Catching up with the Albertyn's: August News!!

Seeing as August has been such an action packed month we thought we should do another update sooner than later!!!

We have continued to have a house full of people – Sophie and Fi, Stu, Jane and Eva, Mark’s folks and Bryan and Jane. It has been great fun getting to spend time with all these people and have had some special memories over the last few weeks!

Revision Schools!
August has been the school holidays. It is a 4 week holiday and we planned 3 revision schools during that time.

The first was in Mufakose Township to the south of Harare. We were at the number 2 senior school, where we had recruited 3 of our 15 students from. The head teacher welcomed us back with open arms and was so grateful for the assistance with lessons. We focused on Maths for the week. Mark and Stu were able to teach together again and I know Mark loved having Stu back as a teaching companion. They taught 120 O-level students Maths revision classes and 70 A-level students revision classes. I think the most amazing experience was to watch our 15 students throw themselves into one-on-one tutorials with the O-level students and love it. Especially the three that came back to their school. They all felt so passionate about giving back to their community!! Jane and I took the kids out one day so that we did not feel like we were missing out on too much and we enjoyed a morning with everyone. Sophie and Fi again were invaluable and we felt it was a lovely way for them to finish their trip to Zim.

Our second revision school was held at Mabvuku High School another township to the east of Harare. What an incredible school. Just shows that good leadership makes such a huge difference even though they are working in such tough conditions. Again were teaching a large number of O-level and A-level students. Jane and I went out for one day with the kids and it was so special to feel slightly a part of what was going on. Jane also got to spend an afternoon at the High School and Stu and her interviewed our 15 students. Hopefully some of this video footage can we used to promote what we are doing!!! Mark also had a past pupil from many years ago (Gladman Taranhike - nicknamed Mr T for the week)come and teach - Physics - which was brilliant! He is a teacher in the States and was here on holiday. The school welcomed us with such open arms – it was humbling. Here is a letter from the Headmaster received a few days after we had finished the week –

Dear Mark

I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the service you rendered to my students. This event will remain indelibly imprinted in their minds and the impression will last forever. I have always wanted my students to strive for academic excellence and with your program I feel the Lord is answering my prayers. Please give the whole team my appreciation and we as a school will always cherish your support for the disadvantaged communities. I hope our partnership will continue to inspire my students. I am deeply grateful and indebted. May the good Lord continue to shower you with the selfless spirit you have shown. We will always remember you in our prayers.

Thanks
I remain
Joe

Our third revision school was a short one day event held at our boarding house purely for our Biology students and a few invited students from Mabvuku High School. Jane Hall is a fantastic Biology teacher who came out for two weeks with her husband Bryan. She led this day and we know the students benefited greatly from it.

We feel like the hard work and long nights that went into the revision schools was so worth it. I think what Mark and I loved most to see our 15 students serve in these schools – some of them it was their old schools. They all seem to have caught the heart of giving back to their community, especially now that they have been given such an opportunity. Destiny, Terrence, Brian and Tinashe R went beyond the call of duty and ran their own revision school at their old school. They ran Maths clinics from 7am to 8am for two weeks. They got resources and stationary from Mark and that was the extent of our input! We were so proud of all of them!

The revision school team:

Visitors!
We were so sad to say goodbye to Sophie and Fi, as they had really become part of our family but we know we will be welcoming them back again one day! We had a games night on their last night here with the 15 students and it was lovely to hear the students voice their love and appreciation for these two young ladies, as well as hearing Sophie and Fi’s love for each one of them!!!! Our kids (Matt and Zoe) particularly miss them – all the cuddles etc!!!! They were easy visitors in our home, thoughtful and very servant hearted!!! We miss you guys!!!!

It was wonderful to share our home with Stu, Jane and Eva! What fun for Zoe to have a little play mate her age – they got on so well and most of their home time was spent on the trampoline. Stu and Jane threw themselves into our lives for the 2 weeks they were here and were able to participate in the two revision schools. I know Mark loved teaching with Stu again!

