“Right now I’m enjoying rural school life (we grow vegetables, our meat comes from cows (very recently) and there’s no pollution and I have a 2 minute commute slowed down only by the ox-wagons during rush-minute – it’s a far cry from London and Grahamstown – but in some ways it’s quite wonderful, Thomas Hardy in Africa! (though I do miss Starbucks and Ster Kinekor/Odeon, and life without 8 hour power-cuts) But the kids are so keen to learn it’s wonderful to be able to help – they make all the difference.”

It got me thinking as I thought about my daily life, commute to work, shopping (and believe me I am not that much of a shopper) how simple and easy life can be…yes, there can be power cuts and no water to take a bath but sometimes I would be quite happy to accept that if it meant that me being late to work was because I was stuck behind an ox cart instead of bumper to bumper traffic or my coffee breaks were as simple as sitting under a tree in the Zambian veld instead of a coffee on the run to the next meeting. I went onto Matt’s blog site and saw all his pictures and thought that all these people he is with, yes in some ways are so poor in the material sense but in some ways so rich that these are the sunsets they get to enjoy!

Enjoy his website… http://matthewcharlesworth.name/

In light of the documentary, I got onto the web and started searching, searching on any related term for Zimbabwe and her orphans, to really see what the situation is like.  In my trackings I came across this video “Zimbabwe Project” http://www.reellifemedia.org/media/zim_mission/zimbabwe_mission.html and learnt all about a wonderful lady who upon retirement here in the USA, packed her bags and moved to Zimbabwe to help so many children and families like the one in the video.  I got in touch and was even offered a wonderful opportunity to go and volunteer with her for three weeks in Zimbabwe and work side by side with her at the orphanage.  Something that I wish I was able to do, and although putting off for now, am hoping to do once junior is a little older and can come with me.  That being said, if anyone at all would like to learn more about this wonderful woman, be it simply writing a letter, learning how to become involved or even take a trip to Zimbabwe, why not get in touch… Paula can be contacted at Rifenbark@aol.com

Thank you so much – this is so sad, but I find comfort in knowing that so many of you supported him, even from so many miles away.

Viv

This was spoken in response to the video that has come out entitled Mugabe and the white African, a film that follows 75-year old grandfather Mike Campbell, his son-in-law Ben Freeth and their family over a period of approximately 18 months. White Zimbabwean farmers, they courageously refuse to hand over their Mount Carmel farm to Zanu PF thugs, despite frequent and intensifying violence, both threatened and actual.

Unfortunately the DVD has not yet been released here in the States, so until then the trailer which can be found at http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3334668825/ is all we have to go on, but if a trailer can bring me to tears then that only promises to be a gut wrenching watch when out for general viewing.  A good friend of mine knows Ben and his family and speaking with her about the situation has been absolutely incredible – I am normally not one for movies about back home, too close to the bone etc etc but I encourage everyone to at least watch the trailer before making up their minds whether this is for them or not.

Viv

The money has been placed into a bank account for Henry with an outreach group for Henry who are now giving him the food parcels each month and using the money for him as the need arises.

x Viv