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Published: March 21st 2007
CHI Social Dinner Day Saturday March 17, 2007 Continued:
The youth group visit … On of the boys played Guitar and another played a drum and they worshiped, and they Prayed. This was fantastic, even though we couldn’t understand the words as they sang and prayed in their native language we could feel the power of those young people reaching out for God. The leader talked about giving thanks for things that we take for granted every day like breath of fresh air and the fact that we can walk or run. We only stayed for a short time then Pastor T took us to visit a family. This family had 12 people living in a three room house, kitchen and two bedrooms. The youngest was two years old and the oldest 23. It is the oldest who has been supporting this family of siblings and cousins but he has Aids, and is suffering from a herpes outbreak on his head so he can not work. His work gives him some money to support the family. Their grandfather owns the house they are living in but nobody knows where he is. The children are afraid that if the oldest boy dies that their aunt might come and take the house. Quite often here, when the remaining parent dies a relative will move in and take the house and send the kids away of keep them and they end up being abused as they are not their own children. The next family we went to visit a grandmother looking after five of her grand children and two great grand children. The youngest is 6 and the oldest 20. This GoGo had 6 children all but one of them has passed away from Aids related illness. The grandmother expressed concern about what the oldest girls will do when they are done school. It is refreshing to hear this as the “parent” is not worrying about keeping them alive until they are done school, she actually thinks about their future. The oldest said she wants to be a travel agent and the other was thinking about being a stewardess but changed her mind and wants to go into law instead. This family is well cared for. They receive funds for school and uniforms and some help for food and the grandmother owns the home. I witnessed the results of Operation Clean-up… a goventment program to make sure that all the buildings met the bylaw requirements. This meant that the rooms that people had built on to their houses to rent for extra income or to house extended family taking care of children were torn down. Piles of rubble remain.
(I’m doing ok with the coffee withdrawal situation, I have one cup of instant each morning.) On the way back to Pastor Temba and Julie’s house we stopped off and bought some roasted corn on the cob from the side of the road. It was good but a little tough, hard. We had a great night of fellowship and food and sharing. It was great to meet Pastors Godwill, Bonanni (again) and their wives. This long day lead to a great night’s sleep.
Church - Revival Center Sunday, March 18, 2007
Jenni, Dakotah and I went to Church this morning at Jenni’s Church. Their worship team consisted of 4 singers, a guitar player, base player, keyboard and drums. They sang two songs that we knew. I didn’t write them down though so I can’t remember which ones. Their announcements gave me a taste of what this church is doing. Youth, who need rides to Youth, Singles ministry, Women’s ministry, and an Anger management seminar. “ church is like a shower. You come dirty, take off your dirty clothes and get cleaned by Jesus. You don’t get out of the shower and put your dirty work clothes back on do you? So don’t do that in life with Jesus either,” Said Pastor Wayne. This church also has had a pastoral change in the last year. Jenni got some bad news about her mom yesterday. We prayed for her and her family and for rain. Rain Came! Just a little with a thunderstorm but it rained!
Later on that evening Jenni was telling me that there used to be thousands of street children in Zimbabwe. One day the government rounded them all up. They just all disappeared on day. No one will say where they took those kids. There are rumors that they were taken to camps to be brainwashed and brought up as soldiers…Where do you hide thousands of children.
A mixed day. The Mall. Monday March 19th, 2007
Today we were supposed to complete some work with Orphans and Vulnerable Children but Pastor Temba’s truck broke down so he couldn’t get us anywhere. So, Jenni took us down town to walk around while her and GoGo went to see a lawyer. We wandered around the mall for a couple of hours. We found out about “21”. When a person turns 21 they are presented with the key to life. There are shops that sell Keys with 21 on them through out the mall, some on plaques, some on necklaces. When a person turns 21 they are no longer a child and they are released from their parent’s care (if they have parents) and they can go out and capture their dreams in life. The shops were almost empty; I don’t know how they manage. There are two Christian books and supplies stores in this mall. Every shop seemed to sell cell phone accessories along with whatever they are selling.
In the afternoon Jenni took us to Pastor Temba’s house. Julie described that CHI is re-thinking the approach to orphan care. They are finding that the Arks may not be the best way to look after these children. They want to try and focus on helping orphans and vulnerable children in homes within their communities. There we also had discussions about CHI and what we wanted to accomplish here. I expressed that we want to serve. I want to help alongside others who are helping. This is a difficult task tas CHI is in its infancy in Zimbabwe. They have few programs that are developed. We talked about goals of CHI and roadblocks. The most obvious is money. The head of the program doesn’t even have a dependable vehicle to go help people. I am feeling pressure to teach and I am not prepared. I pray that God will prepare my heart and mind for all that he has in store for me. I have a Sunday school program that I brought along but we do not have the resources that are required like photocopying. I am feeling that in the branch of Other Vulnerable Children Work I may be an observer and tell a story instead of using my hands to help. There is also a large focus on evangelism and discipleship in the CHI program. Preach the gospel, help them to understand the goodness of God and living in his way then help them with material things such as school fees, uniforms and food. Of course the food comes first so that they can learn. It is important that the people know that faith can help them and that living the ways of God will improve their lives, give them hope and help them to avoid contracting AIDS. “Lord, Help me to go through this day in the confidence of you so I can be the maximum benefit to all those you have brought me here to help.”
SOS School and Orphan and Vulnerable Children Homes March 20, 2007
About Us: I had a really hard time personally yesterday. I have become frustrated with the e-mail system. I couldn’t get my messages to send. The lack of communication left me feeling somewhat isolated. Jenni was very understanding though. She gave me a hug and a pat on the back. We are going to look into getting a cell phone so that I can receive messages that way.
