The last two days have been cloudy and dreary. Some areas have had showers off and on. I think the rainy season is here. I, for one, am glad for the reduction in temperatures. It has been unbearably hot. We have had some showers over the last few weeks but no large rain storms as yet. Some people are already planting but unless it rains soon, their efforts may be for naught.

Yesterday we made a trip to Harare. Fortunately we accomplished all of our errands except one. So it looks like we will make one more trip back to Harare before we leave to return to SA. Yesterday Jeff and Albert attended the weekly Rotary Meeting of the Rotary Club of Harare City, the Host club for the water projects. Jeff has attended the meetings almost weekly but this was the first time for Albert. Both Albert and Jeff had an opportunity to speak; a good follow-up to the visit some had made to HCOC Saturday. We look forward to their continued support.

This morning Jeff and I made a visit to Guzha to see what was happening. We found the solar panels in place as well as the electric fence that will help protect the solar panels and pump. The pump still is not operating due to electrical problems. The crew has returned to Harare to try and sort out the problem. We are promised that by Sunday everything will be operating properly. Everyone is so anxious for the first water to begin flowing. The commissioning of the project is now scheduled for Monday and we anticipate the community will be able to turn on the tap and have water.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, was a very busy day around here. Screening of all recent visitors to the clinic for HIV had been scheduled. Adults as well as children were lining up to be tested. The area was very crowded with people when a truck from UNICEF arrived with a delivery of drugs.

UNICEF makes a regular delivery of drugs for the clinic about every three months. That reduces HCOC expenditure for drugs. We are very grateful for the assistance. Of course the arrival of a big truck causes a lot of excitement especially among the children.

In addition to all of the activity at the clinic, it was preschool graduation day. What excitement! Parents were gathering for the graduation ceremony. Of course the preschoolers were more interested in the big truck that had just arrived than they were in lining up for the procession into graduation. First grade teachers are going to have their hands full when school begins in January.

Jeff and I split duties on Thursday. Jeff attended the preschool graduation at Inyagui and I attended the activities here at Nyamashato. There are so many activities at the end of the year that we are running into conflicts.

After many false starts and frustrations, Guzha finally has water for the very first time. Everyone is celebrating as this picture shows. We waited a long time for this but it is finally complete. The solar team worked yesterday (Sunday) and could not get the solar pump to work. They came back very early this morning to try again. When the workmen located the problem they had to go back to town for new parts. It was afternoon before they returned. It was mid-afternoon before water began to fill the tank.

People were anxious when water did not flow into the tank immediately, but the well is 180 meters away from the tank. It took a while to pump enough water to fill the pipe. The water is flowing smoothly now and everyone is celebrating.

We, in the United States, take water for granted; but, to people in this area, water is vital for life and clean water is sometimes impossible to obtain. The entire community is celebrating. They have received the best Christmas present ever. I only wish Ralph knew how happy everyone is. It was the grant that he wrote that made all of this possible.

I had a most pleasant surprise this afternoon. I was busy packing and trying to clear up some loose ends. I heard a knock at the door and opened it to find Mrs. Mundonhi and her daughter Roberta. They had come to visit me. I have not seen them in at least five years perhaps more. They have moved to Harare and so I no longer see them when I pass their house near-by. Some of you may remember that Ralph was called to take Mrs. Mundonhi to the hospital many years ago. When she gave birth to a little girl she named her Roberta. The family is living in Harare now and so I have not seen Roberta for a while. It was so good to have her come for a visit. She has just completed 4th grade and stood number seven in a class of 400 children.

Today was the dedication of the Memorial Garden in memory of Ralph. The tombstone was unveiled and a few plants were set. A very large crowd from the community gathered and it was a lovely service. Even the sub-Chief of the district was present. For the community, this was a very important occasion. Everyone knew Ralph Pippitt and what he had done.

In addition today was the handing over of the water project completed at HCOC. The new well is performing very well and now they can begin doing some serious gardening.

Jeff and I are in Harare tonight. We will leave early tomorrow morning to drive to SA. So this will be my last communication from Zimbabwe. My next communication will be from Denver. Please pray for safe travels for Jeff and I.

