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

May 1st - 3rd

Hi, We have 15 elders who are going home tomorrow morning and they are so excited. Elder Shongwe, from Swaziland, is the most excited I think. He can hardly contain himself. He has always liked playing tricks on everyone and said he was too smart that they could never get him back - but they did!! With the help of Sister Bester in Jo'berg, they pretended to delay his ticket home by a day or two. Anyway - they got him good and even have it on video!

We were without electricity a LOT last week - due to some festival that was going on that needed extra power. Beauty had to wash out essential clothes by hand. This weeks seems to be starting out better though and we now have our dryer fixed too -- the belt broke and it has taken weeks to find the proper belt to fix it (found it in South Africa). We look forward to having soft towels, etc. again.

Must get to work. Love you.

May 1, 2010 Mayday – a holiday here.

This week has been somewhat frustrating. We paid ZESA some money for the upgrade of electricity and labour to install an 80 amp MCB (breaker) at Kadyamadare School to run the grinding mill. It seems that originally we only applied for the upgrade enough to run the mill and not the dehuller too so we had to pay more. They told us that what we paid included the cost of the MCB and they would go out and install it. A week went by and they said we hadn’t paid yet but we got that straightened out and they went out the next day, however they did not take the MCB with them – they expected that we would supply it. We explained that it was part of the amount we paid but they told us they don’t have any and don’t know when they might get any. If they want to give us back some of the money (which won’t happen), we could go buy one. The mill is running because an electrician moved a couple of the MCB’s that are already there so that it can work so at least they are making some money. We do need to get this sorted out, but man, it can be frustrating.

We took Bruce (Geo Pumps) out to the Kowoyo Clinic to sort out some plumbing problems there. That is where we had a new transformer installed and then got the borehole refurbished. We had to wait for the electricity to be on to go out so that we could test the system. Two of the water lines had problems – one was plugged with mud and needed a piece of pipe replaced and I’m not sure what the deal was with the other spot but they got them working and water flowing into the clinic and into the nurses quarters. They were pretty excited. We also had to get an electrician, who works for ZESA, to work last weekend on his days off, to repair wiring/lights/plugs in the clinic. We paid him too much for the job ($150) but he wouldn’t budge and we had no one else (in Canada, his price would have been a steal, but here it was too much). We bought the supplies (light fixtures, plugs etc.) and he installed them. We went out to check on things only to find that they had no bulbs or florescent tubes so....back to Harare. We bought some and took them out when we went out with Bruce and good news--- now they have light! Thankfully things were working at the nurses quarters (thanks to Bruce’s electrician, who did some fixing for them while they were doing the borehole. Because someone had cut part way through the electrical cable that runs through the vegetable garden, the strength of the electricity was jumping up and down. They had turned on the power to the nurses residence and it had blown the bulbs and their tv etc. (not good), but not our fault, thank goodness. Bruce’s guy fixed it and all is well – they have their stoves and fridges and lights working. They loved that after no power for 3 years. We will cross our fingers and hope that it all keeps working properly!

Today we took Bruce out to the Goromonzi area to look at an electric borehole at Pastor Sikiyani’s place. It hasn’t worked for 2 years. Someone took the pump and cable to fix it and never brought it back (big surprise). Bruce can fix it all for about $1000 so we will write up a proposal and send it in and hopefully get it done for them. The pastor has a preschool there with about 60 little kids and he also has his house there where he takes care of 15 orphans. His wife died a few months ago (3 or 4) and he told us that the church has picked a new wife for him and he is working on the labola and they will get married in July. He said she is a nice lady and he is fine with the choice. He is about 65 yrs. old or so and she is 40. I told him she must be a good woman to take on 15 orphans. He just smiled and said that she is. As we left there the Pastor ask if we had room for one guy to get a ride to Harare. We agreed but then 4 people climbed into the back.  We took Elder and Sister Bowen out with us as they wanted to get away for a while and we already had Bruce and his helper. O well!! All was fine.

