
November 5, 2026
Not Just on Sunday
Lonetta McKee

Hippo Valley Christian Mission serves Zimbabwe through church planting, Christian education, healthcare, leadership training, Living Proof child sponsorship, and orphan ministry.
Hippo Valley Christian Mission, also known as HVCM, is a Christian mission serving in Zimbabwe with U.S. offices in Grayson, Kentucky. Founded in 1956 by John and Marge Pemberton along with Dr. Dennis and Lucy Pruett, the mission began with the philosophy of reaching the whole person for Christ: the body through healthcare, the mind through education, and the soul through the gospel message of Jesus and his church.
The organizationโs core focus is evangelizing Zimbabwe through church planting, Christian education, healthcare, leadership training, child sponsorship, and orphan ministry. HVCM describes its long-term work as seeking and saving the lost throughout southern Zimbabwe. Its public materials emphasize that the mission serves body, mind, and soul through schools, churches, healthcare, and Christ-centered programs.
Hippo Valley Christian Mission serves southern Zimbabwe, with ministry also connected to several church plants in Mozambique. Its work includes churches across the low-veld of Zimbabwe, 29 mission schools, thousands of students, Living Proof sponsored children, and children cared for through the Chiredzi Christian Childrenโs Village. The mission also serves from Grayson, Kentucky, where supporters can contact the U.S. office, give, and stay connected to updates.
The organization operates through multiple connected ministry areas. Church planting and evangelism are supported by full-time preachers and evangelists who work directly with churches. Preacher and leadership training includes annual seminars and conferences for preachers, patrons, youth, and church leaders. Christian education is carried out through 29 mission schools where students receive Bible-based, Christ-centered curriculum in connection with local churches.
A distinctive part of Hippo Valley Christian Missionโs work is connecting education, evangelism, leadership formation, and child development into one long-term mission strategy. Its Living Proof program sponsors more than 2,500 children from rural places and poor families, with clubs focused on Bible learning, leadership development, songs, Scripture memory, correspondence with sponsors, school uniforms, youth activities, and future education support. HVCM also raises support for projects such as Mabona Chapel at Pemberton Station and the Pruett Center/Thurman Library at Living Proof Christian College.
People can engage with Hippo Valley Christian Mission by giving online, donating by mail or phone, becoming a Living Proof sponsor, supporting the orphan village through virtual adoption, praying for the mission, subscribing to updates, or contacting the U.S. office. Supporters can also follow the missionโs news, donor portal, fundraising campaigns, and social channels to stay informed about schools, churches, leadership training, child sponsorship, and ongoing work in Zimbabwe.
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