In His Service,

Roberta

Albert’s truck is out of commission. It broke down Wednesday afternoon when he had gone to Guzha to deliver some supplies. He called Jeff to come and tow him home. Albert’s truck being out of working order was the reason for hiring a truck to take chickens to Harare yesterday. It is bad enough to be down to one truck but things come to a complete halt when there is no truck. We will be leaving in a very short while and our truck will be gone. Our truck has been the emergency back-up.

Trucks began arriving Wednesday afternoon with equipment and supplies for the wells. There are four workmen and they will remain here until the pumps and equipment are installed and everything is working properly. Everyone is so excited especially at Guzha where they have never had water nearby. They can hardly fathom having 10,000 liters of water on tap. Yesterday, Jeff and I watched as the workmen assembled the steel work for the stand and then watched as they put it in place using their pickup truck to help tilt it upright. Today, they are assembling the stand for another tank here at HCOC.

The workmen that will install the solar panels at Guzha are scheduled to arrive on Monday. It will be exciting to see the first water pumped with solar power.

Plans are underway for a special spot at HCOC for a memorial garden in memory of Ralph. It will be located in a corner near the front gate. When Jeff and I were in Harare early this week, Jeff purchased an Acacia tree for the garden. Acacias are the tree always pictured in photos of Africa. It grows in the shape of an umbrella and gives good shade. Since it is indigenous, it should grow without much care. Albert wants a foot path that leads from the front gate to where the Headstone will be placed. He also wants flowers planted along the foot path. There is a lot of ground work that will need to be done first. I don’t see enough time for that to happen before we leave. The Executive Committee is going to be responsible for the Headstone.

Yesterday, the 19th of November, the Rotary Club of Harare City paid a visit to the HCOC project. They are the host club on the water projects this year. The same club partnered with the Castle Rock Rotary Club last year on the well projects here in Zimbabwe. However, only one or two people in
the Harare Club even knew where HCOC was located. It was a real pleasure to host this club for a tour and lunch here at the site.

The group arrived about 10:30. Albert briefed them on the background of the project before beginning the tour. The tour began at Guzha, the most distant point. They visited the site of the well and had an opportunity to see the tank hoisted into place on the stand in the center of the school property. There will be a water faucet located at the base of the tank where teachers and children will be able to get water. It is also located very near the kitchen that prepares all of the food for the Feeding Center at Guzha. The Rotarians were very impressed with all that has taken place over the last 15 years. Thanks for this must go to all of the people in Denver and around the world who have contributed generously over the years to this mission. Those contributors have made all the improvements possible. I believe many in this community have forgotten what it was like in 1996. Schools were already condemned when Ralph and I made our first visit. Renovation of classrooms was of top priority along with safe water.

The day concluded when the visitors returned to the Feeding Center here at Nyamashato. A Southern Fried Chicken dinner had been prepared for them. Jeff purchased the chickens from HCOC and the employees at the chicken project dressed them early in the morning. Jeff cooked the chicken and I helped in the feeding center to prepare the mashed potatoes and cabbage slaw, etc.

The final connections have been made at the well for HCOC and water is pumping into the storage tanks as I type this letter. People are celebrating. Water is such a precious item in this area of Zimbabwe. We were lucky this year to get a good well. In another day or so, when the pipe has all been laid, the poultry project will have piped water at the site. The workers are anxious to have adequate water on site. Up to this point water had to be hauled from Nyamashato Primary School in drums. It was a laborious task and was not an efficient use of workers time. A big celebration is planned for next week at Guzha for the handing over of the water projects. It will be a time for the community to bid us farewell. We ask for your prayers as we make preparations for our departure and for safe travels for Jeff and I as we drive back to South Africa and fly back to Denver.

In His Service,

Roberta

The old truck has been sold. We received $1,500 for it and it will cost more than that for the buyer to put it in running condition. The money from the sale has been set aside for another truck but it will take a lot of additional money to be able to purchase something that doesn’t break down every time one turns around. We need something with a larger engine than the one that we have had. The old truck had insufficient power when loaded.

