Sunday, October 23

{Sorry -- this didn't get posted until Monday morning ... blame the internet connection!!}

A good night’s sleep last night and we are off and running. The group divided in three and attended church services with three congregations in Mutare. This is laity Sunday so we all heard lay leaders giving the sermon – well, except for the church where the pastor changed his mind and decided that we needed to hear him! All of the services were in Shona with interpreters helping those whose Shona isn’t up to standard!! We attended services in Mutare at King David UMC which shares facilities with the Mutare District Superintendent’s Office in the city center, Miracle Center UMC, and "Zimben" congregation which is a new church plant in a growing suburb. Yesterday there was a choir competition in Mutare and we all got to hear some of the winning choirs – some amazing renditions of the Hallelujah Chorus and O Holy Night!

Then back to LaRochelle for luncheon and the afternoon to regroup and get organized. LaRochelle serves three course meals – all very English as its background warrants. Porridge, English cooked breakfast and cereals this morning. And at lunch and dinner – soup, main course (always have a choice of chicken, fish, and beef or pork), sweet (dessert), and then coffee or tea in the drawing room or on the verandah. All beautifully presented and cooked.

We redistributed all of the supplies and gifts that we carried with us. The library books were gathered up, the things for the students in this pile, the supplies for the university demonstration farm go in that suitcase, and the bits and pieces for the orphanage over there. Now we just need to get them delivered.
Then this evening we had dinner with Vice Chancellor Famuel Tagwira and his wife Margaret Tagwira. And over coffee we had the opportunity to discuss Africa University with them. We learned all sorts of things ... that they REALLY need more dormitory space (they have 30 girls living in a hostel in town because there isn’t enough room!), that they have opened a computer center for online courses in Mozambique (a room in the Bishop’s offices) so that they can reach more students who can’t travel to Zimbabwe to study, the work being done at the Institute for Peace, Leadership and Governance, how they encourage enrollment throughout the continent by offering financial aid equally to all of the African annual conferences, and so much more.

Tomorrow we take our orientation tour of the campus. So much to see ....