Living for Today and Hoping for Tomorrow

By: Carissa Gonzales

ZIMBABWE–As we distributed 12 tons of food to feed 418 families in Western Zimbabwe, individuals would come up to us and ask for more food.

There was barely enough for the families in this village.

Many of the 15 missionaries and missionary kids who joined efforts from all over Southern Africa were taking pictures of the people, their environment, and of the food distribution. I took a woman’s picture and then showed it to her when she asked to see it. We talked and parted ways.

I distributed food and talked to nationals. That same woman came up to me again to ask if we could sit and talk for a few minutes.

I hesitated, because I thought she would ask for food and I did not want to disappoint her. We went and sat behind the school building. Instead of asking for food, clothes, or money she asked me for something significantly stronger than anything material–prayer.

She knew the power of prayer was the only thing that could help her and her country.

She asked me to tell her story and not forget her. I made my first promise to an African that day–I promised to pray for her family and tell her story. As we talked, her youngest son, 18-months-old, sat chewing on my watch and her middle child pointed out to me that she did not own a pair of shoes.

This is her story: Patience* is married with five kids and is a preschool teacher.

Because she has a job, she is ineligible for government and relief aid; despite the fact that she is not getting paid. Most people with a job in Zimbabwe are not showing up for work, because they are not getting paid.

When we arrived on the school grounds the next day to continue our distribution she was with 30 or so little kids, singing and feeding them porridge provided by Save the Children.

She expressed her gratitude for being there and for the food. She told me the stores have no food. And most Zimbabweans have no money, and no seed to plant. They are hungry.

Many other people shared a piece of their story with us as well.

“Today I am eating. Thank you, thank you. I have seven kids, two people at home, and my husband. There has been no food since January. People are living by eating wild fruits or roots of some edible trees. This will be a good thing to many people. The food is a great gift. Everyone is hungry in Zimbabwe since the rains did not do well last year.”

The prayer of many has been for God to provide an overabundance of wild berries for people to eat. As portrayed by these testimonies, life is tough.

“We have to rely on God. You can’t buy food, the money’s no good, sometimes no water. No electricity for five days, just imagine.

“Some are eating this tree. It’s poisonous and sometimes dangerous. Some are dying in this place. Some eat roots they cut and boil with water, and add a bit of salt, then eat it as if they’re eating porridge. You have no energy. We are surviving by eating food that should not be eaten by human beings–to survive.

“This boy ate a rotten fruit. Fortunately, he vomited and did not die. When he was asked by old people, ‘Why are you eating this fruit?’ he said, ‘I’m hungry. I have nothing to eat.’

“Only those who have access to go to South Africa are surviving. They work in the farms for five days or so. They get something like 50 Rand ($5 US), buy mealy meal (corn meal), and walk almost 20 or so kilometers (12 miles) to come back to Zimbabwe; that’s how we are surviving.”

A 13-year-old missionary kid told me, “I have distributed food and clothes one or two times before. We are so blessed with shoes on our feet and blessed with a very beautiful house and they live in mud huts.

“Distributing food is a good way to give back. It’s a great impact, because you see the smile on the people’s faces. They see we are coming to help and it’s good for our lives, because we get to see how other people live.

“It may help them survive for a bit longer, I hope they won’t sell the food for money but use it. God has taught me that we all can be servants no matter age and be servants no matter where you are. It doesn’t have to be top scale. All you have to do is ask God what he wants you to do. You are never too little to do things for God.”

Another missionary kid, an 11-year-old wants to share a message with America children.

“If you ever go to Africa or where I’ve been, you’ll see that they are much, much more unfortunate than you are. (While) giving them the food, tell them about Christ then you might be able to take one to Jesus.”

*Names changed for security