I am sorry this post is so delayed! We did not have internet for
quite some time! But here is an update on our time spent in Mushumbi
Pools, Zimbabwe.
Day 1:
We went grocery shopping
in Harare before we left to prepare for the long week ahead. We set off
on our way to Mushumbi Pools. Along the way, Tom found a nice little
picnic spot overlooking the mountains. Tom and Lois mentioned buying Mu
Zambias, which is a piece of cloth that the women either wear over
their skirt or they lay it down to sit on. When in Mushumbi Pools, do
as the people of Mushumbi Pools do! So, we too, bought a Mu Zambia.
Today
was the day where we started building lifelong relationships. Florence
and Blessing were our translators for the week. They were a a life
saver for us as they helped us not only understand the language but the
culture as well. We also met Pastor David and his wife, Blessing as
well as their two children (Anono and Tine). It was finally time to
check into our lodges and get a good night's rest for the following day.
Day 2:
Today
were were able to meet the Headmaster of Mushumbi Pools Primary School
and gave him the 27 basketballs in various sizes for the different age
groups. The look on his face and the reactions of other staff members
was priceless. This was just the beginning of a lasting partnership
with the school.
We
were also able to meet the ladies of the Ruwadzano District Ladies
Retreat. We introduced ourselves in Shona (the primary language of
Mushumbi Pools), sang songs in Shona for the ladies, and had the
opportunity to fellowship.
Day 3:
Tom left early this morning to begin the process of putting up the backboards for the basketball goals.
As
many of you know, Westover holds AWANA on Wednesday nights and has been
wanting to take it international. Mushumbi Pools started AWANA not too
long ago and there are usually only approximately 60 kids show up for
AWANA time but we had a whopping 216 kids participate!!!
During this time we:
-sang songs in Shona with the kids. They were so engaged!
-game time (relay race). We had to improvise with our use of materials which made this time even more beautiful and humbling.
-crafts (bracelets which included the meaning of each bead that they were able to take home)
Cyndi
also led a Bible study for the Ruwadzano District Ladies Retreat. She
did an EXCELLENT job leading and gave some great insight on how to
properly pull important points from a passage of scripture in order to
truly understand what you read and study.
Day 4:
It
was a Sunday morning in Mushumbi Pools and a very important day at
that. The Bishop and the Chairman of the Zimbabwe Evangelical Church
were coming into town and the Ruwadzano District Ladies were so ecstatic
to have them there!
After
church, we had a more relaxed day full of soccer games, walking to the
market, buying soda to feel more at home, and ordering take-out (BIG
portions of sadza and beef, $1 for each box so $9 total to feel
everyone!)
Day 5:
We
were able to visit homes in the villages today. This was such a
turning point in our time there because we got to know the people of
Mushumbi Pools on a personal level and saw the struggle that they face
every day. However, they still have a beautiful faith in God that He
has His hand over their situation. Each of us were separated among
homes, which also put each of us outside of our comfort zones. It was
awesome! Below is everybody's experiences:
Brandi- Home
visit with the pastor and his wife. She was able to make sadza for the
family, helped their son with his fractions homework, and caught a
chicken and cooked it!
Cyndi- Family lived on a farm so she
could automatically relate! They relaxed, sat on a mat, and just
talked. The family showed her their cows and two dogs. She was given a
wine glass and was told "Drink and remember me." She will always have a
symbol of their appreciation for her visiting their home.
Shawnee- Shawnee
visited the home of one of the teachers, Tutirari, whom we all got to
know very well. She was introduced to the whole neighborhood, shown
their garden, went into the chicken coop, plucked and cooked the
chicken, helped cook and cut the vegetables, and had a special bonding
time with the children of the family while they drew and colored with
the colored pencils and paper that she brought to the house.
Olivia- Olivia
visited a family where the couple did not have a job yet they welcomed
her with open arms and a nice meal of sadza and vegetables. Meat is a
delicacy in this area, especially for the ones who do not have an
income. They had no furniture, but the one chair that they did have,
they allowed Olivia to sit in it as the guest of honor. The family
grows maize and beans in the fields but the fields were too far to walk
to.
Lauren- Lauren visited Museka and her children. The
husband was not present because he worked long hours at the market. One
of the neighbors, who could speak very good English, walked up and
decided that he wanted to give her a tour of the village! They showed
her the fields and introduced her to the surrounding homesteads. She
was asked to pray before dinner and they were so honored when she
offered to help clean. Then the night ended with a dance party with the
kids of the surrounding homesteads.
Day 6 and 7:
The
Educational Officer thankfully allowed us to observe in the classrooms
and gave us the go ahead when we met with him yesterday. We were able
to observe today (day 6) and saw many similarities in the teaching
techniques. One thing that we noticed is valued in the culture is the
great respect that the students have for their teachers.
We also
held two days of basketball camp. We practiced dribbling, passing,
shooting, and defense. We played against the teachers of the school and
they beat us 2-0 the first day and 4-0 the second day. Needless to
say, they caught on to the game pretty quick!
Our
last night spent in Mushumbi Pools was spent with Pastor David and his
wife and children. This last little bit of time spent with them was
such a blessing in itself. They are an amazing family and we are
interested to see how this relationship continues to grow between Tom
& Lois, Westover, and the Mushumbi Pools Evangelical Church.