A large truck is needed for hauling food supplies from Harare, for the feeding program. The poultry project also needs a big truck for hauling feed for the project as well as marketing the chickens. At this time of year seed and fertilizer must be hauled as well. Presently HCOC has to hire a truck and the cost ranges from $250.00 to $600.00 per trip. The price depends on the number of items or the weight of the load and whether they are hauling from Harare or Murewa.

Friday, was a very special day for the children at Guzha Primary School. It was the day that prizes were given to outstanding students. A large crowd of parents and friends assembled for the program. Jeff and I were invited to attend the special ceremony. Groups of children presented skits and musical numbers. The District Education Officer handed out the prizes to the top students at each grade level. The prizes had been donated by the Vice-Mayor of Harare. His assistant was present to witness the handing out of the prizes. The students received practical things such as new back-packs, note books, tooth paste and bars of soap. What an exciting day for the children!

The Executive Committee met yesterday to make a decision about what to do with the small container of Ralph’s ashes that Albert brought back when he returned from the U.S. They decided that they wanted to place the small brass urn in a granite tombstone. The stone will be set near the gate to the HCOC site. A native tree will be planted to shade the stone. Today, the committee went to meet with the Sub-Chief of this area to inform him of their decision. All their plans were approved by the Sub-Chief. Wednesday, they will meet with Chief Nyawembawa as a matter of formality. Jeff returned and said that the people in this area think of Ralph as a Hero.

Work is progressing nicely on the water projects. The trenching at Guzha is complete and the base for the tank stand is in place. The pump and solar panels will be installed by a special crew that does solar pumps. Annevor Systems will install the security fence and electric wire to protect the solar panels. Guzha is responsible for having 24 hour guards at the site of the solar panels to safe guard against theft. Solar panels are economical to operate but they are always a target of thieves.

At HCOC all 380 meters of trenching for the piping should be completed by Wednesday. The tank stand base is in place and we are expecting the installation crew to arrive on Wednesday. They will camp here until the project is completed. Everyone is excited about having piped water at the poultry project in addition to themain buildings and garden. We anticipate that all will be finished before we leave to drive back to South Africa on December 1.

In the picture at the left, the man standing in the trench sited a Black Mamba snake just to the right of where he is working. He described it as being very large. He said it was as big around as his forearm. Black Mambas are sometimes seen in this area and are greatly feared. It is rare for anyone who is bitten to survive. This area of HCOC site has been undisturbed for years. Now the activity, as a result of the development, is disturbing their habitat.

Jeff and I recently visited the factory where the Sadza Cooker is being built. This picture only shows the part of the unit where the food is cooked. It will be quit a process to install it here at the Feeding Center. This will allow the cooks to prepare large amounts of food without standing over an open fire. When the Sadza is cooked, it can be removed and kept hot while other menu items are being prepared. The last time Jeff spoke with the people at the factory, they indicated that they would be ready to install this coming week. Things are finally beginning to fall into place.

In closing, I ask for your prayers that the projects will be completed before we leave to return to Colorado. I also ask for prayers that somehow funds for a big truck be provided to HCOC. A truck is desperately needed.

In His Service,

Roberta

This morning Jeff and I had to make a trip to Guzha Primary School to deliver some food supplies to the kitchen. We also needed to check on the preparations for Trevor’s workers who will install the tank stand. While I was there I took some pictures of the traditional type of dwelling that the children are constructing. There is a push, by the Ministry of Education, to have the children learn about how their ancestors lived. The structure is small made of small poles and plastered inside and out with mud from termite mounds. The first coat of mud cracks as it dries. A second coat is applied. The interior walls are also coated with clay mud from termite mounds. A fire pit occupies the center of the room. Benches line the interior walls. The thatched roof keeps the rondavel cool.

Outfitting the well at HCOC has to be scaled back a bit. We will continue to use the booster pump that is in the pump house rather than buying a new one. It isn’t a good pump but will have to do for the present time. We discovered, by accident, that the grant money actually wired was less than we expected. However, the well production is better than expected and we are pleased about that. We will be able to supply water to the
poultry project which will eliminate the need to haul it from various places.

