Trumpet Call for Transformation

Molly having a "brief" relaxing moment at Antelope Park

We are all so excited about the upcoming "Trumpet Call for Transformation" conference which is being held in Harare this coming week. We have dynamic speakers like Dr Goodwill Shana, Ed Silvoso, Scott Marques and Brian Oldreive. About 200 church leaders will be gathering on Tuesday and Wednesday to hear what God is saying to us as a Nation and the transformation that is taking place.


Stay tuned to read more. It's going to be great..........

By Molly Manhanga

One on One with Ray Partridge

Ray Partridge

It was great catching up with Ray at the recent Prayer and Fasting we had at Antelope Park. Unfortunately his wife Jo was unable to attend. This is what Ray said:

M.M: Tell me briefly aout your background?
R.P: I'm a farmers son. I was born in the South West England. My parents loved the Lord and they had major influence in my life while growing up. I'm a qualified accountant and this has opened opportunities for me to be in management positions in organisations. I met my wife Jo in North West London and "that was it"! We married 9 months later. We have 5 children: Andrew who is 25 years, melody who is 23, Matthew who is 21, emily who is 19 and Isaac, our adopted son who is 4 years old.

M.M: Where are you at the moment and what have you been doing ?
R.P: I'm in Cape Town at the moment and I'm part of Khanyisa Church in Guguletu. This church is led by Nigel and Cheryl Measures. I've been there for 4 years. For the last few years I've been involved in business.

M.M: What are you in the process of doing right now?
R.P: Jo and I will be moving to Harare, Zimbabwe to be involved in the Newfrontiers Sphere under Scott Marques. I'll be the Apostolic team Administrator.

M.M: How do you feel about the move?
R.P: I'm excited and feel priviledged because of what God is clearly doing in Zimbabwe. It's also an opportunity to fulfil our calling with what God has put on us! We hope to be in Zimbabwe by the end of July.

M.M: We are so looking forward to having you and your family. What a blessing.

By Molly Manhanga

How culture affects rural communities in Zimbabwe

Joseph Dhlamini

Everything we are is embedded in culture and tradition. It’s who we are. Every culture has the good and the bad. Africa is the richest continent and yet there is so much poverty. Where we are at is related to our culture and tradition. If you study culture and traditions in Africa, you’ll see that there isn’t much of a systematic way to be productive. That absence is rooted in our culture and it affects our agricultural production and way of life.

The physical and spiritual are embedded in our culture. Most of what we do is out of fear. Some negative aspects on how culture affects agricultural productivity
1. Simply put medicine in the field and expect the crops to grow.
2. Jealousy: if someone does well/better, what have they used?
3. Traditional ploughing of the fields and burning of stova
4. The community can have a 3 days a week where they don’t go into their fields and this can be attributed to:
a) The birthday of the Chief,
b) After the first rains people are not allowed to go into their fields
c) A day attributed to the ancestors – “chisi”,
d) The chief must plough his field first before anyone else is allowed to do so,
e) Before you plant, you need to take your seeds to the Chief for prayer
f) When there is drought, you are not allowed to go into your fields for a maximum of 16 days
g) There is a week of spiritual festivity before you plant

All the above affects time, standards and productivity. Culturally, one attributes production to spiritual influence rather than one’s efforts on the ground.

The positive aspects of culture are the importance of the family unit, respect for elders and the readiness of the people in Africa to be taught. The negatives at this stage seem to outweigh the positives but with God: ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

By Molly Manhanga

Getting to "Grassroots" level with Joseph Dhlamini

Joseph Dhlamini

Joseph Dhlamini is attending “The Base” church in Harare which is affiliated to New Covenant Ministries International. The Base was previously known as Gateway To The Nations. I chatted to Joseph recently in Harare, Zimbabwe about cultural issues in rural communities and on what “grassroots” is all about

M.M: When you did you join the Foundations for Farming team?
J.D: I joined the Foundations for Farming team on a full time basis in 2008 although I was involved with Foundations for Farming way back doing teachings. I am based at Westgate.

M.M: We’ve often heard the term “grassroots” being used. Please can you explain what “grassroots” is?
J.D: Grassroots is a team of Trainer of Trainers who are equipped to take Foundations for Farming principles to the communities. The spiritual aspects that I teach them are on how culture and tradition affect the communities spiritually.

M.M: Interesting. I’d love to hear more. How does the Grassroots Trainer of Trainers (ToT’s) actually impart and impact the communities they go into?
J.D: They model, teach and walk alongside the people in the communities.

M.M: What exactly do you teach the Grassroots Trainer of Trainers?
J.D: Apart from Foundations for Farming principles, I teach basic theology including Life School, Alpha, how to walk alongside communities and how to disciple people.

