Mangwanani

We are continually getting busier with each passing day, trying to fit in all of the things we wish to get done during our last few days here in Zimbabwe.  It’s hard to believe we have less than a week until we will be boarding the plane for our 18 hour flight back to the U.S. 

On Wednesday morning, Casey and Aaron led the morning devotions for everyone at Fairfield.  They did their sermon lesson on 1 Corinthians 12:12-18 and discussed how we each have individual talents and gifts so that together we are all a part of an unstoppable team doing the work of God. For most of the day on Wednesday, Janine, Francie, and Casey all went to Mutare to buy new supplies for the houses at Fairfield.  Rechargeable lanterns, candles, bottles of jik (cleaner), medium sized black pots, light bulbs, floor polish, shoe polish, knife sets, and tea were bought for each house. Aaron played with the children back at Fairfield for most of the day.  Later in the evening on Wednesday we had a jewelry party for all the female staff at Fairfield Children’s Homes.  Around 20 women came to our house and enjoyed snacks and cokes we bought for them.  Casey organized all of the jewelry that had been donated by various women in S.C. and everyone on the female staff got to choose a couple pieces of jewelry to have.  The excitement these women expressed as they picked out their jewelry is indescribable.  They were so appreciative and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to relax for just an hour with us (and not having to worry about 10 children back in their homes).  We also passed out the pillowcase dresses we brought with us (made by SC women as well) to each of the mothers to save for when the weather gets warmer. 

Thursday morning we attended the Fairfield daily devotion where Janine preached. Directly after devotion, Francie, Aaron, and Janine met with the doctor and administrator at the hospital at Old Mutare.  After the meeting Janine and Casey went with Mai Chimbo and Mai Mashiri to take several children back to their rural homes.  They met with the children’s family in their brick hut and Mai Chimbo helped Janine to talk back and forth with the grandmother (who only speaks Shona).  Back at Fairfield, Francie and Aaron led another bible study for the high school students and a bible school lesson for the children in grades 2 through 4.  When Casey and Janine returned to Fairfield, Francie and Casey traded places.  Francie and Janine took off again to a rural area to visit the Bishop at Clare High School.  Casey and Aaron stayed at Fairfield to lead a bible school lesson for the children in grades 5 through 7 and then they tutored the high school students in math and science until Janine and Francie returned around dinner time.  Luckily, the electricity had come on sometime during the afternoon and Janine made delicious grilled cheese sandwiches in her oven (whose size resembles an easy-bake-oven minus the pink color).  After dinner, Nyarai made popcorn for us on the stove and we all watched “And the Gods Must Be Crazy.”  We were all so exhausted from the day’s non-stop activities that none of us made it through the entire movie awake.

Friday was filled with meeting after meeting after meeting.  Following devotion, Francie and Janine both went to separate meetings while Casey and Aaron got everything ready for their lunchtime meeting with the high school students.  Everyone drove out to La Rochelle (a nearby bed and breakfast surrounded by a picnic shelter and botanical garden) around noon.  Francie and Janine ate lunch and had a meeting with the new Fairfield Advisory Committee members while Casey and Aaron led the final bible study with the high school students.  The bible study kids all enjoyed boxed lunches, played Frisbee, jumped rope, and then took a long stroll around the botanical gardens.  After the FAC meeting had adjourned, everyone piled in the cars to go back to Fairfield.  Francie had yet another meeting to attend, while Casey, Aaron, and Janine spent some time cleaning and straightening up our house.  We all had yet another dinner made on the gak stove (gas stove that runs on green gooey “gak”) because the electricity, ever-so-faithful, wasn’t on.  Our last Friday night in Zimbabwe was spent gathered in our candlelit living room, laughing and telling stories until the candles burned down.