http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Zimbabwe , Bulawayo en-us Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:51:32 BST Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:51:32 BST But first a recapA while back just after New Year we crossed to the Zimbabwe side of the Victoria Falls. The falls themselves were just as great from this side as the other but the spray was stronger so the view wasn't as clear. The town of Victoria Falls was a sad sight really. We had prepared ourselves for the situation in Zim and expected to see empty shelves in shops but what we weren't r http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-239012.html The South African woman working in the British Embassy in Pretoria who had shockingly bad English despite being employed to represent our Queen and country handed me my brand spanking new British passport 32 crisp blank pages of opportunities lay before me. I could now once again visit almost any of the magnificent countries in this world and discover new and forward thinking attitudes. Let's http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-233083.html Trying to add more photos. Here we go http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-221557.html Harare was a great city suddenly really civilised We went to the movies a couple of times as they were only 35c US. At that price it doesnt matter if the movies are rubbish We both saw 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' Colin went to see 'XXX' while I saw 'Below'. We went round the National Art Gallery some good works most of them up for sale and a room full of old tribal works from drums and ba http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-192558.html Well here we are back in a country with no power cuts so we can use internet again. Zimbabwe had many power problems and we've spent the past week having cold showers and early nights...... The Kumuka Tour started with 2 days at the Vic Falls which seemed to drag as we had pretty much seen all we wanted in the 1st week. We did do a sunset cruise on teh upper zambezi though which was pretty cool http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-173397.html May 2 2007 Last day in BulawayoThis is our last day in Bulawayo. Yesterday we had a CHI board meeting to discuss our mission here and to see what was learned. As we were the first volunteers for CHI Zimbabwe it was a little bit jumbled but because of who we are we suited the part perfectly. The CHI people took care of us so well. We didnrsquot even get sick except one day for Kotah and some http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-154484.html Botswana April 26Botswana is where we went for an overnight trip. Batswana is another country next to Zimbabwe. We went there to get money for our tour on May 3rd we canrsquot get American money in Bulawayo. Anyway when we got there mosthellipwell all of the banks were closed. Of course none of us thought to use the bank machines. We searched around for a place to stay that was cheap enou http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-154216.html April 28 2007 AWANA with ShepherdToday we met up with Shepherd the guy who was Dakotahrsquos Camp Counseling Partner at Masiye Camp. Shepherd is the lead leader at the Nketa 8 Baptist Church AWANA that we attended. This church is located west of town in what they call the high density suburbs. Shepherd met us at Bellevue Store and we traveled by ET and on foot to get to the Church. When we go http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-153898.html Isaiahrsquos House of Love April 24Yesterday and today we went to Isaiahrsquos House of Love. Isaiahrsquos House of Love is a orphanage for babies up to three and a half years old. Until then they encourage people to adopt them. If they are not adopted by then they are takin in by the S.O.S childrenrsquos villages but are still able to be adopted. The youngest child under the care http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-152913.html April 23 24 2007 Isaiahrsquos Umuzi Wothando Isaiahrsquos Home of LoveDakotah and I spent a couple of days working with Isaiahrsquos Umuzi Wothando. This is a home with a vision for abandoned babies in Bulawayo. The vision for the home is to be a halfway house to care for 2035 babies from newborn to 3.5 years old and arrange for adoption and fostering into families as early as possib http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-151906.html Directly to you April 22MitchellNo your hair canrsquot be half way down your back if you havenrsquot been cutting it I havenrsquot been cutting my hair ether and mine is not half way down my back.BiancaIrsquom glad you went to Vancouver to give out blankets your almost like a missionary too lol Irsquom very happy that yoursquove been http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-151235.html April 21 2007 Kame Ruins. On Saturday Pastor Bonani and his wife Perseverance took a trip out to Kame Ruins some spell it Khayme Ruins. It was a nice day out there viewing the ancient walls and in their small onsite museum there were artifacts from the stone age when the Bushmen occupied the area. Cindy I found that game you asked me about the one with the glass beads. Dakotah knows how to pl http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-151234.html April 20th 2007 Khayelihle Childrenrsquos VillageWe were not quite prepared today as we didnrsquot really know what we were going to encounter. We should have brought a storybook or something. I brought balloons and read them stories from the books that the children had and they taught us some games. It was worth it meeting the children and seeing how well taken care of they are there. I b http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-150936.html April 18th 2007 Old BulawayoKo BulawayoldquoPlace of SlaughterrdquoThis day I learned about Death History and TraditionGodwill Sihle their very cute fat 3 month old boy Jenni Kotah and I went out to the historic site of Old Bulawayo rather than attending the Zimbabwe Independence Day Ceremony. Apparently the only people who attend that nowadays are those who go for the free fo http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-150350.html Last days of camp April 16 Camp is now over The last few days were very hectic time was the biggest issue. Masiye camp is meant to be an eight day program at least but this time it had to be fitted into three days. Usually the first three days would be spent getting to know your group and then the next five days would be spent doing the tree of life e http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-150348.html April 17 