Started the day with devotions and worship in the church. All the staff (teachers, workers, admin, etc.) attend the morning service. What an absolutely great way to start the day!
Today we taught the children the song "Father I Adore You". It was so beautiful! The children love to sing and pick up the English songs with no problem. Even the young children try really hard to learn the words. They enjoy the song even more if there are actions to go along. Our activities in the vbs today included water balloons. Well.. the children loved it! The wetter they got, the more laughter there was. The games were just a hoot!
David had a chance to meet Zviko. Zviko has had Muscular Dystrophy since he was a young boy. Until January of this year, his mother used to carry him around on her back. In January (after searching for several months), the village found a wheelchair for Zviko. Because he has been immobile for so many years, he is very stiff. (very little movement in his arms and legs) David worked with Zviko to try to increase his flexibility and his range of motion, and made a point of including him in some of the games. By the end of our trip, Zviko was throwing and catching a ball, and bouncing a basketball beside his wheelchair. He did all of this with a big, big smile on his face!
No ZESA again tonight. It's funny how you start to expect and adapt to no power. Wolfgang set the table very nicely and we had supper by candlelight. Tonight everyone was tired. The long, active days are taking their toll on the team. We did some planning and ended the night with group prayer. This was a highlight of every night. We always gathered just before bed to share stories and close in prayer. What an amazing way to end the day!
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Hearing the children sing "Father I Adore You"
*Seeing children laughing while playing with water balloons
*David playing with Zviko
Pics below of activities, sports camp, David & Zviko
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Chaps and Chichara plot
Today was our first day for vbs and sports camp with the children who attend school at the village. (CHAPS - Cornelius Hope Academy Primary School) Many of the children from the community (plots) attend school here through sponsorship (Child Care Plus), while others pay for their education at the village. So.. we saw many of the children who had attended the previous couple of days.
Today was my day to attend the community feeding program. I went with Carrie (pre-school teacher) to Chichara plot. It was a little quiet today at Chichara due to the death of the boy a couple of days ago. The plots are located on farm land where most of the men and women work for the farmer. The program provides the children with breakfast (maze porridge everyday and beans 3 times/week). In many cases, this will be their only meal of the day. While the mother(s) prepare breakfast, Carrie teaches a pre-school lesson. The lessons consist of songs, games, a story, and counting/ABC's. The children range in age from 1-6 or so. These families can not afford to send their children to school. Unless they receive CCP sponsorship, they will not be receiving a formal education. The living conditions are quite horrendous. The huts (made of mud & thatch) with dirt floors are very small. Generally they have a separate cooking area but the living area is where they store limited household items, clothes, etc. and sleep. Farm animals were walking around freely. They were not in a fenced area. You see older children and men & women hanging around with nothing to do and nowhere to go. VERY SAD! What is their purpose... what do they live for? The feeding program is such a blessing to the plots. God has continued to provide food and resources for these families. The children are very excited to see the teacher and are so enthusiastic to learn!
VBS and sports camp were more manageable today as we had fewer children. There are approx. 125 children who attend Chaps. The sports camp was only for grades 4-6. We had a few teachers helping us out with soccer, volleyball and net ball. Net ball is like basketball but has no backboards and you can't move with the ball; essentially a passing game. It is very popular with the girls. Today I met a young boy (about 10), Motion. He is a phenomenal soccer player and absolutely loves to run. He worked so hard with every play. He reminded me of me when I was his age.; loved the game of soccer and would run and work hard. After camp I stayed for awhile and played some more with Motion. He loved the one-on-one time.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*visiting the plots and spending time with the children
*playing soccer with Motion
Pics below are of Motion & the plots (feeding program, women doing laundry and housing)
Today was my day to attend the community feeding program. I went with Carrie (pre-school teacher) to Chichara plot. It was a little quiet today at Chichara due to the death of the boy a couple of days ago. The plots are located on farm land where most of the men and women work for the farmer. The program provides the children with breakfast (maze porridge everyday and beans 3 times/week). In many cases, this will be their only meal of the day. While the mother(s) prepare breakfast, Carrie teaches a pre-school lesson. The lessons consist of songs, games, a story, and counting/ABC's. The children range in age from 1-6 or so. These families can not afford to send their children to school. Unless they receive CCP sponsorship, they will not be receiving a formal education. The living conditions are quite horrendous. The huts (made of mud & thatch) with dirt floors are very small. Generally they have a separate cooking area but the living area is where they store limited household items, clothes, etc. and sleep. Farm animals were walking around freely. They were not in a fenced area. You see older children and men & women hanging around with nothing to do and nowhere to go. VERY SAD! What is their purpose... what do they live for? The feeding program is such a blessing to the plots. God has continued to provide food and resources for these families. The children are very excited to see the teacher and are so enthusiastic to learn!
