Prayers and Support Needed for Victims of Cyclone Idai

The northern town of Beira, Mozambique and nearby towns have been devastated by Cyclone Idai, leaving thousands in urgent need of food, water and shelter. From a recent BBC report , " Floods of up to six metres deep have caused 'incredible devastation' over a huge area in Mozambique, the World Food Programme (WFP) has said, with homes, roads and bridges washed away. The current flood zone is estimated to cover 3,000 sq km (1,200 sq miles). Aid staff who flew over the area have spoken of 'inland oceans extending for miles and miles.' An estimated 600,000 people have been affected in Mozambique according to a UN report. "

The cyclone also struck parts of Zimbabwe and Malawi and has had a devastating impact on the towns and people living on the Mozambique-Zimbabwe border. The cyclone has claimed more than 200 lives in Mozambique, 139 in Zimbabwe and 56 in Malawi, officials said. Those numbers are expected to rise sharply.

Right now, the affected parts of Mozambique are largely inaccessible, and telecommunications infrastructure has been damaged, making communication with the area difficult. The Mozambique and South Africa churches as well as their HOPE worldwide counterparts will be raising funds and obtaining donations of food and clothing that can be sent to Mozambique. Because of the extensive flooding the chance of waterborne diseases is high, we will also be working with a US non-profit who will delivering water filters to South Africa which we will then send on to Mozambique.

I am in communication with a brother who runs an aviation charter company and is flying up relief support on a daily basis. We plan to use his logistical support to get supplies to Maputo and then flown up to Beira to be distributed by relief agencies and the national Disaster Institute who are currently working in the most affected areas.

We are looking for financial and in-kind donations that we can get to reliable agencies as soon as possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.