2007 ltltltltltltHappy Birthday to Dakotah gtgtgtgtgtDakotah and I were so looking forward to the party that the day seemed to go super slow. We got balloons hung and had the glasses and cups all ready birthday card made and present wrapped. Then we waited until three orsquoclock. The first to arrive were Julie and her two sons. Then came Dorothy her girls an http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-149680.html Masiye camp April 14 The last two days at Masiye camp were so fun Irsquom having a great time Masiye camp is a camp for kids to learn about god and how he can help in life. Irsquom a group leader and the kids in my group are almost all older than me sixteen is the oldest. Its very fun but scary at times the worst is the trust fall imagin http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-149322.html April 16 2007 Masiye Teen CampCamp Theme The Storm is Over Set your Future in Motion Thursday April 12 2007 The weekend started out with tragedy. Literally 2 minutes before we were to leave Dakotah slipped on the concrete out back and scraped up her leg elbow cheek and chin. There was some serious pain happening. I got out the first aid supplies and started to work cleaning out the grave http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-149320.html Things I didnrsquot get to April 7Weather I guess global warming has its affects in Zimbabwe too. When we first came here it was the rainy season but there was no rain. Now we are going into the dry winter but its raining at least once a day And this isnrsquot ordinary rain. It pours Nice sun in the morning sheets of rain in the afternoon. The real p http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-147639.html April 11 2007 WednesdayThe visit out to Khayelihle was cancelled today so we got a few other things done. Khayelihlle Kyeleetlee is a place where they help orphans and street children. They help them with rehabilitation finding out why they are on the streets and try and get them to go back to their families. Some of them are orphans and that is why they are on the street. They are taken ca http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-147638.html No fruit hellipNope not much for fruit here. Itrsquos expensive. Had an Avocado sandwich for lunch yesterday picked off the tree in the yard here. Shelly we love you too. So much and you know I would give you a giant hug. Deed thanks for the comments. That is encouraging and Dakotah IS doing great. She went swimming yesterday in Jennirsquos Brotherrsquos pool. It was cold from all the ra http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-147241.html April 7 and 8 2007 Easter SundayI helped Pastor T with some of the things he had to arrange on the computer again today. His boys were out busy as teenage boys are so Dakotah did some reading. Wandered around outside and then watched a movie. We are going to have to find her a new book pretty soon. Shersquoll be done reading Odyssey anytime now. Sunday we attended Revival Center for the Eas http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-146449.html April 6 2007 Pastor Trsquos House httpwww.christshope.orgToday I spent most of the day teaching Pastor T about the computer. He doesnrsquot have much computer skills but learns fast. This man has organization in his head. Pastor T has been responsible for getting us to most of our work so far this trip with help from Jenni who documents these things and helps to keeps him on track. C http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-145995.html Pastor Trsquos church April 1Wow pastor Trsquos church is so alive Do you know how sometimes you have to have nothing to gain everything Well pastor Trsquos church is a living example of that. The church building is just a foundation that doesnrsquot even have the start of walls let alone a roof. So until they can build and finish the building they are praying for no rain on S http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-145452.html Wednesday April 4 2007 Hope Fountain Fountain of Hope. Today we went out to a rural area with a program from the Revival Center Church. In the area called Hope Fountain there are a large number of rural homes where grandmothers are taking care of several young grandchildren. The landscape is rolling with shrubs or small trees throughout and every so often there is a small hut about 12 ft by http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-145451.html Chipangali March 31Finally we got to Chipangali. We thought we werenrsquot gonna go because molly jennirsquos car wouldnrsquot start. But luckily jennirsquos brother was able to jumpstart molly for us. There were a lot of loins there. One of them tried to pounce on me thought the cage it seemed a little crazy it scared the lights out of me But the other ones were ok. Mos http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-144744.html April 2 2007 Masiye Camp Narrative Therapy Workshop.This was a training day. Salvation Army Masiye Maseea Camp was putting on a workshop this week taught by a couple of ladies from Netherlands and Australia. This workshop aimed at teaching the skill of moving aside the negative character defining story of a childrsquos life to find out and make room for the second positive story for th http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-144742.html Jennirsquos house march25Wow church was fun today Today we went to a different church it was really fun. There were so many people there. Thatrsquos what their biggest weakness is. The only thing they lack is space. But they donrsquot want to move because they are in the middle of town and are very accessible by bus routes. I wouldnrsquot wa http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-144126.html KG VI School for disabled children home visit and Mahlabzulu March 29 07Pastor Temba had some running around to do this morning so we got to the school a bit late. Dakotah and I split up this morning. She went over to the senior art class to teach them to add beads to their hemp art and I adventured back to the kindergarten grade zero class for their reading time. The teachers took the oppo http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-144124.html KG VI School for disabled children home visit and Mahlabzulu March 29 07Pastor Temba had some running around to do this morning so we got to the school a bit late. Dakotah and I split up this morning. She went over to the senior art class to teach them to add beads to their hemp art and I adventured back to the kindergarten grade zero class for their reading time. The teachers took the oppo http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-143614.html