Thursday, February 11, 2010

Good morning,

We have had a good week so far. Today we are stuck in the office because our truck is getting serviced. That is okay though as we set up appointment with people who want to talk to us.
Some ladies want to come in and talk about a 'sewing' project they would like us to look at. Pastor Mhike wants to come in and talk about 'doctrine'. He was in yesterday with some paperwork and a map for the water project we are looking at up in Muzarabani.

We are lining up some possible areas that need boreholes and we will get a visit from a 'water specialist' from USA to come and assess them with us and help us develop the projects. We are looking forward to that. It will really help us a lot. The specialists will visit Zimbabwe and also the humanitarian couple in South Africa. We will likely have them for a couple of weeks and then they can also assist us via email afterwards.

1 Feb 2010 - On wall of ZESA office in Kadoma

1 Feb 2010 - Another one

5 Feb 2010 - Elder Bullock picking an avocado

We took Bruce, our borehole guy, out to look at a place where we want to replace a 5000 lts. water tank and he gave us a price on what that will cost. On our way back we stopped at the school 'head master's' house and he wanted to give us some mangos and some green mealies.
Green mealies are cobs of maize that haven't had a chance to dry on the cob yet. We were given instructions on how to cook and eat it. So we tried it. It didn't have much flavor (not like the sweet corn). It was rather chewy too but ok, I guess. I don't think I will care if I have it again or not though. We gave away a lot of the mangos - they were the smaller ones that have a more stringy fruit. Everyone loves the mangos and we lots of people eating them right now. They are very good!!

Pastor Sikyani's wife passed away - she had a stroke 2 or 3 weeks ago. We went to the funeral. He told us to come at 2 p.m. and when we got there they were filling the grave with dirt. I guess he wanted us to miss whatever happened before that. There was lots of singing and clapping as the young men took turns shoveling the dirt back in. Then everyone was fed a meal of sadza, meat with a little sauce and some shredded cooked cabbage. We ate too. That is the first time we have done that. We ate it with our fingers like everyone else. They take a bit of sadza, roll it into a ball and make a little indent in it and then dip it into the sauce. *Before you begin eating they come around with a bowl and some water so people can wash their hands and then do the same thing afterwards as our hands are dirty from eating. The sadza has no flavor and the sauce and vegetables are a bit on the salty side but it tasted good. These people LOVE sadza!!
Afterwards we went and thanked the ladies who had prepared the food and got a surprise!! Check out the pictures to see 'what we saw'! YIKES!! I guess it is a good thing we had already eaten or ............. we might have declined the offer.

10 Feb 2010 - Ladies who prepared food for the funeral

10 Feb 2010 - YIKES! This was on the ground by the pot (goat's head and feet)

10 Feb 2010 - Ladies with Elder Bullock

10 Feb 2010 - Shredding cabbage

10 Feb 2010 - Lady eating a mango

10 Feb 2010 - Two little girls wanting their picture taken

We had a pregnant lady waiting for us at the gate when we came in a couple of days ago. We stopped and she came to my window (the ladies usually want to talk to me and the men choose to talk to Elder Bullock). The lady said, "Madam, I have a problem". We hear that a lot. I ask what she needed and she pulled out her papers from the doctor and they did say that the baby was breach. She told me she was 12 months pregnant because the baby was breach and couldn't come out. I told her that I have had 7 babies and that it doesn't work that way -- that she is NOT 12 months pregnant. She wanted money from us and we don't give money so she went on her way.

Last Saturday we were invited to Nield's for a birthday party for CeeCee. Her request was for Mexican food and it was wonderful. One of the best meals we have had since being here. They have a great family and we enjoyed our afternoon with them. We bought a couple of bouquets of flowers off the street to take with us. One cost $10 and one cost $5 -- too bad I paid the $10 first because I probably could have gotten them both for $5 as they were desperate to make a sale. O well -- they were beautiful arrangements.

6 Feb 2010 - Bouquets of flowers for $10 and $5. Nice!

6 Feb 2010 - Nield's yard -- gorgeous!

6 Feb 2010 - Bullocks, Reeve, Deppes, Lolly, Mayfields, CeeCee at Nield home

6 Feb 2010 - Nield clan and friends

Tomorrow morning we are going for a golf lesson (after we play squash at 5:30 a.m.) so that we can meet a couple that our golf friends know. They are hoping that perhaps we can get to know these people and friendship them. He is a retired Dr. and does some humanitarian work here too.

Our first appointment of the day has arrived so .... back to work.

