Sunday, September 23, 2007

Zimbabwe: Children Dying

News about a country that was one of the most prosperous in Africa just a few years ago...

Friday, September 21, 2007
Many children dying in Zimbabwe reports British evangelical aid agency
By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

LONDON, UK (ANS) -- A Christian aid agency reports that Zimbabwe is in an increasingly desperate situation, with little food due to drought and poor harvests, and the collapse of civil infrastructure meaning basic services are no longer available to the majority of Zimbabweans.

This news comes in a report from the website of Ekklesia (www.ekklesia.co.uk).

Hungry children in Zimbabwe wait for food

The story states that churches are helping to fight poverty, hunger and HIV/AIDS among Zimbabwe's decimated communities and helping to meet the basic day to day needs. This, they say, is according to the UK Christian relief agency Tearfund (The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund).

"The news comes as Prime Minister Gordon Brown looks set to boycott a summit of European and African leaders to be attended by the Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe," said the Ekklesia story.

"Describing the situation in the former British colony as 'appalling and tragic', Mr. Brown accused the Zimbabwean president of abusing his own people.

"He urged the deployment of a United Nations humanitarian mission and promised support for the economic reconstruction of Zimbabwe once Mr. Mugabe was gone.
While moving to isolate Zimbabwe's government, Mr. Brown is also to announce more British aid money for the country."

Already Zimbabwe's second biggest donor, the UK will provide an additional £8 million, to be delivered through the World Food Programme.

Peter Grant, Tearfund's International Director, says children are now suffering from very high levels of chronic malnutrition. "People are dying. It's the very young, the very old, and those with Aids who are the most vulnerable," says Peter. "We heard recently of a church leader who had to bury a grandmother and a baby from the same family over the same weekend. As the year goes on with the continuing food shortages, we can expect the situation to get worse, and more people to die."

"With inflation exceeding 4500% - some reports put the figure nearer 8000% - currency no longer buys food and medical care. Even if people could afford to go to hospital, there are no longer medical supplies to treat them. The wages of hospital staff do not even cover the bus fare to work," the story continued.

The crisis has engulfed the cities, where food distributions were rarely seen previously. Middle income school teachers told Tearfund that they can't even afford to buy sugar. Pastor Promise Manceda leads a church in Bulawayo and sees the stark reality. "If the middle classes consider themselves poor, then the most marginalized people in society are hit so much harder," says Promise. "We have to help them - and it is only with God's strength that we are still able to."

A young AIDS victim being comforted by nurse in Zimbabwean hospital

HIV and AIDS related illnesses have compounded the suffering - leaving many unable to work in fear and isolation. Unemployment is over 80% and those that can find casual work often do so for small amounts of food. Others search around for vegetables to supplement meager amounts of maize, getting by on one inadequate meal a day. Because of the lack of food over the last five years many of Zimbabwe's children suffer from chronic malnutrition and an increasing number are too sick to go to school.

The Ekklesia story tells the story of Esinah, a grandmother in her 80's, caring for eight AIDS orphans. Queuing for maize, beans and oil at a food distribution funded by Tearfund she spoke of the people dying in her community. "There have been many deaths and people are starving," says Esinah. "Without this food we could be dead by now. Only God knows what will happen."

Supporting churches in wider relief response is at the heart of Tearfund's vision. The UK agency is funding, assisting and standing with them as they tirelessly work to fight poverty and social injustice. Tearfund's Peter Grant talks of the churches having a biblical mandate to speak out against poverty - as they continue to engage the public square while they can, remaining non-political within civil society. "To speak out requires real courage and they need our support in prayer," adds Peter. "They need practical support and continued international pressure for change."

The story concluded by saying, "Tearfund is currently funding feeding programmes for some 9500 orphans and vulnerable children. Working through churches and church based agencies this is relieving some of the immediate suffering - providing essential, but very limited, assistance. Many more need help."

The Tearfund website is www.tearfund.org.
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 5pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue (1) 11:30am lunch (GD) - St. Jacobs, (2) 4pm mtg (AF) - Cambridge, (3) 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue 11am mtg (DAy) (~J school trip w/ ~Co | text BD)
14 Wed 9:30am time w/ BD
15 Thu 4:30pm video mtg (Paul T.)
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride; Jessie's: 5KM) and speaking at GTA after-party
23-25 Fri-Sat poss. SL
26 Mon 2pm Europe monthly call
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
15 Sat aft+ baptism (Saj; NaB may be coming)
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 11am video mtg (SM), (2) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (3) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
2 Wed 11am video mtg (SM+)
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego