The Plight of Zimbabwe

How many of you (those who are not from Africa) even know that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe? How many of you are aware that hundreds of people are starving every day? Are you aware that children are being used for political gain? Are you aware that people who do not support the government go missing every day in Zimbabwe? Are you aware? And if you are, do you care?

As I sat watching the news recently, the sight of a small boy hooked-up to an intravenous drip whilst lying on a piece of cardboard under a tree really shook me. The child is infected with cholera, but there is no place for him in the hospital. He is lying under a tree on a dirty road, with not a family member or medical practitioner in sight? How can this be? Imagine if this was your child? – By the time you read this blog, the chances are probable that the little boy I speak of is already dead.

In Zimbabwe, the latest figures show that over 300 000 people are threatened by cholera – as if these 300 000 people do not have enough to cope with. If cholera does not end them, then starvation will probably be their undoing.

1 US Dollar (USD) = 19,446,204 Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWD) – that is the exchange rate at the moment and yet Grabb’n Grace (President Robert Mugabe’s wife) is able to go on shopping trips to Paris and have lavish international holidays while her people starve??? The Zimbabwean government has just started issuing trillion dollar notes.

The propaganda which is at this very moment being spread in Zimbabwe is an absolute joke! The government is telling the people that Gordon Brown is spreading cholera in Zimbabwe and that even though the Zimbabwe Government is doing all in its power to save its people, Britain is spreading cholera throughout Zimbabwe to undermine the government! Have you ever heard something so ridiculous in all your life? And yet the people believe it. A lack of knowledge and empowerment ensures that the poorest of the poor in Zimbabwe will believe their president who says he is trying to save them from the tyrannical rule of the west. Ridiculous!

I look at my boys and feel blessed. Adam and I are by no means rich when it comes to the conventional meaning of the word – We do not live in a mansion or drive fancy cars, but we have a roof over our heads, food on the table and a warm bed to sleep in at night. Caleb goes to a good school and has more toys than any one child can play with; they both receive private health-care and have more love than most of Zimbabwe’s orphans will know in a life-time. WE ARE RICH! I try to imagine what it must feel like for the mothers in Zimbabwe? Every night they send their children to bed hungry.. or sick.. And there is nothing they can do about it!

How lucky we are and we do not even appreciate it! We complain all the time about having to go to work, or the extra kilograms we are carrying – How blessed are we to be able to earn money to take care of our families! How blessed are we to have so much food available that we are over-weight!

If you do nothing else today, arm yourself with knowledge about the plight of Zimbabwe! Contribute or donate to a charity to help those who cannot help themselves. Only once you have given unselfishly to others can you truly appreciate the rich blessings of your life!