Grateful neighbors make bricks in solid support of orphan care center

Since June, 2009, local community members have molded and fired more than 400,000 bricks for building projects around the Orphan Care Center. It’s backbreaking and dirty work,  but the faithful people have persevered In support of this mission to feed and provide medical and educational support to more than 1,000 AIDS orphans.

Termite mounds are used in the making of brick. The termites go deep into the ground and bring clay to the surface to form mounds that sometimes stand as tall as 10 to 12 feet high. In the beginning a few test bricks are molded from the clay in a mound and once they are dried, the bricks are fired. If the bricks prove to be of good quality, workers are scheduled to begin molding bricks right there at the site.

A hole is dug at the base of a termite mound and water is poured into the hole. Water must be brought in, either by ox carts loaded with 50-gallon drums or women carrying 20-gallon buckets on their heads. The water is poured into the hole and then clay from the termite mound is shoveled into the hole with the water. Men mix the clay and water together by stomping up and down with their feet. When the consistency is right, the mud is packed into molds. The women carry the packed molds to a cleared area and carefully unmold the bricks which are left to dry in the sun. 

Once enough bricks are dried they are stacked by someone who specializes in brick firing. The bricks are stacked with openings at specific spots where fires will be built. When the stacking is complete the mound is covered with dirt and last of all with sod. Next fires are built in the openings provided. The fires have to be carefully watched and maintained 24 hours a day until the sod on the outside begins to burn. That indicates that the bricks have reached the proper temperature. The fires are then allowed to burn out and the mound of bricks to cool. This requires approximately a week. Once the bricks have cooled, they are uncovered and are ready for use.

Bricks are a major part of all building projects. The community effort and dedication to the mission is sincerely appreciated. 

Moringa trees vastly improve nourishment for Zimbabwe Orphans

Two years ago, 90 Moringa seedlings were planted at the Orphan Care Center. Already the trees are vastly improving nutrition for 1,000 orphans.

At left, Albert Mukondwa stands with the plants as they look today. Albert is the new manager of Chimogha Orphan Care Center.

The Red Cross donated the seeds and planting materials, as well as shade cloth for a plant nursery.  When the plants were about 18 inches tall they were transplanted into the garden at the center. The trees grew rapidly. It was just a matter of months before some pruning could begin to take place.

All parts of the tree are useable but the leaves are the primary source of nutrition. The pruned leaves and branches are dried and then crushed into a powder which can be sprinkled over porridge or other cooked food. 100 grams of powder provides seven times more vitamin C than organges, four times more calcium and two times more protein than milk, four times more Vitamin A than carrots, and three times more potassium than bananas. The moringa is a good source of iron, as well.

It has been proven that the immune system of malnourished children can be raised to a normal level through the use of this powder on a daily basis. Once the immune system has been raised to a normal level it only takes one teaspoon of powder to maintain the immune system at a normal level. This fact is extremely important to HIV positive individuals.

Five Sisters Find Renewed Hope

The five “Masadza Girls” (Diana, Catherine, Evelyn, Elizabeth and Anjela) were left alone in the world, their parents both having died of AIDS. Their household possessions were taken by extended family members and the five orphaned children were divided among the families.

Diana, the oldest, came to the Orphan Care Center asking for help. She related that some of the girls were being abused and some were not allowed to attend school.  Some were not receiving adequate food. She wanted help in getting the girls back together so they could live as a family again in their parent’s home.

When the homestead was examined, it was found to be beyond repair and so help was enlisted from the local villagers. The villagers and the management at the Orphan Care Center working together made it possible for these girls to be reunited as a family. Donations from people around the world helped the Orphan Care Center provide necessary funds for building materials and the villagers provided the labor. The “Masadza Girls” had a new house to live in together, and household items were also provided. That was eight years ago.

Diana has now completed her education and is a police officer. Catherine, the next oldest, completed her education, too, and has joined the Sewing Co-op at the Orphan Care Center.  She has learned to make school uniforms for the many orphans in the area. The three younger girls are still in school and are being served by the Orphan Care Center.

Hundreds Turn Out To Plant Maize

Early in 2008, the local Council allotted the Mission 85 acres of land for expansion. Albert, the new manager, decided that it would be a good idea to plant 25 acres of maize for the feeding program.  If there is a good growing season, this should produce enough maize for mealy-meal to feed the approximately 1000 orphans.

