Thursday, October 29, 2009

Thursday, October 29

Just a quick note to say that I sent a bunch of photos and notes to Kim to put on the blog so check that out if you want. All is well - keeping busy. We checked on the progress the school/community are making on the building for the grinding mill. They are doing alright but we will hold off ordering the mill for a few more days.

Yesterday we had a visit from Pastor Mhike from Muzarabani (up north). He is the one who originally came with Seka and wanted to be taught the gospel after we had given them Book of Mormons. Seka quit his church and moved here but Pastor Mhike hasn't done that yet. He had some questions though and did say that he is having a hard time because he is teaching his congregation things that he now knows are not right. He says he knows that the LDS church is true. He wants to get things to a point that he can move to a place where our church is and find some sort of employment. He needs some land as well so that he can produce food for his family. He is missing Seka as they used to be able to have discussions about what they were reading and he says that Seka is better at understanding than he is. Good man!

We are giving another discussion to Seka after his work today and Bishop Spencer will join us for the discussion. That will be great.

We loaned Seka one of our 'wind-up' flashlights (with a radio) and he thinks that is pretty neat technology. He was trying to study by candlelight so the flashlight will help a little. Also he was feeling a little lonely and too quiet where he is so the radio will keep him company. That is the flashlight that we got at our Christmas time gift exchange when we had our get-together with sisters & husbands and Rob and Wendy.

This weekend we head to Mutare to help train at their district conference and then attend Sunday meetings at one of the branches. We will stay at Holiday Inn - pretty good place!

On Nov. 21st, the 3 couples here, are going to Masvingo to the Ruins on the Great Zimbabwe. Jim and I have been once but it will be good to go again. It is our weekend to go down anyway and we can show the other couples the area. The Ruins are something that they need to be sure and see while in Zimbabwe. We will stay over at the Inn on the Great Zimbabwe and they will like that. It will be fun to get away. We couples seldom take P-days so we have to plan ahead when we want to get one.

Jim is taking a little nap on the office floor at the moment. I guess he is a little tired. I need to quickly do my October financial report for SA so I can send it tomorrow. We didn't spend much money this month so it won't take long. When we get some projects going we will be spending a LOT more.

Kowoyo Clinic (Juru) old borehole pump and tank.
This is a clinic where we hope to replace their transformer (it was stolen) and get their borehole up and working again.

Well they are having dug -- now down about 20 meters - still no water.

Surface of hand-dug well.

Kowoyo Clinic.

Sink and tap in clinic, but NO WATER.

Fridge is run by gas.

This baby was crying - the kind of cry that said I am sick!

Birthing room - when it is an emergency and there is no time to send them 60 km to next facility.

Sign on wall by vaccines -- they have had power failure since January!!

Maturi Dehwe School - We hope to fix the borehole here for them. The cost will be about $1,000.

Kids by the truck window.

5 second later by the truck window!!!

Another 5 seconds and I have a crowd wanting their picture taken.

Bruce (our borehole guy) and Elder Bullock juggling for the kids

Notice the albino girl. We see a few of them but a lot more guys than girls.

I am never going into our backyard again at night -- at least not without shoes on!!! Elder Bullock saw these when he went out to turn off the generator.

Big spider in back yard.

Toad in backyard at night.

Slug in backyard. YUCK!

Kids at Kadyamadare School practising for a 'traditional' dance competition.

The drummers for the dancers.

Fixing and securing building for grinding mill.

Reimer clinic community stats

Love to everyone, Elder and Sister Bullock

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Tuesday, October 28, 2009

Hi, We gave someone a ride to court in Marondera today and then ended up having to wait for a long time - basically spent the better part of our day there. I was sitting outside and this 9 yr. old girl, Takudzwa was sitting further down on the ledge. Soon I noticed that she had moved and sat close to me. She was waiting for her parents - her dad was on trial for rape (Jim told me that!) Don't know what happened with that as they were still there when we left. She couldn't speak English and I can't speak Shona so we did the best we could. I gave her a piece of gum and she chewed it for a minute or two and then swallowed it. I tried to teach her to play X & O's. We played probably about 50 games but she never really got the hang of it.

My friend Takudzwa

Takudzwa - waiting at court for her parents

I tried to get her to understand that she had to stop me from getting my X's lined up but.... She did smile when she got her's lined up and drew the line through them! She does know her English ABC's from school and knew a few simple words that I wrote down. Anyway, we entertained each other for a couple of hours. A couple of people walked by and one ask if I was a therapist and I said, No, we are both just waiting and playing a game.

Police stop at side of road

Police stop ahead of us

I think this guy might have thought he saw me take a picture (a no-no!). I slid the camera down by the seat and was holding something else on my lap. He did stop us and ask for Jim's license so I was a little worried that he had seen me but he found everything in order and let us go. Whew!! We usually don't get stopped. They normally just wave us by.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Ox-cart Ride Pictures (Part II) and more

Heading home

Stopping to let donkeys have a drink

Pulling hard up the hill

Landscape

Sister Bullock in cart

We were on our way back to Harare in the truck and saw these kids sitting on their step and gave them a toy. We had taken some toys with us but never took them out on the ox-cart as there were too many kids there to have enough for everyone. They were pretty happy.

Meeting with community at clinic near Juru (transformer stolen) to talk about how they would take care/security if we replace the transformer for them at the clinic and repair their borehole. We were impressed because they had gotten together and collected some money to have a fellow come and 'hand-dig' a well for them. He hadn't reached water yet and he was getting down pretty deep.

Digging of a well

Fills up the bucket and sends it up

Climbing out of well (hole).

He's out!

This is how they weight the babies at the clinic

Main street of Juru

In town of Juru

More of Juru. As you look down the dusty main street of this town it looks like it could be right out of an old western movie.

Hi, Just a quick note. We are on our way to Masvingo this morning and will do visits to inactives with the branch president. We will stay overnight and go to church there tomorrow. We like the Inn we stay in there so it is an okay get-away.

I just sent Kimberley a bunch of pictures for the blog so check them out. I haven't been able to send pictures very easily lately but have discovered that if I do it early in the mornings before the internet gets busy they will go through better.

We spent last evening with Seka and showed him the first Work and Glory movie. He liked that. We will teach him another discussion when we get back on Sunday. He's doing well and trying to convert everyone he works with. He's already invited a bunch of people to his baptism on Nov. 14th.

Must run. Love you all. Love, E/S Bullock

Friday, October 23, 2009

Ox-cart Ride Pictures (Part I)

Here comes our chariot!

Here we go

Doing her laundry

Across the bridge

We had to wade across the river

One of the donkey drivers

Across the fields

Tough going along here - we walked for a while

Fencepost made out of anything that won't burn

We picked up a couple of passengers

Crowd waiting for us under the Mulberry tree

Unloading the goods

Part II yet to come when Mom can get more pictures to send through...