ZIMBABWE MEDICAL EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTRIES
MARCH 2004 NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM THE HARVEST FIELD Feb. 2004-Mar. 2004
Missionaries Henry & Mitzi Nel
Dear Harvest Partner in love, care and compassion, greetings in our Saviour’s Name:
YOU CAN GO – WE CAN GO FOR YOU – KEEP US IN THE FIELD.
Mitzi and I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa at the end of November 2003. We spent three weeks having medical check-ups – our Cardiologists, Physicians and Urologists gave excellent medical reports – Praise God. We left for Zimbabwe Mission Field on the 18th December 2003 and arrived at Gwayi, the head of our rural outreach on the 22nd of December 2003, spent Christmas and New Year’s in the African bush.
Contracted Malaria: While in the field Mitzi and I both contracted Malaria. At this time of the year tropical diseases are rampant particularly Malaria. I became seriously ill with further complications of Gastric Enteritis and a severe Bladder infection followed. We returned to the city of Bulawayo, where I received medical attention I was placed under doctors who wanted to admit me, but I refused, choosing to be treated at our new home accommodation in Bulawayo. Right now while still on medication for the bladder infection, Mitzi and I are feeling well and ready to head back into the rural mission field, stretching from Bulawayo to Victoria Fall, some 550 Kilometres.
FIRSTLY – ZIMBABWE AS A COUNTRY PRESENTLY:
We traveled thousands of kilometers on all sorts of roads. The country is amazingly beautiful and moving around both day and night is absolutely safe. Do not take notice of medial reports and US State Department releases. Foreign Tourists and Missionaries are plentiful and travel without any form of danger. The people of Northern Matabeleland are of the most gracious, kind and helpful in Southern Africa.
Economically things are very tough, but improving. Inflation is still at about 600%. Food in the Towns and Cities are available, only beyond the reach of most due to the exorbitant prices.
(Click on thumbnails for larger photos)
A water logged bush road we use to the villages
Rural Comments: The staple food is “maize meal” – GRITS – which is now available from time to time. Most of the rural communities are obtaining maize from various sources and having it ground or grinding it themselves, the TRIBAL Traditional way of “Stones” or “Mortar and Pestle”. Fuel (gas) has become reasonably available and has come down considerably in price.
Part Load of 7 tons of maize meal purchase.
Off loading Maize Meal to feed an orphan village at Insiza
More maize meal for orphans & extended caring
families.
Preparing a meal for children at Gwayi School
MEETINGS WITH PASTORS AND BELIEVERS: Zimbabwe, as a country, is spiritually alive, most of those we meet and talk to are “Born again Christians.” Economic pressures, hardships, having to “live without” has only strengthened the Faith Commitment and resolve of these Believers. Most of the potential labour force is unemployed. Mitzi and I have made it our “rule of life” to have at all times money in our possession, to give to the hungry to help buy something to eat. Here, Christians are not ashamed of publicly declaring their faith. Bibles can be seen being read in all public places. In the midst of hardship, smiles and contentment are graces, obvious graces to be seen.
Desperate Need for Bibles: These are hard to come by; most cannot afford to pay the exorbitant prices. Bibles are imported from South Africa.
DONATE A BILBE CAMPAIGN: Would you increase your monthly “Faith Promise” to buy a Bible a month. US $18 will buy a Bible.
FEEDING OF CHILDREN AND ORPHANS At Gwayi we met with Pastor Victor, who you are assisting with monthly financial support, who has a second flourishing assembly. Both assemblies are growing and many are being Saved. There will be a large number baptised here (25) shortly in the Gwayi River, the home of Crocodiles and Hippos. The Secondary School at Gwayi is where, with your REGULAR MONTHLY SUPPORT. We are daily, feeding some 100 Children a meal of GRITS (Maize Meal) - (The photo tells it all).
Extended Families with H.I.V. orphans- Insiza
Nel with orphans, new born on back of
older orphan . Insiza
Nel with H.I.V. orphans - Insiza
Nel with twins at a village in Insiza
Nel with Ps. & Sis.