VBS and sports camp were more manageable today as we had fewer children. There are approx. 125 children who attend Chaps. The sports camp was only for grades 4-6. We had a few teachers helping us out with soccer, volleyball and net ball. Net ball is like basketball but has no backboards and you can't move with the ball; essentially a passing game. It is very popular with the girls. Today I met a young boy (about 10), Motion. He is a phenomenal soccer player and absolutely loves to run. He worked so hard with every play. He reminded me of me when I was his age.; loved the game of soccer and would run and work hard. After camp I stayed for awhile and played some more with Motion. He loved the one-on-one time.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*visiting the plots and spending time with the children
*playing soccer with Motion
Pics below are of Motion & the plots (feeding program, women doing laundry and housing)
Monday, April 28, 2008
day 2 - community vbs & sports day
Started the day off by arriving early for staff devotions at the village. It was a very emotional devotional today as the village received news that one of the pre-school boys from the Chichara plot was crushed by a falling brick wall and died. This was the second death since January. This kind of thing really affects the village and surrounding communities.
Another great day with the VBS and sports camp. Record numbers again at VBS; ~170 kids. The numbers started small but within time there was a steady stream of kids coming through the gates. This is called Zim time. Nothing starts on time and nobody is in a hurry. Perhaps something we should think about! The smiling faces continue to amaze me. The children are so excited about coming to the village for VBS and sports camp. During the sports camp (for the older children) we had many younger ones hang around. We brought out skipping ropes, balls, parachutes, and played more games. Really, an extension of the morning VBS. They did not want to leave. It is so hard to leave them in the afternoon. We have to say good-bye and walk away before they will leave the village.
Today we had a traditional Zim lunch, which consisted of sudza (ground, cooked maze), kosava (greens with peanut butter), a vegetable sauce and skinny chicken. We call it skinny chicken because there isn't too much meet on these chicken wings. The food was delicious, especially the greens and vegetable sauce. We arrived at the house with no ZESA (no power) again. We made spaghetti with ground beef (on the gas stove) and salad. We were very tired today... lots of running around with the kids.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Steady stream of children come through the gates - smiling faces!!
*VBS and sports camp ran very well
*Traditional Zim lunch
Another great day with the VBS and sports camp. Record numbers again at VBS; ~170 kids. The numbers started small but within time there was a steady stream of kids coming through the gates. This is called Zim time. Nothing starts on time and nobody is in a hurry. Perhaps something we should think about! The smiling faces continue to amaze me. The children are so excited about coming to the village for VBS and sports camp. During the sports camp (for the older children) we had many younger ones hang around. We brought out skipping ropes, balls, parachutes, and played more games. Really, an extension of the morning VBS. They did not want to leave. It is so hard to leave them in the afternoon. We have to say good-bye and walk away before they will leave the village.
Today we had a traditional Zim lunch, which consisted of sudza (ground, cooked maze), kosava (greens with peanut butter), a vegetable sauce and skinny chicken. We call it skinny chicken because there isn't too much meet on these chicken wings. The food was delicious, especially the greens and vegetable sauce. We arrived at the house with no ZESA (no power) again. We made spaghetti with ground beef (on the gas stove) and salad. We were very tired today... lots of running around with the kids.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Steady stream of children come through the gates - smiling faces!!
*VBS and sports camp ran very well
*Traditional Zim lunch
Pics below of lunch & sports camp
Sunday, April 27, 2008
sunday school & church service
We were up early so we could be at church early to prepare for Sunday school. We met at 8:30 am in the church for prayer with the elders of the church and others. We taught Sunday school from 9 - 9:45 am. It was great! We used the puppets (Pierre & Ginger) that Sharon and Tim brought. The kids loved the puppets!
The church service was two hours long; an hour of worship (music and songs) and an hour long message. The entire service as incredible! The worship was out of this world. They love music and love to dance. There was lots of dancing, singing, clapping, and hands in the air. The place was on fire! Some of the children from yesterday came and sat with the team. Some of us had 2-3 trying to sit on our laps or carry them. Needless to say, by the end of worship my arms were tired. Again, the children were such a delight!
The message today was about having "RIDICULOUS FAITH". Regardless of our circumstances, we need to depend on the Lord and His word. Following the message we had a chance to talk to a few people. Their stories are heart-wrenching but so inspiring. These people have "ridiculous faith".
