Tuesday, May 11, 2010

A GREAT BIG THANK-YOU from ZIMBABWE!! Enjoy....

These are some great pictures of some recent activities with Reeve,
Lolly and CC etc. We did have a great time doing this.

Hope you get all the pictures etc. ok. Let us know. E/S Bullock

Dear ALL,

SUNNY Greetings from Turkey!!

After some VERY BUSY time in Zimbabwe we are finally able to slow down a little (we are back to work on the ‘Ladies European Tour’) and write some of our happenings with photographs.

Firstly, we would like to say a GREAT BIG ‘THANK-YOU’ TO EACH OF YOU once again for all of your very kind help with the GREAT work that has been done in Zimbabwe!

Each of these Children were an ABSOLUTE ‘joy’ to be with, their gratitude, their excitement and their WONDERFUL Spirits can NEVER be forgotten!!

In just one such instance during our visit to Muzuribani (most northern point of Zimbabwe) where thousands had congregated, all in the hopes of their Children and the Orphans receiving some books & food, we formed a line where the Children would come with their siblings to receive their allocation of books, pens, Article of Faith Cards, sweets, socks and food…within that line came a single little Girl on her own (7 years old), as thin as could be, in her hands she carried her small metal bowl in the hopes of receiving some food that day…in exchange she received her books etc. and a 10kg (22 pound) bag of mealie-meal which would feed her for 40 days!! What work could be any greater than this?!

In the bush it is ALWAYS FUN to stop on the roadside and to give to whomever is walking there, the BEST part by far is then driving away and watching as they literally run and jump for joy at what they have received…It is SO FUN!!

Most of the groups of Children sang and danced in appreciation for what they had received.

An eye camp ALWAYS humbles us, seeing each of those patients rely solely on full-time assistance of another (and have usually done so for MANY years) helps us to realign our gratitude and accountability in continuing to make such surgeries available for ALL in need!!

WE LOVE ZIMBABWE for SO MANY reasons, however the main reason would have to be the incredible generosity of the people…they have little to give, yet they give you their happiness…they have almost NOTHING, yet they are SO HAPPY!

...They give you their smiles…EVERYONE has one with them!

...They give you their hearts…so caring, kind and grateful!

...They give you their laughter…laughter is a way of life!

...They give you their chatter and inclusion into their hearts…although you might be a complete stranger, they will share with you as though you had been Friends forever!

...And they especially share with you their love & respect towards God, whom they REALLY believe is watching over them, listening to them and answering their every Prayer!

We have felt absolutely BLESSED to have had this opportunity to serve our people, their gracious and humble mannerisms in ‘receiving’ is a great reminder to us of that which we have ALWAYS known, yet often times have forgotten.

There were MANY instances where photography was inappropriate…however here are a few pictures sharing in some of ‘their moments of joy’…enjoy…


BOOKS, POSSIBLY THEIR ONLY HOPE OF LITERACY WHEN SCHOOLING IS WAY OUT OF THEIR FINANCIAL REACH!!

SOME CHINGWA (BREAD) WILL MOST DEFINATELY BRING A GREAT BIG SMILE!




THERE ARE NO DOCTORS FOR MANY MILES, SO LOLLY SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME ADMINISTERING TO THE SICK CHILDREN & ADULTS. WE WERE MOST GRATEFUL FOR OUR FIRST AID KIT & LOLLY...SHE IS AMAZING!!!
HOW EXCITED ARE THESE SWEET YOUNG MEN!!...A BOOK, CLOTHES, CANDY, TOY, PENS AND A DRINK!!

I ALWAYS TELL LOLLY & CC TO ONLY BRING INTO THE TRUCK THAT WHICH YOU ARE PREPARED TO GIVE AWAY

…INCLUDING THEIR LUNCH!!

THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE OUTING TO THE MOST NORTHERN PART OF ZIMBABWE, A PLACE CALLED MUZURABANI WHERE PHOTOS WERE INAPPROPRIATE (THIS IS OUR ONLY PHOTO)…OVER TWO THOUSAND PEOPLE GATHERED …THE CHILDREN (ALMOST A THOUSAND) WERE GIVEN A 10KG (22 POUND) BAG OF FOOD, BOOKS, PENS, CANDY AND SOCKS (WINTER IS COMING), CLOTHING WAS LEFT TO BE DISTRIBUTED LATER.

IT WAS AMAZING…WITH THE DUST AND ALL!!!

LOADING OUR TRUCKS FOR AN ‘OUTREACH PROJECT AND AN EYE CAMP…IT IS ALWAYS A PRIVILEDGE TO WORK WITH MY PARENTS AND THE MISSIONARIES (ELDER & SISTER BULLOCK AND ELDER & SISTER MAYFIELD)

NEW CLOTHES, CANDY AND A GREAT BOOK!
CLOTHING, BOOKS, AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR ALL!!
NEW DRESSES & PLENTY OF SMILES!!


THE CATTLE HERDSMEN…

SOME CLOTHES, A TOY, CANDY & A BOOK TO BRING LITERACY INTO THEIR YOUNG LIVES!

THEIR SCHOOL CLASSROOM WHERE THE DIRT FLOOR IS THEIR PAGES, AND THEIR FINGER IS THEIR PEN!!

…A BIBLE, PAPER & PENS WERE GIVEN TO EACH CHILD









THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SIBLING RAISED FAMILIES IN ZIMBABWE WHERE THEIR PARENTS HAVE DIED AND THE OLDEST CHILD IS THEN LEFT TO FEND FOR THEIR FAMILIES…A HARSH REALITY!!




FOR MANY OF THESE CHILDREN, THESE BOOKS WILL BE THEIR ONLY SOURCE OF LITERACY…SAD BUT TRUE!!







AN ‘EYES FOR ZIMBABWE’ EYE CAMP WHERE 60+ CATARACT BLINDED PATIENTS RECEIVED THEIR SIGHT, THE YOUNGEST WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD AND TOTALLY BLIND!




84 YEAR OLD MARIA WAS BLINDED BY CATARACTS. SHE AND HER GRAND-DAUGHTER BLANDINA TRAVELLED WITH US TO THE HOWARD HOSPITAL EYE CAMP

…AFTER A FIVE MINUTE SURGERY, THE FOLLOWING DAY MARIA COULD SEE!! AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE!


WE ENSURED THAT THE SURGEONS & NURSES EACH RECEIVED BOOKS TOO,THEY WERE MOST GRATEFUL & EXCITED!!

JUST WAITING FOR THE BUS’ IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUSH,

WE WERE ABLE TO STOP AND GIVE THIS UMBUYA (GRANDMOTHER) SOME READING GLASSES AND A BIBLE

SHE WAS SO, SO HAPPY!!!!





‘GOD KNOWS’ ORPHANAGE WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE CLOTHES, TOYS, EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES, FOOD & BOOKS!!



‘HAPPY FACTORY’ WOODEN TOYS HAVE BEEN A REALLY FUN GIFT TO GIVE TO THE CHILDREN






NEW CLOTHES, TOYS & BOOKS!!
BIG SMILES ALL AROUND!!HUGS & MUCH THANKS FROM OUR HEARTS TO YOURS!!

Reeve, Laurette & Cecilie

RUNNING WATER…THAT WHICH WE TAKE FOR GRANTED!!

AT OUR ‘HIGHLANDS WARD’ CHAPEL…LOCAL CHILDREN FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD FILLING UP CONTAINERS OF WATER EACH MORNING TO CARRY HOME

1 comment:

  1. Oh the joy in their smiling faces! What a blessing to be able to be there and see this all. Thank you for sharing it!

    ReplyDelete