Plans for next year and some news!

What a great start to the 3rd Term we have had! It has been extremely busy but good!!! We are now in a position to fill you all in on our plans for next year. A lot of thought, prayer and question asking has gone into these descisions and we hope you are able to share in our vision for next year. Lots of writing but please persevere through it!!!

2012?? What happens next?...this has been a question on our minds for the last few months. We want to see the scholarship programme become sustainable year-on-year but increasingly felt that the students would be best served if they were fully integrated into a school. Mark decided to approach independent schools to see if they could offer full scholarships to a few students each year. This would mean that we would then only have to cover Uniform and Boarding house costs and then be responsible for pastoral care of the students, rather than taking on the academic teaching too as well as be restricted by only teaching sciences. We were blown away with three of the independent schools response. We have been offered a total of 8 full tuition scholarships (worth in excess of US$50 000) at three different independent schools (St Georges College, Hellenic Academy and Gateway). This has felt like such a confirmation of what we are doing, that this past year has been worth the risk.

So where does this take us?
The current 15 will continue to do lessons at Gateway in the afternoons and complete their second year of A-levels, following the same structure as we have done for this past year. Mark will teach Maths and Physics and three other teachers will continue to cover the Chemistry and Biology. Our 15 students will continue to live in the rented boarding house and have a full co-curricular programme.

We will recruit 8 students to start their AS levels as fully fledged students attending one of the three independent schools starting in 2012. Ideally we would start a second boarding house to provide the pastoral support, but we are considering going the route of finding families close to the schools that would be willing to provide accommodation/food during the week for these students. We would pay them an amount to cover these costs. It this happens we will have combined games nights, bible studies and anything else fun that we do with the boarding house. At the end of the 2012 the 15 will move out of the house and we would then put these 8 in the house, together with the third intake of approx. 7 students starting in 2013. i.e we want to run one house with two year groups and a total of 15 students. We hope that this will become a process that repeats itself year after year. With full tuition scholarships this reduces the costs quite substantially – these students would cost about $2200-$2500 each year to look after compared with the current 15 who cost roughly $3600 each year.

Coupled with the above plans, a new baby on its way and various other factors, Mark has accepted a job as Head of Mathematics at Hellenic Academy as of January. It was a decision we came to after much careful deliberation and soul searching. The school is fully aware of Mark’s commitments to the scholarship project and will adjust his teaching load accordingly so that he can teach the pioneer group of 15 next year as well. We see this as a positive move in trying to make the project sustainable and hopefully open more doors for getting the project more exposure. We will keep assessing how things are going – we do realise that it will be very busy, particularly in January (new job and baby...zim does not do Paternity leave!).

With a new baby due in January, I will be unable to do admin for the project and Mark will not be able to play the role he has played with a full-time teaching post and teaching the 15, we will be looking to hire someone to fulfil this role, which is likely to grow with the nature of the second intake. I will help to manage/oversee this person. We hope this person will help with the Zim fundraising side of things too.

Mark still has the vision to work within a disadvantaged community setting (…with an A-level focus), and hopefully once the scholarship programme is established (2-3yrs) we will turn our attention to establishing an A-level centre within the communities from which we are drawing these scholarship students.

Ok so that is our plans for next year – we hope we have been able to explain it as clearly as possible and that you can see how we feel the pieces of the jigsaw are coming together and this project is becoming more sustainable!!

General News
The 15 students have loved being back in the house and are working hard. We so enjoy our time with them and really do feel like we have got to know them well. We continue to run a full co-curricular programme and included this term is swimming (much to all their delight) – my main aim is to have them all able to float at least by the end of the term!! We have continued to run games evenings, which are always a source of much laughter and fun. Mark and I felt it was important to introduce a bit of English Literature to help improve their English. We have a volunteer who takes them every two weeks for discussion and reading of a book – called Mpho’s choice. They are also writing their own poetry and sharing it at these sessions. They continue to have computer lessons, music lessons and we look to introducing choir lessons (requested a few times as something they’d like to do as a group). I also continue to run my bible study on a Thursday and as always love this time with them.

