

THOUSANDS of congregants from the Apostolic Faith Church of Portland Oregon have converged at the church’s camp ground in Pelandaba suburb in Bulawayo for the annual Sadc regional camp meeting, which kicked off on Sunday.

Some of the congregants travelled from as far as the United States, Pakistan, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Malawi to attend the event, which ends on December 18.

The annual convention, which was officially opened by the church’s superintendent-general, Reverend Darrel Lee, is running under the theme: “Living Waters” whose scriptures were taken from the Book of John 4.

The major part of this chapter recalls Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar.
The church spokesperson, Reverend Kwaziso Bosha, said this year’s camp meeting is the first physical gathering post Covid-19.

“This is our very first meeting after Covid-19 lockdown. We are so excited about it because there was literally a shutdown of fellowship during that period,” he said.

“We are therefore thankful to God for giving us such an opportunity, which is quite refreshing spiritually.

This year, we have been privileged to have our superintendent general Reverend Darrel Lee and the director of Africa work, Reverend John Musgrave from our mother church in Portland Oregon in the United States attending the camp meeting.” Rev Bosha said the camp is a critical component in terms of spiritual growth and nourishment.

He said during lockdowns congregants conducted their fellowships through Zoom meetings among other social media platforms.

“We conduct our regional camp meeting every year during this time and as Christians, this is an opportune time for us to fellowship together as one big family of God from different countries.

“We have three sessions, which start in the morning until later in the evening and everyone is invited to attend,” said Rev Bosha.

“The other purpose of the camp meeting is to share the message and teachings of Jesus Christ through evangelism.”
The church was founded by the late Rev Florence Crawford in 1906.

The Apostolic Faith mission of Portland Oregon congregants at the Southern Africa camp meeting at Pelandaba suburb

Her parents were atheists, but Rev Crawford was converted sometime in her youth. After her encounter with God at the Azusa street Mission in 1906 she gained historical significance.

Along with other “Holiness believers” of the day she professed an experience of sanctification and was filled with the Holy Spirit and healed at Azusa Street. Thereafter, she became an active worker in the mission.

The Apostolic Faith Church of Portland Oregon whose world headquarters is in the United States, has branches across Africa, Asia, Europe, central and South America, and Australia.

In Zimbabwe, the church was founded by the late Rev Morgan Sengwayo in 1955, and it had a large following in the entire Sadc region before it was rocked by divisions and factional fights that resulted in splinter groups.

Rev Sengwayo’s son, Freedom who is also late, was a renowned religious figure and a gospel musician. He was also one of the country’s pioneer gospel singers famed for his anti-apartheid hit song “Thula Sizwe”, which was composed in the early 1970s.