ZIMBABWE 2008 MEDIA RELEASE

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Barry Mutrie

Team Leader Home: 1–519–422-0985

Zimbabwe 2008

E-mail: abmut@bmts.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: July 10^th, 2008

Zimbabwe 2008 Team needs donated items!

Daily media reports from Zimbabwe have made most Canadians aware of the terrible economic and social devastation that is occurring in Zimbabwe. As well as facing politically motivated violence, the Zimbabwean people also are suffering from unbelievable inflation rates, an HIV/AIDS epidemic and 80% unemployment. There is an estimated 1.5 million orphans in Zimbabwe that have no safe refuge in which to grow up.

In September, twelve team members will be traveling to Harare, Zimbabwe to work with the people at the Village of Hope. We are asking the people of Grey/Bruce to help the Zimbabwe 2008 mission team be the HANDS OF GOD IN THE HEART OF AFRICA. The team will be taking 24 hockey bags full of needed supplies with them to the Village of Hope. Gord and Anita Cooledge, the Directors of the Village of Hope have sent the team a list of needed items. We are asking people to help us by donating items. A complete list of items is posted on our website at www.missionzimbabwe.org.

Items such as single bed sheets, kitchen utensils, toys, teddy bears, lunch boxes, hygene items and children’s clothing are needed for the orphans’ homes being constructed

Items such as green knapsacks, office supplies, green baseball hats, world maps and atlases, story books at primary school level, sports equipment and musical instruments such as tambourines, recorders, etc. are needed for the school.

Items such as laptop computers and flash disks are needed in the classrooms.

If people have items to donate, they should contact Doug and Elaine Schaab at 519-363-2702.

So far, the Zimbabwe 2008 project has raised over $40,000 to support the Village of Hope in Zimbabwe. One of the main functions of the Village of Hope is to provide a safe and nurturing place for children orphaned by AIDS. The Village of Hope is now building four new homes for the orphans this year. Also, the funds raised by the Zimbabwe 2008 Project will help provide education; food and medical care for the children at the Village of Hope.

I encourage people to go to our Zimbabwe 2008 web site at www.missionzimbabwe.org to find out further information.

Please contact Barry Mutrie for further information and interviews at 519-270-4461 or abmut@bmts.com