BUSH BACK COUNTRY BORE HOLE CELEBRATION

This is the welcoming committee that greeted us at the latest Bore Hole Celebration just south of Harare.  These people were so grateful  

These Elders went with us to help unload the gift rewards that were handed out after the Celebration.  Each graduate of the sanitation class received 2 long bars of soap, a hygiene kit, orange drink, cookies, mosquito net and a certificate.  They were most grateful for receiving these items.

On the way to the Celebration we had to stop at a Medical Clinic and pick up the items for the hand out, they were big and heavy, but the Elders handled them very well.  When we got there we noticed a small wheel barrow that was outside the clinic, and we noticed that it had a blanket neatly folded in the bottom, we inquired about the wheelbarrow, and they said that someone had brought a sick older lady from about 2 miles away to the clinic, because she was to sick to walk.

This is a photo of the wheel barrow that brought the woman to the clinic.  You can tell it has been down the road a few times.

Outside the clinic was this wonderful SUGGESTION BOX!!

For What.

There was no waiting room, so the people had to make do with whatever the could, and you could tell that they were very sick, but very patient.

We had to travel about 25 kilometer to the Bore Hole site, and it was truly in the bush, and the roads were rough and very dirty.  It was so hot that day, and the journey was very long.  We were treated to some wonderful sights along the way.

We came across this magnificent tree that was out in the middle of no where, and there were no other trees around it.  You could tell that it was a gathering place for animals as well as anyone else that was wandering by.  Out here there are no autos, and you either walk or ride one of the animals of choice.  We did see a few bicycles.

This was part of the welcoming committee that greeted us as we drove into the village.  To tell you the truth we were both overcome by emotions when these people displayed to us their thankfulness for what had been done for them.  They were so happy.

They were singing and dancing like we had never seen before, and each separate village that was affected by one of the Bore Holes did their own separate dance and display.

One of the women that could really make a high pitched wobble with her mouth was trying to show Sister Heck how it was done.  Believe it or not she can now make the African noise perfectly.

This woman was doing some sort of dance where she would take a twig and clean the dirt, and do some sort of dance at the same time.  No one could tell us what it represented, but it was fun to watch.

They even let school out a little early so the students could watch the fun!

These young gals and guys could really dance, and they would leap so high into the air, and hit the ground so hard you wondered how they didn't break something.  They were excellent dancers!

They had these 3 young men that played the drums, and boy could they play the drums.  This was the real thing, and the drums are said to be original and very old.  They maintained a very steady rhythm.

Sister Heck was teaching the kids how to do the Hula Hula.

Took this video, but it probably will not play.  This is one of the main modes of transportation this far back, they also use the ox to plow their field with.

They all love to wear bright colors, but the are also very aware of the heat.  Notice the baby on the woman back, and how they carry big loads.

These people just wanted to have their pictures taken.  Then they expressed their gratitude.

We were handing out the items in a classroom that was probably 120 degrees on the inside, but they would have waited all day for them.

Sister Heck fell in love with this little doll!!!

These gals were so happy to get their handouts and this is how they headed for their villages.

After a long hard days work, these Elders were ready to get back to teaching the gospel.  All in all in was one of the best days of our mission.  We really did enjoy it.

"THE GREAT ZIMBABWE" (MASVINGO)

 This is what the Great Zimbabwe looks like.  This is our guide in the blue shirt and you really needed a guide to find out about this site.  A great king lived here with his 200 wives.  I asked the guide if he knew all of their names and he said yes!  We arrived at 1:00 and it was soooooooooo hot!  We walked the whole area and it took 3 hours.  We were hammered when we were done. 

These stairs were straight up the mountain and they were the original steps.  It was such a long way to the top. 

This was one of the original huts where the women would wait for the king to call them up.

View of the valley below from the top of the structure.  It was magnificent from the top.  It was amazing to us that this structure has been here for 1000's of years.

Some of the people who were waiting for us when we got to the bottom.

We spent the night at Norma-Jeans place.  A wonderful BB that treated us like Kings.  The gardens were just beautiful, and we enjoyed every minute of our stay.

One of the views that we had from our little apartment that we stayed in.  When we had dinner it was so formal, but like I said, we enjoyed every minute of our stay and want to go back.

We took off from Norma-Jeans the next morning and started our little adventure.  This was like driving to the top of one of the peaks in Idaho, but when we got to the top of this peak there were people that we visited with.

This is a little family that we stopped and talked to, they were doing their wash in a little stream, and it wasn't very clean, but their cloths were spotless.  She would rub the cloths on the rock edge, and had a bar of soap that she used for detergent.  This is the way most people do their wash in this part of Africa.

This was the inside of a 14 year old girl's hut that we had met, she had invited us to see what it was like and to meet her grandmother.  She had this little hut so clean, and Jean asked her where she slept and she said right here on the floor next to the mother hen that was setting on 14 eggs.

Jean visiting with the 14 year old girl inside her home.

This was Grandma, and she was 83 years old, and wanted Jean to have her cup that she drank out of.  Jean gave her $1 for it, and she was so grateful for the $1.  To this woman a $1 was like giving her $100.  She new exactly what she was going to buy with the $1.  SOAP!!

