Other OH3 News...
Posted 3/27/09 - Good News in Zimbabwe at Last
The reports we’re getting here at OH3 have said the rain has come and the crops are growing. There is not enough food growing in the field to alleviate the crisis, but it will be helpful, and in fact already is. Some food is being supplemented already with “green maize.”
Other reports seem to indicate that allowing foreign currency to be used in the country is also helping the economy to some extent. Some products are beginning to appear on those empty store shelves again.
With help from contributors, OH3 set in motion another food shipment into the Tsholotsho area as well as some into Bulawayo itself 3/27/09. 10.5 Tons of meal and the funds to deliver it will feed another 210 families for over a month. Although we deal in “families” rather than individuals, that figure of 210 families could easily mean well over 1,000 Christians and their children will continue to have food in their homes for the next 4 to 6 weeks. May God richly return blessings on every single partner and volunteer in this effort.
Posted 2/21/09 - Below are photos of food delivered to the brothers and sisters in Christ in Zimbabwe.
Posted 2/13/09 - Subject: US dollars now accepted in Zimbabwe.
Mountbatton Brewer has communicated with us that the Zim Government is now allowing US dollars and other foreign exchanges to be used in Zimbabwe; thus, Western Union is allowed to payout US dollars coming from the US wires. Brewer can now collect US dollars at the Zimbabwe Western Union, and there is a Western Union office in Bulawayo. Note that it must be stated on the wire form, “payout only in US Dollars.” This, no doubt, comes from the fact that Zim dollars are next to useless and foreign currency is really the only viable currency available. This should speed up the provision of food for needy Christians since Brewer, and others, won’t have to go into Botswana to receive the wires now. He can receive wires in Bulawayo. Mike
Posted 2/7/09 - This is an excerpt from Les Maydells latest report. Les is located in South Africa but is acting as a messenger of the churches and coordinating a great deal of drought relief for brethren in South Eastern Zimbabwe. God bless his efforts. You’ll be interested in his observations. Mac
NYLSTROOM SCRAPBOOK
For several months the two main political parties of Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF (the ruling party) and the MDC (who won over 50% of the vote in the April 2008 elections), have been holding talks. They make and break agreements. No one knows what is going to happen next. This causes continued hardship on everyone in Zimbabwe. The economy has virtually collapsed. Zimbabwe inflation is unmeasurable, and the currency is worthless. Most people in Zimbabwe now use Rands and US Dollars to do business, but at highly-inflated prices. Education has been seriously disrupted for nearly a year, it is virtually impossible to get medical treatment, electricity and water are only spasmodically available, trash is not being collected, cholera has infected over 60 000 and killed over 4000, mail takes months to deliver, basic food is only available in foreign currency (which the average Zimbabwean does not have), etc. Foreign aid has been hindered, partly because of the world recession and partly because it hinges on Zanu-PF and the MDC forming a unity government (something that has been going to happen “next week” for the past 6 months). The World Health Organization says that over 7 million Zimbabweans are dependent on food aid for survival. (It is estimated there are about 10 million Zimbabweans left in the country.) Reuters estimates that over US$2 BILLION in goods/currency was sent last year from private people outside Zimbabwe (most of them expatriates) to their relatives and friends inside Zimbabwe – just so they can survive. (For more information about Zimbabwe you can visit www.zimbabwesituation.com.)
What amazes me is that, on the surface, life is seems so normal, but .... You go to visit someone in the spotlessly-clean hospital, but ... you can’t find a nurse or doctor (they are striking to be paid in foreign currency). The streets are clean, but ... trash is rotting behind walls and in overgrown fields. You see people going about their ordinary business, but ... no one knows how he will be able to survive on his pay. You see children walking to school in their uniforms, but ... the vast majority of them will not find a teacher when they arrive (teachers are also on strike – their monthly salary is less than a loaf of bread). You attend worship as usual, but .... afterwards you do not shake hands when you sing the greeting song (someone might have cholera). People give their children small change to put in the collection plate .... but when you look closely, it is a bill that has ELEVEN zeros on it! (100 billion!) (And that is after 13 zeros have been knocked off the currency in the past couple of years.) You socialize with a group of Christians, but ... you find out the two ladies sitting next to you are both widows with AIDS ... and two of the carefree-looking teens are actually 16 and 18-year-old orphans. They are looking after their older sister’s toddler while the older sister (a single mother) tries to find work in South Africa. There are over 5 million Zimbabweans in South Africa and the police are fighting a losing battle to keep thousands more from arriving each day. While we were waiting to cross the bridge over the Limpopo River from Zimbabwe back to South Africa, we observed hordes of people carrying the goods they bought in South Africa back to Zimbabwe. Virtually all goods are imported – a lot by truck – but also a lot by head!