The first batch of chickens has been completely sold. They were able to use some of the chickens to pay the school fees for the three children at Cheunje Boarding School. This amounted to $750.00. The second batch of chickens is growing quickly and will be ready for market beginning next week. A third batch of chickens will be moved from the brooder room to the fowl run in another week. It looks like they will have a batch of chickens to market every month. With the facilities that we have, that is the best we can do. Ideally, it would be easier to market if they had chickens ready for market each week. That way they would have steady customers in Murewa; restaurants, grocery stores, hospital, etc.

Tuesday, Albert had made arrangements for a group of us to visit Mother of Peace, an orphanage in Mutoko. It is located about 60 km from Murewa. I have visited there a couple of times in the past but I was interested in having Jeff see it. We especially wanted to see their facilities for housing children. We have reached a point where it is important for some children, that are living in child headed households, to be moved into a safe environment. Some of these children are being sexually abused by intruders and sometimes by relatives. It was recommended that we provide for outdoor cooking. This would be in keeping with the way people live in the community where many of the children will return when they have completed their schooling and/or training.

The little boy that I am holding is three years old. I would have guessed that he was much younger. He came to me and pulled on my skirt and held his arms up to be picked up. He has the biggest smile on his face. There are so many unwanted children here. I feel sorry for these children; many of them have just been abandoned.

Mother of Peace houses 129 children at the moment. They also sponsor 150 children who have been integrated back into the community and are living with extended family members. They described the slow, meticulous process they go through to integrate these children back with relatives or foster homes. In a few cases it has not worked and they have had to bring the children back to Mother of Peace.

As Jeff was driving to Guzha Primary School, he noticed a group of people gathered at a borehole that did not get repaired last year. The villagers had gathered together and were working on their own borehole. There are some parts left over from last year that Jeff will provide to them. Other parts Jeff plans to purchase for them in Harare. They constructed a fence around the pump to protect it from cattle. A cement basin protects the well from contamination and they have a trough leading under the fence to a dug pit lined with cement. The run off from the pump drains into the pit where the cattle come to drink. The pump is also kept locked and is unlocked only at designated times. The villagers have decided that those who do not contribute to the maintenance cannot have access to the water. Efforts from last year have paid off.

Please pray that the installation of pumps goes smoothly and all work will be complete before we leave.

In His Service, Roberta

I must apologize for an incomplete sentence in Journal 7. I was in a situation where I was putting final touches to the journal and I had to email it immediately or not get it off at all. In the paragraph where I spoke of the old truck’s condition it should have read; at the moment they are carrying a few chickens at a time to market using public transportation. This is not a good solution and is economically unsound. We are desperate for funds for a more recent model of a truck that is in good running condition. The roads out here are absolutely terrible. As I mentioned we had to replace the leaf springs in our truck.

Tadisa Nyarugwe is pictured at the left. He is the 10 month old son of Godfrey Nyarugwe, our accountant. He is definitely a happy healthy baby. His mother, Naumi, is certain that it is because of the Moringa she uses in her cooking. She was so terribly sick during her pregnancy last year and Godfrey was concerned because she was losing weight. I suggested that he make tea of the moringa leaves and see if she could keep that down. I explained that it would give her the nutrition that she needed. I also explained to him about using it in their cooking. Godfrey did that and the baby weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. at birth. That is almost unheard of to have a baby of that weight in this country. Babies are usually very small. Research I have read all points to higher birth weights when the mother has moringa in her diet during pregnancy and nursing period.

Excitement last night! Jeff and I were sitting on the veranda after dark because it was too hot to be in the house. We had no electricity and so we couldn’t read or do computer work. All of a sudden I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. I asked Jeff for the flash light but the object was gone. It definitely was not a dog and was much larger than the dogs around here. Jeff had seen it at about the same time I glimpsed it. I am certain that it was a hyena and had probably smelled some scrapes that I had thrown out for the chickens. Jeff agreed but we have no picture to prove it.

