RENEWED HOPE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC.

Working Together For Zimbabwe's Future

February 23, 2003

Dear Readers,

You may recall in my last journal, I ended with a story about two women that had found some US dollars in some of the clothing that they were unpacking.  Ralph had changed it for them and divided the money between them.  They were so happy.  That evening when one of the women returned home, she found an urgent message.  Her daughter in Harare was critically ill and she was to go there immediately.  She had no money except for the money she had found and Ralph had changed for her.  Isn’t it amazing how God provides for our needs?  Her daughter passed away before she arrived in Harare leaving a 10-day-old baby.

Another such story:  A young boy, who does not live in this area, has been coming here looking for work.  The boy has dropped out of school and is trying to provide for himself and a younger brother and sister.  They are all orphans.  Mr. Bondeponde has felt so sorry for him that he has given him small jobs and paid him a bit of money so that he will be able to buy some food.  While he is not of this area, Ralph could not turn him away when he asked for some shoes and some clothes.  He came back the next day to thank us.  He fell on his knees in front of Ralph and told him how much he appreciated the assistance.  Then he presented Ralph with two five-dollar bills that had been in the pocket of the trousers he had been given.  Ralph changed it for Zimbabwe Dollars.  The boy nearly cried.  It was more money than I feel he had ever seen.  He told us that now he could buy food for his brother and sister.  God provides for our needs in unexpected ways.  Do we remember thank God?

600 plus people from this area have been provided with three pieces of clothing each.  I can’t begin to tell you how much it is appreciated.  Some villagers have been left out for one reason or the other.  So Tuesday we will have a second go round of clothing distribution.  This time there will only be about 300 people go through.  Each person is checked off when they receive clothing so there will be no double dipping.  After that, we will begin to concentrate on distributing children’s clothing.

I would like to suggest that in the future we only collect children’s clothing.  However, when you see how appreciative these people are and how needy they are, it makes it all worthwhile.  In the future, we will not accept women’s slacks.  No one will take them.  Women just do not wear slacks.  I have boxes of women’s slacks that are going to be left over.  There is absolutely no use for them.  What to do with them?

The women are looking for blouses, skirts and dresses.  They have told me that a dress in the shops cost at least 70,000 ZD.  They cannot afford such things.  That is more money than they earn in a month.  It takes an entire months salary to buy cooking oil and two other major food items.  Life is extremely difficult.

Mr. Bondeponde will go to Harare tomorrow to pick up the OCC truck.  It has been in for servicing and new tires.  The brakes were also repaired.  It should be in good shape for some time.  Mr. Bondeponde will also purchase a three-month supply of food for the OCC.  He has estimated that it will cost more than two million Zimbabwe dollars.  Food is terribly expensive for people living in Zimbabwe.

Today, one of the teachers brought a child to me that had on filthy clothes and they were in shreds.  See the picture file. I took him into the OCC to find some clothes.  We first found shoes.  I had to put them on him.  He told the teacher that it was the first pair of shoes he had ever had.  Next I found a pair of shorts and a pair of long trousers, a short-sleeved shirt and a long sleeved shirt.  Last I gave him a sweater.  He was so happy.  Those smiles really are worth a million dollars.  The boy walked away inches taller.

I saw another little boy that I had given clothes to.  It has made such a difference in his personality.  He is now socializing with some of the other boys.  Before receiving the clothes, he had been shunned by the other children.  The teacher said that she had not been certain that he could talk; however, since receiving the clothing he is participating in class.  What a difference has been made in the lives of these children through the donations made by so many of you!

Yesterday, Wednesday, one of the First Grade Teachers brought a boy from her class to Ralph and I.  The child had not been in school Monday or Tuesday.  He had burned his hand at home on Friday evening.  He had been in too much pain to come to school.  The burn is serious.  A large area on the back of his hand is charred.  We cleaned the burn as much as possible and put a loose dressing on it to keep the dirt out.  Today, when he came the charred skin had come off and much of the swelling had gone down.  It is going to be a long time healing.  He is to come each day so that I may clean it and put a fresh dressing on it.

Yesterday a little third grade girl was sent to me so that I could give here some presentable clothes.  She left the storeroom so proud and with a smile.  However, today when she came to school she was again wearing the dirty, tattered dress that she has worn to school every day.  The teacher learned that her father would not let her wear the clothes I gave her.  They were to be saved for special occasions.  In the light of some other disturbing stories about the little girl.  Mr. Bondeponde and another member of the Management Committee paid a visit to the home this evening.  They plan to monitor the situation closely.  The little girl had told her teacher that she had to do the cooking for the entire family.  She also told of being given a bucket of tomatoes and being told to not come home until she had sold all of the tomatoes.  Apparently she spent three nights in the forest alone with nothing to eat before she was finally able to sell all of the tomatoes.

One of the teachers here at school has taken in a girl of about 10 or 11 who has no place to live.  She is an orphan and ran away from a Grandmother who beat her so severely that her arm was broken.  She has been thrown out of other homes.   It is all due to being an orphan and she represents another mouth to feed.  How awful it must be to be so young and not have anyone who cares anything about you.  Sooooo many children in Zimbabwe have similar stories to tell.  Clothes were given to this child a couple of days ago.  The expression on her face was priceless when she was given the clothes.

Today, March 1, Vincent (a different Vincent) came to have me care for the burn on his hand.  He was wearing the same dirty clothes he has worn all week.  After I had cared for his hand, I took him to the storeroom to get some presentable clothes.  When I told him Good-bye, he thanked me and asked for a pair of shoes.  I had forgotten to give him shoes.  I had to help him put the shoes on.  He had never had a pair of shoes before.  When he left he was looking down as he walked.  Obviously the shoes fascinated him.  Ralph met him as the child was walking home.  He reported that Vincent was all smiles.  See picture in picture file.

The group of women, who want to start a knitting co-op, have selected two from their group to take lessons.  We brought them to town as we came in.  Bus fares have doubled since fuel has doubled in price.  A round trip from Murewa now costs 3,000 ZD per person.  Most individuals cannot afford that kind of money.  People cannot even afford the bus fare to take their produce to market. 

The two women will be in Harare for a month.  They are living with relatives while they are here.  I can’t begin to describe how excited they are.  Today, we stopped by to check on them and see how they are doing.  They have accomplished a lot.  I only wish I could describe their excitement.  When they finish the classes successfully, then it will be time to purchase the knitting machine.

Ralph and I are both fine.  Work is progressing very slowly because it is difficult to obtain materials and that is very frustrating.  I wish we didn’t have deadlines to meet; but we are scheduled to leave here in late June.

In Christ’s Service

Ralph and Roberta

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Renewed Hope Charitable Foundation, Inc. | a 501(c)(3) charity | P.O. Box 1476 | Castle Rock, Colorado | 80104-1476