Greetings from Zimbabwe,
This is a busy place. Many things are happening. Ox carts are lining up to unload pit sand. Painting is taking place at the pump stand and guard house. Gardens are expanding.
The churches in the community are coming together to help the orphans in this area. We had a lengthy meeting today to plan for the kick off on Thursday, September 6. In an effort to accommodate a large crowd, the group decided to hold the event at the Anglican Church in the township.
One church member has already assumed the responsibility to help Orphans in his village get Birth Certificates. This is a huge step in the right direction. Albert is taking the gentleman to Murewa today with all the documentation he has gathered to date. Albert had arranged an appointment with the Registrar’s Office to meet with this individual on behalf of these orphans.
Up to now, extended families have been unwilling to allow these children access to their Birth Certificates. It is not uncommon for extended families to treat these children as non-existent, especially if the parents died of AIDS. Frequently these children are treated as slaves and not even allowed to go to school. Extended families fear these children as though they were evil spirits. Even HCOC has been unable to obtain the Birth Certificates from relatives for our documentation required to register an Orphan. These Orphans, without birth certificates, are non-persons. They can’t get a job, a driver’s license, vote when old enough or even take their O-level exam. For this individual to use his influence in his community has been a huge step in the right direction. When one person takes a bold step others often follow. I pray that this is the first step for greater things to come. Please, I ask for your prayers as well. When people unite in prayer, greater things happen.
The plumber has begun work on Albert’s house. It was never completed because of the lack of funds. The bathroom is being plumbed and tiled. Beauty will finally have a kitchen sink and also a laundry tub in the utility. A solar water heater will be installed on the roof.
Local men have volunteered their time to dig the hole for the septic tank that will service the bathroom and kitchen as well as the laundry.
Albert is planting grass around his house little by little. He has planted some flowers and also a Flamboyant tree. It is looking very nice.
Bricking the foundation of the new orphan home is nearing completion. I am having a lot of difficulty convincing the workmen to raise the foundation two more rows of bricks. The land slopes toward the back of the house. I am afraid in a heavy rain that there will be water problems in that area. Tomorrow I am going to have to tell the workmen that it has to be done. It is difficult to get men in this culture to pay any attention to a woman. We will see who wins. Their argument is that there will be steps to go up.
August 29, I visited the site of the new house this morning. The workmen have definitely raised the foundation two bricks higher. They agreed that it was probably a good idea. They were busy back filling the foundation with broken bricks etc. Water was sprinkling the fill to get it to compact better. The quality of construction so far is very good. I decided it was best to hire a professional contractor from Harare. I was concerned about getting materials purchased and delivered where we are so far out of the city. In the past, Ralph always struggled with this issue. I believe it is definitely going to be worth the extra cost.
Gaylord Gundni is an orphan that is living with an aunt. He is completing his O-level education and will be writing the national exam in October. If he does as is anticipated by his teachers, he should pass with flying colors. His desire is to go on to get his A-level education. This will require him to attend a boarding school for two years. The results of his exam will be published sometime in February. Pray for Gaylord and others like him. He is the future hope for Zimbabwe.
Beauty, the nurse for HCOC, has been concerned about cases of Bilharzia. UNICEF does not supply the testing kits or drugs in their routine deliveries to HCOC clinic. The clinic has not had enough money to buy what is needed. The medicine is very expensive and sometimes is even difficult to find. Some of your donations made it possible for me to fund this very important project. This week Beauty has been testing children and treating the ones that test positive. The number of children testing positive is alarmingly high, as high as 75%. This is a picture of our traveling clinic. Testing was done on the spot and medicine was dispensed from the back of the truck.
I am out of space and so I guess I will have to save the rest for another time. In closing, I ask for your prayers for Albert and all of those in this community who are helping to make HCOC succeed. We have come so far and still have a long way to go. Your prayers and support continue to make a big difference.
In His Service,
Roberta