More excitement! Mr. Bondeponde came by this morning for a short visit. We were discussing the possibility that we might have seen a hyena. He agreed that it was possible because he says he hears them sometimes. He went on to explain that before we arrived a large cobra was seen crawling into our dry sump. So a group got together and mixed up cement to pour into the hole. End of the snake story. Now Jeff doesn’t want to hang up the laundry. Ha! Ha!

Trevor, the pump installer, was here yesterday to check out our new well and to make final plans for pump installation. We are to meet with him on Tuesday in Harare and finalize what we are going to be able to do. Our major concern is getting the jobs done in a timely fashion. We have had to extend our trip until December 6. Actually we were originally scheduled to arrive in Denver today, October 22.

Thursday, Jeff and I drove to Harare and brought back a new batch of chickens that Godfrey, our accountant had purchased. It was so hot that we came straight out with them and did not tarry. By the next morning we had only lost three which is not bad for the conditions. No. one batch of chickens have all been sold except for 80. The plan is to dress these chickens and put them in the new freezer. This poultry run can then be cleaned in preparation for moving the new batch of chicks into that run when they are three weeks old. Chicks we bought a month ago will be ready for sale in about two or three more weeks. The object is to have 700 chickens ready for market once per month. After all expenses are paid, they are saving the profit so that they can build a larger facility that will house about 5,000 chickens. This is the beginning of helping them to become somewhat independent and not have to rely on ZMP for all of their operating money.

October 25, 2011

We are in Harare and had another meeting with Trevor in regards to the equipment for the wells and accessories. Jeff will be reviewing everything to make certain it is in line with the grant that Ralph wrote. Thankfully, we had planned to stay with Derek Forbes to night. Tomorrow morning we will meet again and give Trevor the go ahead to begin work. This has taken much longer than we would have liked; but, we have to remember we are in Africa.

Derek Forbes is living in Gaisfords house here in Harare. So going there is very familiar. Denise and Fred are in town and so we will have an opportunity to visit with them. It will be so good to see them and have a chance to visit a bit.

Due to the delay in getting all of the wells outfitted our trip home has been delayed. Our new return date is now December 6. Changing our return ended up being a very costly expense. This has become a much longer trip than I had planned for. I am really ready to come home. October weather has finally arrived with a vengeance. The last couple of days have been so hot and it doesn’t cool off much at night. I had difficulty sleeping last night.

I must get this on its way. In closing I ask for your prayers that the final work will go smoothly and that we will be able to cope with the heat.

In His Service,

Roberta

The weather is very cool today, as it was yesterday. It seems that the heavy rains have cooled the air. It is something I have never experienced this time of year in all my years of traveling to Zimbabwe. I am fully aware that it will probably turn hot suddenly and I for one cannot handle heat very well.

Jeff and I spent most of this week in Harare without a set of wheels. We took our truck in to have work done on it. These rough roads had taken a toll on the rear leaf springs. We have also driven so many kilometers that it was time to have the new tires rotated. The truck also needed its regular service. The Toyota shop indicated the truck would be ready the following day. However, it didn’t happen and it was afternoon on Thursday before we could pick up the truck and come back to school. No end of frustration!!

When we went to pick up the truck, Jeff was at the counter getting ready to pay the bill. The clerk was conversing with a gentleman that had just walked up. He looked at Jeff and greeted him by saying good afternoon. Jeff responded by saying masikati, which is good afternoon in Shona. Their eyes got big and they looked at each other, obviously wondering if Jeff had understood their conversation. They didn’t know that Jeff had just about exhausted his shona vocabulary.

Since the truck had to be in the shop by 8:00 am on Tuesday, we drove in Monday night and stayed with Derek Forbes. Derek is here from PCUSA working with the Zimbabwe Presbytery for the next three years. Staying with Derek gave us an opportunity to get to know Derek a bit better. It was interesting sharing views of our individual experiences here in Zimbabwe.

Tues. afternoon Derek took Jeff and I to visit Lovemore House. It is a home for boys that have been on the streets and have no home. Presently they are caring for 12 boys 14 years and younger. They also support 10 boys who are attending Boarding School. It was a real pleasure to meet these boys and have a time to visit with them. They seem to be happy and healthy in spite of the fact that some of them have been abused severely and still deal with the aftermath of such trauma.

