Wednesday

The day is about over and we got a few things done, which is good in Zimbabwe. Things don't always happen very fast here.

Firstly we just got a message that Mike and Janeal are at the hospital so we will wait for the good news that all went well.

Second, we got another project approved today. We must be on a roll!! It is another grinding mill project for a school. It is a school that had a grinding mill that ran successfully for 7 years until the second hand motor died. They had Zimbabwe money saved but of course that disappeared with inflation. We are replacing the motor and also giving them a dehuller to go with the mill. We are actually trying to get one more project submitted by Monday (deadline) for another complete grinding mill at the Danangwe Primary school out by Chegutu where they have absolutely no desks or chairs. We hope we are not pressing our luck with grinding mill projects but we do feel like that they are a good project to help the schools be more self-sustaining and a way for them to help themselves.

We paid a bill today so that ZESA will hook up the electicity for one of our grinding mills. There was an armed guard there to protect the money, I guess. The guy behind the cage had a good sized metal box that he dropped the cash into and there appeared to be a fair bit. He had to dig through to find bills to give us our change. Didn't seem like a very good system - perhaps that is why he needs an armed guard.

We then went to UNICEF to pick up an invoice so that we can go to College Publishers where we are to pick up some textbooks (mostly math, but some science) for Primary schools (gr. 1 - 7). Now we just have to figure out how we are going to pick them up -- make several trips I guess or solicite some help. There are 3880 books worth $10,739.00. Then we have to decide what schools to give them to as we are told that some school authorities might sell them to students or other schools and we don't want that to happen. And I suppose we have to figure out where we are going to put them in the meantime -- don't know that our container will hold them. Pres. Nield has a warehouse so we may need to use that.

Elder Mayfield just brought us in a copy of his journal entry of the trip he and Elder Bullock took yesterday out to Danangwe School for their prize giving day. I think I will add it on here as it is a good description of the day. I guess I missed a good one by being sick, but couldn't be helped.
_____
On December 1, Sister Bullock, the wife of one of our fellow missionary couples, was ill so Elder Bullock asked me if I would accompany him to the Danangwe Primary School, which is a 1 1/2 hr. drive south of Harare, where LDS Charities had provided funding for several wells along with basic school kits for the students. The school was holding an awards assembly at year-end, and the Bullocks were to be their guests of honor. It turned out to be a fascinating experience.

First of all, this was way out in the country. We drove several miles on dirt roads with huge potholes. The assembly was held outdoors under a huge metal canopy with no walls. 200+ students from all 7 grades (ages 5-12) were sitting tightly together on the dirt ground in about twelve rows. Their teachers were sitting up front with the headmaster, the school development committee chairman, and other officials; off to the side about 40 parents had also gathered. Elder Bullock and I were also prominently seated up front.

At the outset, the children sang the Zimbabwe National Anthem and then reverently placed their hands over their faces and recited the Lord's Prayer. The headmaster warmly greeted Elder Bullock and me; then 20 young students performed a traditional tribal dance with singing and accompanying drums. this was followed by speeches, recitations, and further entertainment. Elder Bullock was then asked to present the awards, consisting mostly of paper notebooks, pencils, and cloth bags. (Note: that is from some of the school kits that we gave them - they divided them up). THAT IS WHEN THE FUN BEGAN!

Three students from each of the seven grades were individually honored for their achievements in 2009. Each time a student's name was announced, the child's mother jumped up with a huge smile, began dancing, made a type of Native American pow wow chant, ran and picked up her child, and literally carried him or her up front to receive the award. Sometimes relatives or friends joined the parent in the celebration. The mothers were as thrilled as if had their child won a million dollars. Additional children received awards for various achievements, and the same thing happened every time.

During the ceremony it began raining like it would in a tropical forest; it was like being under a water fall. The headmaster kept having us move our chairs closer and closer to the children to avoid getting wet. Eventually there was so much water that a small river began running through the area where the children were sitting on the ground, so they had to split up. None of this made any difference to the kids. Most of them had no shoes on, and when a parent ran to pick up a child, they both jumped gleefully through the little stream to get to the front. I can't adequately express how joyful they were.

Afterwards, we met with the headmaster and faculty to discuss the possibility of LDS Charities providing a large electric grinder for the local community to grind their maize. The community would have to provide a secure building for the grinder, hire a miller to operate it, save enough from the profits of this service to repair the equipment, pay the miller, and buy tables and chairs for the school's classrooms. Presently the school has none. This is an example of how LDS Charities operates. Rather than just donating the table and chairs to the school, they try to get the community to work together in a cooperative effort to obtain what they need, which will also help them appreciate what they have even more.