The Cooledges took us out for lunch to a local restaurant. The seating area was in a beautiful outdoor tropical garden. The food was tremendous. Our first taste of some African food. By the time we got home ZESA (power)was out. We were without power until 8:30 pm. We heard this could be a regular occurence. We'll see.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Worship at church was amazing
* Gord's message on having "ridiculous faith"
* Meeting some of the locals and hearing their stories
Pics below of church & children after the service
The church service was two hours long; an hour of worship (music and songs) and an hour long message. The entire service as incredible! The worship was out of this world. They love music and love to dance. There was lots of dancing, singing, clapping, and hands in the air. The place was on fire! Some of the children from yesterday came and sat with the team. Some of us had 2-3 trying to sit on our laps or carry them. Needless to say, by the end of worship my arms were tired. Again, the children were such a delight!
The message today was about having "RIDICULOUS FAITH". Regardless of our circumstances, we need to depend on the Lord and His word. Following the message we had a chance to talk to a few people. Their stories are heart-wrenching but so inspiring. These people have "ridiculous faith".
The Cooledges took us out for lunch to a local restaurant. The seating area was in a beautiful outdoor tropical garden. The food was tremendous. Our first taste of some African food. By the time we got home ZESA (power)was out. We were without power until 8:30 pm. We heard this could be a regular occurence. We'll see.
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Worship at church was amazing
* Gord's message on having "ridiculous faith"
* Meeting some of the locals and hearing their stories
Pics below of church & children after the service
Saturday, April 26, 2008
day 1 - community vbs & sports camp
We were up early and the village by 9 am. We were so excited to get started. When we opened all the bags to get the equipment and supplies ready, we forgot how much we had brought. Just before 10 am we headed to the church. This would be our starting point each day, where we would sing songs, tell a story and do the crafts. As we approached the church there was a steady stream of children coming through the village gates. They started running toward us and greeted us with big hugs. (we hadn't even met them at this point) From this point forward they just wanted to be with us, hold our hands, play with our hair; anything to be by our side.
The vbs (vacation bible school) and sports camp were amazing! We had ~150 kids for the vbs and ~75-100 for the sports camp. These numbers far exceeded our expectations. The kids loved the activities; they loved relays (what kid doesn't?), hopping, sack races, ball & balloon games, tag, parachute games, etc. The pictures really show the joy on their faces. It was interesting to watch some of the children color. Some of the 4 & 5 year olds could barely hold a crayon. Something our children learn to do at such a young age. Most of the community children live in plots (will explain later) and likely have limited access to school supplies.
Sports camp was incredible! With so many children we had to be creative. We set up a volleyball court and had basketballs out for the b'ball court, and of course soccer, their favourite sport! There were many talented soccer players. The children remove their footwear before playing. It's incredible how hard they still shoot the ball in bare feet. Today we met Ever Mary and Margaret, two college/university students who have a huge heart for helping the children. They helped us with translatation. They were such a joy to have around!
What a day! The children did not want to leave the village at the end of the day; a sign of a successful day!
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Seeing the children run through the village gates with smiling faces
* You can't be measured by your financial wealth but rather by your spiritual wealth. You can have so little but have so much!
Below are pics of the activities from vbs
The vbs (vacation bible school) and sports camp were amazing! We had ~150 kids for the vbs and ~75-100 for the sports camp. These numbers far exceeded our expectations. The kids loved the activities; they loved relays (what kid doesn't?), hopping, sack races, ball & balloon games, tag, parachute games, etc. The pictures really show the joy on their faces. It was interesting to watch some of the children color. Some of the 4 & 5 year olds could barely hold a crayon. Something our children learn to do at such a young age. Most of the community children live in plots (will explain later) and likely have limited access to school supplies.
Sports camp was incredible! With so many children we had to be creative. We set up a volleyball court and had basketballs out for the b'ball court, and of course soccer, their favourite sport! There were many talented soccer players. The children remove their footwear before playing. It's incredible how hard they still shoot the ball in bare feet. Today we met Ever Mary and Margaret, two college/university students who have a huge heart for helping the children. They helped us with translatation. They were such a joy to have around!
What a day! The children did not want to leave the village at the end of the day; a sign of a successful day!
HIGHLIGHTS:
* Seeing the children run through the village gates with smiling faces
* You can't be measured by your financial wealth but rather by your spiritual wealth. You can have so little but have so much!
Below are pics of the activities from vbs
Friday, April 25, 2008
Arrival in Harare, Zimbabwe
We finally arrived in Harare, Zimbabwe at 10 am (Zim time). We had been travelling for 33 hours and awake for 44 hours. The airport was small but beautiful. Our luggage came immediately,and we had no trouble getting our visas or clearning customs. Gord & Anita Cooledge were happy to see us. We drove straight to the house we were staying in; met Elias (owner of the house) and Grace (maid/housekeeper). The house is big with a beautiful yard - gated, fenced and secure. We settled in quickly, then had lunch while the Cooledges briefed us on a few things.
