Homelessness Comes to Old Mutare Mission Area
These children are lucky. They live at Fairfield Children’s Home, Old Mutare Mission, Zimbabwe. Many other children in the area are homeless after their houses and huts were destroyed and burned by Zimbabwe police.
This is a poignant account of the horrors that have now reached the Old Mutare Mission area, where we have visited many times and the bulk of our work and support has been concentrated. This comes via those working with the children at Fairfield Children’s Home. How do we respond? Morris and Ann
From: “Judy Ahlschwede”
Date: July 19, 2005 12:26:44 AM EDT
To: morris@taber.net
Subject: ZIMBABWE with tears
[Ann & Morris, I wanted to share this with you- it is what I have sent out to many as a request for funds and to let people know what is happening. The content of my letter is not new to you -- the note attached from Janine is well written and speaks volumes.
Peace, Judy PS -- Gil seems to be doing much better -- he is taking Spanish lessons and seem to have found peace in what has happened - said he didn't think he could have kept quiet seeing what is now happening. Feels God has opened another door for him - his plan at present is to go to Nicaragua. ]
Dear Friends,
I have been sitting here trying to decide what to write — what to say that would share with you what is happening. Then this email came through – it is from the young pastor and a good friend (Janine Roberts) that oversees the FOSA Emergency Relief Project along with Mai Chimbo. The Guy Farm is the first farm to be burned in the Old Mutare Mission area with the governments “clean-up” campaign. This is where FOSA has focused much of its relief efforts. It is a village I have vistied and is filled with many heartwaming stories, sad stories and hardships for all — but still hope, at last count 95 orphans lived on this farm. Now 40 of the huts have been burned. Police presence makes sure those now left out in Zimbabwe’s winter cold (often down to upper 30’s) do not seek shelter in what is left of some charred remaining clay structures. Churches, NGO’s and many other groups are not allowed to offer assitance. There is one group that Janine is working that (FOST) that has been allowed to offer some very limited assistance. Any assistance given must first be approved by the top police (army) person in the area. The head of FOST is asking for permission to provide food, blankets, warm jerseys, and hats. It is now going on 4 days since the burnings — things are getting critical. The army is scheduled to be in the area burning until the end of August – I beleive thirteen farms (villages) in all will be affected.
The end of Janine’s message is talking of a children’s project being done with some of the children on the farms and at Fairfield Children’s’ Home. In the homes it is being done along with a supplement we provide that helps with the immune system – it is hoped those can be provided for the some of the children on the farms too.
Please take time to read Janine’s note below — it speaks volumes. I cannot imagine the pain of those suffering for themselves, for their children, and for those they love. We are limited in what can be done from here — but we can provide funding to offer assitance to those on the ground who are truly doing God’s work. FOSA already has an established Emergency Relief Fund —- please talk to those around you, your churches, your church groups……. If you wish to send donations through FOSA make checks out to “FOSA” and send them to: Meridian Street UMC 5500 North Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN. 46208 Attn.: Pam Withy/FOSA. Make sure you note that the funds are for the Emergency Relief Efforts –we already have funds at work there right now. Please do not let these cries fall on deaf ears. I want to share here the verse Janine uses at the end — it worthy of being read twice — Thank for doing the something you can do – and thank you for your prayers for the people of Zimbabwe and for guidance and safety of those on the ground.
Psalm 10:17-18 Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed so people can no longer terrify them.
Prayers and Peace,
Judy Ahlschwede,
FOSA USA Chairperson
July 18, Janine writes:
Today as we rode back from town on a large public bus, I looked out the window at literally hundreds of cars stretching in lines from each gas station. Many had come days before in a vain attempt to find fuel where there is none. Public transportation has now reached a breaking point as the demand for its services greatly outweigh the supply of buses and cars available. The price for a ride last week was 5,000 Zim. Today it was 10,000 and the prices will double tonight making it nearly impossible for many to pay. We waited, along with dozens of others, until finally finding a ride back to the mission at dusk. My car has become an oversized lawn ornament for the time being. The fuel shortage affects many different areas, including the ability to find basic commodities such as milk, sugar, cooking oil and bread. The cars we do see on the road are often trucks filled with mattresses, a few pieces of furniture, and some household goods packed tightly headed for “kumusha.” Many people are being forced to return to their rural homes because their houses have been burned to the ground in a clean-up operation to clear the cities of any structure that does not have a permit. This lists includes shacks, permanent homes, businesses, and churches. It is estimated that 1.5 million out of a total population of 11 million are now homeless because of this process. When it rains, like it did today, there is no shelter. People sit on their beds outside watching as their belongings become soaked through. This clean-up hit a lot closer to home when on July 13, the homes of many of the children living at Guy Farm, who we have on our outreach list were burned to the ground in a matter of hours. Only a short time after Melissa came home and told me she had seen the army burning down the houses of our friends, I received this letter copied word-for-word here:
Dear Janine,
I was happy to write this letter to tell you about operation. On Tuesday the policeman come to our area and started burning the people’s house. My father said come here to plan because my family we’re sleeping out sides, but it has been windy and cold. Greetings to Melissa-
Yours faithfully, Winfer Simau (nine years old)
The Simau family, with five children in total, was among the first to receive support from project H.O.P.E. so they could start generating income on their own last year. We were so proud to visit them last week and see that they had been able to build a third hut for the children to sleep in with their extra earnings. They had also been able to pay their own school fees. Now the only thing left is a heap of ashes that they have slept next to for the last two nights.
After returning home from our bus trip, Melissa and I gather the few groceries we managed to collect in town and walk the too-familiar path to the mission hospital. We walk through the doors with confidence now, knowing exactly where each of our patients resides. Baba Dozva lies resting on his small cot with his wife faithfully at his side. He has admitted to us that he has tested HIV positive, his openness highly unusual. They are now the sole caregivers for three orphans as well as their own children. As we talk for a few minutes, he tells us that hospital prices will nearly double by Friday. Staring down at his tattered blankets with a glazed-over look, he thinks out loud giving one voice to the thoughts of
many on this day. “My God,” he says, “we’re all going to die aren’t we…”
Psalm 10:17-18
Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed so
people can no longer terrify them. (NLT)
This is our promise from God. Keep praying and waiting…we will see Him at work. We are already beginning to see progress in some of the children who are HIV positive. Some of them have been placed on a special diet and many have experienced improved health because of these minor changes. It is so great to see them running around with renewed energy and big smiles.
Wenyu Munashe,
Janine
Go to the end of the path until you get to the gate. Go through the gate and head straight out towards the horizon. Keep going towards the horizon. Sit down and have a rest every now and again, but keep on going. Just keep on with it. Keep on going as far as you can. That’s how you get there….
Child at Old Mutare Mission
Market stalls similar to those that have been torn down and burned