As we fast, we pray Isaiah 58:5-12

5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?

7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,

10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.

11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

How can we help when the government of Zimbabwe

a) doesn’t acknowledge there is a problem

b) won’t let aid agencies help

Pray.

Join Desmond Tutu and others in a once a week fast.

Other ideas?

HARARE, Zimbabwe – President Robert Mugabe declared Thursday that there was “no cholera” in Zimbabwe and the country’s health crisis was over, even as the United Nations raised the death toll from the epidemic to 783.

Cholera has spread rapidly in the southern African nation because of the country’s crumbling health care system and the lack of clean water. The U.N. said 16,403 cases have been reported.

Last week, Zimbabwe declared a health emergency because of cholera and the collapse of its health services. South African authorities have declared the cholera-hit border region with Zimbabwe a disaster area as the disease spreads to other countries.

At a state funeral Thursday for a ruling party official, Mugabe insisted the outbreak of the waterborne disease had been “arrested” with the help of the World Health Organization and other aid agencies.

Mugabe lashed out at critics who have been calling for his ouster — and even military intervention — as concerns about Zimbabwe’s deepening humanitarian crisis mounted.

“So now that there is no cholera, there is no cause for war anymore. We need doctors, not soldiers,” he said during an hour-long address broadcast live on state television.

Mugabe has ruled his country since its 1980 independence from Britain and has refused to leave office following disputed elections in March. A power-sharing deal worked out in September with the opposition has been deadlocked over how to divide up Cabinet posts.

President George W. Bush, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy all have called recently for the 84-year-old leader to step down.

In Washington, the U.S. ambassador to Harare, James McGee, told reporters at the State Department that the cholera problem is getting worse and that Mugabe’s assertion that the health crisis was over showed “how out of touch he is with the reality” in Zimbabwe.

“The situation is truly grim,” McGee said, “One man and his cronies — Robert Mugabe — are holding this country hostage.”

Britain’s Africa minister Mark Malloch-Brown also rejected Mugabe’s claim that there was no longer a crisis in Zimbabwe.

“I don’t know what world he is living in,” Malloch-Brown said during a one-day trip to South Africa, where he visited a Johannesburg church housing 1,600 Zimbabweans who have fled the country.

Malloch-Brown called on South Africa to put more pressure on Mugabe to end the political and humanitarian crisis. South Africa has withheld 300 million rand ($30 million) in aid for Zimbabwe but otherwise has been reluctant to use its huge economic and political muscle against its neighbor.

“South Africa could do a lot more and it needs to do it now,” said Malloch-Brown, who also met South African Health Minister Barbara Hogan, who is trying to contain the spread of cholera from across the border. He was also due to meet President Kgalema Motlanthe.

About 664 people have been treated for the waterborne disease and at least eight people have died in South Africa. Hundreds of Zimbabweans cross the border at Beitbridge every day to search for jobs in South Africa, buy supplies and, increasingly, seek medical treatment.

Phandu Skelemani, foreign minister of neighboring Botswana, which has been critical of Mugabe, said his country’s border with Zimbabwe should remain open but he supported other measures to isolate Mugabe and his ZANU-PF party.

“If you switch off petrol (gasoline), I think that ZANU-PF will have to go. If that step is agreed and you then simultaneously airlift critical supplies like food and essential supplies to prevent Zimbabweans from starving to death, I think it will have desired effect,” Skelemani told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The worse news is there is an outbreak of cholera in Zim.  Cause: unclean water.  I’ve seen the pictures of sewage where there shouldbe drinking water.  The other day, we received an alert notice about travelling to the north of South Africa. They are worried that people are bring cholera in.  Seems that there have been a number of cases in SA in that area.

There is no food.  Schools are having to close

God, intervene.

One of the women from Zimbabwe prayed thanking God that we could gather in safety tonight – something that most of us take for granted.

I am reminded of how Jesus is the one who died to make us all free. May we remember him today as we celebrate our freedom.

Has Mugabe won? For now? Will this move force the world to help an actual, legal, proper election take place?

This is breaking news, so we are waiting for implications and reactions. We are shocked to say the least. And we continue to pray.

God help Zimbabwe. May your Kingdom come.

Last week, Mugabe ordered that all NGO’s stop operations, claiming they were supporting the opposition.  ALL OF THEM?  Sadly, NGO’s are the main source of food for most Zimbabweans.  Interesting that Mugabe continues to use the “we don’t want to be pawns of the west” as justification for nearly everything.  Do people really buy that one?

We are praying.  Pray with us.  Peace.  Justice.  Love.

The place is horrible.  Too many people in too little space.  Various nationalities, no food, no services.

Complicating matters is the fact that the South African government has setup a series of army tents which the people refuse to use.  Several stated to me, “South Africans have done this to us.  The same police who protect us during the day are the ones who are burning our homes at night.  They are all the same.  We don’t trust them.  We will only accept help from the UN.”  The refugees also believe that the government-provided camp is South Africa’s way of rounding them all up and keeping track of them.  Many fear that they would actually be in more danger by staying there.

So, while the government-provided camp sits empty, everyone camps in the mud, with a few tents, in an adjacent field.  They are threatening and attacking those who do stay in the government camps.  There are also rumors of trouble within the refugee camp itself – various political factions from other nations vying for power even here.  The camp is housing people from Somalia, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Angola (and others, but those are the nationalities of people I spoke with yesterday).

I heard on the news this morning that there was trouble in the camp last night and that police were firing rubber bullets – not sure why.  There is also a hunger strike taking place.  Article from today’s news about the camp.

Yesterday, I came home stunned.  Several people told me, “I would rather go home to die than to die here.”  These are people from countries like Somalia that have been at war for years.  And they think that would be a BETTER option.  South Africa, how did it come to this?

Help us God.  Kingdom come.

Much prayer. Together and individually, we give this to God and demand that He respond. He is…

We have invited a friend and his wife (refugees from Zim) to live in one of the rooms at Pangani, at least for a few weeks. Considering how we can make space for others.

Money given to NCSA to help with refugees has been directed to some people building houses for refugees

Several of us are talking to others who are helping refugees – looking for ways to partner & help.

We have money which we are giving to others who are working with refugees to provide food, shelter, etc.

If you would like to contribute financially, we can receive your money and forward to appropriate services and people working to make a difference. If you are interested in helping, email me.

• connecting with, learning from, and sharing resources with like-hearted people around us, especially in Pretoria
• helping others understand the reality of these refugees, knowing their stories, knowing their names
• opening our home for refugees
• asking everyone to consider housing refugees – providing safe and caring environments – Church, here’s an opportunity to love
• praying for peace in Zim and for God to care for all of those in need

Join us! This is just the basic idea of what we feel God is saying to us. Please pray for us and the people of Zimbabwe. We all need God’s love and power.

When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.