Lovemore house was started by a lady from the Presbyterian Church. She is on the right in the picture. She and the two ladies with her run the house and provide care for all of these boys. It is my understanding that they raise all of their own support. Times they run out of food but trust in God to provide. Just before we arrived, a Catholic Church nearby had dropped off a supply of groceries. It was enough food to last through November. They were so appreciative.

Pictured is the first truck purchased for HCOC. It was purchased from Japanese Transportation Aid in early 2002. It has served its time and is now retired. We have just discovered that it was built in 1991. Over the years we have put a lot of money into the truck but now it is really falling apart. The seats and door liners are totally worn out. The side mirrors have been lost for some time. The steering wheel is duck taped together. The cattle guard on the front is missing as is the step for climbing into the truck.

The license number is posted on the windshield because the holder is gone. The rings in the engine are gone and it would burn more oil than petrol if anyone tried to drive it. The transmission is also in bad condition. The truck is beyond worth being repaired. It probably should have been disposed of several overhauls ago. This leaves HCOC without a way to transport supplies from Harare, carry chickens to market and the many other things it is used for. At the moment they are carrying a few chickens at a time.

When we arrived back at the mission on Thursday evening, the pump supplier’s men were just finishing the flow test on the new well. The foreman would not tell us what they had learned. They said their boss would discuss it with us. However, one of the employees here at HCOC said that they filled a 250 gallon drum in less than 15 minutes. He also told us that they pumped for four hours and the level of the water did not drop significantly. We are very encouraged and feel that God has answered our prayers.

Guzha Primary School and surrounding community are so excited about having water for the very first time that they are making big plans. They have already dug the trench for the water line from the well to the proposed site of the tank and stand. That is no small endeavor; the distance is more than 200 meters. They are even preparing to move their garden from its present location to a site near the water hydrant at the tank stand. People have hauled all the gravel and sand for the men who will be preparing the foundation for the tank stand. Many things are happening at Guzha. The whole community is so excited.

In closing please keep Jeff and I in your prayers as we make final decisions regarding the wells. We spent time with Trevor this morning. Trevor will be the one outfitting the wells. He is estimating three and a half to four weeks to get them outfitted. Sooo our return will be delayed.

In His Service,

Roberta

Tomorrow Jeff and I need to go to Harare to take care of several bits of business. So I am going to put together a Journal to night. I am uncertain when we will be going back to town. However, some weeks the trips are rather frequent. So far we have driven 6,200 km since picking up the truck in SA. That gives an idea of the frequent trips to Harare.

Sunday, October 2, we traveled to Nyahuni Boarding School. Tracey and Pertronella, two orphans, are students
HCOC has been sponsoring there. Sunday was a gathering of friends and families for the end of the year awards
celebration. Tracy, the girl whose picture is on the left received three awards. She was the top student in her
grade in physical science, agriculture and commercial studies. We are so very proud of her.

Petronella, the girl in the picture on the right, was the top student in her grade level in Geography. It has been a struggle to find the money for school fees for these children but their achievements have been our reward. We are committed to providing for their schooling if at all possible.

We presently have three students attending Cheunje Boarding School. Those three students will be graduating at the end of this term. Due to the shortage of funds, there are no plans at this time to start any new students in Boarding School beginning the school year in January.

This has been a rainy week. It has begun to rain the last three evenings just after dark. This evening it is a gentle steady rain. Last night we had hard rain with wind and some hail. Normally this time of year we get scattered showers but not heavy rains. I guess the weather is changing the world over.

In spite of the rains the Well Drillers were able to do their work. The men and equipment arrived at HCOC about noon on Monday, October 3. They began drilling early afternoon and hit water at about 45 meters. The following day they continued drilling to 70 meters and continued to get some water. The final results are about 500 gallons an hour. It isn’t as good as we had hoped for but better than previous attempts. It certainly will provide for the crops that are soon to be planted.

Tuesday afternoon, the well drillers tore down their rig and Jeff led them to Guzha Primary School. We were not optimistic about the prospects of getting water. The hydrologist gave us only a 67 % chance of finding water. He thought the best we could hope for was enough water for a hand pump. Today, they continued to drill to 70 meters and continued to find more water.