~Later~

Hi, We had a good day today. This afternoon two young men came in. One said we had met him at the grocery store a while ago and talked to him and he came to find us because he wanted to learn more about the church. He is a police officer and his friend is looking for work. They were both about 27 yrs. old. One is married with a baby girl and the policeman is working on saving up the lobola so that he can get traditionally married about April, he hopes.

We taught them about the Book of Mormon etc. (1st discussion) and gave them a restoration pamphlet and a B of M each. The police officer had very good English and really understood everything well. It was good!

The lady came in to discuss her possible 'sewing' project and we will go out and meet her group of ladies tomorrow morning and talk with them.

They have a problem at one of the grinding mills. One person wants to only charge $.50 to grind a bucket of maize instead of the normal price of $1.00. They cannot make any money at that rate and possibly not even have enough to pay the electricity bill and the $50 they pay to the miller. This particular person is trying to get points with the people there as he wanted to be re-elected as the SDC chairman (School Development Committee). He did get re-elected yesterday! So, we have a problem. There is a grinding mill committee and they should all be making these decisions but...... The head master came and discussed it all this with us. We were all hoping the chairman would not get voted back. Anyway today Elder Bullock phoned the MP (Mr. Zhanda) that we really like and he really likes us and told him of the problem. He will meet us at the mill on Monday morning, hopefully along with the committee, and talk to them. He is well respected and they will listen to him (we just need the one man to listen, really). I think he will be able to solve the problem for us and set things straight. We are doing several projects in his jurisdiction so he will do whatever he can to help and he really appreciates all we are doing.

We talked to him about the problem the church had recently with getting items cleared through ZIMRA (tax people) - and he knows the head guy and is going to set up a lunch with him and the mission president and ourselves and see if things can't be simplified for us. That will be great it he can help us. Pres. Dube says he will be happy to buy the lunch if we can get these people together.

Elder Bullock has gone to pick up the truck from being serviced. All is well. We were hoping to get our talks written for Sunday but our day just fills up (with good things though, like discussions of the gospel).

Love to all, E/S Bullock

Friday, February 5th

Hi Everyone, We have had a somewhat busy week. I have been organizing financial records in preparation for the audit later this month.

We spent yesterday morning out at a clinic (where we are replacing the transformers and fixing the borehole). We met with the committee there and had a good meeting. They seem to be doing pretty good. The transformers will likely be finished this next week and they say they
can take them out and install them at both clinics on the same day. The MP (Mr. Zhanda) was at the meeting. We really like him and he is really good with the people. He is thrilled with us for doing projects in his area!

On Wednesday we went to Kadoma to get some quotes for the transformer that we need to upgrade at the Danangwe School so that it is big enough to run the grinding mill. While we were meeting with the fellow he ask about the church and said he would like to attend. We
took his phone number and told him we would call him before we go to Kadoma next Sunday (that is one of our branches). It will be nice if he comes. I have been ask to speak that Sunday as well -- topic: teaching/learning/living the gospel at home. I am also speaking the next Sunday in Masvingo and I think I will likely just give the same talk. Anyway, after our meeting with the transformer guy, we went out to our vehicle and found that they had put a clamp on the wheel. We learned that we had to have a parking disk (paper) that costs $1 to park there. It was just under a tree on a dirt area. A guy took us across the grassway to pay our $20 so we could get the clamp off. We ask to talk to someone in charge and were directed around back. We had to wait for a bit but found the guy and told him we didn't know we had to pay to park there. He walked back to the lot with us and showed us the sign. However, when we got back to the lot I noticed that the clamp was no longer on our truck tire. I guess someone else had paid to have a clamp removed and they thought it was us. The NICE man let us go!!! The employee went on his way to take the clamp off the correct vehicle. :)

Today we went and met Pastor Wonder out in the rurals of Goromonzi and he had arranged a meeting to discuss a possible water project. It was a good meeting with over 30 people there. The Village Head was there (he is the head over the 31 villages in the Ward) and there were 19
village chiefs there or representatives). We explained how LDSC works with water projects and what they need to do to. It was good.

After that we came back to Harare and went for lunch with Bro. and Sister Sharp, members of Highlands ward. They are an awesome couple who have been members for about 2 1/2 yrs. We had a really nice visit with them. She is from Russia and he is from Zimbabwe. They have a
14 yr. old daughter that does ballroom dancing with the son of another family in the ward. These two are really good and won everything at a competition in South Africa and they are now going to a big competition in ?? They are really good people!!

Dzikamai just came to the office to ask Elder Bullock if he would ordain him (Priest) on Sunday and of course, he would be delighted to do that.

There has been some rain this past week or so and that is making everyone happy. They still need lots more but at least the crops are getting some moisture.

