The Snyder Family: January 2008

My heart has been stirred and I'm taking action! If you are like me, you know there are needs in the world and you even have a desire to do something about it but you just don't know what to do. What EXACTLY are the needs? Where EXACTLY do I need to send money and what will that money do?

I was recently made aware of a situation in Zambia, Africa. Keven's cousin and wife are involved with two missions groups in Zambia and have direct contact with Action International missionaries down there. We had dinner with them recently and heard their hearts where Zambia in concerned. The next Monday, Brett sent me the following e-mail asking for prayer and/or financial help because of a current crisis in Zambia.

"At this point, the biggest challenge in the feeding program is that it is the rainy season and the cost of food and supplies has gone up significantly. It has been raining here every day to the point of roads being washed out. Charcoal has gone from 40,000 kwacha a bag to 100,000 per bag because it is all wet. We are starting to see an increase in the price of fish as well because they can’t get it into the city. Several bridges have been washed out as well.

The National food storage places in the South and East have been flooded and they have lost their reserves. With the rain not letting up, crops have not grown or they have developed fungus and are going to be spoiled. We are worried about there being enough food to go around this coming March, April and May.

For many of the children these are the only three meals they receive each week. It seems the crisis has reached a point of just trying to get them fed the three times per week right now".

The kids being talked about go to free schools put on by Action International. Many of these kids do not get to eat much. When they started the schools, the kids would eat the grass mats they were sitting on. Then they started the feeding program and miracles happen. :)

The thought of these beautiful children eating only three days/week right now with the possibility of that decreasing is more than I can handle. My heart was heavy all day on Monday and as I was sitting on my couch taking a break while my beautiful and healthy children were napping, I felt a little nudge and heard a little whisper..."so, what are you going to do Alicia?"
I know that I, alone, cannot do much. I also know it doesn't take much to make a difference in the lives of these kids. I also know that together....we could make a significant difference.

I look at my beautiful, healthy children and my heart aches. I get frustrated because my kids won't eat vegetables. I get frustrated because my kids turn their noses up at the food I prepare for them. Today, my heart is breaking because I know for certain there are kids in Zambia who would gladly sit at my table and eat my son's vegetables.

Today I am asking you to help me make a difference in the lives of the kids attending the Action International free schools in Zambia, Africa. The two things I know for sure that they need are prayer and money. Please pray for the flooding and food crisis. Please pray for the health of the kids there as their bodies strive to survive on eating three days/week. Please pray for enough supplies to feed them more often. Most importantly, please pray that they will feel the love of Christ from those servants in front of them on a daily basis and from those of us over here who are doing our best to do something!

If you are led to contribute financially to this cause, please send funds to Action International (mark Zambia Feeding on the memo line).

Action International
PO Box 398
Mountlake Terrace, WA
98043-0398

Thank you for hearing my heart today.

Thank you for considering this need. May God bless you as you do.

Alicia