We have scheduled a Christmas dinner for the end of term – an evening out at a Take away Pizza place – they are so excited, as for many of them this will be a first. Our last day of term has been set aside for our Prize Giving!!

The students continue to work hard with one or two that have needed to be pushed a little but on the whole all of them have an incredible work ethic! Not a lot of sleep happens in the house! They start their internal examinations tomorrow.

Mark and I are looking into a team building week or few days away for them as we feel this will be a valueable experience for them. It's just trying to find one that is reasonable and beneficial!

We welcome another ex-pupil of Mark's from quite a few years ago back to spend time with the students. Gladman was out from the states for a few weeks. The 15 loved time with Gladman and we all nick named him 'Mr T'. He is a Physics teacher so was a valuable asset on the revision school team as well as giving the students a lecture on studying overseas.

We also had our first big handover of support from a local company - a Zimbabwean Bank - ZB Bank. It was a great occasion and real break through for Mark on the local fundraising front - they have sponsored two pupils for two years on this current scheme. Mark continues to furiously fundraise locally for the new intake next year and the current 15. It can be at times soul destroying but really trusting God for some more break through soon!!!

We have a special friend who organised a fundraiser which we helped with at the beginning of term - a Dad's and Son's camp out - it was hard work but brilliant fun! Lovely to see some of our students interacting with young kids. We have another one this weekend for Mum's and Daughter's but is a pamper morning! We so appreciate all the effort Ange puts into these events, we benefit financially and the parents benfit from quality time with their kids! Thank you Ange!! You are such a blessing!

Mark has started the incredible task of recruiting next years intake. Between him and my Dad they have visited 35 township schools and handed out application forms. The forms are in the process of being collected and then the task of narrowing down 300 applicants to about 80 that Mark will further test and interview to come back with 8! So please pray for us during this process. It is a long process that starts in October and only finishes in February!!! It has been wonderful to go back to the schools where we ended up taking our current 15 from and seeing the heads support and appreciation of what we are doing!

Personal News
We are all well!! Poor Zoe’s tooth saga didn’t end last entry!!! Sadly the filling fell out (which we suspected it might as she had wriggled so much during the putting in of it in that the dentist wasn’t sure how long it would last). It lasted 2 months and then she woke up one Sunday morning with a huge abcess again and in terrible pain! So she was pumped with antibios again and surgery was booked for the following week. She went under a general anethetic (which is always hard as a parent watching them put your little one under and leaving them sprawled on the operating table) and had a root canal done! The dentist was so sweet he even did a cap at no extra charge – we only paid for a filling and he did a root canel and cap!! So she looks like a normal 2 year old – only with a slightly smaller front tooth!!! She was so incredibly brave!! It cost a fortune to have her tooth done this way – theatre fee, anaethestist fee and dental fee.

We loved having Mark’s folks to stay – they were at the end of a stint of 12 weeks of visitors. We loved having a full house for those few weeks but have enjoyed just being the four of us again, with the odd person staying here and there!

My dad celebrated his 60th birthday in style. He had a brilliant party thrown for him and loved every minute of it. Happy 60th Dad we love you!

My brother, who I have not seen in two years, came up with his wife and 3 boys. What fun!! The cousins all got on like a house on fire and I just loved reconnecting with Pee and Jo again. It was also special to be there for Dad’s 60th together – both being able to share what he means to both of us. Sadly my younger brother Rich could not make it but I was able to read his speech out! The value of family has really hit me and I hope that it won’t be two years before I see my brother and his family again!!!

