Just a bit of news

Monday, September 22nd

Today, my heart is just heavy, just sad and overwhelmed with all that is going on around me. We awoke with no power and Jason made a fire outside so we could cook breakfast---took 2 hours as the wind was blowing so badly. The porridge was fantastic and filling:) Can't thank God enough for it:) But, that's not why I was sad--if it was, I'd better get a grip, eh;)

I walked around the house after breakfast and just felt like if I let myself go, I would just cry--cry in that weeping from the depths of your soul, kind of cry. Looking around and thinking about the people here, especially our guard, Israel, I was thinking about the strange thing life itself is. In only 2 months, I have a plane ticket home--a ticket to wealth, ease, food around every corner and opportunities ready to greet eager souls. There is absolutely no room for complaining in my life, no reason not to wake up each day and praise my God for all that He has blessed me with and is doing in my life. I realized today just how terribly unthankful I am; not because I purpose myself that way, but because I don't thank God enough, don't praise Him enough and acknowledge the fact that everything I have--absolutely everything is a gift from Him; a gift He did not have to give me. But, He did; He gave; He poured out and He is amazing.

So, while I can leave the difficulties and struggles of life here, 99% of these people never will, ever. And coming to America is not the answer. I really don't know what is except the saving grace of God. These people will continue to struggle to make ends meet, to eat each day and to find work in an economy that doesn't promise that much will be available. I think of Israel our guard. We give him meals each day to eat on top of the meals he cooks for himself--he may not have that after we leave until the next group comes along. He will continue to work, to eat the bare minimum each day. But, he is content, he is happy and he is hopeful. He knows God provides. One thing I need to let go of is that I am not here to save everyone. I am not the one who provides for them. I am not God and who am I to think I can do a better job than He can. Shame on myself. However, all of us have a responsibility and not to act on that is truly sin. "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, 'come back tomorrow and I'll give it to you'- when you already have it with you." Proverbs 3:27-28. "Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another. If any one of you has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in you? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:16-18. Powerful and humbling truth.

Anyhow, onto the rest of our day. Temba picked us up around 11. His car is being worked on. He was late in picking us up, because he had to wait for the mechanic to come to fix his car, and the mechanic had to wait for his own ride. But Temba made it--smiling and happy as usual, not seeming to be affected by the day's frustrations. His truck is in sad, sad shape. Its either late 1950's, early 60's truck. He has it hotwired to get it going. The doors are falling apart and I can see the road underneath us when we drive. Smoke comes into the cab, so the door has to be partially open to let the smoke out--the windows don't roll down--esh! Jason and I prayed the whole time for God to keep us safe. He did. He always comes through:) We ran many errands with Temba--he had a lot of meetings and such. It was good to see a bit more of Bulawayo. All the banks had people lined up for a block or two--just to get their money for the day. Sad. We caught a bus to the Thembelihle house which is a nursing home for AIDS patients. It is operated by Gladys; a lively woman with quite the personality and quite the heart. Both Jason and I fell in love with her immediately. Right now the home is not working to full capacity because of lack of funds and staffing. They are currently housing about 15 patients. As Gladys was talking, I did everything to hold back tears. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. I felt desperate to help--in any way I could. She explained that people are placed at the house after discharge from the hospital. They cannot go home as they are too ill. Most of them have TB and are on treatment for it, so they are not infectious to others. They have chronic opportunistic infections, diarrhea, nausea, thrush all the way through their G.I. tracks and they are emaciated. Reminds me a little of my patients back home minus the T. B. Many of them have cancers, such as Kaposi's sarcoma or lung cancers. Basic supplies are few. Common meds, antibiotics, antidiarrheals, antifungals, antinausea meds and pain meds are not available. I asked about donating funds--great idea, but the needed items simply are not available here. So they make do with what they have and commit their work to God, praying and trusting He will provide. We met many of the patients. Most of them are under 30 years old. Most of them won't live another year. Each person we met, my heart broke all over again; broken for their suffering and their pain. Their eyes had a story to tell and I want to know each of theirs. I was overwhelmed. Jason was overwhelmed. Where do we start? How do we get supplies to these people? The mountain is big. But, my God moves mountains. I have seen it and I believe it. I found my work and I cannot wait to start. Hopefully Thursay we can go back. We need to wait for a vehicle. We would bike but it's a good 20-30 miles one-way and taking supplies we do have is difficult. Please pray. I can't stand waiting to work. I want to help. I want to share the good news of our God. I want to pray for their healing. God doesn't need supplies or meds to heal. He is a God that moves mountains. I am trusting He will.


Wednesday, Sep. 24th.

Today and yesterday are rather strange days. Either Satan is working hard to keep us from working or God is forcing fasting and rest upon us:) In either case, we are here and we know God has us here. We keep praying for Him to open up the way to ministry, despite the obstacles. Temba's vehicle is still being repaired, so we haven't had transportation for ministry or our trip to Botswana for food.

We stayed at the house and worked. Jason and I hand-washed our laundry, cleaned a bit, and sorted through some donated items from a huge container that came in July. We were able to organize some of it, which will be so helpful for just knowing where things are. I also worked on a list for future teams and volunteers.