Things are good here. Elder Bullock was assigned by President Dube to make arrangements for a couple's conference on April 6 - 9th and we will be going to Victoria Falls. We are looking forward to that. We will do a day trip (1 night) into Botswana. Reeve's friend, Cornelia lives there and she is arranging an early morning cruise, and an animal drive in the afternoon, etc. It will be great. The animals in Botswana are suppose to be really great! We will spend 2 nights at Victoria Falls and have some meetings and also tour the falls and the flea markets etc. We will stay on the Zimbabwe side of the Falls.

Tomorrow we are going with the Elders again to teach Answer and Mary a discussion. We enjoy going to their humble little home and they are so thrilled to have us come. Maybe that is why we like going!! After that we are going to a birthday party for CeeCee at the Nield's home. She is one of our 'golfing' girls. We play squash with them almost every morning and they make sure we get a 'good' workout. Merci has been coming to squash a bit too -- since Uncle Phil told us that the only things she has that fits anymore are her shoes!!! :) Nice guy!

We are happy and doing fine. Love to all, Elder & Sister Bullock

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Our day is winding down and it has been a good one! We attended meetings at the Highlands ward and Elder Bullock confirmed Dzikamai. Merci gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting and did a wonderful job. You would never know she was a recent convert. Malaika (her 5 yr. old daughter) sat with us and so did Seka and of course, Dzikamai. As I sat there I thought, "Here we are sitting together with our Africa family" because they feel like our family. These are the ones we will miss the most when we leave here.

Dzikamai was looking really happy and feeling great. His countenance has really changed since the first day we met him. He wants to prepare himself to serve a mission in a year. When he was in Boston he met a black girl there from Tucson, AZ and she took him to church a few times and she is now serving a mission in Washington DC. She will be excited to hear that he was baptized.

We left there early and drove to the Kwadzana Branch at the West end of Harare. We were to meet Answer and Mary and their two little boys there. Answer didn't come as he had to go visit his ill sister in Norton, but Mary came with the boys. We attended all the meetings there with her and Honest, the 6 yr. old liked primary and Trust the 2 yr. old slept most of the time. It was good. We went on Saturday with Elders Law and Crosley while they taught them and will go again next Saturday. Mary met a lady at church today who lives close to them so we are hoping they can become friends.

Anyway -- it was a great day!! Makes being here in Zimbabwe all worth it!!!! :)

I'm sure there is more to write but my mind is blank at the moment so --

Here are some pictures from the last little while.

26 Jan 2010 - Marondera group that gave us a tour of possible borehole sites and then took us to lunch (chicken and chips)

26 Jan 2010 - Books LDSC donated to this library a few years ago in Marondera

26 Jan 2010 - Elder Bullock and librarian in Marondera

26 Jan 2010 - 012 Giving newborn kit to brand new mother and baby

26 Jan 2010 - I liked the opening and closing times on this sign - funny

27 Jan 2010 - Gave quilts to these two ladies - They gave me us a tea set

27 Jan 2010 - Merci

28 Jan 2010 - Beauty (our housekeeper & she does our laundry). She came in a new outfit today (cute!)

30 Jan 2010 - Bullocks with Dzikamai

30 Jan 2010 - Elder Bullock & Dzikamai

30 Jan 2010 - Dzikamai & Seka

Love to our family and friends, Elder and Sister Bullock

Monday morning

We had a good weekend. Jim had meetings with the Coordinating Council on Friday night and early Saturday morning. All the District and Stake Presidents were here for training from Elder Renlund and Elder Bricknell from SA. I know I always say this but there are some wonderful leaders here and it is always nice to see them together.

While Jim was at meetings on Sat. morning I went and stocked up on fruit and vegetables at FAVCO. It is a warehouse that supplies a lot of the stores with their produce. They had just gotten a shipment from South Africa and she ask if I wanted a box of grapes for $10. That is a really good deal because grapes have been selling in the stores for about $12 or more a kg. We won't pay that much. I bought some gem squash and apples as well and also some macadamia nuts that they often have there.

I went by and saw Merci too and she was trying to convince me that we should sell our house in Canada and move here. I said "but what about our children and grandchildren?" She figures they should just fly here and visit us. I told her it would be cheaper for her to fly to visit us. I don't know if she ever will but it would be nice. Maybe her business will do well and she can afford to one day.

Yesterday we went to two different Sacrament Meetings here in Harare. We had Answer and Mary, some investigators, that were suppose to come to one meeting but we got a text message that they couldn't make it. We were really hoping they would be there. We had been to their home on Saturday and reveiwed with them the 1st discussion. They said they had to go out of town so we will see what happened.

