Thursday, October 27

We are right on the edge of the rainy season and this really hot weather is too hot even for the local people! We now have a smoky haze on the mountains because of the controlled burns. They clear off land in the spring by burning the grass – similar to the burning of the prairies in the US. And then everyone is hurrying to get the burning done before the rain starts (usually about the first of November). So today’s photos are going to be a bit dull.

Back to work this morning! Our official team project is to paint the interior of the new faculty house that has been built with funds from the African bishops. The duplex faculty homes are essential to the compensation package that the university is able to offer. We left Gene, James and Bonnie there to do the actual work – after we looked it over really well. Jerry Jo and Jerry went back to the farm washing eggs and re-working the chicken cages (and no chickens died in the process today) (couldn’t say that yesterday!). Ron spent the morning on a bench with a chess board and talked with lots of the students.

Jeanie and Pat headed over to the Old Mutare Mission for their projects at the Hartzell Primary School. Jeanie is working with a 3^rd grade class and today she taught them some songs – "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", "Jesus Loves Me", and "This Little Light of Mine" were some of the songs on the hit parade. Pat is taking pictures of the 52 5^th graders in the class that she is helping with – she is printing those pictures as we speak.

Dona Lou spent the morning with the Intensive English class – "taking" (i.e., teaching) two classes. The group that worked at the library went right to work in the technical services area. La Donna passed her cataloguing test and has been asked to "consult" about the multi-media collection. Today she catalogued five videos!! And later will look at some of the older catalogue records to see how they can be improved. Mary Beth typed a list of books being removed from the collection – and did it so quickly that the assistant who set her the task didn’t know what to have her do next!! And Mary cut apart sheets of barcodes – and wondered what sorts of books they would be attached to in the future.

After lunch (do you need to know what the menu was???) we came back to LaRochelle to leave our bags and then back into the van for the trip to Mutare. We were expected at Hilltop UMC where Maria Humbane has established an after school program called Ishe Anesu (God with us) (http://www.isheanesu.com/) for what we would call "at-risk" children. The kids that she works with wouldn’t be at school if it weren’t for the program. The kids are supplied with uniforms for whatever school they attend, given a meal both directly after school and before they return home in the evening, get homework help, learn about the Bible, get rudimentary health care, and receive love and hope.

They had a program prepared for us. Several songs, accompanied by the drums, and then dramatizations of the story of the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ childhood trip at Passover to Jerusalem. They did a wonderful job! And then Maria gave us a tour of the facilities used by the program and shared the dream they have for the future. There is a need for orphanage facility and they have the land and plans for 8 cottages but not the funding. They managed to get one of the cottages nearly finished and the money ran out! The project is an Advance Special (http://new.gbgm-umc.org/advance/projects/search/index.cfm?action=details&id=3015297&code=13071A in case you need a suggestion!!).

Another wonderful dinner (bread pudding for sweet tonight!!), a glimpse of a glowworm in the garden, a team meeting with a wonderful reflection about what our feet would say about our day. We have been greatly blessed!!