Light in the Darkness — Jean Phillips

Light in the Darkness is Jean Phillips' seventh book but her first novel. Set in Zimbabwe between 1984 and 1995, it traces the lives of Ruvengo Chauke and Samson Gondo. Ruvengo's name, meaning "hatred," contributed to her morose, unhappy, hate-filled disposition as she grew up in a village without the light of Jesus. Samson, brought up by devout parents, left home as a 14-year-old and became a gangster. At age 13, Ruvengo traveled to Gweru to help in a family crisis. There her aunt led her to Jesus. When His light penetrated her darkness, her hatred fled, and she became Rufaro (Joy). The same day she accepted Jesus, her uncle led Samson to Christ at the jail. Upon Samson's release from prison, he became known as Peter, preacher of the gospel. Peter and Rufaro become good friends at seminary. During his seminary training, Peter, as pastor of a small church in Redcliff, challenged his members to go on mission trips to Rufaro's home village. In accepting this challenge, the church was blessed and grew greatly. As his people told the Mwenezi villagers of Jesus and helped in other ways, many locals accepted Christ and formed a church. The goal of this new body was to work together in coming years to dispel the spiritual darkness with the light of Jesus in the whole of the Mwenezi district.