Journal 4
May 10, 2018
Greetings from Zimbabwe,
The dryer for the Moringa has been in Harare for one week. It still has not been released to HCOC. I am convinced that it is a delay tactic to allow for more storage charges. We have sent them a copy of the invoice marked paid. We have sent them a copy of the check and now they insist on a hard copy. Banks in the U.S. destroy copies of checks once they have cleared the bank. I am so frustrated and at times am ready to give up. Then I think of the children that will benefit from the income the Moringa has the potential to generate.
The plastering of the outside of the Moringa Building is coming along nicely. I had not planned to have this expense but decided it was best after seeing the quality of the bricks.
Tuesday was spent gathering quotes for the plumbing, electrical work and carpentry that still needs to be done. Our biggest single expense appears to be the stainless steel tables and sinks used in processing the Moringa. The stainless must be food grade and so more expensive.
Albert is proposing to purchase materials ourselves and pay the contractor for just the labor. This appears that it will save considerable money. I hope we can get the work underway by next week. If the work is not complete on time, it will mean that I will have to remain longer than planned. I want processing team adequately trained before I leave.
Yesterday, I traveled with Albert to the bridge his Rotary Club is responsible for building, to enable children to cross safely going to and from school during the rainy season. Over the years 17 children have lost their lives attempting to cross to school when the water was too deep and too swift.
The Rotary Club of Harare City is the lead club and have partnered with a club in Michigan. Much of the funding has been contributed by a local bank and a steel business in addition to the Rotary Clubs.
The purpose of the meeting was to determine if the work could resume. The water level has dropped several feet. The engineer from the U.S. embassy was present at the meeting and an architect from Salt Lake City. The work is being done by the Zimbabwe Army Corp of Engineers at little to no cost to Rotary. The Army is required to do some service projects.
This was a huge undertaking for a club of the size of Harare City Club but the task is nearing completion.
On our way back from the bridge, Albert stopped to check on the butchery HCOC operates in Murewa. They have recently acquired a meat showcase for their shop. It was quite a nice display and people were coming in and out to make purchases. This outlet provides significantly more profit on the poultry than selling to a processor in Harare. They have reached the point now where they need to open another Butchery like the one in Murewa. Fresh produce is also marketed at the butchery when the garden produces surplus.
This morning, Sunday, Albert, Stewart, Godfrey and Gaylord gathered at my house at 7:30 for breakfast and to go over quotes for the Moringa building. It was a slow tedious process. The total is $5,000.00 over the $25,000.00 of available funds. Harare Rotary Club is holding about $4,000.00 that was sent by the Denver Rotary Club and so it will help but it will be tight. We will review again and hope to find a way to cut the costs. I am determined to proceed and get as far as funds will allow.
If I don’t complete the building now and get workers trained, I may not be able to do it another year. I feel blessed to be able to still travel at my age. It is not as easy as it used to be, I will admit that.
Today, Tuesday, May 15 is the day that Albert normally goes to Harare to run errands, check on the dryer and for Rotary. However, neither truck is road worthy. The Nissan is worn out as is the Toyota. The Nissan has close to 200,000 km on it. Heaven only knows how many km are on the Toyota. The odometer only works about half the time. Right now it is not working at all. My estimate is that it has over 400,000 km on it and probably closer to 500,000 km. It has become apparent to me today that we need two trucks replaced. There just isn’t that kind of money available. If we keep the trucks, they both need new tires. In such a remote area, we have to have road worthy vehicles.
Please pray this week for the work here at HCOC. In spite of the needs, many good things are happening. Students are preparing for O-level exams which will determine their placement for A-level education. HCOC pays for five exams for those eligible students. One student has come requesting special consideration for writing nine exams. Gaylord, an orphan from here has paid for one additional exam, I matched that. Gaylord is looking for additional donors. I am so proud of Gaylord’s efforts to help a fellow orphan.
In His Service, Roberta