Pray Now Zimbabwe

2-8

Yesterday was really nice. I sadly spent most of the day working on the computer since I finally had some time and Internet access. (Keep in mind that what would take you probably an hour took me all day due to the incredible African connection.) Don and Willard continued to send me text messages the whole day yesterday apologizing and trying to get together. It’s interesting to see how much they really do care and how they react to having hurt me. I’ll probably get together with them later this week to put them out of their misery and because I really do like these guys a lot.

After being cooped up all day, I invited Luke and Isaiah to go on a walk with me. It was absolutely beautiful outside and we adventured through fields and compounds and hills. We went for a couple of miles, but it was so much fun that I forgot I went out for exercise! We saw a huge snake in a tree. They showed me this pretty dam and the governor’s house. We even went through a couple of people’s lands – Luke went through and then held the barbed wire fence apart for Isaiah and I to crawl through. It amazes me how friendly and giving everyone was. We would see the owners as we were breaking into their territory and they’d all just wave or greet us. Back home people get shot for this kind of stuff… I don’t get it, why is it so different? Meh, anyways, we also saw MONKEYS! They were too far away to see well, but they were playing up in the trees. Luke is planning on taking me out for a walk tonight at the time and place where I’ll hopefully see the monkeys better. Wild monkeys! I’m even a little nervous to be honest. But these guys know this area like you couldn’t even believe. I mean, I guess they’ve grown up here and all, but they knew exactly where they were going through random fields that we were covering our faces to get through due to how thick it was. I had no idea where we were at any point throughout the journey. Thank God I can trust these guys.

When I got home from our adventure, Pastor Lovejoy was gone. He had gone to pick up Juliet who had spent the weekend at her foster family’s house. I took a bath while they were gone and picked up a bit. But guess what – there was hot water for the bath!! Ok, so there was only hot water, but still. It’s so much easier to put in some scorching hot water and then fill it with the cold water in buckets than it is to have freezing cold water and have to boil up pots of water to add if you are desperate enough. I surprised myself at how happy I was to see Juliet walk through the door. We both ran to each other and hugged. I guess going through the loneliness of this weekend has helped me to appreciate the friends I do have here. I even felt a strange sense of comfort hearing her singing that usually just annoys me to no end when I hear it nonstop. Good ol’ Juliet.

To top off the night, Pastor Lovejoy brought home a pizza for dinner. Now this was no Double Dave’s or Pizza Hut pizza, but it sure did taste like a slice of heaven. It’s nice to change it up sometimes when you have sadza for every meal. Not to mention the American touch – it was the perfect ending to a comforting day.

After my little emotional breakdown there, I feel like a new person. I have such an immense sense of peace. I truly just feel content with myself and life. Don’t get me wrong, I’d still love to be home right now, but it’s not an overwhelming desperation. It’s like I’ve been cleansed for the time being. I’m coming to accept more and more each day that I’m here for a reason and God has a purpose for my time here. A very wise woman I know, Mrs. Hollier, reminded me that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I’m on day 18 and I’m starting to get into the swing of things.

This morning was somewhat hectic, but all part of the ride. Pastor Lovejoy has a meeting with the Vice President of Zimbabwe to complete the final touches to the water pipeline project we’re working on. We were in a hurry and of course there just happened to be extra traffic this morning. So he dropped Sankuru (“Uncle”) Stan, Juliet, and me off to find our own transportation to the Institute. Now, we were supposed to be painting in the Library more today and I didn’t expect to be going into town or anything, so I’m just wearing athletic shorts and a T-shirt. The entire journey from where we were dropped off, into town, and then onto High field where the Institute is located was full of hustle and bustle. People were all smashed into the Emergency Taxis (ETs) to get as much money as possible. Now I’m fairly used to these crazy rides by now, but it’s still just as exciting each time. In town, though, we had to walk a ways to catch the next ET to Highfield. Along the way, people were absolutely staring at me. This time, however, it wasn’t just because of the color of my skin. This time, it more so had to do with my short shorts. I didn’t want to wear anything nice in case they get covered in paint! Juliet and Sankuru Stan were laughing the whole time at the different comments we were getting and translating some for me. I was getting everything from “Is your friend (speaking to Juliet) naked??” to “We’ll give you a free ride in our ET with those legs.” It was rather embarrassing because I really don’t want to offend the culture, but I quickly made the choice to just do what I had to do and not let it bother me. There was nothing I could do at that point, so I just smiled at as many of the women as I could in an attempt to ease the problem I was causing with so much skin. You know what, though, back home these shorts are completely the norm. Heck, the ones I have on are actually considered somewhat “long” compared to many shorts girls are wearing in America. At least I am white so they are much more forgiving because they understand it’s just a cultural difference. If an African girl were to be wearing the same shorts as me, though, she’d be completely ostracized and made to put on a cover-up.

To top all of that off, turns out the extra paint was in Lovejoy’s car, so we aren’t even painting today! I would have been wearing a long skirt if it weren’t for our intentions of dirty work. Oh well, nothing to stress about, right?

So rather, Juliet and I are praying, praying, praying for Pastor Lovejoy’s meeting with the Vice President. I could tell he was somewhat stressed this morning and could use all the help he can get. I am also just busy doing office work, such as typing up a proposal that a woman has concerning the LEAD Health Care program. It was interesting to see how thoughtful people are about their people and nation of Zimbabwe.

I will be working at the Institute pretty much all day and then while Pastor LJ goes to a convention about Joice Meyers, I think, Juliet and I are going to go on another adventure with Luke and Isaiah. Luke is planning on taking me to see the monkeys up close tonight. We also have plans to go hiking along some mountains sometime and to see caves and the “locations” (aka the ghettos). It still amazes me at how well these guys know the land. They could tell you practically where every single little hidden path is or hole or anything. It always makes for a fun escapade. Hopefully I continue to make it back alive each time!

Note: I got dehydrated today and almost fainted. I drink so much water here, but I ran out of it at the Institute. I knew I needed to drink, but there was absolutely no purified water available. I knew I had to decide between fainting from dehydration or getting sick from drinking the tap water. I ended up just not drinking, but they went out and bought me tons of water (with my money, haha). It’s such a different concept not having water available. Back home you could find it anywhere… water fountains, water bottles, or even just drinking out of the tap – or hose for that matter. Here is a completely different story. But I’m thankful to now have some water, even if I do still feel weak. I think the lack of sleep I’ve gotten recently doesn’t help either. Pray for a good night’s rest tonight!