Afterwards we stopped by to see Dzikamai. He said he has now had a strong confirmation of the truthfullness of the gospel and he excited about his baptism this coming Saturday. His cousin/good family friend/brother, Wayne was there too. He is 18 yrs. old. He seemed interested and so Elder Bullock explained the Book of Mormon etc. and gave him a copy and the pamphlet of the Restoration. He is a really nice young man.

Dzikamai is doing well and seems much more positive about life. He is talking that perhaps he would like to prepare for a mission next year. He turns 26 in June so I don't know if that makes him too old to go but it would sure be good for him. He can't go, of course, until he has been a member for a year.

Seka had a job interview on Friday and he felt really good about it. He should hear today or tomorrow and we are sure hoping he gets it so he can stay in Harare near the church.

We are still playing squash. Elder Bullock has to be careful and not get too competitive so that he doesn't hurt his back while playing. Merci came and played Friday and Saturday mornings and was REALLY feeling stiff and sore afterwards. I guess she is using new muscles - but she is doing pretty good at it. She didn't show this morning so maybe she is still sore. :)

We are doing fine. As promised, our family is being blessed while we serve!! We are grateful for that. Good things are happening for them.

Love to all, Elder and Sister Bullock

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Hi,

We went to Muzarabani on Wednesday and took Seka with us as that is the area that he lived. Upper Muzarabani is quite lush and green and gets more rain than Lower Muzarabani (on the other side of the mountain). We found once we crossed to the other side it was dry and the crops were not doing well at all. The maize was small and wilted and they are afraid that it is too late, even if rain starts to come now. We had a great day yesterday on our trip and really hope we can do a water project up there. They could sure use it.

Beautiful drive to Muzarabani through the mountains

More landscape

On our way to Muzarabani

At the top of the mountain pass. This was absolutely beautiful from up here.

Down in the valley

Tools for patching the road

Roasting ground nuts (peanuts) for peanut butter. This lady gave me handful of nuts - they were hot and yummy. Her husband was shelling them and she was roasting. She said they were for making peanut butter. They love their peanut butter here.
Muzarabani Primary School

SDC (School Development Committee) Meeting. There was a meeting going on when we arrived.

More attendees at the meeting

Students at Muzarabani Primary School

Elder Bullock teaching them a song

Nice Flamboyant Tree (huge!)

Members of community we met with at Lower Muzarabani
Pastor Mhike had arranged a meeting with the village council, police, etc. etc. We talked about possibly doing boreholes for them. They had a list of 70 spots where they need them - with 32 locations that would be priorities (schools and clinics). It is a dry area about 210 km. north of here. We did see more poverty there and lots of children and adults dressed in rags. We took some T-shirts and gave them all out and could have given dozens more. This area is away from the church's centre of strength but I hope they will consider doing boreholes for them. I think they will - at least I sure hope so. I feel really good about helping these people and we were impressed with them.

Mom and baby waiting outside clinic in a cart.

Seka and his mother at her place.
Seka took us to meet his mother and sister. He hadn't seen her since August and when he met her he shook her hand. I ask him if he wasn't going to give her a hug and he said that is not done in their culture. I ask if I could take a picture of him with his mother and so he went and stood beside her. I suggested he put his arm around her but..... - not done in their culture. I suggested he ask her if it would be okay. He did and I could tell from the look on her face that it was not. She didn't speak any English.
At Seka's mother's roundeval (hut) - We gave out shirts, hygiene kits, coloring books and crayons. We started giving out a few things to a few people and pretty soon we had quite a few. They all got something and were pretty happy. We gave Seka 2 quilts - one for his mother and one for his sister. We didn't have enough for everyone.

Sign at school office

Pastor Mhike, Seka, and Elder Bullock in Muzarabani

Beautiful landscape of upper Muzarabani

Today we went a different direction to Danangwe School to talk to them about the grinding mill that was approved for them. We went into Chegutu and met with the ZESA (electricity) people and took them out to see the site, only to find out that the transformer there is not big enough to support the grinding mill. So now...???

Tomorrow afternoon for a couple of hours we will take Elder and Sister Renlund, from the area presidency, out and show them a couple of our projects. That will be good for them to see some of the things they approved for us and we can talk to them about the problem we discovered today.

We do have a couple of ideas but we may need to apply for some more budget for the project to make it happen.

Must run as Jim is waiting for me. Sounds like there is some thunder out there so perhaps someone is getting a little rain. I hope so. Everyone is so concerned about drought here. The rivers are low and some we saw yesterday in Muzarabani are bone dry and they should be flowing!!

Love to everyone. We would love to get some emails. Elder and Sister Bullock