Unfortunately, Judy stayed at the office and work the whole morning. Neither of us knew in advance what I would be doing. Therefore, I didn't have a camera to record what I saw.
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These school events are kind of fun to be at. When we do our borehole and grinding mill 'turn-over' ceremonies it will be more of the same. It is so great here because they always open and close with prayer and sing hymns of praise to God. (different than the way things are getting at home).

I am going to send this before I lose it.

The Bullocks

Thursday, November 26, 2009

We are busy, busy, busy, but I guess that is good. I just wanted to tell you about a couple of things that make us smile (well actually frustrate us but better to laugh about it than cry or get mad!!)

We need ZESA (Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Assoc) to run the power to the grinding mill building at the school. We took the ZESA employee out to the building so he could give us a list of items we need to buy. WE have managed to acquire all the items but that was a nightmare itself as we had to go to different shops in the busiest part of downtown and they all quote different prices (especially when they see a white face that might have money). One item was a 3 phase breaker box and one place wanted $120 and came down to $90 --- however, we got it somewhere else for $48. Anyway, we went to ZESA this morning as we need a quote in writing for the hook-up and we need to pay them ahead of time, of course. We have to go back on Monday, pick up the quote, take it 'downtown' and pay for it, and then take the receipt back to the ZESA building (in the other end of the city) to prove we have paid. Then... if we want the
work done anytime soon, we need to go pick up 3 ZESA employees and take them out to the job site and wait while they do the job. If we don't drive them out then we would wait indefinitely for them to go because they have no diesel for their own vehicles. We have to buy all the electrical supplies for the job and after the job is complete everything then belongs to ZESA. That will be the case with the transformers we are buying for the clinics too!! Crazy!!!

Traffic Jam.
The picture doesn't do this justice. It was absolutely crazy driving there today (downtown Harare). It is actually crazy all the time in this area but we had no choice today. We had to buy some electrical supplies for the grinding mill. One place tried to charge us $120 for one thing and we got it elsewhere for $48.

Panel Beaters means Vehicle Body Shop

Combies -- these guys hang out and yell and whistle to let people know where they are going.

OH YES! Some good news!! We just got an email that our 3 projects that went to the area presidency yesterday got approved. (2 clinic projects for transformers and to fix the boreholes, and the project to repair the 3 boreholes, and service 1 borehole near Chegutu). Hurray!!

The other thing I wanted to write about is a letter of request I got last week. These people live out in the rural area near our '4' borehole project. They live close to one of the boreholes and the husband is going to be trained to maintain the pump and will be on the water committee. That is how we met them. This is what is says: (exactly as written)

Dear Madam,
I wrote this letter to you. I face a problem on 3 August my young daughter burn someone's huts and a car so they ask me to pay their property, seven tones of maize and to repair their car and built their huts. I have managed to give him two tones of maize and five hens, four blankets, seven cups, 2 pots, 12 plant, one teapot and two buckets. As from now I still build their huts that's why you can see my house is not yet finished because the bricks and the grass which is suppose to build and thatch my house is going to build and to thatch their house. This is the problem I am facing so I don't have anything to do with this problem that's why I am asking for a help from you.

Yours faithfully, Mrs. Chimarizeni

I am not sure exactly what she wants from me but.... We get a LOT of letters of request but this one was kind of unique. There really isn't anything we can do to help her.

Another interesting couple of things that have appeared with the rainy season --- the termites come out of their holes and have wings. They are everywhere and they are gross (at least to me). When we went out into the rurals yesterday our windshield was plastered with them and we
washed it off before we returned home. (with some water and a broom we have in the truck). It made the window quite streaky. We tried to polish it up with some toilet paper we had and that helped a bit. I guess it really needed some soapy water and a rag which we will have to put in the truck for a month or two until they are gone. The other thing that comes with the rains are a LOT of black millipedes. They are big too - about 3 - 4 inches long and gross looking!! I wouldn't want to step on one and slip!!!

How do you like this road grater?

Gave this family suckers.
Stopped and ask directions as we were kind of lost trying to find a school out in the rural area. At least they knew where it was and helped us on our way.

We are headed to Mutare tomorrow morning to arrange for the motor for the grinding mill there. Saturday we will talk at the YSA conference on dating and marriage. We found some good information that E/S Taylor left in their files so that helped us a lot. Saturday morning
Elder Bullock (maybe me too) and Pres. Chadambuka have to do an audit at a branch there where there is a question about some possible missing money. We hope we can find it so that there won't need to be a disciplinary council.