Posted 1/16/09 - This is a report from Zimbabwe that was passed along to us last week. I have edited the names so that there would be no repercussions but I wanted to share the dire need that still continues in this place. Jim Allen will be directing funds this week into this area for brethren, while OH3 directs funds north to brethren around Vic Falls. Thanks to all our contributors for your help. Mac
From: XXXXX
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 3:59 AM
Subject: RUSHINGA IN CRITICAL FOOD SHORTAGE
Brother
I was in Rushinga from 9 to 13 this month. People's lives are in real great danger. Met with members of the church who had gone for days without meals, eating wild roots, fruits and vegetables.
I distributed 10 x 20kgs bought at $12 each to two congregations; Mkosa and Chapinduka. One sad incident, on 11 Jan. the Goto family, while attending church session came back to see everything gone by thieves. It was pathetic to see Mrs Goto literally crying. Another incident, one woman 60 yrs, mixed the little maize meal she had with cowdung and cooked a meal. She is now suffering from an undisclosed stomach ailment.
People are selling assets, livestock and other valuables to avert imminent starvation. All food items and everything else is practically sold in foreign currencies and few can obtain them. This year's harvest could be worse than last year's meaning the shortages would continue into 2010.
World Food Program is facing critical funding shortfalls and has withdrawn food handouts to most constituencies. Cholera has decimated 2.100 lives and there is despair in the country.
PLEASE, BRETHREN I APPEAL FOR VERY URGENT ADDITIONAL MONEY TO BUY MORE FOOD FOR THE SAINTS. By next week people will start burying each other.
…This report continues with reports of baptisms in the area but we will close here.
Posted 1/15/09 - Things have been hectic over the holidays but we are behind on these reports and need to let everyone know what’s been happening.
First we might ask for prayers on behalf of the brethren in Zimbabwe in light of the Cholera epidemic that is sweeping the country. AP reports are that several thousand have already lost their lives. No word has reached us yet that this has touched the brethren. Pray that they may be spared this sadness on top of all others.
Secondly, we want to acknowledge the great work that Les Maydell has been doing in getting seed to Christians before it was too late to plant. Although too humble to claim credit, the work that Maydell has been doing along with native partners and contributions from Christians has simply been amazing. Many Christians will be eating from their own gardens in a couple months because of his efforts.
Thirdly, we are discouraged a little to see that the inflation rate keeps eating away at any effort to help. Meal that cost $400 per ton last October, cost $500 per ton in November, $700 per ton in December, and went to $800 the first of the year. There may be some indication of the price leveling off and even decreasing, but this is just a rumor presently. Needless to say, our inflation figuring and best case expenses are having a difficult time keeping up, but the undedicated donations of some to the food account has allowed us to make up for the lack in individual contributions. We look forward to a price decrease as the season changes and the crops come in.
Lastly, we will mention that the work of feeding hungry brothers and sisters continues with the blessing of God and compassion of the saints. In December another shipment in the amount of $6400 went forward. As I write this report another shipment is being readied to go in the next week. It is a rough guess on my part I admit, but I believe that almost a thousand brothers, sisters, and their children will have been able to have food on their table since last November. We are humbled by almost daily notes from saints who are helping in this effort and thanking us for the opportunity to give. What a great family you are. The team at OH3 in return praises God for you and for this small ability to help.
Posted 1/7/09 - Good news – the brethren have received maize meal. Even after we thought all was smooth sailing, one of the suppliers let us down and the other supplier’s truck had an accident and spilled 25 tons of the 28-ton load down a hillside in South Africa, where bystanders got an unexpected Christmas gift! However, I must say that the supplier (V&M Grain) was very professional about it and made good the loss. In addition, they worked overtime and in their Christmas holiday time to reload another truck and do the delivery. The truck got from Johannesburg, through the border, and to Gwanda/Bulawayo in an amazing time of three days. The meal arrived on 22 December and all of it has already been delivered by Bigboy and Gumpo. David and Ellen Baize were visiting in Zimbabwe at the time the maize meal was delivered and they say the brethren are extremely thankful.
