ZIMBABWE MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTRIES
MAY-JUNE 2004 NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM THE HARVEST FIELD MAY 2004 - JUNE 2004
Missionaries Henry & Mitzi Nel
ZIMBABWE MEDICAL & EDUCATIONAL MISSIONS
NEWS FROM THE FIELD
Dear Harvest Partners Greetings in Jesus Name.
HUMANITARIAN FOOD PROGRAM INAUGURATED
Mitzi and I journeyed into the heart of our Mission field setting up the Humanitarian Relief Program. We took delivery of some 9 (nine tons) of Nutritious fortified maize meal. With this truck load of maize meal, we travelled to several primary schools situated at various locations, spread over a distance of 250 square kilometres.
The price of the maize was some $Z10 million. This purchase was made possible by your faithful monthly partnership support. The cost of the maize meal was approx US$5000. Travelling at this time of the year is both hazardous and dangerous. The gravel roads are muddy and in many places, washed away. The schools are situated in remote areas, where the hardships of poverty, hunger and malnutrition are indescribable. The hundreds of school children, we saw and photographed, were totally undernourished, and in a state of perpetual hunger. Many of the children were clad only in tattered clothes and of course the luxury of shoes, totally foreign.
What we saw and experienced simply tore the heart out of us. We wept unashamedly. The spirit of compassion we experienced could only be generated by the spirit of God. We could not help but reflect upon the many times we dines in restaurants in the States and witnessed the abuse and wastage of food as people left behind half eaten meals.
For most of us, one visit to this field, seeing what we saw, would or rather should, change our disposition and mode of living for time, as also our values, priorities, and pursuits in life. Our commitment to Christ, to service, to stewardship and sacrifice would experience a total transformation and renewal. We visited five (5) primary schools, had long talks with principals and teachers enquiring as to the number of orphans, and one parent children at these schools. Here are the figures as given to us by the principals, as they took the numbers from their official records. These are the schools we visited and their statistics:
a. Dingani School Student body 343, Orphans 58, One parent only 75
b. Ndabambi School Student body 587, Orphans 108, One parent children 108
c. Chezo School Student body 352, Orphans 70, One parent children 55
d. Kamativi School Student body 262, Orphans 77, One parent children 85
e. Dete School Student body 271, Orphans 75, One parent children 85
Summary Total Students 1815
Orphans 388
One parent only 600
Total number of orphans and one parent children 988
APPROX. 53% OF THE TOTAL OF STUDENTS ARE ORPHANS.
Added to the starvation and malnutrition are the long distances these little children have to walk to get to school at an average of 8 kilometers. They arrived at school hungry as well as arriving back to their village homes, hungry.
THE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAM IS A SUPPLEMENTARY AND COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAM. Currently the World Health Organization gives each child 300 grams of nutritious fortified maize meal, which is equivalent to a plate of porridge. We witnessed and took photos and video footage of the children standing in line to get their plate of porridge for the whole day.
The most traumatic experience for us was witnessing the children licking their plates so as to get the last grain of maize (porridge).
OUR SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING HOW IT HELPS
We gave sufficient maize meal to the five schools, so as to increase the daily meal for each child from 300 grams to 450 grams which means each child was given a substantially bigger plate of porridge. Those with small plates were even given two helpings.
HOW LONG WILL OUR SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING PROGRAM LAST?
We hope to provide this additional food until the beginning of June 2004.
THE APPEAL: Please make it possible to provide a second load of fortified maize meal. We need US$4800 as a minimum; this will purchase approx. nine tons (9) of maize meal.
THE PHOTOS TELL THE STORY: I trust that as you see these, you will be as moved as we were that you will experience the Holy Spirit doing a new work of love and compassion in your life and relationships resulting in a spirit of liberality and generosity and thereby experience the giving provision of God, who says its more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35
CHRISTIAN AND CHARISMATIC TEACHING STAFF
As we visited the schools, spoke to the Principals and Teachers, how thrilled and overjoyed we were to hear them without exception boldly and unashamedly declared their personal Faith in Christ and sharing their Christian experiences with the children they teach.
CONSULT OUR WEBSITE AND STAY HIGHLY INFORMED:
For more pictures of the field please visit our website at www.ministrytozimbabwe.org
We value your continued prayers and generous giving.
FOR FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE CONTACT/WRITE TO US AT:
PO Box 3925
Tygervalley
Cape Province
South Africa
7536
DONATIONS AND GIFTS CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY TO:
PO Box 1848
Yorktown VA 23692
Your servants in the Lord,
Henry and Mitzi Nel
School children enjoying a meal ! School children happy for the shipment of maize meal!
To contact the Nels :
ZIMBABWE MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTRIES
P.O. Box 3925, Tygervalley, Cape Province South Africa. 7536 Ph# 021-976-7024 or 021-975-0408
DONATIONS PLEASE FORWARD TO THE U.S.A.:
ZIMBABWE MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTRIES
P.O. Box 1848, Yorktown, Virginia. USA. 23691
E-mail: hpnel@telkomsa.net
View us on the WEB: www.ministrytozimbabwe.org/