In November 2008 while we were at the Mission planting began.  The rainy season was approaching.  Since fuel is expensive and machinery is not readily available it was decided to plant “God’s Way”, which requires no tillage.  Albert sent word to the community to gather at the Mission on a specified day.  The turn out was overwhelming.  Hundreds showed up with their hoes.  Villages were assigned a certain area to plant.  Each village divided themselves into small groups.  Some were assigned the job of stretching a line and digging the holes.  Others followed behind putting lime in each hole.  When the lime was covered with a thin layer of dirt, others put fertilizer in the hole followed by a thin layer of soil.  Still other followed behind with the seed and finally others covered the seed with soil.

This process continued for many days but those that turned out did not diminish.  They came early in the morning and then dismissed by noon.  The weather was extremely hot and the afternoons were unbearable.   Temperatures often pushed above the 100 degree mark.  Some of the people had to walk eight to ten miles just to come and help.  It was extremely gratifying to receive such support from the community.

Village members have already made a plan for routine weeding with villages taking turns by the week.

Since our return to the US. an electric fence has been installed to protect the crop from goats and cattle.  Power is not yet available at the site so the fence is powered by solar power.  We are so grateful to the community for their support.

NEW MANAGER ON STAFF

We are delighted to announce that Beauty and Albert Mukondwa have joined the staff at the Orphan Care Center.  Albert is the new manager of the entire program at the center.  He comes to us with a background in Environmental Health and was formerly employed by the Ministry of Health for nearly 20 years.  Albert has been associated with our mission since the beginning in 1997.  Most recently he served on the Advisory Board prior to being named Manager.  During his tenure on the Advisory Board he initiated the testing and treatment of the children in Ward I for Bilharzia.

Albert is still recovering from a near fatal bus accident that happened in early May, 2008.  Albert suffered compound fractures to both of his legs.  Albert has graduated to using only a cane.  It is hoped that one more surgery will enable him to walk without the assistance of a cane.

Beauty, Albert’s wife, is a nurse.  She is heading up the work at the Orphan Care Clinic.  Beauty was formerly a nurse aid at the Madamombe Clinic near the Mission.  After completing her education, she joined the staff at the Motoko Hospital where she was a floor nurse for a number of years.  She will be of vital help as we begin to make plans to build a hospice center for critically ill orphans.

Chris Mosey Donates shoes to children in Zimbabwe

Chris Mosey, a teen age Boy Scout, contacted Renewed Hope.  He was exploring possible projects for an Eagle Scout award.  He inquired if  the mission had a use for good used shoes.  He was assured  that all shoes in good condition would be most welcome.

Chris and his fellow scouts collected shoes for the children at the Renewed Hope Mission in Zimbabwe.  When they ran out of space to store them, the scouts gathered on a  Saturday.  The boys cleaned, and paired all of the shoes.   The paired shoes were tied together so that they would not get separated.   The scouts  packed the cleaned shoes into large boxes for shipping.  Twenty-eight boxes of shoes contained approximately 750 pairs of shoes.  It will be like Christmas for the children whenever they arrive in Zimbabwe.

These boxes were delivered recently.   They  were distributed to the children in Zimbabwe in July 2008.

TEENS HELP LOAD SEA CONTAINERS

Three 40-foot sea containers of items collected left for Zimbabwe in early November, 2007.   The loads contain donated blankets, clothing and some shoes, hygiene kits, school supplies, computers, school furniture and books.   It will be like a super Christmas when these things arrive.

Hygiene kits and school supplies were donated by various churches and scout troops in the Denver area.   Often Vacation Bible Schools in the U.S. use the hygiene kits as a Bible School project.   More groups can continue to do this.   Heather Chimhoga Orphan Care Center along with two satellite centers is caring for more than 1,000 children.   Soap, tooth brushes, tooth paste, shampoo and the like get used up and need to be replaced.   School supplies such as spiral ring notebooks, pencils, pens and the like get used up quickly as well.   No amount of these items is too much.

Approximately 50 people gathered on a cool fall morning to load out the three containers.   Among the 50 people were a number of teenagers who came to lend a hand.   You have heard that many hands make light work.   That was certainly true on this particular day.   The loading of the containers was completed by noon.   The containers were blocked so the contents would not shift during shipment.   The containers were packed so tight it didn't seem possible for anything to shift.  

The shipment arrived in early 2008.   When the shipment was unloaded, each orphan was given an outfit of clothes, shoes, a blanket and a hygiene kit.   What a special treat for those children.   It was like Christmas.