We will attend meetings on Sunday and then head back to Harare. We have a busy December developing already. We were considering a trip to Zambia to look at a garden project there that we have received requests for but we have decided to wait as we cannot work the trip into our timetable right now without totally stressing ourselves out.

We received the following invitation today from Danangwe Primary School (where we are repairing borehole) near Chegutu:

Dear Elder and Sister Bullock
Danangwe Primary school will be having a prize giving day on Dec. 1st. We cordially invite you to this important day. Sister Bullock is being requested to be the guest of honor. I hope you will appreciate our invitation. (That means I have to speak for 10 minutes - Ugh!) I'm not sure why I am the guest of honor except that I did give them all those school kits.

The school head said that they ask the kids who they should invite and they all said, Elder Bullock, so he can teach us how to whistle. (He should be the guest of honor!!)

We are working on one and hopefully two more projects that we want to send in this next week (both to do with grinding mills).

Must run. Love to all, Elder and Sister Bullock

Zimbabwe Project Reviews - October 2009

This is a letter we had to sent to our leaders in South Africa that we thought you might find interesting.

Zimbabwe Project Reviews - October 2009

Garden Projects
The original concept for the gardens was to grow food for families, sell the surplus, pay tithing, and to provide seed, inputs, and sprays for the next year. Many of the garden projects have done very well in the food production phase, but almost all have struggled with inputs and sprays. I cannot speak of the tithing that is, or is not being paid. Those that have a functioning, reliable garden committee are those that have been the most successful. Those that do not have such a committee struggle. Many of the gardens are located on the church grounds; some are on adjacent lots, or school grounds, where they have arranged to plant.

Many of the branches continue to come to Latter-day Saint Charities (LDSC) looking for seeds, starts, inputs and sprays, including for the up-coming maize planting season. We have not given them any of those things since we have been here. As a result, many of the garden plots, in Highlands, are not being used (no functioning garden committee), while other gardens are flourishing. Some of the other branches, in other cities, are still planting what they can, some are not. Branch Presidents are reluctant to use Fast Offerings to purchase these items, as the same will be expected year after year. The concept of saving for the next year has not taken root in many branches.

There have been a large number of garden projects through the years. The members really need the gardens, but also need to take the responsibility to do what it takes to perpetuate the gardens.

We have had a number of requests to help the members start up large scale gardening projects. We have resisted these requests, as this should be a function of the branch president, stake president, not LDSC.

Wheelchairs
We have not been involved in a wheel chair project; they are on hold. From what we have learned, there is a huge demand for chairs throughout the three countries. Hospitals are in very short supply, there are long waiting lists in every organization that supply chairs to the handicapped, and we receive many requests from individuals, and ministers, for wheelchairs for the needy.

When we arrived in Harare, in March, there were almost 200 requests from individuals, members, bishops, and pastors for wheel chairs. We had about 10 chairs; they have all been distributed, long back.

There has not been a wheelchair project approved in this mission since 2007, when Elder and Sister Hobbs were here. From information the Hobbs and Turners left, the 10 provincial medical directors expect 20 wheelchairs each as a show of co-operation. We do not know if this is a requirement, or just what was done by the couples. There remains a tremendous need for chairs.

Blankets, soap, hygiene kits, school kits, clothes, etc.
As we understand what has happened in the past, LDSC has brought in many containers of goods from the SLC Distribution Center. We have talked to pastors who would come to the mission office on a regular basis, and receive large amounts of goods to take out to their congregational areas. We do not know what happened to the goods once they left the control of LDSC. It does not appear there was any work that was done in return for the goods received; nor do we know who actually received the goods.

We have inherited a container of such goods. Rather than have the pastors take the supplies, we have arranged to go out to their areas and give the clothes, hygiene kits, blankets, etc. directly to the people. This has been very well received. We have not required any work to be done, but we have asked the pastors to limit the recipients to widows, orphans, or seniors who are not able to provide for themselves. We also have the pastor arrange for some of their people to help sort, and distribute the items.

One pastor, we went out with, told us LDS Senior Missionaries told him his family comes first, so, when we got to where he has his preaching area, he had his brothers, his sister, their spouses all there, and they started loading up. We took everything back, gave them one of two things, and told them all the clothes, blankets, etc, were for the people he invited to come. However, as the people leave the location, they tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and soon the whole community comes with a sense of entitlement; if they got, we should, too. There are a lot of very poor people, but it is difficult to determine those who actually need, from those who just want.

Water Projects
We visited 5 water projects that were done in 2007. We took Bruce, from Geo Pumps with us, as he had been involved with these projects and could guide us to them.