Good news – good rains. The seed germinated nicely and started to grow, but the plants were beginning to suffer. However, just in time, the needed rain fell and, with the exception of Gwanda South, we hear that the crops are doing well.
Good news – generous brethren. I do not have time now to send a detailed report of all funds received. (I need to prepare for my part in the funeral service of an 89-year-old brother who has gone for his reward.) However, from the bottom of our hearts, we want to praise God and thank you brethren for your goodness towards the needy. It seems as though we have all the money needed to supply the relief through March. We sincerely hope and pray that God will continue to bless the land with rain so that no relief will be needed in April, or at least much less relief than at the moment. As April approaches, we will let you all know if further help is needed, but we just want to let you know that the need has been met for the moment. Many have worked to achieve this, but may all glory be to God.
We pray for God’s blessings on the up-coming deliveries – and especially that your gift will encourage the Zimbabwe brethren towards great spiritual growth.
We have a trip planned to Zimbabwe this month, and will be able to let you know more after that trip.
With great gratitude,
Les and Linda Maydell, Rep. of South Africa
Posted 12/15/08
Posted 11/25/08 - OH3, with the help of so many interested brethren, wired funds for more food on November 21 to Zimbabwe. The amount of this wire was $4500 which should pay the cost for food and transportation for another five tons of meal and vegetables. That’s another 100 Christian families that will have food on their table for a minimum of 4 to 5 weeks. Thank you so much for your outpouring of compassion. That brings the total sent since Nov. 1 to over $10,600 and 11 metric tons of food for over 250 families. Every dime came from the wallets and bank accounts of indivudual Christians. The sacrifice and concern of so many Christians for so many of their brethren in Africa has been overwhelming. May God be praised in your efforts.
Posted 11/25/08 - Report on Seed from Les Maydell, Nylstroom, South Africa
We cannot give enough praise and glory to our great God for your overwhelming response. Even to those who gave “small” amounts - it made a big difference to someone. For example, if God sends the rains, $25 will enable two farmers to feed their families for a year! After the
first load was delivered to the brethren in Gwanda South and other areas south of Bulawayo, we were able to place a second order to help brethren far south at Beit Bridge and north of Bulawayo all the way to the Vic Falls area (Binga).This seed was delivered last weekend. [Photo: About 1 ½ tons of the seed.]
During the week we spent in Zimbabwe, they had rain just about every day, from the southern border all the way to Bulawayo and west to the Botswana border. We hear the rain extended up to Binga. Many have plowed and planted their seeds already. We have had many sincere expressions of thanks from the brethren for the seed—not only for the seed itself but for the opportunity to do their work. “We are some word above happy.” “Our prayers have been answered.” There was much difficulty in getting the seed paid for and delivered. We give grateful thanks to God, not only for you brethren, but also for those in the banking and business world who had a heart for the suffering of the people and went the second mile to make it possible.
Posted 11/24/2008 - Months after our trip in September, UN Secretary Kofi Annan and Former US President Jimy Carter were refused visa/entry into Zimbabwe. Here is the article from AP
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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said Monday the crisis in Zimbabwe appears "much worse than anything we ever imagined" after the government there blocked his weekend humanitarian visit. Carter, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and child advocate Graca Machel called for southern African leaders to halt the "deep suffering" in Zimbabwe, where the U.N. says more than 5 million people face imminent starvation.
The president of neighboring South Africa, meanwhile, warned Zimbabwe "may implode and collapse," as he announced a new round of talks to try to resolve the political impasse. His comments, some of the strongest yet by South Africa, come as a cholera epidemic has killed hundreds of Zimbabweans and spilled across the border into South Africa. Officials say Zimbabwe's political and economic collapse caused the outbreak. ...
Zimbabwe has been in political deadlock since opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the most votes in the March presidential election but not enough to avoid a runoff. President Robert Mugabe, who has been in power since independence in 1980, claimed victory in the June runoff after Tsvangirai dropped out over violence aimed at his supporters. The two agreed in September to share power but the talks have stalled over the allocation of Cabinet posts, with the opposition accusing Mugabe of trying to hold onto key positions...
