Greetings from Zimbabwe,

Our gardener, Lovemore’s wife passed away a couple of days ago in Motoko. She had been in not good health for some time. More recently she had been in the hospital in Motoko. Yesterday, Mr. Bondeponde drove the big truck to go and pick up the body for burial at the family home. Mr. Bondeponde called at about 5:00 to say that the clutch had gone out on the truck about 10 km from the location they were to pick up the body. Jeff and Bryce had just come in from working all day. They were hot and tired and had not had dinner. So they drove with Albert to the township to see if they could hire a truck and driver to go and rescue the group and bring the body back. The rescue team left here about 7:00 and I understand that they got back here about 1:00 am. They towed the big truck back as well. So
it was not left on the side of the road to be vandalized. The funeral is today. Teachers have taken turns going to the home of the family. I put in a brief appearance because Jeff and Bryce were busy.

The guys have been busy working at the chicken run. The building was constructed earlier in the year. The openings were to be covered with chicken wire. However, the job was poorly done and it would not keep out varmints. We purchased a roll of new wire when we were in town earlier in the week. Jeff and Bryce have worked to get the job done correctly. They also purchased plastic canvass to cover the windows of the brooder building.

This group of chickens is doing very well and should be ready for market in less than two weeks. The brooder room is clean and ready for a new batch of day old chicks. Godfrey is ordering them today. Jeff and I hope to get them operating on a three week cycle of 700 chicks in each batch.

Yesterday afternoon a USAID truck arrived with a delivery of medicine for the HCOC (Heather Chimhoga Orphan Care) clinic. They are well supplied for several months. The only medicine that is not provided is medicine for ringworm and for Bilharzia. The medicine for Bilharzia is very expensive and works only if children are educated about staying out of polluted water. It is not easy to convince children to stay out of the water, especially when it is very hot.

Bryce left last Friday, September 16. It has left a void for me. I miss him terribly. He kept Jeff and I busy and on our toes. I had not realized how many traits that he has like Ralph. I only see him on brief visits in Houston and in Denver.

We have had a set-back. The well driller we used last year had told Jeff to give him three or four days’ notice and he would come and drill the wells. So when the hydrologist had completed his work and sent his report, Jeff notified the well driller that we were ready for him. Then we were told that he was booked for 30 days. So today we are in town to meet with another well driller. Hopefully he can get to us in a couple of weeks.

Jeff is also attending a Rotary meeting at lunch time. The club he is meeting with is the host club for this project. Perhaps they can help us get a reliable driller. In closing, I ask that you pray that we can find a well driller soon and that the drilling will be successful. Unfortunately, we are in an area where it is difficult to find water. We are going to be limited in our expansion if we cannot get adequate water.

In His Service,

Roberta