We came back to town and stopped at Msasa where there is a nice pottery store. I have been wanting to get a couple of things from there. I bought a table cloth and some salt and pepper shakers to take home with us. I wanted to get a nice card to give to Reeve, CeeCee and Lolly but the stores were closing. CeeCee has already left for her golf tours and Reeve and Lolly leave on Monday. We have one more squash morning with them. We will miss them – they add some spice to our lives! We will still play squash though as they have arranged club memberships for us all. We just have to buy the tokens to turn on the court lights and they cost 25 cents for about 20 minutes.

We are relaxing and taking it easy this afternoon. We need to do that as the past week was rather difficult. Tomorrow we got to Kadoma for church. At the first of the week we will head back to Chegutu, near Kadoma, to arrange for an electrician to wire the building that has been constructed by the community to house the grinding mill/dehuller that we are doing at Danangwe School. We are trying to make sure that there will be no surprise costs on this project as our budget is pretty tight since we ended up having to upgrade the transformer and we hadn’t planned on that in the beginning.

We are slowly getting our projects done. It seems like it should all happen quickly but... nothing happens quickly and easily here.

Monday: We are excited for Curtis and Cindy and their wedding coming up on Thursday. We sure wish we could be there, however, we can’t. We will be thinking about though – but won’t dwell on it too much or I will get get all teary!
WE miss you all!! Love, The Bullocks

April 24th - Yeah!! My birthday!!

We started our day by going to play squash at 5:15 a.m.. Reeve and Lolly were there and brought me a b.d. present. That was really nice of them. They gave me 3 squash balls, an Australia T-shirt, 3 prs. of socks, and some nice smelling soap from Bath & Body. That was a nice way to start my day! :) Those girls are so good to us.

We came to the church to watch the DVD of general conference only to find that they decided to postpone showing it to next weekend - I think they forgot to announce it last Sunday. However, Elder Bullock is teaching the first discussion to a young man (Lawrence's friend). If you remember - Lawrence and Doreen are getting baptized May 8th. "The Professor", Bro. Matize, is here with us and bore a beautiful testimony. (The young man that is here doesn't have his Restoration Pamphlet that we gave him before because his friend that he stays with took it and he also wants to be taught.) We could do this full time.

We are taking the Professor home afterwards and he wants us to talk to a Pastor that lives nearby him and has some questions. The Professor has been telling him about the church. We wondered what we would do today when we found out that conference was postponed but..... our day is already filling up with good things.

Later..... We've been to the Professors' home and they seem to be basically okay (this note is for the Taylors). He is getting $50 a month pay and the rent is $40 so that leaves $10 to live on for the month. That is pretty tough but he rides his bike to work (1 1/2 hrs. one way) and he just keeps hoping that things will improve and that they will start paying him what he is suppose to get. He has a supply of maize that he just harvested from his garden. We gave them a bag of naatchies. He will be to church tomorrow.
We went to the Pastor's house with him and the wife and children were there but the Pastor is away so we will have to try and meet him another day.

We are heading home for a while and will go out for supper with Mayfields to celebrate my birthday. The Bowens are in Malawi for a few days so that they can re-enter the country and renew their Visas as they are still waiting for their TEP's to get approved.

Love to all

Things I forgot to tell you

If I don't write it down then I forget half of the things that I want to write. For some reason I remembered this last night - maybe because I needed something to smile about!

After we had been to view Victoria Falls and we were waiting on the small bus for the last of our group we suddenly noticed quite the sight. There was a big tour bus a little ways from us and there were three white ladies in front of the bus. They were probably about our ages. I guess they were wet from being at the Falls and they decided to change clothes -- right there!! It was as if they were in a locker room or something. Off came the clothes - all of them. They did try and wrap a towel around but there was nothing left to the imagination. The Elders (our husbands) were doing their best to look out the other window but we sisters couldn't believe our eyes and watched the whole process!! :) Our bus driver was getting a good chuckle listening to our exclamations as the different pieces of clothes were removed etc.

We heard yesterday that two days before we went on our trip there that an American man had gotten too friendly with a hippo and the hippo bit his foot off. They rushed him to a hospital and they couldn't help him so they sent him somewhere else. By the time he got the right help he did end up losing most of his leg as the turniky (sp) had been on too long. YIKES!! They say that more people are killed by hippos than any other animal.

