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I went to Zimbabwe yesterday and what I am seeing is hard to describe. The people there are so resilient, tough, thankful, and continuing to remain hopeful, in a time when there is no way their government can bail them out of anything. Let me ask you some questions as a way to describe what I have seen. This may be a strange newsletter but I hope you get my point.
Have you ever seen the bristles on a toothbrush erode because of use and now there are only half of them remaining? Have you ever not had toilet paper for months? Have you ever drawn water from the tap at 3 a.m. because there would be no water the rest of the day? Have you ever drunk city water and it made you sick because it wasn't treated properly? Have you ever had electricity go out for days with no real hope of it coming back on because thieves keep stealing the copper from the lines? Have you ever received a month's salary only to find it wouldn't pay for a bus ticket to the next town? Have you ever not been able to buy your children notebooks for their school work? Have you ever seen the price of a notebook cost more than you make in a month? Have you ever been able to withdraw only $5,000 dollars a day and it wouldn't be enough to pay for transport to the next city? Have you ever had to wait three days to collect enough money to travel to the next city? Have you ever worried about seeing relatives because one of them had died and you didn't know how to get there or how they would contact you, and it was only 60 miles away?
To some of these questions you will be able to answer yes. Some seem far fetched and impossible. This is the situation in Zimbabwe. It is continuous and worsening, gradually of course, but worsening day by day. I wonder how long these people will be able to withstand the constant deterioration of their country.
I know we don't talk about money, but I have seen what a little money can do, and the people are so thankful. Mothers came up to me almost in tears because we had given their children notebooks. I couldn't stand to have them thank me. It is you, Baptist people from all over, who have allowed me the privilege of driving your vehicle and carrying gifts which bear your name. We do this in the name of Christ, but it does make a difference. Next week I will be traveling back to Zimbabwe to do the next step in all relief projects: teach the Word of God, because it is the greatest gift we deliver. Pray for me to have strength. Missionary Kelly Carruthers
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