MEET THE MISSIONARIES
The plan for the Pippitts’ retirement was to travel and see as much of the world as possible. God had different plans. On a trip to South Africa in late 1995, they saw poverty like nothing they had ever seen before.
During that trip, they learned of a school in rural Zimbabwe that was going to be condemned because the buildings were crumbling. More than 600 children would have no place to go to school. That caught their attention. Building was a hobby of Ralph’s and Roberta was his helper.
They returned to their new home in December of 1995 and often discussed their recent trip. A frequent topic of conversation was the possibility of going to Zimbabwe to help the school. There was a lot of conversation. There was a lot of conversation about going alone to a place they knew very little about. They were concerned about how to locate the school once they arrived in the country. After nine months and many, many discussions they finally made the decision to go one time for six weeks and see what they could do.
The Pippitts knew the school needed water; there was no well at the school. Ralph researched on line and found some well drillers. He contacted them by email but only one responded. Ralph spoke with the driller on the phone and asked that he send a quote. When the quote arrived, it was for way more money than they had raised at that point. It was discouraging. They prayed to God telling him about their plans but that they didn’t have the money to even drill a well much less help repair any of the buildings.
God heard their prayer. That very afternoon a check arrived in the mail from people in another state. Checks began to arrive from people all over the country. By the time they left on their trip one month later, they had enough money to drill a well, build four toilet buildings that were badly needed and to re-roof a classroom building that had been severely damaged in a recent storm.
God does answer prayers! That first trip was only the beginning. God put Zimbabwe in their hearts and they answered His call. The mission has grown and countless people are committed to the work at HCOC in Zimbabwe.
