Dear Partners in Ministry,

I’m sure you have heard on the news about the massive famine that has hit parts of East Africa (http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/20/somalia.famine.explainer/), particularly Somalia and northern Kenya and Ethiopia. From the above article: ” The DEC — an umbrella group of aid agencies including Oxfam and Save the Children — reports that “more than 10 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and the newly formed Republic of South Sudan have been left in need of food, water and emergency healthcare.”.”

The rains were not great this year, and even some areas in Tanzania have had a poor harvest. Our area is one of them. Pray for wisdom as we discuss how best to help in our area, as we anticipate food shortages for certain families in our local villages. Widows and the elderly (and the kids they take care of) will likely be affected the most. The level of the problem here is no where near Somalia or northern Kenya, but we’re already having requests for help.

Even now maize, the crop used to make the staple food in Tanzania, is becoming harder to find in certain villages. Some ‘business savvy’ fellows are even trying to stock pile the maize so that they can sell it at much higher rates in November and December when the hunger really hits and supplies are down.

We’re hoping to procure 50 to 100 gunny sacks of maize for us to use for famine relief. One gunny sack can feed a family of five for about 4-6 weeks. Right now, factoring in the transport cost for bringing maize to Usandawe from Singida (2 hours away), each sack of maize would cost about $30.

What we’d like to do is utilize the local churches to distribute the food. Our local groups of believers in different villages are in a good position to talk with village leaders and identify at risk families and bring their names to the local pastors/evangelists.

If you’d like to help with this effort, feel free to write check to “Africa Inland Mission” with a note stating “for Magambua Medical Project Fund – ER TAN 111 U” with a footnote saying “famine relief”. You can send the check to Africa Inland Mission, PO Box 3611, Peachtree City, GA 30269.

Or alternatively, you could give online at http://www.aimint.org/usa/ under the Give tab, Online Giving, search for Magambua Medical. Write in the comments area “Famine Relief”.

Thank you for your partnership in the Lord’s work here!