My pregnancy is going well. The preterm labour stuff I have suffered with in both previous pregnancies did kick in at 20 weeks but thanks to prayer, trying to take it easy and the horrible drugs they have me on, my body is holding onto little one a bit better now. Sadly the drugs are quite debilitating and I have found this extremely tough to deal with at times. I am now 28 weeks – babies have a chance from 28 weeks here but trusting God I will get to 38 weeks!!! It is very precious to see the two kids talk about baby and what we are going to all ‘it’. They have also been so sensitive about me not being well at times and I value having them a little older this time round!!! I am an incredibly blessed mummy!! Mark has been a great support, friend and bearer of many a bad mood, as well as my folks who have blessed us with meals. I also am blown away by the support and love from the new friends I’ve made over the past year!!! Learning to be vulnerable and ask for help!! So little one – stay in mums tum a few weeks longer!!! Mark’s sister has offered to come and give us a hand the week I have my c-section – we can’t wait to see her – it will have been just over two years!!!

We closed the boarding house for two days for half term. So Mark and I and the kids took the opportunity to disappear to a part of the country Mark has never been to and I was last at when I was 9! We spent 3 nights in Chimanimani – manimani as Zoe says! It is in the mountains and is so beautiful, unspoilt and remote. To be honest there was not a lot there but it was a great time to be just the 4 of us. Haven’t been away the four of us since April 2010! The kids had a ball swimming in rock pools and under water falls, going for walks and just being together!!!! The days for some reason started very early thanks to Zoe’s little clock (5am) which meant by 9am we’d had a pretty full day already!!! Ha ha!!

We’ve also been able to entertain a few times for the first time in months – feels like we can fit it in and it has been great spending time with people – even if it’s just a picnic somewhere!!!

The rains came twice this month and it was glorious – a prelude of what is to come in November!!! I can’t wait as without water our garden is just red dry dust and the kids are just filthy – so to get some grass going will be amazing!! This time of year is my favourite – like English spring – spring is in the air. Things are flowering and signs of life!! Even more so once the rains come though. But the best part of this year are the Jacarandas (I wrote about them last year) they are just breath taking (covered in lilac flowers – my favourite colour) and the kids and I just love driving around spotting the best roads, the beautiful carpets that form under their branches etc. I love it that Matt and Zoe have picked up a love for nature too!! The ‘Reach for the Skies’ tree (yellow flowers) are also flowering! Harare is so so beautiful!!!! Our garden even has a Jacaranda!!! It has been incredibly hot this last 10 days - over 36'C! I don't like heat at the best of times and have found nights the worst!!!

We haven't had water for 3 weeks and entering our 4th week now. This has been quite stressful at times and burnt the element out on our boiler as it was empty and we did not realise! Thankfully we fitted a 5000L tank which keeps us going for just under a week (we have a cottage on our property too that uses water) but best of all our amazing next door neighbours will our tank once a week for us for free!!!!! If we had to buy water in it would cost us $50 per delivery!!!! The kids have had two bad sicky bugs over the last month and we have produced so much laundry which has used so much water to wash!! I can live with powercuts any day - they are irritating but water I can't live without!!!!

Zimbaby is going well - I have two fairs in November and have placed an advert in a local magazine - so trusting sales will pick up and I'll soon be able to pay off my loan and make some money!!!

Well hope that has put you all in the picture a little!!

Here are a few pictures!!
Me and my precious kiddies!

Helping Grandad open his presents

With all their Grankids - two more to join the crowd in the next few weeks!

Matt is learning the African way of loading vehicles!

We've just made the full armour of God to help Matt with his nightmares and to realise the weapons God has given him in his mind! He really got it and haven't had a nightmare since!!!

Our precious kitty - who the kids adore - is growing up quickly!!

Fun with Paint!!!

Photo of us about 9 weeks ago with a 20 week bump!

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:

It's getting hot - do we really have to wear clothes? They both had their welly boots on at one stage!!!

Finding a little place to get away from it all!

Johannes and the kids having a little fun in the garden

Zoe and I in our Spanish aprons from the Mansfield's!

