Here is an email I got not long ago:
Remembering our
brothers in Zimbabwe. . .
In a meeting where Brother Losch of
the governing body was fielding questions from the friends
gathered. I asked about Zimbabwe and if we've stopped building
Kingdom Halls there. I mentioned that I read Zimbabwe printed a 50
billion dollar note and that we've stopped building Halls. He
confirmed that we had to stop. He said, 'we put $5,000 in a bank
in the morning and by night it's worth 50 cents!" He said the
friends are existing on one meal a day, sometimes less. They are
starving. The one meal is just sustenance.
Neighboring brothers are
trucking in grain as fast as they can.
Subject: Zimbabwe
Keep scrolling.......
Greetings,
We received this news
letter from a brother in the Zimbabwe Bethel:
Hi to you
all,
Zimbabwe is going through a very difficult time. We
have just heard that the branch has had to release 24
brothers from Bethel . That will bring the Bethel family down to
about 60 odd. Some will go into the special pioneer work and others back
to supporting a local congregation. That is seven married
couples and ten single brothers. Others may be asked to leave if the
economic situation does not improve.
The branch has also had to
cut back on a large number of special pioneers. So far this does
not include me....!!! Additionally the whole Kingdom Hall building
programme has stopped and all construction brothers sent home. So
far the programme has built about 450 new Kingdom Halls for
about 530 congregations under this assistance to&NB
sp;countries with limited resources programme.
The reason for all
this is the deplorable economic situation that the country and
branch has to work under. Our inflation is so high that by the time
money comes in to the country, goes through the banking System and
goes out to be used it has lost its value. At present US $1.00 is
sitting at Z$100 billion. It will be worse this afternoon..!! So
you may think, for example, that you are going to receive the equivalent
of US$10. By the time you actually get it the value has dropped to a few
cents. We can only draw Z$100 billion a day in cash if the banks have
cash. Cheques and swipe cards are limited.
We have not had bread
in months. Fuel is scarcely available but only in foreign money.
No mealie meal, th e basic food item for the locals, no sugar,
flour, salt, cooking oil, etc. Electricity and water are often off
for long periods. Some areas for months and m o nths. So it is all
very trying. The whole country is on its knees and the politicians
do nothing to help. But then this is Satan's syste m.
On the positive
side. We had our Kingdom Hall dedicated on Saturday. 239 came from the
two congregations that will use it. One English and one Shona. The
Hall itself was a major effort. The site is on clay soil and so we had
to go down with eleven reinforced concrete pillars about three
metres. It took as long to build our Hall as it took the brothers
to build our new Assembly Hall. 15 months.....!! Just had a new peak of
over 33,000 which is very encouraging as about five million have
left the country for greener pastures in Europe, America , Australia and
South Africa due to the problems here. So a peak in publishers is
welcome news.
Just came back from doing some rural witnessing
today. We have not been out to our calls in the rural area of our
territory due to the political intimidations that have been going on
with the elections. Many brothers have had a very difficult time and
some loosing everything. Typica l of Satan. The brothers warned us
not to go out there. But today it was quiet and we were very well
received. The Truth is still good here.
Sadly we may have to
leave before the year is out as we can no longer manage
economically and medically. The three of us will move to England . The
Medical Aid Societies, we have been relying on to assist with medical
expenses, have collapsed. Along with most other institutions. It has
been so sad to see such a beautiful country go down the drain......but
then the whole world will be following suit. But we are well.
Amali a had a cold and cough but now coming out of that.
So keep
all the brothers here in your prayers, they need them. We will continue
to fight the fine fight. Your faithfulness is such an encouragement to
us
