two posts in one:)

Home Sweet Home:)

We are in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. We arrived on the 18th after a bit of a stressful flight--like we almost missed it--lines of people in the Johannesburg airport, unexpected baggage fees and running like madpeople through the airport to the gate--but we made it, all in one piece. And, our luggage made it as well--praise God!!!!

Wow, there is so much to write, I hardly know where to start, really. We unfortunately have not been able to e-mail very much or write on this blog. The internet was not very accessible in both Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg, and the difficulty here has been lack of electricity at times and good, old fashioned dial-up:)

Anyhow, our time in both Johannesburg and Pietermaritzburg was awesome. It was so nice to spend time with family and friends, see a bit of Africa and rest:) I loved meeting the rest of the Hadfield clan and all the old neighbors. It was great to see Jason's old house and neighborhood, eat some good African food, and drink many cups of tea:) The best!

The landscape is breathtaking in Durban and Pietermaritzburg. It is lush, green, hilly, warm with
beautiful trees and flowers. Pictures cannot even capture the beauty here. The sunrises and sunsets take my breath away. Experiencing the beauty here reminds me that our Creator is such a God of wonder and beauty and that He created so many things for us to enjoy. Earth is painted with God's splendor and something deep within my soul wants to get on my knees and thank our God for beauty itself.

We have been richly blessed so far, in ways I never anticipated blessing to come. Each person we have stayed with has been so generous, so warm, so welcoming, so encouraging. They have truly welcomed us and made us feel at home. They have instantly touched our hearts and have become like family. I found myself wanting to cry when we left Jason's family, his neighbors that we visited and his good friend Stephen. I think the reason it has been so diffiult is because the time with them has been so short and deep down I pray our paths will cross again--only God knows.

Being here has made me all too aware and contemplative of time. It seems most of us verbalize our concern for time --all of the time. For instance, "we don't have enough time", "we need to save time", "we cannot waste time", "we need to make the most of time" etc. I think deep in the heart of every person, we fight against time. Moments we treasure pass far too quickly and those moments we love, we wish we could pause. I truly believe we are uncomfortable with time, because we were not created for it. We are eternal beings bound and limited by time. We despise the restrictions of time because it is against our very nature. Time is the span of a moment and I cannot think of a more beautiful thing than the absence of time as we understand it and the concept of eternity becoming a reality. So, enjoy the dislike of time--after all, we were meant for eternity. Ecc 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in His time, He also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from the beginning to end".

On to other things:) I actually cannot believe we are here, in Zimbabwe. The day we arrived was an overwhelming one to say the least. After getting off the plane and making it through customs without any hassles, we were greeted with the bright and smiling eyes of our enthusiastic host, Temba. The joy this man carries humbles me to tears. Life here is everything but convenient, yet he is not bothered by it and carries a thankful spirit for every blessing.

We traveled to his home in his very old and broken down vehicle--but we made it--slowly:) I'm sure it was quite the humorous scene: four people piled in a tiny car, with 4 large suitcases hanging out of the trunk and one on both Jason and my lap, sweat pouring down our faces the look of "oh my, what have we gotten ourselves into" on our face as well. :) As we were driving there, I was struck at how very different Bulawayo is from any other city I have been to in Africa. It is strangely eerie, in a way. The roads are nearly barren as far as vehicles go. Gas prices are extremely high and most people have sold their cars because gas is either too expensive or simply not available. Kenyan, and South African streets are bustling with cars and people to the point it can be difficult to get around. Here it is quiet and still. Homes are lovely, but marred by Zimbabwe's crumbling economy. Gardens that once flourished are overgrown with weeds and thorns. Swimming pools once the center of good family times, are dry. Security fences surround homes to protect people from theft as others are desperate for food and money. This city is not like the undeveloped parts of Africa--it is/was a fully developed city that now exists with a broken soul; an empty, abandoned hollow soul. Eerie. There is also a sadness in people's eyes, yet smiles display the optomistic outlook they have for their country.

We have been able to spend quite a bit of time with Temba and his family. His wife, Julie is fantastic. They have been beyond helpful in getting our little home-away-from home set up and functional. They are warm and beautiful people, who praise God for the simple things in life--things I take for granted every day in the U. S. For example, the electricity goes out every day for up to 10 hours. Life is planned around when power is available. Also, water cuts occur quite often for most places in Bulawayo; limiting many homes to only 2-3 hours of water every 4 days. Thankfully, we have not had any water cuts yet, only electric cuts. Water shortages are massive for several reasons. The electric companies cut power to water companies, which then means water cannot be properly treated and available for people. Water is shut off simply to save it because of the drought. There have been times when the water companies have allowed water to homes untreated leading to a situation where people contract water-borne illnesses. No worries, we boil and cook everything!!:) The trick is being available to do that when the power is available:) Life is interesting, let me tell you. We have started many campfires already, just for cooking:)

Then, wow, the food shortages are crazy. Most stores, except for maybe 2 or three are empty, absolutely empty. The ones that are available are so expensive, even the middle class can hardly afford it, let alone the poor. For example, a loaf of bread cost anywhere from $1000-$1500 Zim dollars. The bank will only give people $1000 a day, even if you have way more in your account. So, to drive to the bank, then the store costs about $300 one-way--then you obviously have to get back, which is another $300-so what's left, $400--not even enough for a loaf of bread--can you even imagine--I think I sat with my jaw dropped for half a day. Most people have to cross the boarder for food--which is what we will be doing.

