Dear Love Lines Family,

As I considered what would be appropriate to send

you as a Christmas message, I felt that a recent

letter from Reuben Zivagwe from Zimbabwe, shares

the essence of Christmas better than anything I

could write.  May you be blessed by the example

of these dear ones who are triumphant in Jesus

Christ in the face of devastating circumstances.

“Challenges to our faith in Jesus do not stop.

Recently, even as we received daily reports of

desperation from the economic crisis with the

highest inflation in the world, a terrible

outbreak of cholera hit our country. We now think

the cholera was introduced by contaminated

critical water supply.  The disease is wildly

contagious, and within days 500 people died. 

Thousands of children, along with pastors and

workers need special cholera treatment but most

of our hospitals are closed.  Our stress level is

the highest ever.

"We preach with fear and trembling. These people

are hungry and barefoot. They've worn the same

rags for years. Even if they find seed to plant,

there will be no harvest until next May. Prices

for what little remaining food there is in the

street stalls have doubled and tripled and no one

can pay.  Yet we claim Romans 8:35, "Who shall

separate us from the love of Christ? Shall

trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or

nakedness or danger or sword?"  I have preached

that before, but not where it had to be proven

like this.

"Our team pastors and their people do not

complain. They have not come to beg from me. They

are thrilled with the Lord and His promises. They

have come for His Presence. We keep praying, and

He keeps coming. I am seeing the face of revival.

This is what it really looks like. Standing in

the refuse of the worst Satan can do, we watch

the Savior and Redeemer conquer hearts and pour

out righteousness, peace and joy. The ladies of

the village, lined and wrinkled by a lifetime of

hard labor, jump and shout with emotion. The

elders weep in repentance. Some are on their

knees and faces, even in the mud. Corruption and

spiritual perversion have held the African church

low, but we cry for purity and passion. Then we

can ask our Father in heaven for anything,

including multiplication of food.

"No relief agencies are on the scene. Even during

last year's disastrous flooding, the World Food

Program was unable to deliver food to remote

villages. Now Jesus is bringing the cry of this

need specifically to our attention. These people

are nearly all in our churches, which have mostly

sprung up in the past year. The Gospel has spread

like wildfire, and now the test has come. Is

Jesus still good news? We make plans to return

soon for a major gathering of film shows next

year and we are expected to lead them on

spiritually through yet another humanitarian

disaster.

"But we will not shrink back. We have an infinite

Savior, and because He died for us, there will

always be enough for those who walk with Him in

obedience.  He will glorify Himself in the world.

He will do it in the darkest and most impossible

of situations, and we will be carriers of His

glory.

"May Jesus powerfully be with you who have

supported us! May His grace pour down on you with

His energy and joy! As overwhelming as our

situation appears, and as endless as the

emergency requests seem that we deal with every

day, we know that the blood of Jesus is more than

enough. May you be thrilled as you participate

with us in His divine nature, and may He be

overjoyed with us!

"Jesus is not slowing down, and we don't want Him

to slow down, ever. Pour on the fire, Holy

Spirit! Do with us all that you want! Qualify us,

take us in all our weaknesses, lead us in

triumphal procession in Jesus, and through us

spread everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge

of Him.  God bless you as you pray for us.”

"Rev Reuben Zivagwe; Harare, Zimbabwe  (rebenzivagwe@yahoo.com)"

Let us all be open to the Holy Spirit to pray,

intercede, and give on behalf of Reuben and the

people of Zimbabwe.  We at Love Lines wish each

of you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year that

is triumphant in Christ.  May you be anointed to

fulfill to the ultimate all that He has designed

for you in the coming year.

Damaris Faulkner, Managing Director of Love Lines International