M.M: How has Operation trumpet call impacted the Mashonaland region of Zimbabwe (Mutare, Harare, Mount Darwin, Kadoma, Chipinge and beyond)?

J.D: From the stories we've heard, many people have turned from traditional farming methods to Foundations for Farming, non-christians are turning to God because of the teachings they are receiving, standards have improved in the fields and people are saying that God has remembered them.

M.M: Excellent. This is so encouraging. Thanks Joseph. I look forward to hearing more on "How Culture affects Communities"

By Molly Manhanga

OTC Farming Cycle for 2010 - 2011

Brief Update........

The number of Operation Trumpet Call sites has been reduced from 89 sites across Zimbabwe to between 50 and 55 in total. The reason for this reduction is that the Operation Trumpet Call team is grouping areas that are near to each other to form one model centre where feasible. This will enable the farmers to work together for the community they are in.

What it means is that different groups/churches are then able to work together and hopefully increase their impact and influence in their community. The coordinators who were administrating those sites (which have come together to form one) will constitute the team of six people that oversee farming in their combined area. They will still be called Trainer of Trainers (ToTs). One of those team members will be selected by them to become the Lead Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and they will be the Operation Trumpet Call’s point of contact. Each area/site will have one Lead Trainer of Trainers (ToT) and five other Trainer of Trainers (ToTs). The five ToTs will each be training ten people, who are to become trainers in the different parts of the area they represent. Those trainers will each train and monitor ten farmers each. The Lead Trainer of Trainers will NOT have ten people under him/her, but will instead be released from that so he/she may oversee his/her Trainer of Trainers and also spearhead the Model Site.

In essence, whilst the number of sites has been reduced, the number of farmers and trainers are being increased. The ToTs will be trained and train during this cycle whilst streamlining the administrative process for greater efficiency and impact.

Edited by Molly Manhanga

Catching up with Brian Oldreive

Brian Oldreive

It was excellent catching up with Brian Oldreive in Harare, Zimbabwe this past week and hearing his take on the relevance of Operation Trumpet Call to Zimbabwe at this particular time. This is what he had to say:

Operation Trumpet Call is a call to rebuild the nation of Zimbabwe at this historic time. It’s a call to God’s way and to God’s heart. When God looks down on Africa, it’s the poor that he sees. The poor are casualties of the fall. The root problem in Africa is selfishness and we’ve inherited a selfish nature. The rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer.

Isaiah 58:1 “Cry aloud, spare not; Lift up your voice like a trumpet……..” V6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen…” The ‘True fast’ is making a plan for the poor. We see the problem; have the answer and the solution. We need to turn to God V12 onwards…..

Operation Trumpet Call is for the poor and initiates the rebuilding plan of the Nation. We are in the process now and it’s massively important for now – calling the churches together.

We need to abandon our own plans and do it God’s way: “Your will be done……” God sees the BIG Picture and knows the beginning from the end. He knows his plan for everyone, every family, every community, every nation and the world. God is embarking on His perfect plan and we need to focus on his plan.

By Molly Manhanga

How to train and mobilize farmers

Peter Cunningham

The key question is how to train and mobilize 300,000 farmers and this is where it is with a growing sense of excitement that we see Operation Trumpet Call moving from phase 1 to phase 2 which will involve the farm sites that we had in the previous year moving from predominately receiving training and input to giving training and input. We see this being outworked with model communities and farms beings established between now and September which model the vast picture of Jesus’ life amongst us, because of the bigness of His grace and life the smallest of our differences fade to nothing and communities can live in unity, love and service of each other. These two aspects combine to where work becomes worship and we can farm with excellence and joy.

As these model sites are established over the coming 4 months, we see the preparation going into some large national events in September. At this time we hope to call the church to feed the nation and point them towards the sites to get inspiration, training, and a picture of what to do. At this time we hope to put large “raise a banner for Jesus” across the country and put large sign posts along each of the main roads and small roads leading to the Operation Trumpet Call model sites so that in one week the country will become aware that throughout the country there are sites and communities who are ready to teach and show the way.


Operation Trumpet Call phase 2 will therefore involve us as the OTC team working very closely with these sites in inputting trainings, preparing and partnering to get us all ready to act at that stage. The sites will be centers that people can come to and really see, taste and feel what they are needing to go back to their communities to do and model.