Despite all of these things, what amazes me the most is the strength, joy and resiliance that people carry here. They do not live at the mercy of their circumstances, but fully trust that God will provide for them. The Christians here are witnesses to God's almighty hand and His faithful care of them. Their needs are met. They eat each day and somehow they get where they need to go. They live life one day at a time, trusting that the God who has been faithful today, will be faithful tomorrow. Each day is a blessing. God meets their needs--all of them--I don't know how, but the way of God is impossible for the human mind to understand. I am glad for that. If I could understand how God works, then He would only be as big as my mind--not too big:)

Since being here, I have been touched by 2 people. Honestly, when I am in their presence, my heart wants to burst. It is hard to explain. Something in me moves, deep in my soul, to the point of wanting to give up everything I have to make even one day better for them. Nothing about their life is especially abnormal or remotely different from any other person here. Maybe its that, the mere existence of a beautiful soul who will live here and die here. Nothing special about their life, nothing extraordinary, just life. But, they keep on going, keep on loving, keep on living and keep on hoping. Beautiful.

The first person, is our guard, Israel: a sweet, kind, tender-hearted man. He is in his 30's, I'm guessing. He works hard at our house, cleaning, tending his garden, making us as comfortable and as we can be; making us feel at home. He goes out of his way to make sure we are served well. He doesn't ask anything of us or anyone. He just lives his life and does his job quietly, behind the scenes. He is paid with food, a room and a few small belongings. He eats 2 times a day. His diet: cabbage and a maize porridge. That is it. Day after day. When I think about my life at home, my heart is heavy and sad, not because I live like this, but because I don't. I eat wealthy compared to most of the world. I can easily spend 3 or 4 dollars on coffee or icecream whenever I want and buy it also for those I love. Why me and not him? Why? I am beyond thankful that God has blessed me and filled my life so full of luxuries and has allowed me to afford so many wonderful things. But still, I wonder why me and not him? I can only reconcile that I have been blessed to be a blessing, and to share what I have with others. I cannot hold onto things tightly as if they are mine. They are only mine to share. I am humbled, thoughtful and tearful.

The second person is a housemaid that helps Temba and his family. Sadly I don't even know her name. She is sweet and polite, but there is a deep sadness in her eyes that reveal a heart that is heavy and broken. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl only 3 days ago. This child does not have a name yet. She stayed in the hospital only one day. She had to bring her own IV equipment, food and any supplies she would need for after birthing. If she didn't bring them, nothing would be available for her. She was back to work only 2 days after giving birth. She must work or she will not eat and therefore her baby will not be nourished. Nothing is said of the father. He is absent as many dads are. Can you even imagine being in her shoes? Can you imagine her pain? Can you imagine sleeping at night with the huge task of raising a child alone? Can you imagine? I hardly want my mind to travel there because I know I will just break down; break down because it is just not right. This is not the way of God. This was never His intent. Mankind has just made a mess of things.

I guess I realize this has been a rather sober post. There is just so much to tell, so much sadness. But there is hope here as well. I hold onto that. God has blessed both Jason and I with abundant peace and a resolve we didn't even know existed within us. The peace of God does surpass all understanding. The strength of God proves faithful when there are limitations all around. God is good. This is good. Being here is a blessing beyond words and quite honestly, I cannot imagine being anywhere else right now. Despite the circumstances and the tragedy, hope exists and God's mercy and grace are fully available and fully present. In fact, grace is abundant--just when it is needed. Praise God!!!!

Here are a few prayer requests:

Continued safety: crime is here. When people are hungry, they will do anything to feed themselves and their families.

Health: So far, so good. Praise God!!! Just continue to pray that our stomachs agree with the food and water.

Transportation: Pray for God's provision for a car for Temba. Please pray! He desperately needs one. In order to visit patients, and do this ministry, he needs a reliable vehicle. His car does not start--we have to push it into 2nd gear to get it going. It is falling apart. It doesn't go over 35 MPH. Some type of fumes flow through the car as well. We will be traveling to Botswana to buy food in this car. Pray for God's protection and provision. I am confident God will provide. We have been here for 4 days, and we have gotten where we need to go--each time. God is good!!!!!

Bye for now---love and miss you all!!!!






Little Miss Sunshine: the African Version

Today (Sunday) was interesting to say the least:) We went to Temba's church. It was amazing, alive and full of joy. We were greeted with smiling faces and enthusiasm. The music was so joyful; lots of clapping and dancing. Temba and his wife are quite the dancers I must say:) People gave many testimonies of God's provision in their lives and this encouraged us so much. Those that were sick and discouraged were prayed over. Jason and I were asked to speak as well--oh my.

After church, Temba's sons took us home--we actually got a little turned around for whatever reason. After getting home, we realized Israel was gone and had our keys. He was at church, so we headed back into town to Temba's to get the keys and get some lunch. Then, things got even better: we ran out of gas on the highway. Yep. Temba's car does not have a working gas gauge, so it is a guessing game of when the gas will run out. Thankfully, we were able to get ahold of him and he came and filled up the car. Now, we had to turn it around because we were on a hill facing up and remember, it doesn't start without pushing it. So, the guys got out and pushed the car to get it going. After several attempts, it worked and we were on our way:) Hooray!!! Another praise! Fun times. Fun times:)

Our meal was interesting tonight. Canned beans and pasta mixed with cabbage and green beans. Yum:) We'll see how that sits overnight:) It was actually quite tasty--at least Jason thought so:)

Oh, one thing I must get used to around this place: the MASSIVE spiders, I mean MASSIVE! Oh my!!!! We, well Jason has killed two biggies--ugly, nasty things. He says they are good to keep the mosquitoes away. I say, I'd rather deal with the mosquitoes:) That's what bug spray is for and as far as I know, they haven't invented spider-spray for humans. So, keep on killin' em hubby:)

Love you all and miss you:)