What a great term so far !!!

Yah term 2 of 2012!  It has been an exciting term already and we are only just over half way through.

The students are all back and enjoying their studies.  All preparing and in the middle of their end of term exams and trying to keep warm in the evenings.  Winter is here and we have glorious sunny days and chilly nights – though the last few weeks have been much warmer – but nothing beats a Zimbabwe winter.

We started the term with a Birthday Party – we decided to celebrate all 23 students birthdays at one big party.  What a great afternoon it was!  It was a first for all of them and we were able to play silly party games which they have never played before.  Sian did a brilliant job as usual in this department.  They played pass the parcel with forfets, ladders, musical statues etc.  There was a birthday cake with candels.  A few students baked brownies for the first time – which were delicious.  It was a lovely afternoon and very special too!!

Charlotte continued to help the students prepare for their SATs at the beginning of the term.  She so loved her time with the students and will continue to provide extra English lessons for preparation for their end of year exams.  The students wrote their SATs and now have that behind them. 

Such exciting news – 9 of our students did really well in a Science Olympiad and were invited to South Africa for an amazing week of visiting different industries and attending an awards ceremony – all expenses paid.  What an incredible opportunity for them!!  We were so proud of them and thrilled they got to experience something so amazing!!!  None of them had passports and getting passports can be a little tricky here but God was good and my dad and Hope spent a lot of time knocking on doors and finally got them – our poilciy is no bribary and we did it – even though it was not looking very hopeful.  The organisors in South Africa were so patient with us as we literally did not know who would be going until a few days before they were due to leave!!!  The 9 students had an incredible experience visiting mines, car manufacturing plants, a zoo, museums etc.  There was also an awards ceremony and 3 of our students received awards.  Destiny for coming 2nd in SADC (he won a computer), Ryan for coming 3rd in SADC (he won cash) and Lesleen for coming 3rd in Biology in SADC (she won cash).  We were very proud of all of them!!!

The Minibus is working out brilliantly!  What a blessing it is to the project and has made such a difference to the students lives and how much time they spend travelling!!! 

Sian continues to do brilliant games evenings this term.  What a gift she has in this area!!!  We haven’t had any successful DVD evenings this term due to lack of power and our invertor can’t run the projector for very long!! 

We had some amazing visitors from the UK for two weeks – Hugh, Rosie and Sam.  Hugh and Rosie are both Consultant Doctors in the UK and Sam is studying computer programming.  What a wonderful family they were.  So adaptable and easily fitted into the Zim way of doing things – from no power, no water, driving on Zim roads with no traffic lights when there is no power, lack of time management by Zimbabweans, having to make a plan when things don’t go as they should etc – they were brilliant.  They had a very full itinerary which kept them very busy but we think they enjoyed it.  They spent quality time with the students, doing Biology, Ultimate Frisbee, Computer programming, then visits to Township schools doing revision classes and microscope work and visits to HIV work in the Townships etc.  We also had a wonderful evening climbing Domboshawa with them.  They introduced photography to the students - which was a hit and we now have a photography club running in the house!!!  Hugh, Rosie and Sam hold a special place in our hearts and we hope to see them when we visit the UK one day!  I have a funny feeling we will be welcoming them back here one day!!!!  Think Zim has stole their hearts - though Sam's was already stolen as this is his third year back!!!!

We organised parents days for our students parents/guardians to come and chat to Mark and Denise (our house mum).  The first one was for Upper Sixth (our 15) and they also met their other subject teachers.  It was a lovely day, we provided lunch for the parents/guardians and really enjoyed getting to know them.  We did an afternoon for the Lower Sixth (our 8) as they are not taught by us so only needed Mark and Denise there.  We felt that this time was very positive and nice to have the families involved.  Mark has also had to attend 2 parents evenings for the 6 of the 8 so far at their private schools.  Wonderfully the parents meetings were so positive and so complimentary of the students.  Made us sooooooo proud of them.

Pamela, Blessing and Phillip who attend Gateway High School – went on their Lower Sixth Leadership Camp for a week and this was an incredible time for them to feel more part of the school and to make friends out of just the 3 of them. 

I have so loved my bible studies with the students and we have had some wonderful times singing together.  What beautiful voices they all have.  Lisa is brilliant at leading them all!!!

Atlas Copco who sponsor 4 of our students came to visit the boarding house and meet their students this week.  It was wonderful to share the project with such lovely people who were so enthusiastic with all we were doing.  We have so appreciate how they have embraced Makomborero Zimbabwe and want to play an active part in the lives of our students.  They even donated wood for us to build most of the boarding house furnture from, as well as housing our minisbus over night to reduce travel time for our Driver.  

Fundraising

Megan from Ralph Allen School in Bath did a Zumbathon to raise money for Makomborero.  thank you Megan we were so proud of you and all who took part.  We don't even know Megan but she is taught by a lady who will be volunteering during August at our township revision schools - Denise.  We don't even know her!!  We look forward to sharing Zim with Denise.