#1. Danangwe Secondary School: In 2007 the existing worn-out bush pump was removed and completely replaced with new parts (except the pump head). We were disturbed to find only the casing coming out of the ground surrounded by broken up concrete. Apparently they had removed the pump without securing the pipes and a pipe fell down inside the casing. They were not able to retrieve it so they thought that if they broke up the cement they could get the larger casing pipe out and go deeper into the hole, but that was not the case. The pump assembly has been put into the school for safe keeping. Solution: Bruce says he can bring in a machine (fisher) that will retrieve the pipe and it can be repaired and new cement put in at a cost of approximately $550.00.

First well we checked on - not good!!

#2. Danangwe Primary School: In 2007 the existing worn-out pump was removed and completely replaced with new parts (except the pump head). We were pleased to find the pump working and people using it. It does need some simple maintenance (grease) but the school does not have any. They say the community has taken over the use of the pump and expect the school to maintain it. However, the school does use it as well. The school is extremely poor (about the poorest conditions we have seen at a school here) and it is understandable that they have no funds for maintaining the pump. Solution: Check to see if any individuals who were trained in the maintenance of the pump are still in the area and get the committee going again. Bruce says that he left a lot of grease, etc. there for them.

Second well - it's working!! Hurray!!

#3. Kandega Village: In 2007 a 50 meter borehole was drilled and a new Type ll Bush Pump was installed with a concrete pad all around. According to a near-by resident this pump only worked for about a month. He is storing the handle but some other parts were missing. He said they may have been taken to the school but we found a person who said he had given them to the councilman. He got nervous when we suggested that we should talk to the councilman. We think he used the parts in his business of welding/constructing ‘art’ out of junk. According to Bruce, from Geo Pumps, the people were instructed to wait 3 weeks before using the pump so that the cement could set up nicely around the pump casing. They did not wait and caused damage. (The handle should have been stored for the 3 weeks period.) Solution: The pump could easily be repaired for about $450.00 ($300 parts, $150 labor).

3rd Bushpump - missing parts

#4. Ezentabenni Resettlement area: In 2007 a 55 meter borehole was drilled and a new Type ll Bush pump was installed with a concrete pad all around. This pump looked perfectly fine but is not working. It was also used too soon after installation and the casing became loose. They put more cement around the casing but that did not remedy the problem. It is sad because here is a lovely looking bush pump and no one can use it. Instead the people are walking to a spot where a borehole used to be and dipping milky looking water out of small pool. Solution: Pull out the casing and reset it and recast with cement. Cost approximately $400. The man who lives close by and has the handle to the pump would likely be a great candidate to train in the maintenance of the pump and would take responsibility for it.

All of the above pumps no longer have a security fence around them. In most cases the barbed wire has been stolen and fence posts gone. The Danangwe Secondary school pump did have most of the fence still in place. We would like to consider getting these pumps back up and operational. (Total cost: approx. $1500 USD). We feel like it was a problem that no one ever checked back on these projects and that may be because of the unstable political situation of the country in the past.

Fourth bushpump - not working but at least the parts are all there!

This is where the area is getting their water right now

#5. Kadoma Regional Hospital: A back-up water system for the hospital to use when the municipal water system is down was done in 2007. They built a security building and installed a mono pump, 650 meters of pipeline, four, 10,000 litre storage tanks on 6 meter stands and check valves. Also extended electrical power lines 300 meters to the borehole. The system is not being used because the pump is not large enough to pump the distance and height to the water storage tanks (650 meters of gradual uphill plus 8 meters in height). One of the storage tanks has blown off the stand and the hospital has it in storage. It likely blew off because it had no water in it. The hospital says the pump keeps breaking down. It is an old style mono pump. Also the hospital says that they were getting mud through the pipes.Bruce thinks it is about a 2 h.p. motor and he thinks we should have a 5 h.p. submersible pump to do the job properly. He thinks perhaps the pump is too low, thus getting some muddy water. Cost: approx. $2,500.00 USD.

How would you like to go to school here?

Teacher has no table and children no desks or benches

I gave these kids a sweet

I wish I had some eye drops for the little boy

Outside of school

Outdoor classroom

These people want to build a church on this site so they were working at removing this huge rock. They will drill and blast it soon.

These people work so hard here -- this is how they make gravel.

Once in a while we see vehicles, even buses, that look like they are driving down the road kind of side ways since the alignment is so far off. Looks really strange.
This truck is actually going down the road straight - the alignment is way off!