Carter said the stories they heard about the collapse of education, health and agriculture "are all indications that the crisis in Zimbabwe is much worse than anything we ever imagined." He said "the leadership in Harare don't want to admit there is a crisis." Adding to the implied criticism of regional leaders, Carter said "I get the feeling that even the leaders of SADC (the Southern African Development Community) do not know what is going on" in Zimbabwe. He called for the southern Africans as well as the African Union and the United Nations to send assessment teams to Zimbabwe. Some 300 Zimbabweans have died of cholera in recent weeks and Annan said they also met with Zimbabwe opposition leaders and stressed to them that "the most important thing is the people's lives." He said they would have given the same message to Mugabe, if they had had a chance. Both the Elders and the South African leaders on Monday agreed that it is difficult to separate Zimbabwe's humanitarian crisis from the political issues. "These are two sides of the same coin and we need to deal with them simultaneously with the urgency they deserve," Motlanthe said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081124/ap_on_re_af/af_zimbabwe
November 14, 2008 OH3 News.
The first week of October found Mike Divis, Mac Payne and myself home from Zimbabwe and saddled with a new mission. Feeding hungry brother and sisters in Christ. Within two weeks Mac Payne sent funds for four tons of meal that he had raised. |
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Mike and I set to work getting and IRS and State of Indiana Non-Profit status for OH3. Then came the website and the bank accounts being set up. As compassionate brethren pooled individual resources with OH3 it became just a matter of waiting for the bank to clear the checks.
On Friday, Novermber 14th, the wait was over. We made our first official shipment. Enough money was wired to Africa to purchase 8 tons of meal and vegetables. This will follow the 4 previously sent by Mac Payne to assist in Mtabeleland, North of Bulawayo.
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160 families in the body of Christ will be assisted by this 8 ton shipment for a month or more. Praise the Lord for His goodness. Those families will also receive a thank you note that will cost them nothing to have posted and returned to sending families here in the U.S.
May we thank all involved for your participation.
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November 11, 08
The following is an email received from a trusted African preaching brother. I have left the spelling, grammar, etc. unedited and only removed the name to keep this brother from any kind of reprisals.
MY DEAR BROTHREN.
IT BEEN TO LONG TRIYING TO SEND THIS MASSAGE. BR.THE CHRISTIANS ARE IN HURD TIME .ONE VILLAGE HAVE LOST THREE PEOPLE ONE TIME WITH HUNGER ALSO ONE LARD CHRISTIAN RASHEL PASSED AWAY WITH HUNGER. … AS YOU SAW BY YOUR EYES BR.WE ARE IN NEED IN THE ARIA . WE PRAY FOR TO HELP US IN THIS NEED.I WILL ALSO WORK VERY HURD TO DELIVER THE NEED SOON
PASS MY GREETINGS TO ALL
XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX.
OH3 News
I don’t have any more sources than what is named below but here was the situation in Zimbabwe in early October, as relayed in an email by Al Payne. Comments from OH3 editor will be in RED.
In some personal emails African names are omitted because of government sponsored reprisals that have taken place in the past when names were released publicly. We choose not to cause our African brethren more problems.
17 October 2008, Washington,
Zimbabwean humanitarian organizations struggling to deliver food aid to millions of hungry people on Friday welcomed the news that the European Union has pledged 15 million Euros (US$20 million) to the country under an broader African relief package.
But in the western Matabeleland region the news from Brussels joined reports from Lupane, Matabeleland North province, that three people had succumbed to malnutrition, while in another location three children died after eating poisonous roots. (NOTE THAT THIS IS THE TSHOLOTSHO AREA THAT OH3 WAS INITALLY INTERESTED IN GETTING FOOD TO BRETHREN IN.)
Chief Executive Officer Josephat Amuli of the Churches In Bulawayo, a faith-based relief group, said the EU donation is welcome but far greater resources will be required. His organization is feeding around 4,000 people in Lupane, Matopos, and Nkayi.
Amuli told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that while a government ban imposed between June and August on food distribution by non-governmental organizations has been lifted, aid organizations still must obtain authorizations from local officials.