3 Chefs!

Day out with Stu, Jane and Eva

Steamtrain visit with Granpa and Granny!

Sleeping beauty!

Sharing the motorbike!

Finally a June, July and a little of August update!!!

Can’t believe that another two and a half months have gone by! We have to start this blog entry with some exciting family news!!! We have another Albertyn on the way!! It is very exciting, unexpected and a true miracle!!! We feel incredibly blessed at God’s precious gift to us. I am 16 weeks pregnant!!! All going well so far, just been exhausted. I am under brilliant care here and even hoping to prevent the onset of preterm labour this time with a trial drug! God is good and we trust Him for His provision and protection for this little one!!! Matt is thrilled and keeps asking how big baby is – currently the size of his Postman Pat figure and he comes up with slightly off the wall names!!! Zoe keeps kissing my tummy and patting baby to sleep! We have another new addition to the family – a little kitten which we got when it was 4 weeks old! The kids love her and she is so tolerable of all the cuddles from them. She is slightly crazy at times – so fits in perfectly!!! Matt has named her Jessie after Postman Pat’s cat!!

Boarding House and School News
We have continued to have a very busy term with the students and the running of the boarding house. We have had a games evening and another baking session – which the students thoroughly enjoyed and a few career lectures – Micheal Rapson (former student of Mark) on Mechatronics,

Irene an Architect (together with a couple of visiting engineers)

and Anne Coniber (former student of Mark) who is doing a PhD in Chemistry in Australia.

We also had the chance to introduce the students to Tim and Julie Lewsey (both former students of Mark..and now married!). They are travelling from Cape Town to London (..and back again) in their home on wheels.

The students have enjoyed being exposed to different careers and have found these lectures quite thought provoking.

The students have just written their end of term examinations and they should be proud of their achievements thus far. They are on target for where Mark wants them, as it is such an adjustment going from O-levels to A-levels! We keep reminding them of this and that if they continue to work hard they will achieve fantastic results.

I have continued to love my times on Thursday night with the students. I really feel like I have had such a special opportunity to get to know them personally and see God working in their lives. We have had some wonderful evenings together, sharing some really deep stuff and then other evenings just having good fun together. Each one of these students hold such a special place in Mark and my hearts and we feel so proud of them. Four of them were baptised by Mark and I on Wednesday in a cold swimming pool (it’s the end of winter here and no such thing as heated pools). What a privilege and honour!!!!

They also played their first basketball matches against another school and I was so so proud of them all! Their conduct on the field was such an example and they held their own fantastically!! I felt like a proud Mum cheering on my 15 kids with Matt and Zoe copying every little shout I made!!!
The spectators!!

First game which we won 4-6!

Taking a walk at half time!

Second game which we lost 12-8.

Mark had noticed that two of the students were really struggling to see textbooks and board work. My Dad kindly arranged free eye tests for them and then managed to get free glasses for Mike and Tinashe R. They are soooooo thankful for the gift of sight!!!! They felt like they were swimming the first few days but are now used to them!!!

Two students from Benenden have been out to visit. They are with us for just over 6 weeks. Sophie and Fiona!! We have loved having them in our lives and they have been such a help to Mark with one-on-one tuition, helping with lessons, collating exam papers, invigilating, etc. They have thrown themselves into Boarding House and School life and the students have loved having them around.
Working in the garden at the boarding house.

They have also enjoyed 9 days of travel round Zimbabwe and I think I can say have fallen in love with Zimbabwe and it’s people. I was also able to take them out to Turf and they so loved experiencing rural life. We were able to do a morning with Grade 0 and see the amazing jungle gym that Rachel (who stayed with us in March) and her local village in Kent donated!! I so loved being back out there and serving them, I just wish it could happen more often!! We also took Peter (one of the students) with us to visit his family and they were so generous to us – we had a lovely meal with them and Sophie and Fi loved experiencing his world – life in mud huts!!! We also took Peter back to his junior school and painted a few black boards!!! Being pregnant I used that as my excuse not to be exposed to the fumes and enjoyed an hour or so socking up the winter sun!!!!! Sophie and Fi are with us for a few more days and we shall be sad to say goodby to them.

