When milk costs $6 USD
I had the privilege of eating dinner with Victor, a pastor from Zimbabwe who is in the US for a few weeks, last night (as well as spending more time with him today). We know from the news that things there have been very bad economically there, but how do you wrap your mind around 13 million percent inflation rate?
As someone who loves to go to the grocery store, this has really struck home with me. Americans are dealing with the effects of too many choices, of option overload. In Zimbabwe, you go to the grocery store hoping the almost-empty shelves will have a few staples like rice, mealie meal (maize flour), oil, sugar, and perhaps - if you are fortunate - some greens. In large part because of economic policies and poorly-planned land redistribution, the "bread basket of Southern Africa" (with an incredible amount of arable land and perfect weather) cannot produce enough now to make ends meet - hence the 95% unemployment in an agrarian culture. With the inflation rate, it is often not worth while for the mills to grind up the flour, leading to shortages even of mealie meal.
For those who can afford it (and naturally that would not include Zimbabwe's many, many orphans - the highest orphan population in the world), groceries can be bought in Botswana or South Africa, where currency can be converted to the more stable rand or US dollar. But even so, by the time the deal is done, milk might cost you $6.
Aid organizations seem to be significantly hampered working there, but in some cases the local church is giving even out of its poverty. Victor says there have been stories of white people in old folks' homes starving; worse for old black people, who have no resources at all. His church has started creating meal packets to ensure these elderly people get fed. There are many more ministries like this going on within his own small church; what others are doing, I don't know. But it gives some hope that although I personally can't do anything at the moment but pray for better things for Zimbabwe and provide some monetary support (through my church here) to their work, there are people there who are giving generously of all that have, not not just time and resources. They have faith, as Victor encouraged us this morning to have, that God has promised them an eternal inheritance that will not spoil or fade or be affected by inflation - and that he is keeping them for that inheritance; we have the unswerving commitment of Jesus himself, so we can serve him without fear even in times of great physical and emotional suffering.
"I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."
As someone who loves to go to the grocery store, this has really struck home with me. Americans are dealing with the effects of too many choices, of option overload. In Zimbabwe, you go to the grocery store hoping the almost-empty shelves will have a few staples like rice, mealie meal (maize flour), oil, sugar, and perhaps - if you are fortunate - some greens. In large part because of economic policies and poorly-planned land redistribution, the "bread basket of Southern Africa" (with an incredible amount of arable land and perfect weather) cannot produce enough now to make ends meet - hence the 95% unemployment in an agrarian culture. With the inflation rate, it is often not worth while for the mills to grind up the flour, leading to shortages even of mealie meal.
For those who can afford it (and naturally that would not include Zimbabwe's many, many orphans - the highest orphan population in the world), groceries can be bought in Botswana or South Africa, where currency can be converted to the more stable rand or US dollar. But even so, by the time the deal is done, milk might cost you $6.
Aid organizations seem to be significantly hampered working there, but in some cases the local church is giving even out of its poverty. Victor says there have been stories of white people in old folks' homes starving; worse for old black people, who have no resources at all. His church has started creating meal packets to ensure these elderly people get fed. There are many more ministries like this going on within his own small church; what others are doing, I don't know. But it gives some hope that although I personally can't do anything at the moment but pray for better things for Zimbabwe and provide some monetary support (through my church here) to their work, there are people there who are giving generously of all that have, not not just time and resources. They have faith, as Victor encouraged us this morning to have, that God has promised them an eternal inheritance that will not spoil or fade or be affected by inflation - and that he is keeping them for that inheritance; we have the unswerving commitment of Jesus himself, so we can serve him without fear even in times of great physical and emotional suffering.
"I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."
posted by Amanda at
6:14 PM
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