A ‘thank you’ from Zimbabwe
It’s hard for Americans to imagine the distress of Zimbabwe’s people. The inflation rate is now estimated to be well above 1 million percent – how can you even begin to understand that? Neighboring countries in southern Africa have demanded President Robert Mugabe’s administration sit down for talks with the opposition party after violence-wracked elections culminated with Mugabe winning a one-man run-off vote. Millions of refugees have flooded across Zimbabwe’s borders into neighboring countries.
Hard to fathom.
It’s also hard for Americans to imagine how deeply moved Zimbabweans are when they receive the 50-lb boxes of food Southern Baptists are sending to the country through Baptist Global Response. Each box includes staples like rice, dry beans, wheat flour, cooking oil, salt, powdered milk, canned corn beef, sugar, and tea.
Here’s a brief report we just received from Kelly and Ann Carruthers, BGR field partners in Botswana who have helped with distribution of the boxes in Zimbabwe. Ann writes:
“Kelly, Mooketsi, and Noah returned from a perfect three days in Zimbabwe. I want you to know the impact the boxes had on the people Kelly delivered them to a week ago. He said people were rubbing their clothes and saying, ‘Look, I got soap last week to wash my clothes with!’ It brought me to tears. Kelly said even men were crying over the fact that Baptists were reaching out with the boxes. Wow!
“I love these people so much. Next weekend when we return, I will get a chance to go, The ladies have invited me to a Woman’s Missionary Union meeting, and I will wear the purple uniform they bought me. I can’t wait to hug them again.
“Thank you for praying, and thanks to the many Southern Baptists giving those boxes!”
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To help with the Zimbabwe Food Parcel project, click here.
