Greetings from Colorado,
I apologize for being tardy in my getting out news of my arrival home. It has been an extremely busy time. I would like to share with you a picture of a portion of my flower garden which greeted me upon my return.
What is so amazing is that we had, had a hail storm just four days before I left for Zimbabwe. It hailed for more than an hour and a half. The flower bed looked worse than the dead of winter. I thought that all was lost. Thanks to Tony, my gardener, he nursed and coaxed things back to health. We have had a longer fall than usual and I have had an opportunity to enjoy the flowers. My strawberries regrew and produced for a time after I returned home. I even picked green beans, carrots, spinach and lettuce.
Part of the delay in writing this journal is that I had hoped some projects would be completed, especially those that some of you donated money toward.
I am happy to report that the 40-foot sea container did finally arrive after I returned to Denver. The story of its travels is too complicated to relay here. The main thing is that it has arrived. When Albert called me last week he indicated that the contents were finally sorted and they were beginning to distribute the contents. He had some questions regarding the boxes marked for the sewing co-op and for the knitting co-op.
Albert is still dealing with authorities about many boxes of sport shirts for the teams that were confiscated at the border. He is working diligently to get them released.
The new truck that was purchased in June is now in Albert’s possession. It has been a struggle but worth the wait because it saved us more than $5,000.00. Albert is very excited about it. He also reported that the driver HCOC hired while I was still there has been a blessing. Albert said that the driver was working out very well and that it was saving himself a lot of time. Now we need to outfit the truck with a shell on the back as well as spray coating the inside of the bed of the truck. The truck probably should have a bull-bars put on the front end as well. All of that will probably cost about $4,000.00 to $5,000.00.
I would like to inform you that the Orphan Home that was begun in August is nearing completion. Albert told me that Beauty is planning a House Party when the home is complete. She plans to invite minister’s wives, other dignitaries and district officials. The object will be to provide some of the things needed to furnish and equip the house.
Albert has informed me that he had another gathering of community church members a week ago. The turnout was even larger than the gathering that was held just before I came home. This time Albert was asking for supplies for the child-headed households. He indicated that they collected enough cooking pans, plates, spoons, axes, hoes, etc. to completely furnish all of the child-headed households. Albert was overjoyed by the community turn out and the support. He said that the community has caught onto the slogan “Are you a sheep or a goat”. They continued with that theme for the recent meeting.
Albert is planning another community gathering just before Christmas. His goal is to have the new house for Loveness completed so that it can be dedicated at that time. You may remember that the building materials for that house were donated by an individual that attended the community gathering that was held in early September, while I was still there.
My plans to return to Zimbabwe are indefinite at this time. Probably I will return in the fall next year. I would like to spend a summer in Colorado for a change. It has been many years since I was home in the summer.
My goals when I do return will be to complete the furnishing of the Orphan Home that is nearly done. By that time perhaps they will need to expand the poultry project even further. I am also interested in raising enough funds to put a solar pump and solar panels on the existing well at HCOC. The power is too unreliable moving forward. Sometimes there is inadequate water when they are without power for more than one day. Just before I came home, there was a serious power surge and it blew out the pump in the well. This was a costly event. The solar system that we put in at a neighboring school a year ago is working beautifully. A side benefit is that there is no power bill to pay.
As I close, I ask you to pray for Albert as he leads this mission forward.
In His Service,
Roberta