We had a busy few weeks leading up to Christmas. We finished up at each of our schools for the term, with a commitment to being out at Turf one day a week this year. We’ve had lots of visitors come and stay on and off leading up to Christmas, and loved catching up with people. One family in particular – The Davis Family. They were our cell leaders when we got married 10 years ago and we hadn’t seen them for 8 years. Really special to meet their great kids. So wonderful to pick friendships up where they left off so long ago. It felt like we had seen each other the other day – the only tell tell sign was that there are now a few little people running around!!!
Made me realise that so many of our friendships in England will be like that!!!
Christmas Fun with the kids!
I got a spider bite just before Christmas. I was terribly ill and had to go to A&E for intravenous antibios and for the rotting flesh to be removed. I really never knew how sick a spider bite could make you – hallucinations, fever, migraine, terrible pain in all my glands – lasting for a week! We were very impressed with the medical care I received – very 1st world!! Our medical aid covered everything including theatre. I am totally well now!!!
We celebrated 10 years of marriage in December and got away for a night just the two of us – thank you Dad and Mum – our 2nd night just the two of us in over 3 years. We enjoyed the luxury of getting out of bed in the morning later than normal! What a privilege it has been to share the last 10 years with Mark. He is truly my best friend. We have had some big mountains to climb, some amazing mountain tops, a few tough valleys but through it all I’m so glad I’ve journeyed with him!! He’s an amazing man who I am proud to call my husband! Thank you babe for being the best Daddy, Husband and friend anyone could wish for! You still make me laugh and life with you is fun!! 10 years of marriage and two kids - we're slightly bonkers!!!
Christmas was special. My brother, Richard and his wife, Anni came up from South Africa for two weeks. It was so lovely to spend quality time with them after such a long time. The kids enjoyed getting to know them again! We also were able to take them out to Turf to see what we have been doing and we stopped off at Peter’s village (see October entry about Peter). We had a lovely morning with his family and we were so humbled by the gift they gave us – a massive bucket of ground nuts (raw peanuts) and freshly harvested honey. This reduced me to tears, as we knew what a sacrifice a gift like this was to them as a family. It made the few packets of biscuits I gave them seem so insignificant. Here is a photo of us all outside their little village
Mark and I are hoping to have Peter live with us for the rest of this year and find little bits of work for him to do to try and help him save and find support to go to University.
Christmas was spent in Harare. What a treat to be somewhere which has more electricity than us. Had 6 weeks of no power!!!! Not much fun! Though am now a pro at hand washing and living without a fridge! The kids thoroughly enjoyed their time with my folks and their uncle and aunt. They loved opening presents!! We made good use of the swimming pool. So wonderful to spend Christmas with my family again.
We were able to get away for two nights to a cottage friends of ours lent us. It is on a lovely game park called Antelope Park. It was such a welcome break for the 4 of us. Really special family time! We swam in rivers, through stones into Dams, rode ponies, had picnics, went on walks etc. What a great place for kids, such freedom! Our cottage was surrounded by 70 lions (in cages) and that took a little getting used to – so so noisy!!! Antelope Park is an amazing lion sanctuary. http://www.antelopepark.co.zw/index.html
The rainy season is well and truly here!!! Just today we had 41cm of rain in 25 minutes! We have had weeks of wet days and very muddy children. I forgot how much it does rain in the rainy season!! It is beautiful and green everywhere. Over the last 5 months we are beginning to get our heads round buying things that are in season (you never have to think about it in England as you can buy everything all year round or nearly all year round). So one of my favourites – Mangos are in season!! Woo hoo!!!
Our precious little boy turned 3 on Thursday – boy does time fly!! What a joy it has been to parent him! He had a count down chart for the week leading to his birthday and did a little gig every morning when he could tick off a day!! He loved speaking to his Granparents, Uncles, Aunts and Cousins on the phone from South Africa.
He had a little party on Friday with a Thomas theme. This is his second Thomas party and this might not be his last – he is totally obsessed!!! 
We can have such deep chats with him now and he has a wicked sense of humour!! I have so enjoyed watching him grow up but at the same time it’s going way to fast!!!! He is adamant that he is not ‘little’ anymore – Zoe is little, Matthew is ‘little big’ and Daddy is ‘big’!! We love you our special boy!!!
Scholarship Scheme in Harare
We’ve also been busy setting up the scholarship scheme, collecting scholarship application forms from rural and township schools, finding accommodation and a school to partner with. Mark is now going through the tough task of picking 15 pupils out of 150 applicants. Each of their stories is moving and each of them deserves a chance!!! Mark ran two interview days with testing as well, which he found quite emotionally draining, as some of their stories are heart breaking. As well as approaching local businesses in Zimbabwe to fund a pupil for this scholoarship scheme, Mark would like to find support for the students who do not make the 15 but are extremely gifted. The idea is to pay for their school fees at their local township school for the two years of their A-levels and provide holiday revision schools that they can attend to boost their learning. We are excited by this and hope to be able to fundraise for this too.
The costs involved:
• Scholarship Scheme Student - £2700 per year
• Student in a Government School with Revision School - £400 per year
We still have a long way to go to make sure that this scheme will go well but we can see how both these schemes will change lives forever. This is both humbling and exciting but we realise the huge responsibility that comes with this!!!
Mobile Library
I think having been working out in the rural areas for the last 5 months there has been one thing that has stood out to me the most. How poor English is and how limited pupils are if their English is not good. They can have outstanding exam results but will be totally over looked if their English is not good enough. Peter is a prime example of this!! I’ve also seen the hunger for reading material and would love to provide something recreational for kids to enjoy – both junior and senior school age. So I’ve been dreaming – to start a mobile library. I obviously started dreaming big – having a big truck that travels around like a mobile library. We would start in the Turf area (45mile radius) and then hopefully expand the work nationwide!! Where would we get the money to set something up and running like this?
So I kind of put the dream on the back burner and then last night lying in bed it just came to me – start small Laura!!! So I’m going to start collecting second hand books that people don’t want anymore in a box – and stop off at a few villages on my way out to Turf each week!! It is also an easy thing to build up as people can donate the odd book here and there. I don’t have a box yet or any books but watch this space! It could be a logistical nightmare but I’m going to try!!
We feel so humbled!! We have lots of visitors to look forward to this year! Mark’s mum out at the moment - so so special to spend time with her - Matt loves having two Granny's around!! One of Mark’s students from Benenden is coming out for two weeks in February, a teaching colleague and his family in April and another colleague and his family in July! How excited are we, we can’t wait to share Zimbabwe with all of them and to spend quality time with some very special friends!
We have found somewhere to rent in Harare, as we need to be out of our bush home by the end of the month – will be sad to leave, this has become our home for nearly 4 months. Matthew has just started calling it home! Where we are moving to is a little run down and needs work but we are very excited to know we have somewhere to move into in just over a week! Matthew started Nursery on Tuesday – two mornings a week, so will commute into Harare to take him. He is so excited!!!! I feel a little sad that our intense time of just the three of us in the bush has come to and end! His little school
For those of you who pray for us – please pray that the scholarship scheme comes together well, all loose ends are sorted out, that we settle into our new home and that through the tough times we keep focused on why we are really here!
The kids sitting in a tree
Us Four
