Orphan Relief Update

(PHOTO) SUNDAY MORNING AT CREEKSIDE WITH MY MOM, SISTER, JAN, AND LYNNE

God has been doing amazing things in regards to the food relief for our precious orphans in Zimbabwe. It really was a leap of faith when we decided to do something to help, but our prayers have been answered in many ways as we not only raised money to pay for the food, but searched for what foods would benefit them the
most.

As of this week, we have enough money raised to supply the children and their caregivers with food well into 2008!!! To those who have helped in this effort, thank you so much!!

Janelle recently answered some questions that you might find interesting.

1. Who purchases and distributes the food to the children and their families?
Cornelious Moyo is the director of the ministry of Themba Le’Ntandane. He is the one who has been “sourcing” food. He has driven to an rural area about 60 to 70 miles from Bulawayo where he has found a farmer who will sell him maize (the bulk corn that is then ground into meal). He will bring the maize to Bulawayo and store it at his private home. He has prepared a room for it so it will be safe from both rodents and thieves!! :) Then he will be the one to distribute it to the caregivers of the children (grandmothers, mothers or aunts).

2. How and where is the actual food purchased?
Cornelious has found the maize there within the country, although it is a distance from Bulawayo. He is planning to buy enough maize to last the children till the end of March, knowing that the source will soon dry up. But that only takes care of the staple, “mealie meal”. We have found a source of a high protein mix (soya bean based) here in South Africa that is dried and prepared and packaged for long term storage. It is spiced and ready to cook by adding water. We are planning a trip in the next couple of weeks to take up 3 pickup loads of this food for the children. Scott will drive, and there are two other volunteers here in South Africa that say they will drive their trucks up to deliver food. We have called an importer at the South African/Zimbabwe border and asked about taking in food. He says if it is only a pickup load, they don’t give you hassles (but they will probably charge customs!). But he offered, if we had trouble, he would come to the border and help us get it through. So that was all good news.

3. What food will be purchased? How, if the food is secured outside of Zimbabwe, does the food get transported to Bulawayo?
As I have mentioned, the maize has been found in the country, and the soya mince will be brought from South Africa. Cornelious has been looking for cooking oil and beans for the children, but hasn’t been able to find any. He will continue to look, but just the maize and soya mix will be able to sustain the children. The caregivers may be able to find other vegetables.

4. Finally, on what basis is the food distributed to each person, and who actually handles the final distribution?
The food distribution will be handled by Cornelious. It will be distributed according to the children in the program. There are now 158 children, but the food also feeds the household, including the caregiver. Feeding the caregiver is as important as feeding the children. She is often not well and weak, but she is the one who keeps the family together. She provides the primary care and nurture for the children, and her health is so important to how well she is able to do that.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me personally. I will also be updating our blog site where you can get more information.

Blessings!

Lisa