Zimbabwe Partnership

Zimbabwe Resources

Mission Statement

As a Conference of The United Methodist Church, we will work to mobilize new partnerships and support existing relationships in an effort to develop sustainable solutions, empower communities and optimize the resources required to address the crises facing our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to see a joyful, peaceful, prosperous, self-sufficient, empowered, healthy and reconciled Zimbabwean nation that works together in the spirit of Chabadza. We will work ceaselessly and passionately along side of other Christians to support efforts leading to sustainable living and freedom to grow in Christ for all Zimbabwean people.

Fruits

Zimbabwe is on our team's hearts. Every member is passionately involved in some way in Zimbabwe. This passion is God’s way of continuously nudging and pushing us into serving Zimbabwe through Christ in deeper, loving and sustained ways. Amid such despair, there is everlasting hope. The Baltimore-Washington Conference has a covenant relationship with the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area Conference. This relationship keeps being strengthened by support from around our conference. Part of this support is evident through the Hope Fund, which continue to do much to support our ministries in Zimbabwe. Bishop John Schol ran a half-marathon to help raise money for our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. There was a recent fundraising effort that raised over $11,500 in several weeks to stem the spread of cholera by treating thousands of victims. Two Annapolis District Churches, Baldwin Memorial UMC and Asbury Arnold UMC, also recently raised $7,000 for a grinding mill that will serve 500 families assisting children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in the remote Mushenje Community.

2009-07-09: Bel Air UMC is dedicated to providing sustainable care and health education through the building, training and staffing of a medical facility in Munyarari, and will be taking a UMVIM team there in June. There is also the Nothing but Nets campaign that is saving lives. The BWC had a goal of providing 10,000 nets at $10 a net by annual conference 2009. Beverly Schol and Jo Chesson were leading this cause. With the donations from around our conference 10,000 nets were distributed on World Malaria Day April 25th. This doesn’t count the 7,000 nets brought over in 2007 by Bishop John Schol’s with the Pastor School team that taught over 300 Zimbabwean pastors at African University. The Bishop is leading another Pastor's School July 2009.

We also have a lay person from Nichol's Bethel UMC and co-team leader for our Zimbabwe Partnership, Jim Gourley, serving as a Baltimore-Washington Conference volunteer in Zimbabwe for 5 months. He will be providing logistical and administrative support to the Zimbabwe Conference leading up to our first Zimbabwe-Baltimore-Washington Conference International United Methodist Summit in July 2009, following the Pastor's School with the Bishop’s at African University.This summit will facilitate project coordination among the many United Methodist Conferences partners from around the United States and Europe in order to address the most pressing issues facing our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters.

Share your story with Neil Moores, Co-Team Leader for the BWC Zimbabawe Partnership at neilmoores@verizon.net

"Imagine No Malaria"

Imagine No Malaria is an extraordinary ministry of the people of The United Methodist Church to eliminate death and suffering from malaria in Africa by 2015. Imagine No Malaria is our next step in the fight against this killer disease.

The collective embrace of Nothing But Nets has shown we have the capacity to do more. Think of Imagine No Malaria as “Nets Plus.” God has provided an opportunity to rethink how we reach beyond our church and connect with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and that opportunity is Imagine No Malaria.

“Plus” means a comprehensive approach to empower an entire continent to eliminate death and suffering from malaria. Because malaria knows no borders in Africa, we are taking a comprehensive approach to help blanket the continent.

Prevention: Continue to provide life-saving bed nets through Nothing But Nets. We will also work to break the mosquito life-cycle by draining water whenever possible.

Education: We will train community health workers to reach and teach people in rural areas with critical information to flight malaria.

Communication: Where TV and newspapers are not available, we will help deliver messages of hope and healing through radio and cell phones.

Treatment: We increase access-to-quality-care by equipping hospitals and improving health infrastructure to adequately serve the needs of the communities.

We work with partners like the United Nations Foundation, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the people of Africa to achieve a sustainable victory over malaria.

Zimbabwe News

2009 April: Bishop Runs for Hope: Click here to read the story and to see the interview.

2009 February: URGENT CALL FOR AID IN ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe is facing a cholera epidemic. According to the United Nations, over 80,000 people have been infected with nearly 3,800 deaths and thousands of new cases being reported every day. You can help immediately. Cholera is treatable with rehydration. The Baltimore Washington Conference Zimbabwe Partnership met its initial pledged amount of $10,000, however since the crisis is ongoing we will continue to accept funds for these kits.

Our conference is partnering with UMCOR, ZOE Ministry, Nyadire Connection, and a UMVIM team from the Central Texas Conference to hand-deliver these initial kits and supplies to three hospitals in Zimbabwe in February 2009. Please send a tax-deductible check to Baldwin Memorial UMC, place “Cholera Kits” in the memo line, Address Baldwin Memorial UMC, 921 Generals Highway Millersville MD 21108. Our ability to save lives is real. Our time to act is now. More

Before Your Travel

American citizens traveling to or resident in Zimbabwe should register with the U.S. Embassy by completing a registration form online at https://travelregistration.state.gov. Registration enables the Embassy to contact American citizens in case of emergency and provide updates on the security situation.

As the Department of State continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its consular information program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 202-501-4444.