Last year, the government of Zimbabwe stopped paying its hospital employees, resulting in hospital closings.

One of the few facilities that remained open was the Nyadire United Methodist Hospital, after workers said they would stay on the job for one meal a day.

The food, and money for food, primarily was provided by The Nyadire Connection, a faith-based nonprofit in the Pittsburgh area that supports the 4,300-acre Nyadire United Methodist Mission on which the hospital is located.

"But it was because of the nature of the Zimbabwe people -- the most generous, hospitable people I have ever met -- that it stayed open,'' said Sara Nute Dickey, of Bridgeville, who has volunteered at the mission seven times since 2006.

The Nyadire Connection will sponsor a benefit dinner on behalf of the mission at 6 p.m. Nov. 14 in Christ United Methodist Church Christian Life Center, 44 Highland Road, Bethel Park.

Following dinner, a contemporary Christian rock concert will be held at 7:30 p.m., featuring the 11:01 and the Sunday Night Worship bands. African crafts will be available for purchase.

The event is called Zim Jam 2009, with "Zim" a shortened version of Zimbabwe, and "Jam"' selected to appeal to a wide audience.

The mission includes primary and secondary schools, a teachers college, nursing school, orphanage, cooperative farm, United Methodist church and a hospital.

Last month, 134 students graduated from the nursing school.

A current project, Ms. Dickey said, is working with the United Methodist Committee on Relief to raise money to build reservoirs because water and electricity were shut off for lack of payment by the government.

"The people are going to wells and pumping by hand and carrying buckets back on their heads, including children, in the rural areas," Ms. Dickey said.

The genesis of The Nyadire Connection was a trip to the mission in 2006 by 18 members of Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, First Bethel United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church and St. Paul's United Methodist Church in McCandless.

During the three-week trip, volunteers assisted in the 240-bed hospital, which serves an area of 500,000 people; helped with a vacation Bible school for elementary students; worked on maintenance and construction projects; and more.

When they returned, they formed The Nyadire Connection to provide support, disseminate information and help volunteers to the rural community.

Elsa Zollars, of Upper St. Clair, visited the village schools outside the mission in June and July.

The orphans in the schools are supported by 250 sponsors with the connection who pay $50 a year to cover school fees, backpacks and items such as pens and pencils.

But the Home of Hope Outreach, she said, is about more than money.

"The beauty of this program is if I'm sponsoring an orphan in a neighboring village, I write letters and the child writes back.

It's more than sending material things: we're trying to establish a relationship," she said.

Tickets to Zim Jam 2009 are $10 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the church office. Cash or checks only. Contact the church at 412-835-6621 or visit www.christumc.net.

For more, visit www.nyadire.org.

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