I am a big fan of the Harry Potter series.  It may not have much depth, but man what a story.  Maybe it is that part of me that always wanted to be conspiring for freedom and something good against the powers that be... and to fly at the same time.  And if you have read the series there is a point towards the end that the maliciousness and deceit of the magical authorities is obvious, but there power is so pervasive and absolute that there is not much anyone can do about it.  Blatant lies are being told, violence is silencing anyone who dares to speak out... There is violence that makes you wander if there is any humanity left in the ones perpetrating it.  All the while in this book you are asking yourself why doesn't anyone do anything about it.  And then comes Harry Potter and his ragamuffin magical troop who rise from the dust and win the day.  But it is just a novel.  It would be nearly impossible for three kids to overturn the violent oppression of their 'government'.  You are glad there really isn't a group of people who will blatantly lie, burn women and children, beat and torture countless masses, and crush anyone who opposes them...

Over 80 people have been killed by the ruling party since the March 29th elections.  Family members of the opposing party have been kidnapped, mutilated, and burned alive.  Thousands of people have fled from their homes in fear of their lives.  Hundreds of thousands have been subject to the 're-education' camps that consist of political brainwashing, beating, rape, and sometimes death.  In the meantime the ruling president blames it on his opposition.  Everyone knows its a lie, and everyone is desperate for help and change.  Meanwhile a regime is losing its humanity with every stick that breaks across a woman's back and every child who loses its father to their violence.

But where is the hero?  This isn't a book, there isn't a magical teenager that will save the day.  How long will the UN and the SADC turn a blind eye?  How long will people sleep in their  meaningless when innocent people are dying?  How long will headlines like, "Sports bra saves hiker," "High Court to Hear Whale Case," and "Couple May Be Illegally Married" be more popular than "Genocide is possible in Zimbabwe?"  We must be praying and raising awareness. 

The youngest son of the couple we stayed with in Harare always had hope for his country, but his hope rested in God.  "When Zimbabwe rises back up to be something in Africa people will be able to look and say, 'Look at what God did,' because only he will be able to pull Zimbabwe up from where it is." 

We had a prayer meeting last night for Zimbabwe and this verse was offered by someone whose fiance lives in Zimbabwe:

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. - Romans 12:12 

Let that be our prayer for the church in Zimbabwe. 

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