Our day:
When I woke up early again this morning I used the time to explore the Sunday School Program that Sandra gave me in those last couple of days in Canada. I am finding it difficult to figure out how one could teach these lessons without generous access to a photocopier and paper and props. “Please Lord confirm to me what I have to offer here.” I know that I will discover it in time. I feel today that my visit is a kind of catalyst, a jumpstart to have CHI delve into their works, an opportunity for them to get ideas, try things and expand.
At SOS School we had a discussion with the Headmaster of the school. He explained that there are about 100 children who live in 15 homes in the village. There is also a social center which is an outreach program. The Social center serves about 1500 vulnerable and affected children. They assist with school fees, food packs and empowerment programs. Also SOS built the school and the kindergarten program. Specifics to the school there are about 780 students in the school, 100 of them are from the village, 35 are sponsored through the scholarship program and the rest are from the community. The school has clubs which run after school from 1-4pm. Home management, Aids action, councelling, cultural music, dance and drama, orchestra, scripture union and sports clubs. Dakotah and I are going to help with the progress class where there are 12 students with learning disabilities. We will go there and read a story then read with the children individually until the hour is up. Seven of these children are from the village meaning that they are orphaned. I do not know if these orphans are aids affected but this discussion provided Pastor Temba the opportunity to present Christ Hope International’s Choose to wait program to the headmaster. He received it with enthusiasm. We also visited a children’s home called Emthuzini Wethemba. This is a home which houses 44 kids right now, ages 6-20. 3 of these kids are HIV positive and one eight year old boy is recovering from a stroke. Government Social Welfare brings the children to this home to live. The hom’s brochure says that the children are taught skills but the mother there says that there are no teachers for this purpose. They don’t have money to pay someone for these skills classes. They even have the facilities, sewing room, carpentry and pluming. They still make sure that the children get some skills so they send the children to city council where there are classes. The third place we visited today was a children’s home called John Smale Home which was established in 1972 when the country was Rhodesia as an institution for delinquent children. After the country turned to Zimbabwe the site was transformed into a government operated children’s home. There are 43 children there10 - 18 years old who receive skills such as gardening, knitting, sewing, poultry and others onsite. There are not really clubs here but outside groups come in and get the kids involved that way as well the kids are encouraged to join clubs at school and church. I asked what happens here during school holidays. The headmaster replied that about half of the children go out to families in the community to live over the holidays. Sometimes the families want to keep the children and that’s great! Passtor Temba dropped us off back at home to digest this. And I told Jenni all about the day. I am excited to be a catalyst to movement and reporting in this good work for CHI. I will help Pastor Temba with his preparation for UK and US sometime this week.
A little about us Wednesday, March 21, 2007
It Is hot here but we are handling it OK. Slathering on lots of sunscreen and drinking lots of water. Thank Mom for the juice, It has helped. Dakotah loves that she is allowed to ride in the back of the truck and yes the traffic is crazy here. Thankfully there are not as many cars on the road because of the downturn in the economy and inflation affecting the gas prices. We eat Mealie Meal for breakfast most mornings. That is ground corn cooked on the stove like porridge with sugar and milk. Mealie meal is the staple diet for the people here. They cook it in all different ways. Dakotah had some the other day that was shaped like big rice with stew. This staple food has been going up in price too putting a real strain on the families. Dakotah was so good and patient with all of the things we have been doing and with waiting although she has been getting more comfortable and now complains and resists some. I have to remind her to do as she’s told and be respectful now for her own good. Dakotah is enjoying the lizards and dogs here at home as well she discovered yesterday the grass that is a cactus…
Activities today March 21, 2007
Today we went to the SOS school to help children read. We arrived there a little bit early and were served juice so that we would be refreshed for our class. We started the class with a little prayer and introductions. The students told us their names, their ages, about their family and what they like to play. The children ranged in age from 8 to 12 and like running, basketball, soccer, rugby, and sewing. We read the story of the Fiery Furnace from Pastor Temba’s book. I read with Charmane, 9 years old, Sharon, 9 years old, and Thubelihle, 9 years old. They were all good readers for the level of book they are assigned. Dakotah’s most memorable student that she read one on one with was Robin she’s 12 and a very good reader so Dakotah says. We stayed after the hour was up, met with the lady who runs the Scripture Union Class and Pastor T discussed the Choose to Wait program with her. They are going to try and start something there next Tuesday. We then watched the Cultural dance club rehearse the teacher gave us a play by play about what they were learning. They had vivid regalia of black and white and reminded me a lot of the Uganda Watoto Children’s Choir. After the Cultural Dance the orchestra started their rehearsal. They had about 25 recorders, a piano, and about 12 different xylophones like instruments, I can’t remember the name. There were also singers and dancers and a drama portion of the show. It was great to watch and Dakotah learned to play that instrument that I cant remember the name.
On the way back from the SOS school we stopped off at Emthuzini Wethemba to meet the headmaster. There we discovered opportunity to go and play with the children after they return from school. The headmaster said that there is sports equipment there that no one knows how to use, like basketball court and Ping pong. We could go there and play with the children. Although then the headmaster started lecturing about not bringing in doctrines and pushing them on the kids. I don’t think we want to go to this organization. We will be busy with the other projects planned so far.
Another good meal and a good night sleep to come. Another day tomorrow with those smiling children and we will get to sit in on a Choose to Wait Club meeting. I am looking forward to that.
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Kathleen, Richard & Paige
non-member comment
All out Love
WOW. What an extraordinary adventure you are on. I am so proud of you both, and will continue to check in on what you are learning and teaching. - Definitely an experience of a lifetime for you both. Stay in touch, stay safe and allow yourself to make the incredible memories that will take you healthily into your old age! Love you tons.