Hearing & Receiving Christ Ministries. Training Nationals in Zimbabwe, Africa.

What we want to share with you about Zimbabwe is not what you would read in a book, but what you find in the every day lives of the people.

Typical dwelling for Africa.

In Zimbabwe the average life expectancy is 28 to 30 years. When we arrived in Zimbabwe in 1996 the average life expectancy was 45 to 50 years. Why such a drastic change? Increase in HIV and AIDS, Malaria, hunger, Political upheaval, and sanitary conditions.

Half the population is 19 years and under and 45% of the population is 15 years and under.
85% of the population is unemployed.
Inflation as of 2007 is at 1200%
70% of the population live below the poverty line.
40% of the babies born carry the Aids virus.
Of a population of 12.5 million a conservative 33% of the population battle the Aids virus.
40% of the nations export income has been lost in the past 5 years due to the government take over of 4500 privately owned commercial farms. There were on the average of 300 people who gained a living from each farm which has been a major player in massive unemployment.
Out of the 12.5 million population a conservative figure of 1.5 million orphans are in the country.
When Helen and I entered Zimbabwe in 1996 the exchange per US dollar was 9 Zim dollars to one USD. Now in 2007 the exchange in real terms has gone to 1000,000 Zim. dollars to one US dollar.

Chinhoyi Caves has a water depth of 300 feet.

We are confronted daily with fuel shortages. Long fuel lines are a common experience.

Storing and siphoning fuel are a daily event.
Due to such high inflation the drop out percentage in the educational system is alarming.
According to those who are hunters in Zimbabwe, 80% of the animal life has been destroyed due to illegal hunting and increase in animal diseases since the year 2000. Animal diseases have spread due to the destruction of fencing on the 4500 commercial farms taken by the government.
Zimbabwe up to the end of 2000 was a major exporter of grain to Southern Africa and now must import grain and is experiencing hunger in the nation.
5 million people have fled the country producing a huge brain drain in the hospitals and teacher education.
Failure to keep water treatment chemicals in the city water and failure to spray for mosquitoes has brought about the increase of sickness and death in the city areas.

Come see us in Zimbabwe Africa. It is a land of extremes with extreme beauty.

Some are advocating a return to Ancestral worship and other tribal practices. This has come about due to a strong idea of reclaiming the land from the white commercial farmer and returning it to the African people. Some Africans say, " we have taken back our land now lets take back our soul," This has brought about a strong anti Christian move by the powers and authorities that be. It is taught that the Christian faith is a white man's religion and is not a way to God by the African people.

Pray for our nation and our leaders and do the same for Zimbabwe.