African clothing project is 'double blessing'
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In a ceremony attended by some 400 government, religious, health and welfare leaders of Zimbabwe, LDS Church officials presented a 40,000-pound container of clothing for distribution to needy families in Zimbabwe.
The ceremony was held March 7 at the Zimbabwe Child Survival and Development Foundation in Harare.Representing the Church at the ceremony were Elder Richard P. Lindsay of the Seventy and president of the Africa Area and Pres. Escar J. Decker of the Zimbabwe Harare Mission.
Elder Lindsay noted that the donation was presented with the love of Church members in the United States for the people of Zimbabwe. He said much of the donated clothing was sorted, cleaned, sized and packaged by Church members who have disabilities. The project, said Elder Lindsay, carries a double blessing both to those who gave and prepared clothing for shipment and to those who will be blessed by receiving the freely given articles of clothing.
Pres. Decker noted that the donation was the seventh humanitarian aid assistance project carried out by the Church in Zimbabwe since 1988. The others included projects such as a mill for grinding grain, a dam near Masvingo, gardening materials, and two large shipments of new text books for Zimbabwe's school children. In the past three years, the Church has donated more than $1.3 million in cash, goods and services to the people of Zimbabwe.
Elder Lindsay commended leaders of the Child Survival and Development Foundation for their efforts to assist in meeting the needs of millions of children in Zimbabwe, including thousands of refugees and many other thousands with physical, mental and emotional afflictions.
Mrs. Sally Mugabe, president of the foundation and wife of Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, received and acknowledged the gift on behalf of the disadvantaged children of Zimbabwe.
She said, "Our heartfelt thanks go to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the U.S.A. who have sent this 40-foot container with clothes and supplies. Your gift will help us to wipe away the tears from many little faces and bring a smile to yet many more."