This is a view of Grandma under the tree shelling beans off the tree so she could make necklaces out of the beans

Typical fence used to keep their livestock in at night so the animals won't get them.

This is a typical corral and fences where they would bring their livestock in at night and put them in for security reasons.  Still very primitive.

We had heard that there were some ancient drawing near a remote village, so we took off in search.  Low and behold we found the village and the rock.  So we parked our car and started walking to the village.

We walked over the hill and there was a family with these huts and we kept asking him where the drawing were and he just shook his head and said no!!  We walked all this way for nothing, and come to find out he does not speak English, we finally said pictures, and he said YES!! PICTURES!!  WE GO!!

So off we went.  We felt like we were really in Africa.  He was bare footed and had a machete and a sling shot for protection.

TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We walked for quite a ways through the jungle till we got to this enormous rock that was split in the middle, and concave on one side and when we got closer...................

Low and behold there before our eyes were these pictures as our "guide" called them.  Later we were told they were 1000's of years old.  Very explicit and clear.  Pictures of every kind of African animal you can think of.

Click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.  Check out the elephants.

Check out how high up it was, we are thinking the rocks were closer together and through the years they moved further apart.  Still can't figure out how they got them so high up.  We asked our main man who the other guy was that was with him, and he said his brother, but he couldn't remember his name.  After stumbling around for 5 minutes the guy say, "MAXWELL".

On our way back we stumbled across the old brick kiln or oven.  Made out of mud and clay, looks like it is still in use today.

Just one of the many mountains where we were.  Straight up and down!!!  We think this is where the gorillas hang out!!

We have been told by every Senior Couple that we have talked to that there are no turkeys in Africa.  We have proved them wrong.  Tried to buy this guy for Thanksgiving, but the person couldn't figure out what we were trying to say.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we did taking them. 

SPRING TIME IN ZIMBABWE

Just thought someone might want to see what spring time here in Zimbabwe looks like.  It is unbelievable, really don't know how to spell this, but these trees are called Jacaranda's, and they are the most beautiful purple that you can imagine.  There are street after street of these beautiful trees, and in the morning when you drive down the street it is like driving on a carpet of purple.  It is so beautiful.  This was Jean's sister's favorite color, and a day does not go by that we don't comment about how much Sally would have loved to see these trees.

They are everywhere!!!  Besides being a beautiful color, the tree shape is just unbelievable too.

This is downtown Harare on a busy Friday afternoon.  What you really can't see in this picture is just off to the left is Robert Mugabe's Official Residence.  Armed guards with AK47's are stationed 24-7, and believe me when I say, they are locked and loaded.  All the area around his place is gorgeous and well maintained.

The trees grow into each other and form a canopy overhead

We finally got to Mutare to visit the Jefferies, and they took us to a beautiful spot above Mutare that was just picture perfect.  It has a golf course there that is to die for.  Probably equivalant to a PGA course in the states that is well groomed and manicured to a T.  That is Leopard Rock in the back ground.  We walked around the course a little bit, fantastic.  I will play this course before I go home.

When we were driving down the road we spoted a bunch of kids that were playing out in a field, and Sister Heck could not resist with the candy, and if she could she would give the farm away.  The kids just came in droves, and after a while we just had to drive off because we had no more candy.

While we were in Mutare visiting the Jefferies, we were looking at some missionary flats, and came across this picture of some neighbor kids playing at their house.  Once again, Sister Heck gave the farm away!!

While in Mutare we visited "CHURCH ROW" in Dangumvera.  It is one street where they have pretty much erected different churches in a one block area, and our Church is the very last one.  The Jefferies said that we need to be there Sunday Morning when everyone is gathering and singing.  It is something to behold.  PLEAE CLICK ON THE PICS TO MAKE THEM LARGER.  You can even read the signs that tell you the name of the Church.

THESE GUYS ARE HEADED TO CHURCH!!!

VILLAGE CELEBRATION FOR NEW BORE HOLE

 The above picture is of some of the local women with their babies on their back.  This is the way that all women carry their babies.  All women here have to walk so far to carry whatever they have on their heads, so the babies have to ride on the back wrapped in a towel or blanket.  They always carry them this way.

To the right is Elder Heck and Sister Heck giving out humanitarian items to the people that attended the celabration.  They were all so excieted to get what ever we gave them.

Elder Heck teaching a little girl how to play a game of stack hands.  They all wanted to play because they had never seen it before!!!

 Sister Heck helping a young boy draw water out of the bore hole.  They have to pump it because there is no electricity for miles.  Before this bore hole was put in they had a well about 2 miles away that they would draw the water out of the hole with a bucket.  Long and hard process!!

                                                                                        

The picture above is of one family that has gotten water from the bore hole (well) and they are going back to their village which is about 1 mile away.  Note that they are all carrying water, and it is very heavy, but before the Church put this bore hole in, they had to walk for almost 3 miles.  Very happy that the Church is helping.

After the celebration was over, we were treated to lunch which was sudsa, which is the staple here in Zimbabwe.  Very tasty.

These guys were all lined up just watching the celebration and hoping that they might get something that the Church would give them.  Lots of fun for everyone.