The water was coming in so fast that the driller couldn’t blow out the borehole to install the casing. The casing that they were attempting to install kept breaking because the water and soil created too much pressure. It was necessary for them to call for a heavier casing. The final results were 2,000 gallons per hour. This is far beyond our wildest expectations. When we left the people were dancing and celebrating.

On Monday Trevor, the person that we will be buying the pumps from, will be coming out to HCOC. We had originally hoped to put in a solar pump at Guzha but he may advise otherwise. Guzha does not have electricity or any hopes of getting electricity in the near future. There are many decisions to be made and lots of work to be accomplished. Once we meet with Trevor, we will have a better idea of the time frame we are dealing with.

The picture on the right is the view outside our door this morning after the rain last night. The Jacaranda trees are in full bloom and the ground was covered in purple blossoms. I hated to see anyone walk on them but then
the goats were out and they love to eat the blossoms.

God has truly answered our prayers for good sources of water. Praise Him! We ask for your prayers as we make decisions next week. Our goal is to be God’s hands and feet in this place and to carry out His will.

In His Service,

Roberta

Some projects here are moving forward and others are at a standstill. Thursday, a large truck load of sawdust was delivered for bedding in the chicken run. The sawdust is free, there is only a charge for the trucking. We are going to have to figure out a way to store such a quantity. We won’t need it all at one time but as the batches of chickens are moved all of the bedding must be replaced.

Friday, we brought home 700 day old chicks. Jeff worried all the way about losing them. He had waited in the heat for nearly an hour for an order of food for the chicks. However, all was well when we finally arrived. The following morning they were all still alive. Albert was very pleased. Losing a few in the beginning is normal. The other batch of chickens is now six weeks old. They will begin selling those later next week. In three weeks we plan to purchase another 700 chicks. The goal is to have three batches of chickens at different ages going all of the time.

We have to make some tough decisions. It is the part of the job that I don’t like. Our revenue sources are not generating enough income to keep the Mission operating. The number of orphans has not changed significantly. Costs of operation have increased. We need to make some significant cuts somewhere. The chicken project is at the point now that it generates enough income to sustain it and also to produce some profit. I estimate that they will realize about $600.00 plus every six to eight weeks. But that will not cover all the expenses in other areas.

Some cuts we are considering are: No longer providing uniforms for orphans. This should save about $6,000.00 each year. We need to ship the clothing that ZMP has gathered as soon as possible so that these children will have something to wear.

1. School fees are another big expenditure. We have only been paying a portion of the school fees for a couple of years. Now that is even difficult. Schools have been encouraged to develop income generation projects that will help pay school fees of orphans. But even that takes money they don’t have.

2. We have recommended that outstanding students no longer be sent to Boarding School. So in January, the beginning of the school year, no new students will be sent to Boarding School. Some small groups at Church have supported these student in the past but donations for those fees have been slow to come and sometimes not at all. We presently have five students attending Boarding School. Somehow we want to be able to let them finish their O-Levels, which is equal to a high school graduation. It costs $1,500.00 per term for the five students. There are three terms in the school year.

3. One of our big expenses is petrol for the vehicles. We are asking the staff, who uses the vehicles, to use public transport wherever possible. Instead of using petrol for the vehicles to ferry water to the chickens, garden etc. we are considering buying oxen and a water carts for such purposes. The oxen will cost about $800. Presently a hand dug well close to the chickens is being dug. We are encouraged by the flow of water. It should produce enough water for the chickens.

4. Since the Sewing Co-Op will no longer be making uniforms for HCOC, I have been working with them on a business plan, so they will be able to continue to have an income. Unfortunately, many people in the community cannot afford to pay for school uniforms. So I am encouraging them to buy fabric and make other types of clothing that they can try and sell in Murewa or even Harare. They had already begun to do a bit of this. Some people bring their own fabric and the women make whatever they request. That way they charge for their time and a bit for maintenance of machines.