Between the two revision schools we were able to squeeze a one night trip to where we lived in the rural areas and stay the night on the floor of our old cottage!! What fun it was to share the beautiful place we lived with them, as well as taking them to meet Peter’s family!!! Stu was able to share about Peter’s commute with our 15 students and Peter’s family and they got T-shirts and bracelets too! We had a lovely morning visiting Peter and were even taught how to make bricks! The local community is trying to rebuild the high school and each household has to produce 2000 fired bricks!! We were watching the initial stage before they got fired. We know that our 15 students were inspired by what Stu shared with them about Peter’s commute and were also amazed that people would actually do something like that to raise money for them. The quote they used for the comute was ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world'. They presented a beautiful canvas with the quote printed on it to hang in the boarding house to remind them to keep going!!!!

Meeting Mrs Banga - our house mother!

We also climbed Domboshava with them and visited a local private game park.

I took Jane on a shopping trip into the crazy bit of town and she loved the experience of picking up some bargains – all fabric to make things!!! The kids had a ball together and it was just so wonderful to spend some family time together. We managed to pack loads into just two weeks. They brought loads of stuff out for the project, shared their hearts and I think at the same time leave a little of their hearts here in Zimbabwe. Their openness and hunger for more of Zimbabwe was wonderful to see. They truely wanted to capture the hearts of the people and what Zimbabwe life was really about!! We love you guys and wish the distance wasn’t so big!!!! Thank you!!!

Bryan and Jane arrived just before Stu and Jane left and they had a whirlwind tour around Zimbabwe for 10 days. We met them up in the mountains at the end of their trip for 3 nights together. What a special time to get to know them better and also share another part of Zim with them. I love the fact that they kept saying that they will be back too one day!! Jane came out 4 years ago and did a revision school with Mark then and we loved welcoming her back but with her husband Bryan this time. Our kids fell in love with them both and we were spoilt rotten by them – not only personally but also by all the equipment they brought out for the project. Jane thank you for your time with the students on your last day here!!! We loved getting to know you guys better and know that this is not the last time we will see you both!!!

Mark’s folks have arrived for 3 weeks and it is wonderful for the kids to have their other grandparents around and special for us to have them around too!! They also came up to Vumba (the mountains) with us! We look forward to the next 2 weeks with them!

Fundraising
We will be doing another big push with companies in Zimbabwe over this next term to try and secure money for next year and we have a presenation of a big cheque from a local Bank next week. They have sponsored two students!

A special friend in Zimbabwe has arranged a fundraising event at her childrens local school this coming weekend. It is a father and sons campout. We will be helping with the running of this event and the proceeds will come to the project. Thank you Ange for all the time and energy you have put into this, we so appreciate it!!!!

Family News!
Unfortunately, Mark was robbed at the office he sometimes uses two weeks ago. Three men tied him up and locked him in the office. They had knives and asked for keys to a safe which they thought must be in the office. They took his laptop (….lots of very important stuff!), some money from his wallet, mobile phone and most upsetting his wedding ring. They robbed seven other people having a prayer meeting in the same building. Thankfully no–one was hurt. Good thing is it has made us more vigilant with locking our front and back door come 6pm and keeping the front gate locked at all times!!! Felt a little like we’ve had a few big things to deal with over the last few months – particularly pertaining to Zoe’s health – so your prayers for protection would be appreciated!! We also were unsure about sharing this as crime in the country is so different to other countries particularly South Africa for example. Amazingly Mark has felt quite peaceful and matter of fact about the whole thing and we are just both thankful he is safe!

The kids are all doing well and loving having varied visitors around!! I’m feeling baby move regularly now, which is lovely and all seems to be progressing well!! Matthew particularly loves feeling baby move and the baby is often rocked to sleep by Zoe's chubby little hands gripping my tummy and rocking me!! Very precious!!! The medication I’ve been put on for preterm labour has made me feel terribly exhausted and dizzy but hoping I will adjust to it soon!

Zoe celebrated her 2nd birthday in August! She so knew it was her birthday and loved every minute of it! We took them to a little theme park in the morning and then she had a birthday tea in the afternoon. We love her so much and feel so blessed to have her in our lives!!! She was whispering from her bed the other morning to Matthew – saying ‘Matthew, I love you’! She has a big, courageous heart!!! We all love you too Zoe!!!

We continue to see God’s hand on our lives and look to him for our strength and stamina!!! We hope to update you in our next blog entry on our plans for next year!!!

A few photos: