The founding of Chidamoyo as told by Ziden Nutt

Helen and I were 24 years of age when we moved to the area in September of 1961, both having made declarations before we ever knew one another to one day go to Africa and work with the people there. Though we grew up 600 miles apart we had made those decisions when each of us was 11 years of age. We would meet in 1957 at a Christian College, and discover our similar interest in mission work to Africa.

Several missionaries had mentioned that they had heard there was a Chief willing to give land for a mission site in that general area. When we met with Chief Dandawa, it was obvious that he wanted us to come there and work. The government made the requirement that if we wanted to move
to the area, we would have to build a major hospital complex.

On our arrival in Chief Dandawa's area we began surveying that part of the country under Dandawa for a suitable site to build a major hospital, school, and airstrip. We realized that the only way to bring adequate medical help to the area was to have the airstrip for specialists to fly in for various medical needs. The initial plan was only for a nurse to be in charge, but have the back up of a doctor who could fly in until we found one full time.


We wanted the place to be something that the people loved and would want. We asked many other missionaries and nationals to submit names they thought would be appropriate for a mission site. The name "Chidomoyo" was suggested as one of many. Due to the local dialect, and in consultation with the nationals, we took the name and turned it into
"Chidamoyo" to fit the local dialect. It comes from three words: 1) "da" means love, want, or desire, 2) moyo is the Makorekore (local dialect of the Shona language) word for heart, and 2) the Chi is from the Chi - Zvi class of the nouns meaning thing. Chi is singular and Zvi is plural when used as a prefix to a noun. Therefore, the three together form the creation of "Chidamoyo" meaning something the heart desires or loves.

The hospital was dedicated in January of 1968 after the outpatient portion had opened on 13 February of 1967. Work continued until the whole facility was completed, a Doctor arrived, and things were ready for the dedication. By this time we had recruited others to come and do maintenance, evangelism, and oversee the school work. Our oldest
daughter was ready for Secondary school, and with all these things in place we moved to Chinoyhi (then Sinoia) in June of 1968 after things had been turned over to the others.

In Chinoyhi Ziden and Helen became involved in audiovisual ministry in order to produce things in the local languages and culture. The name of the ministry was Good News Centre. We took mobile units into rural areas and showed films that we had produced, along with some films that the government had produced on how to build proper latrines and some general interest kind of things.

Today Ziden is still Executive Director of Good News Productions, International and he and his wife continue to travel throughout the world. They have just returned from the Philippines where he and Helen have spent several days working on a major film about the problem of the 1.2 million street children.