REPORT FROM ZIMBABWE

“I have had the privilege to travel there recently and to see first-hand how people and the church have survived the past twelve months.

I was so excited about going and yet there was a part of me that seriously wondered what I would find when I arrived, how would the Church have fared? Did God provide for them or are they struggling for survival despite God’s promises?

I need not have been concerned, God more than provided and looked after His Church. She did not merely survive but has grown in strength and size. I met many people who testified how they did not go to bed hungry.

Muchakata TreeOne lady explained “I give thanks to God that during the bad times last year I never went to bed hungry. God provided fruit from the muchakata tree (this is a prolific indigenous tree); every day we went out to collect the fruit and made it into porridge, buns and even a drink. We became very good at inventing new ways of eating this fruit. The fruit never stopped falling for the whole of that period of time”.

I learned that usually this tree only fruits once a year but during the time of starvation it produced fruit continually and there were enough trees for every family to claim one for their own. I heard many people testifying how this fruit had sustained them during the worst times.

The farm that Help International helped provide finances for has been a real life saver for the people. It has not only provided for Charles and his family but over a hundred families have benefited. During the period of famine Charles was able to give away between 2-3 tons of maize, because of irrigation he was able harvest two additional crops.

Everyone is saying that this coming harvest is going to a bumper one, despite having no fertilizer.

Many of you may recall we started a micro-finance project a couple of years ago. Although it started well and people had some great business ideas and opportunities the majority were overtaken by the huge inflation rates. Many bought wholesale and then sold the items either separately or in smaller amounts but when they went back to replenish stocks the price had increased by a 1000% or more. With the introduction of the South African Rand (ZAR) and the US$ as the only valid currencies the economy has now stabilised and this would be the ideal time to re-start the project as there is a sense that the country is picking herself up and starting to re-build. Help International has release money to re-start this project.”