National and international news
Urgent prayer request for Zimbabwe
News coming out of Zimbabwe this past week is truly shocking. Colleagues in the churches with whom we have worked in the Langham Preaching and Keswick programmes are sending messages urging us to pray.
After years of economic collapse, political repression and intimidation, and greatly reduced life-expectancy, Zimbabwe is confronting yet more horrific suffering. The new wave of terror, in advance of the Presidential elections which were scheduled for this week, is unprecedented. Christians in Harare say that there is one word on the manifesto of this election campaign: it is the word 'fear'. Now that the MDC has withdrawn from the election, considerable uncertainty remains regarding the future of the country and its leadership.
In the rural areas whole villages are being intimidated, people are fleeing their homes and living in the bush for fear of beatings, rape, pillaging and the burning of their homes by gangs armed and mandated by the government. Violence has now reached the cities, with commuter minicabs used for public transport being stopped and drivers beaten. Passengers have to get out and chant ZANU-PF slogans (ruling party) or they are beaten. One pastor in Harare has written to us:
'A church member has just come in and shared how she travelled to a near-by town, and on the way was stopped at two police road blocks and made to chant slogans. A young man in the church witnessed youths stopping a minibus, pulling out the driver and beating him on the street, without police interference. We have more and more people coming to the church in need of help as a result of political violence and intimidation. Reports come to our ears daily of acts of torture and oppression and violence. Abductions happen regularly, murders occur and are unreported. The list could go on and on. Churches have been stopped from distributing food; even an organisation that feeds street children was told to stop operations. Food is short, unavailable in the stores. The wickedness is unbelievable, the lack of concern for struggling people is demonic, the deafness of those in power to the cries of the suffering and the commitment to self-advancement at the expense of others are hard to believe.'
Understandably, the Christian community identifies with the opening questions of Habakkuk's oracle: 'Lord, how long will I call and You will not hear? How long will I cry out and You will not save?'. Our friends and colleagues in Zimbabwe ask us to join them in prayer:
- Pray for the many people struggling to survive, fearful of what the future holds;
- Pray for young people caught up in the violence, or those despairing of any hopeful future;
- Pray for the elderly who are beaten by youths, contrary to the deepest mores of culture and African community;
- Pray for grandmothers, and widows, and the vulnerable in society;
- Pray for school children with studies disrupted and classes cancelled;
- Pray for people in prison for their political views;
- Pray for pastors to be wise and full of integrity;
- Pray for police and army members to act righteously;
- Pray for Zimbabwe's neighbours, and all efforts by political leaders outside of the country to mediate in the crisis;
- Pray for God's righteous judgement to come, that He will defend the defenceless and father the fatherless;
- Pray for the gospel to advance through Christian communities empowered by God's grace.
The prophet Habakkuk asked his honest questions of the Lord, but also heard the Lord announce his 'woes' of judgement on all wicked rulers. By God's mercy, Habakkuk was able to close his prophecy with a remarkable doxology, singing to the Sovereign Lord who was his strength. Please join us in praying that this will be the experience of God's people in Zimbabwe, even in the midst of uncertainty and terror.
Jonathan Lamb
Langham Partnership Australia
June 23, 2008
Prayer, toil and tears
Churches reach more than 100,000 in Burma
More than four weeks after the devastating Burma cyclone, the UN estimates that more than fifty percent of the 2.4 million people affected have still not received any official aid.
In this desperate situation, local churches are playing a critical role in reaching needy communities. AngliCORD relief worker Brad Chapman, who has just returned from Yangon, observed the work of local organisations supported by AngliCORD's emergency appeal.
An emergency shelter on a lonely island in the Irrawaddy Delta. Photo:CPM
"While foreign agencies are frustrated in their requests for greater access to the affected areas, local partners are quietly but effectively going about the business of delivering relief to those who need it," says Brad.
Immediately after the cyclone on 2 May, local churches and community organisations began organising their own relief efforts. Purchasing supplies of rice and tarpaulins in Yangon, they were able to reach stranded survivors using boats and canoes.
With support from AngliCORD and other members of ACT International alliance, these local, church-based organisations have reached more than 100,000 people with clean water, food, and other relief.
With local stocks in Yangon running low and increasing food costs in the country, these organisations are now working with the UN World Food Program on the distribution of food aid.
Representatives of a village paddle out to meet a church relief boat. Photo: CPM
Funds are already getting through and making a difference, says Brad. "Despite their hardship, local leaders asked me to convey their gratitude to Australians for our prayers and our donations which are being felt on the ground".
As part of their initial response, local Council of Churches members established 21 relief camps for survivors who had lost their homes. When the camps were handed over to the government they were caring for over 6,000 people. Churches have also acted quickly to ensure the safety of orphaned children.
Each local organisation is working in its own geographic area but all are clear in their humanitarian duty to provide assistance without discrimination. Boundaries of ethnicity and religious belief have been transcended by a shared understanding that aid is given for the people who need it most.
While more than 100,000 people have been reached so far, no-one is stopping to celebrate this achievement. The grave task of making sure supplies of food, water, shelter and medicine make it to the people who need them is consuming all of the energy of local leaders.
"The cyclone has created many heroes" says Brad. "One doctor thanked me for my concern when I expressed how fatigued he appeared, but assured me that he could not stop working as long as there remained people to be helped".