By Bright Zhou
Over 10 thousand people from Masvingo Central and other places recently received free medical attention and free medication from the Jewish Church’s Global Outreach Ministries, a programme that ran from May 20 to 25 in ward 23 C under Chief Murinye near Makoni Business Centre.
The programme was said to be part of the church’s mission to assist some of its scattered communities around the world.
Global Outreach Ministries International Director Eric Pires said the Jewish Church had a mission to save Jewish communities scattered around the world as well as other people that were in need and has helped Jewish communities in different locations in Zimbabwe.
“For the last twelve years, Jewish Voices has been doing medical outreaches here in Zimbabwe and other areas. We were working amongst Jewish communities and their neighbours, so we said the Jewish community and anybody else would get free medical treatment and that is what drove us here,” said Pires.
Pires said the free medical camping included , a dental team, general medical practitioners, nursing, lifestyle units and a children’s programme.
“The free medical camping team includes general medical practitioners, nursing and minor surgery teams, a dental team doing extractions and cleanings, an eye team and a reader’s department team,” said Pires.
He said the programme was inclusive of all regardless of religion and at the end people were free to join the Church if they wished.
“Everybody is welcome to receive treatment and at the end of the outreach if they would like they can meet a local pastor and their council as well as get connected with the church in the area. We have reached about ten thousand patients over the past five days which we think is remarkable,” said Pires.
Pires said 95 percent of people who contributed towards the programme were locals including doctors, nurses, staff, and pastors while 5 percent were from the USA, South Africa, Ethiopia and the UK.
“We have an average of about two hundred people who make the team; there are doctors, nurses, runners, those who help patients move along, pastors, staff, cooks and others in different positions and ninety-five percent of them are locals. We have a small team that comes from United States of America, South Africa, Ethiopia and United Kingdom,” said Pires.
Global Outreach Ministries International Manager Michael Cadvader said all the services and medicines given were for free.
“We have all the medicines that our doctors prescribe for these patients and everything goes out for free, the eye department is giving out some eye drops as well spectacles. The money was donated by our members so that we can help people, everything is free of charge the only benefit we get is that up to three hundred people have asked to be connected to a church so those people can now have a church to call home,” said Cadvader.
Local Village Head Michael Chatikobo thanked the Jewish community and villagers who contributed towards the success of the programme by providing other necessities like water and labour.
“The Jewish Church has done a good thing by providing free medication and treatment to the community. We are grateful to some of the villagers who worked hand in hand with the Jewish members using their carts to fetch water from the borehole and put up tents,” said Chatikobo.
