Greetings from Zimbabwe,

This has been a very busy week, in spite of the holiday, Heroes Day.  It was a short work week for many.  Albert and I decided it was safe to brave the highways on Thursday.  We had a number of errands to do and Albert wanted to buy paint so that the guard house and pump house could have a face lift.  We thought we were going to get out of town early until Albert received a call from Freight World.  They needed information related to the new truck and also the container that supposedly is in Beira.  They are having difficulty getting the Bill of Lading so that they can proceed with the clearance of the shipment.  They want to avoid demurrage charges if at all possible.

Munyaradzi Maroza is a young girl who did outstanding work at the Secondary Level.  Her dream was to go on for her A-Levels.  I had been unable to find a sponsor but Albert found one here in Zimbabwe.  A fellow Rotarian, who is Director of Freight World, is sponsoring her.  She is doing very well and is employed at Freight World during term break.  Albert and I had an opportunity to see her briefly on Thursday when we were in Freight World.  She is studying accounting and that is the department she is assigned to.  Her happiness just bubbles over.  What a difference this will make in her life!

Friday, Albert had scheduled a meeting with a group from the community including Village Headmen, Orphan Care Givers, All School Headmasters and their SDC (School Development Committees), church leaders of all the Faiths represented in the community, local police and HCOC Executive Committee.  About 50 people turned out.  When I was asked to speak to the group, I shared the last verses in Chapter one of James.  After a rather short briefing, Albert had arranged for transportation to take all to visit some Child-Headed households.

Most of the people knew each other but the group fell silent when visiting the homes of orphans living on their own.  Some were stunned and others had tears in their eyes.  How they can live so close and not know what is happening next door!  I overheard one person say, “I thought I was poor”.  The children voiced the issues they face and everyone listened.

After the visit, we returned to HCOC where lunch was served.  Chicken, of course, was the main item on the menu.  When people had finished eating, Albert broke the people up into small groups to discuss some of the issues they had witnessed.  They were to return to the main group for a time of sharing what they had discussed.  I was so proud of the outcome of the groups brainstorming sessions; I was nearly blown away by their insight.

Just a few of the suggestions:

One group decided that the churches should take up offerings and pool their money to purchase things needed by the Child-Headed households.  The items would be shared with all the Child-Headed families not just the ones they visited.  (This would have never happened in the past.  This is not something they would think to do.  I see this society as one where every man is for himself.)

In discussing this with Albert after the meeting, he explained this would not be necessary in the past.  Village Headmen and families always took care of those within the family.  However, this has all changed due to the increased mobilization of the society.  Families are not living in close proximity as in the past.  Many are moving to the city looking for a better life and in many cases are even leaving the country.  Another contributing factor was the onset of HIV.  Parents are dying at an earlier age leaving children to fend for themselves.  Extended families may not live close by as in the past.

Others suggested helping these children by tiling their fields for them and each family in the village contributing a cup of fertilizer, seed etc.  They even suggested working with the children to help them with the weeding of their fields.  It was a very positive meeting.  A follow-up meeting is scheduled for August 31.

This young man attended the meeting on Friday.  He was the driver for one of the trucks Albert had arranged to take the group to visit Child-Headed households.  He told us he was one of the orphans in a Child-Headed household when the Orphan Care program first began.  He said that he was in third grade at the time.  He explained how HCOC helped him and his siblings to survive and to get an education.  This was heart-warming for me to see a child that has made it to adulthood because of what has been accomplished in this community.  I know now that all those years were not wasted.

The solar powered booster pump has been installed.  The picture shows the men finishing the wiring to the solar panels.  This will enable watering the garden with drip irrigation.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the funds for drip irrigation this year.  That will be a project for the near future.  Too much water is wasted by the use of sprinklers.  Drip irrigation will also reduce the man power required.  I think one person can manage the acre of garden with some day help when there is transplanting to be done.  Below you can see a bed of Broccoli seedlings.  It is going to take a lot of man power to transplant all of those.  Many community members come from time to time to offer their time.

I am out of space and so it is time to close.  There is still much to tell but I will save that for a later journal.  Now that my time is drawing short all kinds of things are beginning to happen.  It is always like this.

Bricks are being hauled for the house that is underway.  Pit sand and river sand are being hauled by community members as well.  Everyone is volunteering their time.  I really feel that the community is finally beginning to take ownership of the project here.

Please pray that the container in Beira will not be delayed further and that it will arrive before I leave.

In His Service,

Roberta