RENEWED HOPE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC.
Working Together For Zimbabwe's Future
|
RENEWED HOPE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, INC. Working Together For Zimbabwe's Future |
|
| January 24, 2005 Dear Readers, It has been more than a month since I last wrote. Many things have happened in that length of time. A container loaded in Denver on September 25 arrived at the mission site on December 10. What an exciting time it is to have a container arrive. It was late afternoon, but with the help of many community members the container was unloaded and everything safely stored before dark. The following day, December 11, most of the items for neighboring schools were delivered. The following day, December 12, Ralph and I said our Good-byes and left for Harare. We still didn't have reservations confirmed for returning to the U. S. but knew that we had to get back here as soon as possible. We felt if we could get to South Africa something could be worked out. During the time we were completing our business in Harare, we received a call from the Orphan Care Center. We were informed that with a lot of help from the community, all the boxes had been unpacked and sorted. The orphans from the different schools had been given a specific day to come to the center. When they arrived, the Orphan Care Givers assisted the children in making a selection of clothing. In addition each child was given a new blanket and also a hygiene pack. Christmas had arrived early for these children in a remote part of Zimbabwe, children who would have otherwise not had a Christmas. Many children in the Denver area worked to put the hygiene packs together. These packs include toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, comb, shampoo, vaseline, pencils, bic pens and other miscellaneous items such as crayons, coloring book, small games and toys. Many of these packs include a picture of the person who assembled the items along with a short letter. These packs are assembled in the middle of a bath towel and then the sides are folded in and rolled, then tied with a ribbon. Sometimes the items are packed in a shoebox and then wrapped with gift paper. We are disappointed that it was not possible for us to be present to witness the distribution and to get pictures of the event. We were told of smiles on children's faces that had not smiled in a very long time. We can only imagine the joy that these children experienced. I drove Ralph to South Africa on December 15. Due to the fall Ralph had, he was experiencing considerable pain. It was necessary for us to buy a ticket in business class, so that Ralph could be reclined for the trip home. We were able to fly back to the states on December 19 arriving in Denver on December 20. Our son took Ralph straight to the hospital from the airport. Ralph had surgery on December 23 and was discharged from the hospital on December 24. He had immediate relief from the numbness in his feet; however, he has continued to experience pain in his hips and right leg. Tuesday, January 25, Ralph is going to the hospital for a CT Mylogram to determine which nerves are being pinched. The outcome of the test will determine what needs to be done. Since our return from Zimbabwe, we have received reports on the various construction projects. The teacher's house that was built at Nyamashato is complete and the family has moved into it. The kitchen at Guzha is complete and the one at Inyagui is in the process of having the cooking fireplace rebuilt. This was necessary because we discovered that the fire grate was too far from the cooking surface. It was requiring too much fire materials to get the surface hot. I am certain that the cooks are very happy that they no longer have to cook on an open fire under the boiling sun or in the rain. At both schools the administration building/library-dining area are roofed and are in the process of being plastered. This means that the buildings should be complete very soon. Hanging doors, glazing windows and painting is what remains to be done. In spite of all that was accomplished on this trip, there is always much more that needs doing. We are concerned for the local people. Mealy meal, their staple food, has not been readily available in the stores since mid-December. If it can be found, it is prohibitively expensive. Most people can only afford one meal a day and snacks are non-existent. I challenge people in this country to limit themselves to only one meal a day. I feel certain that if that were to happen obesity in this country would become a thing of the past. We have learned this week that while Zimbabwe had early rains, there has been no rain in the last three or four weeks. This is not encouraging news for the maize crops around the country. However, one encouraging bit of information is that the area around the Mission site is better off than most of the rest of the country. We feel encouraged that perhaps the villages around the Orphan Care Center will have a good harvest and will be able to supply the Feeding Center with maize for mealy meal. Please keep the Orphan Care Center in your prayers. In His Service, Ralph and Roberta |
|
Renewed Hope Charitable Foundation, Inc. | a 501(c)(3) charity | P.O. Box 1476 | Castle Rock, Colorado | 80104-1476 2004 Journal 11 |