Our blessing yesterday was electricity available all day!!! I was so, so excited. God is amazing! He not only knows the depths of our hearts, but He knows the little things that mean the world to us. I was just thinking of how much I miss music. Funny how I don't realize the love I have for certain things until I no longer have them. Looking through the boxes, we found a radio that had been donated for the office and Israel happened to find a Wow Worship 2001 CD. It made my day!! And thanks to Jen Willoughby, we enjoyed a few bites of yummy chocolate!! Thank you, Jen. You are my hero!! We were also able to cook our meal before the electricity went out again! Just in time:) It gets dark at 6 here, so not a lot to do in the evenings and it is not safe to go out. Thanks again to Jen, Jason and I played a game of Phase 10 by candlelight:)

Many people have asked in e-mails what we are eating and I haven't been able to write anyone back, so I'll post it here:) We don't have a lot of food right now, until our trip, but we have enough and are eating just fine:) In the morning, we have a maize porridge. Jason normalling doesn't touch this sort of thing, but hunger does strange things to you:) Its pretty good and pretty filling. We also have been able to have coffee!!!! Such a blessing:) We don't snack at all and somedays we haven't had lunch, but if we do, it is either left-overs from the night before or a grilled cheese sandwich:) Yum!!! For dinners, I have been making some interesting dishes, to say the least:) One night, it was pasta, canned beans, cabbage and grean beans all mixed together. I have also made rice, carrots, cabbage, onions and cut-up chicken hotdogs all mixed together. Yep, crazy combos, but it is all that is available and it tastes pretty good. The only "safe" meat here, was a package of the chicken hotdogs, so we have cut them up and used them in several meals. Oh, I also have been able to get a few tomatoes and a few oranges. We have been fortunate enough to be able to cook and boil everything, just to be on the safe side. It is all good:) Just a sidenote, a common snack by people here are Mopani worms. Yep, you read it correctly. Worms. And, no, I will not be sampling these.

Anyhow, enough for today. By the time I post this, several days will have gone by. Sorry if it's like reading an old newspaper:) I'm glad though, that at least I can write it all on a Wordpad and then transfer it to the blog when we are able to use the internet:)

Blessings to you all!!!


Ann asked me to write something from my perspective, but honestly I'm struggling to find words to describe everything that I have seen and experienced so far. Suffice it to say that this is not the Zimbabwe that my parents told me about. I was five when we left here, so I have few memories of it. When I look at the buildings - some might even be as high as 30 or 40 floors, almost skyscrapers - I try to imagine it as it would have looked when the city was prosperous.

I'm deeply struck by the severity of the situation here. It's one thing to read about it, but quite another to actually live it. It is both peculiar and disturbing to walk through stores that have nothing on the shelves besides a few loaves of bread and other basic items. Gas stations are deserted and only a few actually sell gas anymore. It doesn't matter if you have money in the bank, nothing is available. And the little that you can find is very expensive. We bought a few things to tide us over this week and it cost about $65 US. Can you imagine having to drive to Canada to buy food? That's the reality that Zimbabweans are living with. Most must travel to Botswana to buy food, if they can afford to. The rest rely on a cornmeal staple called Sadsa - ugali or pap - and beans or cabbage to keep body and soul together.

This post wasn't meant to be about food, but I think it is one of the greatest obstacles people are facing at the moment. However, there is a remarkable tenacity and vitality in the people here. People smile and speak positively about the country and their futures as they go about their business. Somehow they survive. Somehow they thrive. It is as Temba, our ever optimistic host, says, Zimbabweans are living 'miracle lives'. I am reminded of how much God provides for us everyday. In the US and 'developed nations' we have built systems that support us financially, economically to provide food from around the country and the world. It is easy to become complacent and begin to trust in the systems for our 'daily bread', rather than God himself. My experience here has served to remind me just how tenuous our systems are. When they collapse, fracture or fail we are left in the dark, hungry and alone. Let us rather place our trust in the one who has promised us 'living water' and the 'bread of life', that we may not hunger or thirst again.

And yes Mom, we're eating enough and we're doing fine.

Grace and peace to you all – cheers

Thursday, Sep 25th,

Today, this post is more of a prayer request than anything. First off, God is good, no matter what and no matter the circumstances that arise. He provides everything we need, just when we need it. “No good thing will he withhold from those that walk in Him”. (Can’t remember where that’s found—you’d think when I memorized verses, I would remember the reference

Ok, here goes:
Temba’s vehicle is still being repaired and if it is not finished by tomorrow, our trip to Botswana will not happen until the end of next week because, Temba and his family are going to South Africa for the week as his son graduates.

We can’t rent a car, take a bus, etc, because we don’t have cash—that’s in Botswana too (The reason it is there is because you can’t get any money in the banks here—only $1000 a day, which barely buys a loaf of bread). Anyhow, the money we do have is being spent to get to and from the car repair shop and buy air time to make local calls. And, no, places do not accept credit cards here. We haven’t been able to do outside ministry for 3 days because of this transportation obstacle. Anyhow, we are running very low on food and it will get interesting on how we will eat if we can’t go to Botswana. I am trusting God will be faithful. He has been faithful each day and I cannot doubt that He will be faithful tomorrow. We are learning to trust God daily in ways we haven’t been tested before. This is surely an adventure. God is good

God is teaching me incredible things through this, both in trust and in humility. I will write more on that later.

We appreciate your prayers. Love you all