OUR PARTNER.........
Araunah Mission Fellowship of
Zimbabwe
Rev Godfrey Chakanyuka
Founder
Click on picture to listen to video . Thank you.
Christian organization to save and assist the blind crippled, albinos and orphans
Waterfalls
Harare Zimbabwe
OFFICE
498 Usselby Close
Waterfalls
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: 263 4 795691
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Hello! To all those people of God who believe and obey Jesus Command to “love” your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39)
DID YOU KNOW THAT THE VISUALLY DISABLED (THE BLIND) PEOPLE IN ZIMBABWE ARE THE MOST ABUSED, MOST REJECTED AND THE MOST STARVED OF ALL THE CATEGORIES OF DISABLED PEOPLE?
BY WHOM, HOW AND WHY, YOU MAY ASK.
1.
They are ABUSED SPIRITUALLY, MATERIALLY AND FINANCIALLY by spiritually blind SOCIETY in general.
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They are the easiest targets of rape, and are regarded as mere sexual objects resulting in forced AIDS.
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They are forced to be mothers of unwanted HIV/AIDS infected babies.
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Their babies are easy targets for kidnapping, for adoption or for which-craft rituals by some superstitious African business people.
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They are shunned because blindness is ignorantly suspected to be contagious
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In food relief distribution queues they must be the first to arrive but they are the last to be served, if served at all.
2.
They are
REJECTED or DISOWNED: How and by whom? By:
- Their own parents sadly and needlessly who “orphan” them.
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Their parents who treat them like aliens in their homes, preferring the other children
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Immediate and extended family members who marginalize them as do society in general
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Unfortunately government treats them like sub-citizens (fourth class) or worst of all, they don’t exist, except at election time, when they are cheated to vote for a candidate not of their choice.
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HIV/AIDS people suffer rejection but the blind get a double dosage of rejection. It is painful to ponder.
3. They are
IGNORED and SIDELINED
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Majority of NGO’s operating in Zimbabwe have HEFTY budgets for HIV/AIDS country programmes BUT VIRTULLY NOTHING for the blind. Has it not occurred to anyone that the blind and those who are living with HIV/AIDS have special needs? Sadly and most unfortunately the majority of Churches have not addressed this ministry adequately either, perhaps BECAUSE THE BLIND CONTRIBUTE NOTHING TO CHURCH COFFRS. Is that possible?
I WONDER what those who contribute funds to NGO’s for the disabled feel about this?
Blind people in Zimbabwe are made to sadly endure this deadly PLIGHT, painfully in silence. But for how long? How long must a blind person cry before children of God can respond to his/her cry? How long and how much must a blind child of God bear the pain before she/he can get relief and comfort!
Araunah Mission Fellowship Zimbabwe (AMEFZ) is desperately trying miserably to answer the call to give relief and comfort in what small measure it can, enabled by very limited number of people.
HERE IS WHAT IT IS DOING AND TRYING TO DO AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP US IN ORDER TO HELP THE BLIND PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE:
First and foremost, AMFZ aims to create and promote a high sense of self reliance and esteem in the life of visually disabled, for it is known that a blind person can do all and everything that other people can do except driving a car, if only they are provided with the opportunity and training.
Secondly, AMFZ aims to provide adequate
food,
medicine, clothes, bedding, transport and
school fees. At the time of writing we are sponsoring 179 children in Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as University. However there are about 40,000 blind children in Zimbabwe.
Thirdly, we try to
evangelize and establish non-denominational assemblies. There are now 6 in Harare, 1 in Bulawayo and 5 in Buhera. In the near future there will be many more in Gweru, Mutare and Masvingo. We hold two religious conventions for worship, praise and enlightenment, socially and spiritually every year.
Fourth, we are building a Braille library for them.
Fifth, lastly but mot least, AMFZ is tying to house the homeless blind and to afford livable allowances for our visually impaired voluntary workers who share the very same devastating price tags at stores and supermarkets that everyone must brave.
Sixth, we need a simple building to operate from.
AMFZ appreciates what Kapota School for the blind, Jairos Jiri Kadoma Center and Eyes for Africa are doing. Some United Methodist Church Bishops and their spouses in Africa and the USA have, in their individual capacity enabled AMFZ in a relieving manner and others. We thank them all.
We invite and urge other people irrespective of race, creed or colour in Zimbabwe and the world to JOIN US IN SERVING our most unfortunate brothers and sisters (the blind) because their
PLIGHT IS AN ON GOING EMERGENCY, INDEED AN ON GOING HEART BREAKING CRISIS!
THEIR CUP OVERFLOWS WITH MISERY.
Gratefully submitted by
ABEL T. MUZOREWA
PATRON: Araunah Mission Fellowship Zimbabwe retired Bishop of united Methodist Church
Former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
Recipient of the peace awarded by Pope John II and United Nations.
Author of Books: Evangelism that Decolonizes to Soul - Partnership with Christ and Rise up and Walk (Human Rights book written during the Liberation of Zimbabwe).
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