Chuma of Dete
Nel inside a hut with a widow mother and cooking fire on floor
Please, please continue your regular monthly support so that this feeding program can continue and grow.
We spent time with Pastor Innocent Tshuma at Dete - a rural village in extreme poverty. The family consists of 5 (Five) with two small children. They now have a place to stay but have to sleep on the cement floor. They have no furniture whatsoever. We are now with your support assisting this family with considerable monthly financial support. This work is a pioneer work, we exalted, encouraged and prayed with the family. Pray for this Pastor and his family. The photo taken at his home tells is all.
Pastors apply to affiliate and come under the Banner of the Zimbabwe Church of God.We met with several Pastors and their congregations who have officially applied to join our ministry under the Church of God. Presently there are 6 (six) congregations involved. I am presently meeting with the Church of God officials to process these requests to meet with these Pastors and their members.
ADOPT A PASTOR : The Pastors are all without any financial support - if you were to meet them and their families, see the extreme poverty and the trying circumstances under which they serve and work for God, you WOULD HAVE A NEW APPRECIATION OF LOVE, CARE AND COMPASSION. I will, in due course, provide names and photos of these Pastors and their families.
EXTENDING THE CHILDREN AND ORPHAN FEEDING PROGRAM.We are far advanced in this extended program. I have had interviews with many officials, including the RED CROSS, ROTARY and GOVERNMENT (and the GOVENOR (HON: ORBET MPOFU) whose support we appreciate and enjoy. We envisage establishing feeding programmes at Dete, Hwange and the Victoria Falls). The program will consist of the supply and distribution of Maize Meal (Grits) to controlled and administered centres.
THIS HUMANITARIAN FEEDING PROGRAM CAN NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU, ASSEMBLIES, PASTORS AND THEIR MONTHLY MISSION PLEDGE MEMBERS. PLEASE BE REGULAR AND FAITHFUL IN YOUR MONTHLY SUPPORT. THE NEXT NEWSLETTER WILL GIVE MORE EXCITING NEWS!
Villagers praising The Lord for the gift of Maize
meal - Insiza
Primary School at Gwayi. We are feeding these
children
Sis Nel given a gift of a pumpkin as experssion of thanks
on behalf of villagers
COST OF 50KG (i.e. +/-110 lbs.) Costs Zim $ 45 000.00, this can feed approximately 15 people for a month with one meal a day.
QUANTITY: THE QUANTITY OF MAIZE MEAL THAT WILL BE PURCHASED WILL DEPEND ON THE DONOR SUPPORT RECEIVED MONTHLY BY ALL PARTNERS.
MEDICAL TEAM - 2004 A medical team of approximately 20 persons will be coming to our Mission Field in Mid August 2004 to work in many Rural Clinics. This Team will be headed by Dr. Stoney Abercrombie of Anderson, South Carolina. All interested persons can contact him on the following numbers:
Office Phone: 864-224-8100; Home: 864-225-5875; Cell Phone: 864-940-7024.
CRITICALLY ILL WITH MALARIA: I was rushed to the hospital with the recurrence of malaria. I was near death and had become disoriented; however, after the latest injections being administered over a period of one week, I am now feeling excellent and back at work. All this happened some twelve days ago, about the 15th of February.
PURCHASE OF MAIZE MEAL (GRITS):We have purchased direct from one of the largest milling companies in Zimbabwe “Natural Foods,” some seven million Zim$(dollar), 132 bags, of maize meal to be collected at Hwange in Northern Matabeleland. In US dollars it cost some US$4,850. The maize meal (grits) will be for schools in the rural areas of Gwayi, Dete, Lapote and Makwandara. The last medical team under Dr. Abercrombie serviced the rural clinics in these areas. We anticipate feeding some 1,675 starving primary school children. The distribution and feeding will be under the control of School Principals and their school staff and some extended family members. Mitzi and I will be going into the rural areas sometime around the 12th of March to coordinate the Humanitarian Food Relief Program.
Pray for us and the work in the Field.
Your Missionaries,
Henry and Mitzi Nel
To contact the Nel’s :
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/
