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Bulletin March, 2007

URGENT NEED FOR SAFE WATER IN MOZAMBIQUE

Heidi Baker, who has planted over 7000 churches, and cares for more than 5000 orphans in Mozambique, was one of our guest speakers at our annual Be A HERO Eyes and Wings conference Feb. 21st to 24th. On her first morning here, as the details of the unfolding crisis due to catastrophic flooding in Mozambique were revealed, what it REALLY means to care for the world’s poor became painfully evident. Heidi recounted her call to Norberto, one of her staff members in Morrumbala:

“He just kept saying over and over ‘They are all dying! They are all dying!’ as he relayed the horrors of the past days. The flooding over the last few weeks caused by torrential rains and greatly exacerbated after officials were forced to open the sluice gates of the Cahora Bassa dam, has destroyed the crops and an estimated 300,000 homes. 350 of Iris’ churches and children’s homes are gone. Norberto wept on the phone as he described the unspeakably horrible conditions. The people have no houses, no shelter of any sort (not even a scrap of plastic), no food, no drinkable water, no blankets. They have lost everything. They try to survive by eating roots, bugs and leaves, but they are starving. Many are naked, living like animals in the mud, rain and wind. Children cry all through the night in thunderstorms, sick, cold, and hungry. Two cyclones have contributed further to the devastation. Some have not eaten for three weeks. Aid agencies seem to be unaware of them, and no help has been forthcoming apart from what Iris Ministries has provided so far. Refugees from Malawi are crossing the border to Mozambique in canoes, desperately seeking food that is unavailable.”

Although one of the prime focuses of the conference was already ‘children at risk’, this disaster affecting the churches and children’s homes brought it home that this is now OUR responsibility. These are OUR brothers and sisters. These are OUR children.

An immediate request for assistance was issued at the conference, and within a week we had secured funds to send four containers of food, have commitment for the use of two helicopters, and sent out our first two teams totaling seven aid workers. The over $40,000.00 that was donated by those in attendance at the conference has already been sent for emergency food aid, and meetings are on-going with Canadian government agencies at all levels right up to the Prime Minister’s office. More volunteers have come forth, offering to assist in the relief efforts.

In another phone call to Norberto yesterday he reiterated that NO AID has yet reached any of these people, other than what Iris has been providing. Water has become a most pressing issue. They are surrounded by flood waters, but it is unfit to drink.

We need your help! We can have PUR water packets (which is a product developed by Procter and Gamble to remove all contaminants from even the filthiest water) delivered to Morrumbala within days. This amazing product will provide safe water at a cost of 2¢ per person per day, OR $2.00 per person for 100 days. Be A HERO wants to buy 5 pallets of PUR, at a cost of $58,260.00 USD which will provide safe water to 31,100 people for 3 months.
HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN YOU KEEP ALIVE?

If you could contribute anything towards this emergency relief operation, please send it TODAY! Wesley Campbell and Dawn Meier (Operations Manager) will be leaving for Mozambique in less than two weeks, and we would love to be able to deliver the PUR water packets to the devastated people of Mozambique. Phone (250) 717-1003 or fax (250) 717-1013 your credit card authorization, or mail a cheque (made out to Be A HERO) to:

In US: Be A HERO
2304 N 7th, Ste L
Bozeman, MT 59715

In Canada: Be A HERO
#6 – 1155 K.L.O. Rd.
Kelowna, BC V1Y 4X6

You will receive a tax receipt for any gifts. Please indicate “Mozambique Disaster Relief”. Further information will be posted on our website within a few days at www.beahero.org.

We will be sending a regular newsletter out next week.

Many blessings,
Wesley and Stacey Campbell