We were commenting one day as we looked out at the beautiful lake near the Inn on Great Zimbabwe that if that was in America there would be a ton of boats, sea-doos etc. and it would be surrounded by summer cottages - then we realized that it is not so here because the lake has crocodiles and hippos in it, as do most lakes and rivers here.

I will send some pictures for the blog. We went to Howard Hospital last Tuesday to watch as patches were taken off people's eyes. It is part of our friends' Reeve, CC, and Lolly - Eyes for Zimbabwe - where cataract surgery is done for free for the people. The Doctor and nurses donate their time and Eyes for Zimbabwe donates the supplies, which cost about $20 per surgery. There was a man (and a woman) there who haven't been able to see for about 3 years. When they took off the patch and they could see it was so awesome! They had the biggest smiles ever! They do one eye at a time - so later that day their other eye would be done. We were going to get back in time to the hospital to actually witness the surgery taking place but we didn't make it. The Dr. did 26 more surgeries on Tuesday though. I think they did more than 70 over a few days. Cataracts are a big problem here due to smoke, dust, etc. etc.

We distributed some new born kits at the hospital to the new mothers that were there. The girls also donated a lot of medical supplies that came in the containers, as well as some clothing to be distributed to those that the hospital felt were in need. Dr. Thistle from Toronto is the head doctor there. He has been here for 14 years. He goes back once a year to Canada for a month or so. There was a lady there from Toronto helping with some education. She was here for 5 weeks and was about to go home. She gave me a big hug just because she was homesick for someone from home. There were also 2 men there that had come from Toronto for 2 weeks to just help out at the hospital where ever they could. They went with us out to an orphange were we took some clothes, toys and food. They were taking a lot of pictures as they hadn't been able to get out there due to lack of transport. They also went with us to a school where it had been previously arranged to have children gather. We handed out Bibles and the children's New Testament Stories that the church prints. We also gave all the children an Article of Faith card that has the picture of Christ with the children on it.

Along the road through the bush areas and at the school we handed out clothes to some children and some New Testament books. The children in the bush are the ones that really need the clothes. It was a good day!! We got home late but that's okay.

Our trip to distribute in Muzarabani came with it's challenges but we were able to help some of the children with mealie meal, Bibles, New Testament Story books, socks, pens/pencils, etc. We weren't allowed to take pictures though but that's okay.

13 Apr 2010 - Men who had cataract surgery and more waiting

13 Apr 2010 - Women who had cataract sugery and more waiting for surgery today

13 Apr 2010 - A happy man who is seeing for the first time in 3 years

13 Apr 2010 - Elder Bullock putting sun glasses on eye patient after removal of patch

13 Apr 2010 - Happy lady whose sight has been restored

13 Apr 2010 - Sister Bullock and lady from Toronto. She was excited to see someone from home. She is here at Howard Hospital for 5 weeks.

13 Apr 2010 - Elder Bullock with Dr. Thistle - the head Dr. at Howard Hospital. He is from Toronto but has been here for 14 years. He works 12+ hours every day.

13 Apr 2010 - Preemie at Howard Hospital - born at 6 months (twin died)

13 Apr 2010 - Two Canadians from Toronto here for 2 weeks to do whatever the hospital needs them to do.

13 Apr 2010 - Kids got clothes and a toy

13 Apr 2010 - Girls got new dresses - made by adding a skirt to bottom of T-shirts. They are just great for the kids here.

13 Apr 2010 - Kids in their new clothes and dresses

13 Apr 2010 - Students received a Bible, 2 pens, socks and a notebook

13 Apr 2010 - All these kids got a New Testament Story book plus the clothes and toys

13 Apr 2010 - Lolly putting ointment and bandages on the sores on this girl's legs (ringworm, I think)

13 Apr 2010 - Showing us the orphanage poultry project - will be ready to sell in one more week.

13 Apr 2010 - Girls with their dresses

13 Apr 2010 - Kids at the orphanage with their new shirts and dresses

Today was Zone conference and we managed to attend a bit of it. We had a couple of meetings as well to do with LDSC as we didn't realize it was Zone conference day. O well.

Love to all of you, The Bullocks