Some things never change…..We thought we had a well driller hired. When we called the driller, after the hydrologist had cited for wells, and he was booked up for a month. That would be after we were scheduled to return to the U.S. We have a different well drilled booked for next Monday, Oct. 3. Pray for us that we are fortunate and find good sources of water. We can’t schedule the pump installer until we know what kind of water supply we find. This delay has set us behind schedule and we may have to reschedule our return. It won’t be the first time.

In closing I ask for your prayers for Jeff and me. We need strength and wisdom to do what needs to be done here. I also ask that you pray that God will provide good sources of water where we drill. Without a good source of water, future expansion at the site is out of the question.

In His Service,

Roberta

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

Our need for an ambulance was reaffirmed this afternoon. Late in the afternoon, Jeff was summoned to take a woman to the hospital. Beauty the nurse felt that she was having a stroke. Albert went with Jeff to the hospital. The road from here to the tarmac is very rough and so it was a long trip. It was after dark before they returned. Jeff says the road is rougher after dark. The woman was admitted to the hospital.

Bryce arrived yesterday morning, Saturday September 3. It was good to have him here after a very long trip. Bryce had worked all day Thursday at his office and then left at 6:00 in the evening to begin the long trip here, 34 hours of travel. He seemed to not be too tired because he had been able to sleep some on the plane.

After some errands, we returned to the mission. We found that there was no power. We have had no power since a week ago today. Without power we have no water either. The tanks at our house still had a small amount of water in them. Jeff started a load of his laundry and Bryce rigged the generator up to operate the washing machine. It worked fine but then we ran out of water. Can’t do laundry without water!! This morning Bryce hooked up the generator to the pump in the well.

Water is pumping into the tanks as I type this. The teachers want to turn on the big tanks but Bryce locked them down until the generator can pump enough water to get ahead of the demand that there will be. Soooo, Bryce has really been put to work.

Our biggest challenge at the moment is water. The garden at the expansion site is minimal because the amount of water available is very limited. Water has to be hauled from Nyamashato to the chicken project. This takes the time of someone who can drive. Albert still doesn’t have anyone to take Mr. Scott’s place. As you may remember Mr. Scott passed away last year.

When we made a visit to Inyagui, we learned that they were unable to start the generator to pump water. Bryce and Jeff worked on it and determined that the air filter had not been cleaned. They finally were able to start it by jumping it with the truck battery. Enough water was pumped to last for a few days until a new battery could be found.

Today, September 8, I rode with Bryce and Jeff to Inyagui School. The gardener was busy expanding the garden. The Headmistress told us that he is a community volunteer. He had told her that he wanted to help the orphans. We hope this sets an example for others in the community.

I suggested that the staff at the school (Inyagui) dig a pit at the water tank to catch the run off when people come to collect water. I also suggested that water used to wash vegetables and to do dishes could also be dumped into the pit. I told them that they could dip buckets of water from the pit to use in watering the garden. When Jeff and Bryce returned from there the other day they were busy digging the pit. They will brick it and cement the inside to hold the water.

It is 4:00 in the afternoon and we have just received a phone call from Albert. He is stranded in Harare. He and Godfrey had gone to town today to pick up things necessary for the Memorial Service for tomorrow and food supplies for the Feeding Center. On their way out of town, they heard a noise and stopped to have a look, only to discover that one of the front wheels was about to come off the truck. Jeff and Bryce have just left to go pick them up and bring the supplies back that they have purchased.

Friday, September 9th the Memorial Service for Ralph was held. People were everywhere. It was estimated that there
were 1,500 people who attended excluding children. People attended from the district offices as well as the people locally. Some of our friends from Harare also attended. Many spoke of the things that had been accomplished over the 15 years we had been coming to Zimbabwe.

Today, September 13, we are in Harare to purchase materials so that Bryce can construct some coverings for the windows needed for the chicken brooder. At present they are using plastic that flaps in the breeze and is pretty well torn up. I think they have to replace it every time they buy a new batch of chicks. This seems to be wasted money.

I hope to have an opportunity to send this before we leave Harare. I don’t always have a chance to
email when we are in town.

In His Service,

Roberta