April 20, 2009
Ministry Accomplishments
Christian Aid Mission
P.O. Box 9037
Charlottesville, VA 22906
(434) 977-5650 www.christianaid.org
Ministry accomplishments made possible by support for Christian Aid
Zimbabweans send gratitude for the help of their supporters
Zimbabweans are entering the worst of their seven straight years of hunger and suffering. With a cholera epidemic threatening the lives of nearly half the malnourished population, 2009 looks grim for the collapsing country. Yet the recipients of supporters' kindness are filled with gratitude. They send their thanks for the love and concern of donors who have given to them through Christian Aid. Christian Aid received the following letters from thankful souls.
"We are so excited with the wonderful gifts we received from you all. We were in shock when we saw this old white bus drive into our compound. We could not believe our eyes when three young men came out to greet us and told us they brought good news for us. They delivered shoes, socks, belts, lotion (this is the first time we ever knew about lotion), soap, toothpaste, washcloths, slippers, toothbrushes, and even combs.
"We really thank Christian Aid and everybody who gave these wonderful gifts to us.
"We are now helping institutions that care for orphans and terminally ill children. A couple of months ago, we were approached by a group of nurses who care for children with AIDS, ages 8-16 years. They rarely live beyond 16 years, and there are so many of these children. They asked us to provide them with the Word of God and introduce them to Jesus. The nurses were in tears saying some of them have no parents and no clothes (including undergarments). This broke our hearts.
"Thanks to your help, we are now washing and ironing undergarments for these children. Please remember them in prayer."
-Martin and Ivy Bernard, Ministry leaders of Thy Kingdom Come Ministries
"I am a 47-year-old woman who lives in Harare. My name is Taona Mubata. I stay in an Orphanage Home with children under the age of 5.
"I would like to thank Christian Aid for sending help to Ivy and Martin to help Zimbabwe. I received soap, lotion, Vaseline, baby and children's cloths, shoes, milk, toothpaste, washcloths, toothbrushes, peanut butter and stuffed toys. It was really a blessing to have toothpaste, because we used to brush our teeth with salt because toothpaste is unaffordable. The children were very happy to have a pair of shoes, they never knew what shoes looked or felt like before! Oh how happy they were!
"It was such a blessing for the children to receive lotion because their skin had become dry and hard. The toys meant so much to them that all of them slept with their own toy. We really appreciate every single thing we received from Martin and Ivy through you."
"We are a group of people from a farm called Ada Nijo. We received shoes and clothes from Martin and Ivy. We are farm laborers. Clothes are a blessing! With our small income, we can only afford to buy green vegetables. Thank you so much!"
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"I am a teacher and was chosen by the headmaster to distribute the clothes, comforters, Crisco, baked beans and flour for the children who cannot afford food for school. It was a real blessing to have Martin and his wife come all the way to Mutoko (two hours from Harare).
"I have not eaten food cooked with oil in many years. Crisco is a wonder! With the way things are here in Zimbabwe, surely it is manna from Heaven."
"My name is Beulah Jamali. I am 20 years old, the fifth child born in a family of nine. My mother and father died when I was 12 years old. Two of my older sisters died and left two 3-year-old boys and a 4-year-old girl for me to look after. I had to stop school because there was no one to look after my nephews and niece, my sisters and brothers.
"My life seemed miserable and nothing was working for us, but the day I met Martin and Ivy all the doors began to open. I began to realize that God was missing in our lives.
"I want to thank you Christian Aid for the clothes, food and shoes you have provided for my family, especially for my sisters' children as they had nothing to wear. God is working in our lives.
Thank you, thank you sponsors for your helping hand to the people of Zimbabwe!
May God bless you with many blessings."
LETTER FROM AN ORPHAN
Greetings,
We had a call this morning from one of widows grandchildren we visited in Ard-Mbare, she said please send a letter to Roy, Archie and Brenda, all the wonder full people of America, say thank you for the soap, cloths, wash clothes and navy beans. This girl is an orphan lives with her 3 brothers, 3 sisters and grandmother. Her grandmother was so blessed that she needs to carry this message to you all. She said " We do not even know Roy, Archie and Brenda and all the people in U.S.A but found it in their hearts to bless me and my 7 grandchildren."
She was so happy, and I promised the grandchildren we will sent the letter. They too were grateful for the clothes. The things we took was like Father Christmas has arrived.
God bless bless you all for touching, helping orphans, needy, widows e.t.c,
Martin, Ivy & Tracey
