I don’t know anyone who is deluded enough to think that the run-off election in Zimbabwe, scheduled for June 27th, will be free and fair. It is too late for that. For the past many weeks, voters for the opposition have been threatened, tortured, and even killed. This will, of course, affect the number of people who turn out to vote for the opposition. And, even should the MDC somehow manage to win the vote, the military has already decreed that they will not allow them to take power. In fact, it is believed that there has already been a military coup in Zimbabwe, and that Mugabe is now just the figurehead of a group of evil leaders. Civil war is now a very real possibility. Please keep praying for Zimbabwe. It appears inevitable that something significant will happen by the end of this month.
In the meantime, people overseas are touching the lives of Zimbabweans through their prayers and gifts. Because of our trip to South Africa and Mark’s over-busyness, we weren’t able to ship care packages to Zimbabwe until today. It is a day that Mark and I will never forget.
As usual, we had Lanny, Simon, Moses, and Sam over for lunch after church. I can’t express how much these guys mean to us. We love them dearly. They are like brothers to us and uncles to Kg, but we’ve never really known what their feelings are for us. (Well, they love Kg for sure, but who doesn’t?☺) Today, however, they expressed their love for us in a beautiful way.
After we’d eaten and had a long visit, Mark suggested that they should head to the bus station to get the packages on a bus. “Wait,” said Lanny, “Let’s have a time of thanksgiving first. Sam, will you pray?” Sam prayed a beautiful prayer, thanking God for the way that he has bound the seven of us together in a very special friendship and for the wonderful times that we have together. Then he thanked God for our friends and family in North America who have given to help the Zimbabweans, and he pleaded with God to bless the givers in return, as only he can do. He also prayed for the packages to bless the people who receive them.
I was surprised enough when Lanny spoke up and asked to have a time of thanksgiving, but I was even more surprised when he immediately started praying as soon as Sam stopped. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard him pray! He prayed in Ndebele, so I have no idea what he said, but I know that it was from a sincere and grateful heart. As soon as he stopped, Moses started. He asked God to bless the givers of the gifts, and prayed that God would receive glory from those who receive the gifts. He also prayed that God will provide for the needs of the givers. I, of course, was crying long before these guys finished. Mark and I have been involved in a lot of dependent relationships – relationships where, frankly, we were taken for granted. These guys do not take anything or anyone for granted. They are all hard workers, men with integrity and courage, who are living through hard and humbling times.
Mark and I are living through humbling times, too. How humbling to know these guys who have so little but thank God so much! May we not be guilty of having so much but thanking God so little.
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