We headed to the village for a tour and met some of the staff and children. The guys were working hard building the new houses. They do everything by hand, including mixing the cement. The new houses are made of brick and cement. By the fall there will be 4 new houses that can accommodate 32 more children. There is so much grass to mow and they do it with an electric mower. Gas is too expensive and hard to come by. We saw some of the women working in the fields (carrying their babies on their back) and working in the garden(grinding corn by hand). What a BEAUTIFUL place and BEAUTIFUL people! A church, school, houses, a gazebo, gardens, a playground & soccer field. We can't wait to be there all day tomorrow!
It was amazing to observe all the people on the streets. You need to be careful driving as there are so many pedestrians walking on the side of the road. (and of course, there are no shoulders) People are selling just about anything on the side of the road. Women were walking with heavy sacks of food or buckets of water on their head (without holding it). You can see people just hanging around or wandering without a purpose. The disparity in this country is extreme. What a great day! Can't wait to meet the children tomorrow!
Pics below are of the village grounds (team at the entrance gate, gazebo and school in background, lady working in the field, ladies grinding corn, men building the houses and mowing the fields) and our accommodations (the house, yard and driveway)
We headed to the village for a tour and met some of the staff and children. The guys were working hard building the new houses. They do everything by hand, including mixing the cement. The new houses are made of brick and cement. By the fall there will be 4 new houses that can accommodate 32 more children. There is so much grass to mow and they do it with an electric mower. Gas is too expensive and hard to come by. We saw some of the women working in the fields (carrying their babies on their back) and working in the garden(grinding corn by hand). What a BEAUTIFUL place and BEAUTIFUL people! A church, school, houses, a gazebo, gardens, a playground & soccer field. We can't wait to be there all day tomorrow!
It was amazing to observe all the people on the streets. You need to be careful driving as there are so many pedestrians walking on the side of the road. (and of course, there are no shoulders) People are selling just about anything on the side of the road. Women were walking with heavy sacks of food or buckets of water on their head (without holding it). You can see people just hanging around or wandering without a purpose. The disparity in this country is extreme. What a great day! Can't wait to meet the children tomorrow!
Pics below are of the village grounds (team at the entrance gate, gazebo and school in background, lady working in the field, ladies grinding corn, men building the houses and mowing the fields) and our accommodations (the house, yard and driveway)
Thursday, April 24, 2008
a day in london
We arrive at the Heathrow Airport at 11:30 am. It was a long flight. The seats on the plane were not very comfortable and there wasn't very much room. Since we had an eight-hour layover in London, we decided to store our bags for the day and go outside the airport. We split into two groups; one group headed into London, while the other headed into a smaller town not far from the airport. David and I stayed with Sharon and Tim at the airport for awhile. (Sharon could not find her wallet and thought she had left it on the plane) Thankfully, her wallet was found and delivered to her at the information centre. Once the wallet was delivered to Sharon, we took the subway into a small town for lunch.
The team met back at the airport at 5 pm, collected our luggage, checked in, and boarded the plane. The plane was delayed in departing as there was an upset traveler on the plane. She was in obvious distress. As it turns out, she was being deported back to her country (the Congo). It was very apparent that she did not want to go back. She was yelling "they will kill me". It was very sad! They managed to settle her down and we were on our way to Nairobi, Kenya; leg two of our journey. We are that much closer to our final destination.
The team met back at the airport at 5 pm, collected our luggage, checked in, and boarded the plane. The plane was delayed in departing as there was an upset traveler on the plane. She was in obvious distress. As it turns out, she was being deported back to her country (the Congo). It was very apparent that she did not want to go back. She was yelling "they will kill me". It was very sad! They managed to settle her down and we were on our way to Nairobi, Kenya; leg two of our journey. We are that much closer to our final destination.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
day of departure
A birthday gift never to be forgotten! We depart for Africa on Linda's birthday. We meet at the airport at 4:30 pm to weigh our bags adn check in as a team. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of family and friends who gathered to say "bon voyage". The Air Canada staff made the check in process so easy for us. Once checked in we said our final good-byes, had photos take, and Pastor Bob sent us off in prayer. We are so blessed to have an amazing group fo friends who came out to support the team!
We head through security and grab a bite to eat. As we are preparing to head to the gate, the team gets split up. A couple of us walk to the gate and hear the final boarding call for our flight. So... David runs to find Wolfgang and a few others so we can board as a team. With the eight of us in tow, we board AC 0898, destined to London, England; the first leg of our journey.
Pic below of team Zim in order from left to right:
Faye & Wolfgang, David & Linda, Suzanne, Madlen and Sharon & Tim
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