“I’m looking for Cozmore,” the visitor said loudly as he wove through the crowd of widows. 

The widows in Gwayi River were waiting to receive a food package, which they knew was provided through the proceeds of the Gwayi Mission Base’s mill and other projects. 

Cozmore Fungulani was busy speaking a word of encouragement to a recipient as he handed her the food package. Cozmore functions as a project leader alongside ITMI’s Charl van Wyk, for the Gwayi River Mission Base project reaching villagers in Zimbabwe with the Gospel.

Cozmore Fungulani with the Gwayi River Mission Base grain mill that helps provide for widows.

An elderly widow receives a food parcel.

Looking up, Cozmore identified himself. “That’s me,” he said. 

“Oh, uh, sorry,” he stammered, a little bewildered by the Zimbabwean missionary, “I got it all wrong.” 

Cozmore waited for him to explain, but he was pretty sure he knew what was coming.

“I didn’t know you are native,” the man continued, “We have support to help, but not through you. If you want to excel, go to local politics.”

He turned on his heel and left right away. 

“The widows who were standing around didn’t fully understand what he was saying,” Cozmore explained later, “but I knew. Several times I’ve heard even people in the church say, ‘A black person can’t be a missionary.’ ”

Cozmore reflected further on the encounter, 

“We stand for the call regardless of the obstacles we face. In my ministry life, I have been supported and trusted by all races, and I don’t get offended anymore. I feel sorry for those who still have issues with color or tribe.” 

Charl recently wrote, “I witnessed a policeman threatening Cozmore with a beating, come elections.”

There are four tribes in the area: Ndebele, Shona, Tonga and Nambya.

Despite the attitude of some, by supporting churches and involving the community, the mission base is seeing the tribes of the area grow in unity. 

Cozmore writes, 

Keep praying for us. We have adversaries as a ministry, politicians are not that happy with us because we don’t advertise their political party in our services. We stand strong as a Christian organization. We don’t choose people based on politics, tribe, race, or religion. As they campaign, they try all angles to manipulate us, but our Gospel goals and vision never change. 

Our ministry appreciates ITMI so much and we are so thankful to have partners like you. May God keep blessing you [which causes blessings to] flow to many for the Kingdom!

1. Gwayi River Mission’s water is crucial to many in the area.

About 25 households make use of the clean, safe water that is pumped from the borehole on the ITMI-supported mission base by a solar pump.

The borehole and the watering system were made possible by the gifts of  ITMI supporters.  

For many of the people in the area, the availability of the public tap outside the mission fence means their trek to collect water was cut from 3 miles to 1 mile. 

Some of them have demonstrated their gratitude by taking the initiative to clean the area near the tap outside the property.  

But, the solar pump struggles to keep the tanks full, especially on overcast days, and Cozmore has been praying for a generator to support the solar pump on cloudy days. 

2. The Mission serves the community with counseling, youth programs, and support of the local church’s activities.

Cozmore has developed a good relationship with the secondary school in the village. 

The teachers openly communicate needs, and Cozmore follows up with those families to see how he can serve them in a godly manner. 

Many young people come to the mission base for Gospel-centered counseling. 

Every second week, there is an inter-church youth group that meets on the base. Through that program, Cozmore seeks to meet the spiritual, physical, and social needs of those struggling in the community.

Sometimes this is done through local churches. The mission will direct resources, if they’re available, to help churches run seminars, or help fund the youth camps, couples’ meetings or church gatherings. 

Groups of youth  - mostly orphans or children who live in terrible home conditions - also come to help keep the mission base running and complete projects. They are rewarded with points, which they exchange for food or a Bible. 

Cozmore with youth from Gwayi River, Zimbabwe after volunteering at Cozmore’s Mission base in exchange for their own copy of the Bible. 

3. The mission’s vegetable garden is an important part of its ministry.

The vegetable garden is an incredibly important piece of the mission’s outreach. 

It will make it possible for the mission to hold regular food-based outreaches, like the Project Joseph outreaches that ITMI has found so effective in reaching people with the Good News. 

Growing the vegetables with the help of volunteers is a cost-efficient way to continue reaching people with food and the Gospel. 

It also creates the opportunity for groups to work together toward the common goal of the provision of vegetables for their own families and others. 

The mission has an immediate need for a booster pump so the garden can be irrigated more efficiently. Cozmore can purchase a booster pump for $311 USD. 

Every Thursday, a group of young widows volunteers at the mission. On this day, they were working to plant grass. 

4. Mission volunteers work on a point system.

Volunteers at the mission earn points, which they can exchange for food parcels or a Bible. 

The mission has been blessed with Bibles through ITMI supporters’ gifts to Charl’s Bibles, Books and Bicycles fund. 

The recipients value the Bibles highly, because they earned them. 

5. Zimbabwe is a financially difficult mission field.

Zimbabwe’s citizens are extremely poor. There is little to no work, and people must live off the land, usually as subsistence farmers. 

For a mission like Cozmore’s, the legitimate needs of struggling Zimbabweans abound. 

Cozmore has to cover the mission’s own expenses as well, and there is precious little to do it with. 

The mission owns a vehicle, which it depends heavily on for its projects and outreaches. 

The mission hasn’t been able to cover the $665 for the license and insurance that was due this year, so Cozmore had to park the vehicle, and do any outreaches on foot, instead.

Recently, with funds provided by ITMI supporters, we were able to provide Cozmore and the mission with the fee so he could use the vehicle for outreaches again.  

Though the mission’s resources are meager, with hard work and compassion, Cozmore and his wife, Laizah, are demonstrating and declaring the Gospel in Zimbabwe. The mission could greatly benefit from a few supporters who have a heart for the poor and suffering and want to invest in sharing Jesus to come alongside them to bring the Gospel to Gwayi River. 

He could really use some monthly supporters that would commit to providing any dollar amount each month. 

This would help stabilize his ministry and enable him to plan to meet expenses while also serving and helping those in need. 

Cozmore and Charl are also praying for the provision of a few one-time expenses - investments in the mission’s ability to conduct ongoing outreaches:

• A booster pump to water the plants more efficiently and prevent losing the plants, a crucial resource for the mission’s outreaches, in the hot Zimbabwe sun. ($311 USD)

• A generator to supplement the solar-powered water system on cloudy days. ($1430 USD)

• License fees and insurance for the mission vehicle, allowing Cozmore to reach further with the Gospel. ($665 USD)

Cozmore can make use of your partnership in any amount, and he will stretch them as far as they can go, investing them in the mission or helping the destitute in Jesus’ name.

If you’re feeling led to join this mission, gifts of any size and frequency will make a big impact.*

*Any funds received over the stated amount will be used for other Cozmore/Zimbabwe ministry opportunities.