The kids love them to bits!!!!

We disappeared off to the mountains for 3 nights this last weekend, a much needed break for Mark and I, and time for Sophie and Fi to enjoy a different side of Zimbabwe. We loved our time away!! They will also help with two revision schools we will be running during the holidays at two town ship high schools. These two school are where we got a few of the scholarship students from and want to feed back into the communities. The 15 students will also be volunteering their time at these schools, to do one on one tuition with those about to write their examinations.

The term has felt incredibly long and we are so looking forward to a little break. We have three weeks of revision schools and one week off during the holidays. Close friends will be here the first two weeks – we quite literally can’t wait to see them and share our lives with them and they will be helping out with the revision schools too. A former colleague and her husband will be here during the last two weeks. We are looking forward to having them in our home too and Jane is a Biology Teacher so we will run a Biology revision school with her in the last week of holidays based at the boarding house!!!

I have to write briefly about two people who we could not function without and we wanted to share how this project has impacted their families in a positive way too!!! The first is our House Mother - Denise Banga - Mum as all the students call her.

She is quite literally a God send!!! Denise is a mother of 4 children, who have all grown up. She was a primary school teacher for 35 years until she retired but sadly in October last year her husband passed away and she had to go back to full time teaching - she was leaving the house at 4.30am and returning home at 8pm and earning $200 per month. She applied for the post and we fell in love with her straight away! As her children have grown up she has been able to pour her life and soul into these pupils lives and has made the boarding house her home. She is now more financially secure and can rent out her house which provides money to pay her youngest sons university fees. Thank you Denise for all that you do for Mark and I and the students!!! We love and appreicate you soooo much!

Johannes -

he is the caretaker/gardener. He does anything from cleaning, gardening (we have a great veggie garden),carpentary,electrical work, fixing just about anything etc. He has an incredible servant heart and we feel so blessed to have him work for us. This job has now provided him with the opportunity to buy a piece of land to build a wooden hut for his family to live in and he can move his parents from the rural areas. He has quite literally cried with thankfulness at this opportunity as will save his family huge amounts of money on the rental of one room in a township! He has a young wife and little boy - 2 year old!

We continue to be blown away by peoples generosity towards the work we are doing. We have received some incredible donations to KST and Makomborero and we are very humbled and grateful. We feel we are on course to raise enough support to see the boarding house through to the end of the year and our personal support has been more stable the last two months. Thank you all for your love and support. It is so appreciated.

Stu Campbell – a very close friend of Mark and a former teaching colleague did a sponsored walk with the 6th Formers from his school. They called it ‘Peter’s commute’, after the student Peter and his walk to school each day last year – 30km each way!!! They raised an incredible amount of money and enjoyed an early start to school as they walked their Peter’s Commute! Here is a photo of the team on completion of the commute.

We were so proud of Stu and all that participated. Words can not thank Stu for the time and energy he poured into this event! They had special T-shirts and wrist bands made and hope to make this a yearly event. Stu and his wife and daughter our our special friends coming to stay - we can't wait!!

A former student from Mark’s Zimbabwe teaching days, Shaun Orpen, works for Acturis. Their 10km company charity run this year was run in aid of Makomborero and was dedicated to the memory of his sister. It sounded like it was a great day and again we are humbled by the money raised for Makomborero. Shaun is a passionate person who has shown support of us in this way but not only like this but through loads of emails with advice and fundraising ideas. Thank you Shaun – you are amazing!!!