By Peter Cunningham

Phase 1 to Phase 2 of OTC by Peter Cunningham

Peter Cunningham

Operation Trumpet Call is moving from phase 1 to phase 2. We’ll look firstly at history - some general prophetic principals such as Deuteronomy 28 where if we obey God we will be blessed , if we do not obey we will cursed etc. Then there are some specific prophetic moments, the moment that the angel appeared to Gideon and told him that God has chosen you, you might man of Valour. The moment that Moses heard God at the burning bush, the moment that David walked onto the battlefield, heard Goliaths cry and heard that stirring of the Holy Spirit telling him that it was his time and so on. We feel that we are in one of these specific prophetic moments in Zimbabwe where God has prepared the situation and environment for the Church to lead, take a stand and reflect his Glory. We see this happening through a massive church unity leading to transformation in the nation, with a first step or platform being the Unifying Call to led the nation in September 2010 both physically and spiritually . This call will go out to the Nation and Church at large with prayer for up to 300,000 farmers who will farm with Foundations for Farming principles and subsequent increased yields which really could feed the nation of Zimbabwe in 2011 and set the stage for influence and transformation.

The key question is how to train and mobilize 300,000 farmers?

Read on to find out more on how to train and mobilize 300,000 farmers…..

Joseph lived for impact & influence of the nation

Scott Marques

Joseph lived for impact and influence of the nation

Joseph’s love for God and for people made him want to make a difference in Egypt. He used his mouth, heart, hands and feet. If we use our heart and mouth only, it won’t make a physical difference on the earth. We need to love God, love people and be practically relevant in our areas. Whatever joseph touched it multiplied. The land is God’s and we are stewards of it.



We live in Zimbabwe where the church has about 7 million people. If we farm in a way that links up with Gods creation the Church can feed the Nation of Zimbabwe. The crucial period is in preparing the fields in winter. The miracle in Zimbabwe has to happen before crops are grown.



Scott encouraged the farmers to use their energies correctly and not to have a "begging Bowl" mentality. He also encouraged the farmers to be physically and practically relevant like Joseph.

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Prophetic word for Zimbabwe by Julian Adams

Prophetically – Zimbabwe is in a place where things are shifting and being redefined. God is positioning the Church to be at Centre Stage with what He is doing in the Nation.

Julian Adams

Joseph's intimate relationship with others

Scott Marques

Intimate relationship with others

Joseph loved his father, brothers, his “boss”, his enemies. Every person he came in touch with, he loved them with integrity. He forgave those who intended harm for him e.g. Potiphars wife. Choose to love women, honour them as sisters except your wife who you have a unique relationship with in marriage. Joseph ran from Potiphars house. When he was eventually restored in Potiphars house, he didn’t have bitterness. He had restored relationships with his brothers. He forgave them. What the enemy intended for harm, God turned it around. We need to have violent, radical love for one another. Freely forgive. God’s grace will come if there is hurt.

Scott used the illustration of washing each others feet. Something happens in our hearts. We are called to wash each others feet. We all have imperfections. When our feet are clean, it feels good. When we are kind to each other, we feel good. We are not made to fight with each other or to enjoy war or sin. We are made to enjoy peace and love. Satan tries to pervert us. We need to be like Joseph and be radical in forgiveness. There is joy in the Kingdom of God. We look at each others differences and it’s all wiped away because of God. Be alive in faith and in Jesus ALONE!

Summarised by Molly Manhanga

Joseph's intimate relationship with God

Scott Marques

Some characteristics gleaned from Joseph:

Intimate relationship with God: There was no compromise in Joseph’s heart. He dreamed dreams and asked God for the interpretation much like Daniel. He doesn’t trust himself but God who is his sufficiency. If we are going to be people who feed ourselves we need to live lives of faith which leads to faithfulness. It’s a life in God who is our “bread of Life” which will lead us to getting “bread on the table”. We need a wholehearted faith in God otherwise we are wasting our time. We need to be violent in our faith. We live in a world where we are fear. In our culture the ancestors are “living” amongst us and we have direct communication between the living and the dead. It’s the world we are living in – the same as with Daniel and Joseph. It’s time for radical change. The witchdoctors don’t produce good but the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Satan is out to kill, steal and destroy. Our areas of non-productivity are not of God and not based on our skin colour or where we were born. God has given us everything we need as seen in 2 Peter 1:3 “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,….”

We need to demonstrate Gods glory if we are in love with him. God is a jealous God and He doesn’t want us to have “small houses” (adulterous relationships, idols) We need to believe in God even if it costs us our lives. Don’t bow to men, politicians, spirits of dead people, ancestors and so on. We need to stand in faith in God alone e.g. Daniel & his friends. Let the people in Matabeleland say God will deliver us and give us hope. Even if He doesn’t, we’ll not worship any other god.

Summarised by Molly Manhanga