ZIMBABWE (ANS) -- Christians across America are being urged to remember to pray for the church in Zimbabwe, which is "under fire from the bloodthirsty and ZANU PF communist regime of Robert Mugabe," according to a Christian journalist who fled his homeland because of persecution.

Collen Makumbirofa, of the Foundation of Reason & Justice, writes: "Zimbabwean Christians are currently enduring ZANU PF state-made starvation. Thousands of Christians have died of starvation. Malnutrition is widespread among children. Thousands of children have died of hunger."

In an e-mail to ANS, Makumbirofa says: "The outbreak of cholera has killed more than 4,000 people. It’s not true that cholera has come to end in Zimbabwe. People are still dying in both urban and remote areas. Hospitals are operating without drugs, equipment, water and doctors. Many doctors and nurses have fled hunger and state persecutions."

Makumbirofa, who is a journalist who fled Zimbabwe because his life was in danger, ZANU PF has banned freedom of worship, speech and assembly.

He writes: "Thousands of Christian worshipers have been beaten in their churches. Pastors have been beaten, tortured and arrested for so-called subversive prayers. Church buildings have been bulldozed during many government 'Operations.' More than 3 million Zimbabweans who have fled state made starvation and persecutions are suffering in neighboring countries such as Botswana, Zambia and South Africa."

Makumbirofa says the Government of National Unity between the main opposition MDC and ZANU PF has "failed to work" because the MDC has currently pulled out. Mugabe's ZANU PF has lost March 27, 2008 presidential elections.

"But the corrupted SADC and AU tried 'against the will of majority Zimbabweans' to force unity government," he states.

"The solution to Zimbabwe is prayer, action, and removal of Mugabe's ZANU PF government.

"May God rise up many enemies for this regime and courageous people who will remove it. Please pray for urgent removal of Mugabe and support the cause of freedom, and God's justice in Zimbabwe."

Some of Collen's articles on the persecution of the Zimbabwean Church may be found at the following links:

http://docs.google.com/gview?a=v&q=cache%3AZmc4AI1GFZoJ%3Awww.zimbabwehope.org%2Findex.php%3Fview%3Darticle%26catid%3D1%3Aarticles%26id%3D9%3Azimbabwe-church-closed-down-after-its-pastor-has-been-tortured-by-state-militiasand-so-called-war-veterans%26format%3Dpdf+Zimbabwean+pastor+tortured+by+collen+makumbirofa&hl=en&gl=za&sig=AFQjCNEmaWgGbWJD2V3q7PeX0YGm5IR4rw&pli=1

www.christiantelegraph.com/issue505.html

http://ja-jp.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=32512082531&topic=7503&post=37977

www.injesus.com/getMessageContent.php?msgID=WB007E52

www.assistnews.net/Stories/2008/s08060153.htm

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Collen Makumbirofa, Foundation of Reason & Justice, has the following websites: www.zimbabwehope.org  and http://forjustice.atspace.org.

His e-mail address is: zimnews@mail.com  

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. Michael has traveled to Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Israel, and Canada. He has reported for ANS from Jordan, China, Russia, Jamaica, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- Michael Ireland Media Missionary (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649,at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.'