Like many families, Timothy & Julia Rinopisa, both African Christian College graduates, are busy.
As chaplain at the Dewure Mission in Zimbabwe, Timothy leads two weekly gatherings at the school. He also provides spiritual mentorship, discipleship, and pastoral counseling to about 1,000 students and staff. As a result, students have committed their lives to following King Jesus!
Timothy also ministers in a local Church of Christ. And he’s completing his graduate degree in Christian ministry online through our partnership with Abilene Christian University’s Graduate School of Theology.
His wife, Julia, organizes the children’s ministries for four local churches of Christ in the Gutu district. Their eldest son recently graduated from nursing school in Eswatini. Another son is in college. And they have two more sons in high school.
But all this ministry doesn’t help much in paying the bills, feeding their teenage boys, or providing financial stability for their family.
Fortunately, African Christian College focuses on developing personal resourcefulness in our students. We want students to have the skills and attitudes necessary to provide for themselves without relying on others for financial support. Timothy and Julia live these lessons every day.
Most students pay their fees by joining our work-study program designed to help them earn money and learn new skills. As a student, Timothy worked as a production officer in the chicken project of Locavore Market. Locavore produced vegetables, chickens, eggs, and other specialty products to sell on- and off-campus. His experiences prepared him well for life after graduation.
Driven by the passion for practicing what he learned in entrepreneurship class and at Locavore, Timothy bought two goats, rabbits, and chickens. He grew crops, including maize (corn) and beans. He started small and overcame challenges to build a sustainable business.
Today, the goats and rabbits continue to multiply and he manages a sustainable cycle of chicken production. The meat production projects provide regular income and family meals. He also produces enough grains to feed his family with extra to sell. Even employment in ministry may not pay all his bills, but Timothy found a way.
Some say it’s impossible to do ministry, take care of your family, and find ways to be resourceful on your own. It’s not easy, but Timothy shows it is possible. Timothy and Julia are living testimonies of faithful Kingdom service, a commitment to family, and hard work.
Timothy is also an example of putting knowledge into action. He took what he learned at African Christian College back to Zimbabwe to create a sustainable, manageable income for his family. We equip excellent servants for God’s kingdom . . . that includes skills for faith and ministry, but it also means becoming someone who can take care of their families and others.
