Journal 12
Greetings from Zimbabwe,
We have been experiencing a serious cold spell. Over the week-end it was as low as 11 degrees Celcius. With masonry buildings and no heat that is really cold. I have resorted to spending a lot of time in the kitchen with the oven turned on. It has a fan and that forces the heat into the room. Sleeping has not been a problem and I have been warm. The sun has finally returned this morning and the temperatures have moderated. It is still cool but tolerable.
Saturday evening was a special event. It was a cold evening but the venue was warm and a large crowd attended. It was a time of handing over the Presidency of Rotary to a new President. Albert has worked hard this year and I am sure it was a relief to have that behind him. It has been a good year and the club has done outstanding work. This club, I think, is the most active club in Zimbabwe. I know of no other club that has taken on such a big project as the bridge across the river that I wrote about some time ago. It has involved hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bridge should be complete very soon, perhaps even before I return to the U.S. I would love to witness the first children crossing that bridge.
Saturday evening was a special event. It was a cold evening but the venue was warm and a large crowd attended. It was a time of handing over the Presidency of Rotary to a new President. Albert has worked hard this year and I am sure it was a relief to have that behind him. It has been a good year and the club has done outstanding work. This club, I think, is the most active club in Zimbabwe. I know of no other club that has taken on such a big project as the bridge across the river that I wrote about some time ago. It has involved hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bridge should be complete very soon, perhaps even before I return to the U.S. I would love to witness the first children crossing that bridge.
This morning I walked by the clinic site just as the workers were getting organized for the day. The foundation walls are rising to ground level. If you look closely, you can see the anchor walls that are supporting the main walls. As near as I can tell, they are doing an excellent job. The foreman of the crew indicated that they should be finished with all of the foundation walls in about six days. So perhaps in my next journal I will be able to have a picture of the workmen back filling around the support walls and preparing to pour the slab. I am getting anxious to see the work begin above ground.
As I mentioned in an earlier journal, everything is done by hand and it just takes so much longer. The main thing is they are doing a good job and the clinic should be here for a very long time. It will serve many in the community as well as the orphans.
This is a picture of the processing room. The final coat of finish is on the walls. The final floor is in place. Things are moving along. The paint will be picked up today or tomorrow and they will begin painting the ceiling and walls. Then the stainless steel sinks and work tables can be delivered and put in place. This will allow the plumbers to do all of their connections. I am getting eager to see it all come together.
This is all good but we have run into a problem. I believe I mentioned in an earlier journal that I was concerned that the over-flow from the septic system was going to be a problem. We are going to have to require the plumbers to re-plumb some of the waste lines. It will go to a separate tank. Power will have to be run to that tank to supply power to a submersible pump. This water will have to be pumped to a fish pond and/or the Moringa field. Our biggest problem may be during the rainy season when the Moringa may not need irrigation. The fish pond will be able to handle the extra water at that time.
As with all building, expenses can add up more quickly than planned. This is no exception. The sale of the old truck helped financially with the Moringa Building but there are still a number of things to be completed. I sat with the accountant and Albert this afternoon. To date we have spent about $37,000.00 and It appears that I need another $10,000.00 to complete everything. If anyone is able to help me finish this project, checks can be made to Renewed Hope Charitable Foundation and sent to P.O, Box 1476 Castle Rock, CO. 80104-1476. I will sincerely appreciate your support.
I am hoping that in three weeks that the building will be complete and I can begin training women to do the processing. Of the ones I train, six or seven will be selected and employed to process the Moringa. I am anxious for this project to begin generating some income.
Two years ago I brought fabric I had at home and a pattern for sanitary wear for the orphan girls. I thought the secondary Home Ec teacher could teach her girls to make the pads. Nothing happened, so last year I bought a Singer machine that had the zig-zag option. That way they would not have to seam and then turn right side out. When I came this year, I found nothing being done. So I brought the machine from the school here to the house. I work on making the sanitary wear when I have a bit of spare time. Stewart came yesterday thinking he needed to take my picture at work. So now you know what I do in my spare time.
This week please pray for the children that have to endure such abuse at the hands of their care givers. Hopefully, the house I am staying in will soon be approved for housing orphans, especially orphan girls. That will mean there will no longer be guest housing. That will have to be dealt with when the time comes.
In His Service, Roberta
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