Two weeks ago we have been back in Zimbabwe a year! This feels like quite a mile stone as we look back over this year - things have changed so much but also we are amazed at what we have actually managed to achieve! Thank you Lord for this year! It has been very hard at times and we have had moments of complete confusion and desperation but also it has been a time to see God’s faithfulness to us. We both continue to miss the UK terribly but we know that this is where God wants us and we are beginning to see his plan for our lives unfold!!  We still don't have the whole picture but it is much clearer!!  I also shed a few tears as it has been a year away from some very special friends who I miss so much and wish for just one afternoon I could be with!!! My heart in many ways is still in England but I’m ok as I know with time this will feel like home again but it doesn’t mean it’s not a little sore at times!!! 

We celebrated Mark’s birthday in June and Mark was so touched by the students at the boarding house. They bought him a red t-shirt (his favourite colour) and had a cake baked with a message – We love you Mr A! Mark was overwhelmed by this token and the financial sacrifice just buying that t-shirt was. It reminded him again of why we are here!! I am so proud of all that Mark has accomplished this year and he continues to work so hard and tirelessly!!!

Coconut Cake - my granny's recipe!!! Mark's favorite!!

Where we are at with KST?
We continue to come under the covering of KST and fundraise for the Scholarship Programme locally under KST. This Trust is still running, even though there is no funding. We are grateful to the Trustees to let us stay part of this trust, as it forms an umbrella covering for us. We continue to make plans for next year to bring the project into a more sustainable place and will hopefully have some concrete plans on this for next year by the time I write again!!

Family News
Zoe’s had a long haul fixing her broken front tooth but finally after numerous antibios and abscess' she was very brave and had the root canel done over 3 visits. So are trusting God that the abscess does not come back. She looks quite cute with half a front tooth!!! What a special dentist we had, felt like we knew him really well after seeing him once a week for just over two months!! Poor little girl also knocked herself out cold the other night – ran into a wall – very scary for Mark and I but she only suffered a mild concussion!!

Poor Matt got electrocuted by dodgy wiring in the house – was a very traumatic experience for all of us but praise God he is still alive to tell the tale and by some miracle I was able to think on my feet!!! Poor fella is still having nightmares. We did call an electrician to check all the wiring in the house when we first moved in and had a few little things that were very dangerous fixed but must have just missed the gate intercom plug which someone had bypassed the fuse with a wire that was sticking out the plug and made the whole plug live! It feels like we've had a few really tough incidents with the kids but are thankful that they are both ok!!!

They continue to delight us and are becoming better and better friends with each other!! They sing together, play pretend house together, jump on the trampoline, ride their bikes, read books snuggled up together – so so special!! Mark and I are doing an 18 week parenting course and are learning so much and just loving the impact it has had on our family!!! Felt like a huge commitment – yet another evening out – but it has been sooooooo worth it!!! Zoe is talking so much and we love figuring out what she is saying – Matt often gets it before we do!!!! Her favourite phrase at the moment is ‘You need a plaster?’ – if she thinks anyone has hurt themselves!! Matt is a real little man!! We love the conversations we have with him, the pretend stories he tells us etc. It has also been so special to see how close they have become to my parents – they love them sooooooo much and it is such a blessing having grandparents near by – the kids love it when they pop in or if we pop over there!!! Makes us wish Mark’s folks were a little closer!! Matt is in an incredible nursery school from January and I feel a real peace about it – been so stressful finding him a place somewhere that is not a long drive away! This place is 5 minutes in the car against traffic!!! Zoe will go two days a week to where Matt is now from January and we know she will be as happy as Matt has been there!

We also had a water tank fitted at our house with permission from our landlady!! This has made such a difference to us!! We have a supply of water for 3 days for the days we don't get water and the next door neighbour will top up the tank for free!! Amazing how much we can take water for granted!!!

Well I think that brings you up to date!!!

The hoodies!!!

Fun times with Granny!

Hello my name is Mrs Giraffe - the high heels are what all giraffe's wear!!!!

Matt eating his lunch on the top step of a swimming pool!!!

Bedtime stories!