Peacock at Kadoma

weekend update

Friday, June 12, 2009
Today we were invited to attend a Thanks Giving Day Program at the St. Charles Mavhudzi Secondary School in the Goromonzi North District (about 60 km. Northeast of Harare). Elder and Sister Hobbs did an initiative there in about 2006 where LDS Charities donated desks and benches, textbooks, exercise books and ball point pens. It is a school out in the rural area with about 450 students. We, as representatives of LDSC, were treated royally. We were seated in the comfortable chairs in the center of the head table along with The Honorable MP of the district – outside under some trees. I will quote a paragraph from the program:

"Belatedly, this day’s programme is a babe of the Honourable MP, P. Zhanda, in which the school admittedly had shelved due to immeasurable challenges bedevilled by lack of resources – is on with much happiness. On this day I feel honoured to gratefully enunciate our inexpressible appreciation to our distinquished guests in their beneficient manner in which they have chosen to stand alongside our needy community."

We visited with the MP, Mr. Zhanda, and really like the man. The people love him and he seems to really care about them. He is a successful businessman in the area. He has a daughter going to university in Missouri (his wife was there visiting her). His sons have been to school in Australia and England. We would like to try and work with him some more for this community.

The Honourable MP of Gorominzi North Constituency

They are hoping we can help them get a grinding mill at a school there – where people can pay a little to grind their maize and the proceeds will go towards helping with exercise books and school feels for the children. We are going to write up an initiative and see if SA will approve it.

Their only equipment for their science lab

Broken school windows - typical

Most schools here have broken windows -- I guess it doesn't get socold that it is a huge problem!!

There was singing, dancing, poetry and a little drama to entertain us. Due to the MP arriving about 2 ½ hours late they did a lot of extra singing and dancing for us. We did really enjoy the day – we arrived at 9 a.m. and left about 3:30 (just in time to get back home by dark). After the program and speeches (one by Elder Bullock that they hadn’t warned him about ahead of time) there was a huge spread of food (paid for by the MP). They had rice, potato salad, coleslaw, chicken and some beef dish. It looked very good but we did not eat as one of our mission rules is to only eat what we prepare or at established restaurants. We had told them ahead of time that we couldn’t eat there and why (due to the cholera problems in the recent past we are very careful). I think it would have been okay but we didn’t want to chance it.

Banner for Thank you day ceremony

Roman Catholic Choir

School Choir (in their school uniforms)

Cultural dance

Drummers

Entertainment - great dancers

they have some great hand and foot movements

boys dancing - very good

Pastor Chris and his wife

The favourite drink here -- mix 1 part concentrate with 4 parts water

Toilets

Sunday, June 14, 2009
Yesterday we took a “preparation day”. We will try and do that more often as we do need a break now and then. We went grocery shopping – made the rounds to our fruit and veggie market, The Cheeseman – where we get cheese, some frozen fish and chicken, yogurt and we got some real cream this time. Later we drove out to Epworth to take a pair of shoes to Panashe, an 11 year old boy with size 12 feet! We didn’t have a pair that would fit him when we were there earlier in the week. He was very happy to get them – he threw his arms around Elder Bullock and gave him a big hug and said thank you, papa! (They do call us mama and papa a lot here).

They are starting a new branch of the church in Epworth (at a school) next week. We will try and go as we have had a lot to do with some people in that district lately. It is a high density suburb of Harare where a lot of needy people live. We attended the adult session of the Highland Stake Conference at 4:00 p.m. When we arrived home the power was off AGAIN! It came back on about 10:00 p.m.

This morning we attended the stake conference. It was very good and they had an excellent choir of about 140 people. Elder Taylor played the organ (keyboard) that they hooked up to the sound system and it sounded terrific. Sharon Spencer led the choir and we decided it was the Mormon tabernacle choir of Harare. It sounded great. They held the conference in the ZANU PF headquarter hall – had to do a ton of cleaning and fixing of the building to make it ‘conference worthy’. There were about 1000 in attendance. We sat beside some guests that Pres. Nield had invited – a lady that is the director Of ZACH (Zimbabwe Association of Church related Hospitals). She seemed to enjoy the conference. We, as LDS Charities, do a lot for ZACH, along with Pres. Nield. There was also a fellow there that was a director at a hospital. The talks were good – they have some good strong leaders here.

Mom – when they have the mission president training this month you could look up Pres. Dube – our new mission president. He is from here and is presently a counselor to Pres. Bester and also has been the head of CES here. I think he will be a good mission president. He already has some plans to help bring the church out of obscurity.

We came home and made some cream of broccoli soup for lunch – it was really good. We will go send off this email at the Mission office now with a few pictures and check for emails from our family.

Love, Sister Bullock