PRAY FOR ZIMBABWE

Christians Urged to Write and Pray With Holy Hands for Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe

SPOKANE, WA — Christians around the world are being urged to send messages of love to one of the world’s worst dictators.

The “Holy Hands for Mugabe” movement is a campaign that encourages people to send a message of God’s love to President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe.

Located in southern Africa, Zimbabwe reels from hyper-inflation, a critical food shortage, massive unemployment and an AIDS infection rate of nearly 25 percent. Although President Mugabe blames Western nations, particularly Britain and America, for his country’s troubles, most observers believe Zimbabwe’s current troubles began with the president’s land reforms in 2000. Nearly 4,000 white farmers were forced off their farms and agricultural production is now a fraction of its former output.

President Mugabe also has been accused of brutal intimidation of his political enemies, massive human rights abuses and of rigging elections.

Why then are people being asked to send messages of love to a man Parade magazine consistently ranks as one of the worst dictators in the world?

“Our instructions from God are to pray for rulers and all those in authority with holy hands, that is hands free from dissension and wrath,” said movement organizer Ron Hauenstein of Spokane, citing 1 Timothy 2, verses 2 and 8. It is challenging, he acknowledged, to overcome the natural distaste and revulsion most people have for brutal dictators.

“The approach taken by other nations and President Mugabe’s political opponents is to apply pressure through economic sanctions and public humiliation,” Hauenstein said. “None of these measures appear to be working. Mr. Mugabe’s response generally is to be more defiant and defensive. Is it possible that these techniques do not work because they do not employ holy hands?” he asked.

People around the world are encouraged to write a note expressing God’s love for President Mugabe on a postcard or in a letter. North Americans can send their correspondence to:

President Robert Mugabe
c/o Embassy of Zimbabwe
1608 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20009

Others can send their letters to President Mugabe in Harare, the nation’s capital.

President Robert Mugabe
Office of the President and the Cabinet
Munhumutapa Building
Cnr S Machel Avenue/ 3rd street
Harare, Zimbabwe

For further information, contact Ron Hauenstein at 509-448-4153 or ron@prayforzimbabwe.com
Web site: www.prayforzimbabwe.com