Christians urged to support Archbishops' Zimbabwe appeal

The Love Zim campaign is urging Christians in the UK to donate to a new Lent appeal for Zimbabwe launched by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The coalition of UK Christian organisations is also urging the UK church to join with the entire Anglican Communion in praying for Zimbabwe, where at least 3,800 people have died in the cholera outbreak across the country.

Qobo Mayisa, General Secretary of Love Zim partner, the Council of Zimbabwean Christian Leaders in the UK, said: “We thank the Archbishops for their visionary leadership on the issue of Zimbabwe. Love Zim is calling on the entire British church to join the Anglicans in solidarity with the Archbishops’ call.

“Zimbabwe is embarking on a journey towards national recovery and reconstruction amid economic chaos, hunger, a cholera outbreak and continuing human rights violations.

"Prayer can make the difference in what appears to be an impossible situation. The church and people of the UK can help the reconstruction efforts by committing themselves to prayer and then allowing God to lead them in practical action for Zimbabwe.”

The Love Zim coalition also includes the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, New Frontiers and Tearfund. It was launched earlier in the month with a Valentine's Day vigil outside the Zimbabwean embassy in central London, just three days after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister in Zimbabwe's new power-sharing government with President Robert Mugabe.

Christian leaders from the Love Zim coalition signed and delivered a letter to the new unity government appealing to Mugabe to love the Zimbabwean people and challenging Tsvangarai to take the opportunity to provide leadership at this crucial time.