Peter’s Commute happened again this year – so exciting – thank you Stu – so appreciated - especially so soon after the arrival of your second child!  We do appreciate the sacrifice that this was!!!!

Britian London 10km – we had a team of 6 – Debs, Rich, Sarah, Chris, Bridgit and Simba running for us in bright yellow t-shirts with Makomborero on the back!!!  We were so proud of you guys – thank you so much!  We hope you enjoyed it!!  Debs thanks for organising!

We also had a company running for us Acturis – organised by Shaun Orpen (an ex-student of Mark’s).  Thank you guys for your continued support of us – so so appreciated!!!  42 of them ran!!  Here is a photo of Shaun on his run!

We are working on local sponsorship to go towards the running costs of the minibus – so trusting for some break through there!!!!

Personal news
The start of the term was extremely hard for us – I think the reality of the pace of life after two weeks off, not seeing each other very much etc took it’s toll and we did struggle for a bit.  We have found our feet now – not enjoying not seeing much of each other but better adjusted to it and are deliberatly carving in time together as a family.  This has been my song this term http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwaKvZWE6t8

Matt is very happy at school this term – thank you Lord!!!!  I’m even getting to know mums and finding my feet a little there!!!

We have a new addition to the family – a Labrador puppy called Rosie!!  She is gorgeous and is just like having a baby!!!!  She is hard work but so worth it!  Hoping she will grow into a good guard dog for us too!!!  So including Chickens, cat and dog – there are 7 girls and 4 boys in our household!!!  Just had another 3 chickens so trusting they last a little longer than our last lot who were stolen by crows!!!  The kids love Rosie and as she begins to settle down a little they love her to bits!!!

Mark's Dad came for a visit for 5 days.  It was a great surprise and the kids loved having him in our home.  We were amazed - he is 76 years old and he did a coach trip from Cape Town to Harare and back again!!!  With a horrendous boarder experience!!!  Thanks for making such an effort to come and visit.  They will be back in August for a few days which will be lovely and will be flying this time!!

Powercuts have for the first time had a schedule gazetted and it has made such a difference to our lives.  You can plan!!!   We have a power cut everyday either from 5am to 2/3pm or 1pm to 10pm.  This alternates every day – one day morning, next afternoon.  It is wonderful to not have 18 hour power cuts anymore which would be a few days in a row and then nothing for a few days.  You know when you can cook in the oven, there is always hot water as boiler can heat up at some stage during the day when there is power!!!! 

As I’ve been a little more fragile emotionally I’ve found the harsh reality of life in Zim a little hard to handle at time.  Some days it just feels like you are surrounded by suffering and there is very little that you can do to help.  Life is so tough for so many and with unemployment in the 80% it is no surprise that everywhere you turn people are suffering!!  I’ve found myself in tears at many situations we find ourselves in.  This country is a tough place to be but also comes with a responsibility and it is figuring out what roll you should play in each situation that you are faced with.

Mark is loving teaching at Hellenic but is taking strain with working two jobs.  He is absolutely exhausted and works the oddest hours.  We don’t see much of each other but do try and keep Friday evening free as a catch up evening for each other.  Though Mark is often in bed by 7pm and then works the rest of the weekend.

We are going on lots of family walks – especially with Rosie – taking her to the school fields to run or just walk around where we live.  The kids love it and so does she.  Sadly she ate rat poison this week so are trusting she will be ok.

Ella is now 6 months – slowly getting used to solids.  She is such a precious gift from God and we are sooooo thankful for her.  She adds life to our family and keeps us on our toes.  The kids just love her to bits and we love watching them with her.  Matt and Zoe are such special little friends and play so beautifully together!!!!  I love being their mum and feel incredibly blessed to be in this season of my life – if not wishing at times the other pressues were less to really enjoy them to the full as I know this time of them being little will be gone so fast.  Love pancake Saturday mornings, devotions together in bed in the morning, cuddles, bedtime stories, chats togethers, spontaneous kisses, their love of nature etc!  We are blessed!

Thank you again to all of you who support us so generously – words are not enough!  You are what make Makomborero Zimbabwe operate!!!  Thank you, thank you!!!  So till next time!!! 

A few photos:

Hugh with Zoe and Matthew!!!

Ella ready for a walk!

Sisters 

Best friends!!!

What you do with the empty buckets at the golf driving range!

Mother's Day picnic in our bedroom as Matt was most upset I did not have breakfast in bed!

Sam and Ella!

 Five on the armchair!

Zoe taking her babies for a walk

Zoe washing her hands!

Matt's best friend!!!

A very long over due update!!!

Well it has taken a little while to get down and write this and then it has sat written on my laptop for over a month – so sorry everyone!!  I thought we’d update you with project news and then give you a little family news.

Project News
The rest of the 1^st term has gone well.  We continue to have amazing games evenings led by Sian. What a gift she has in this area and the students love their evenings with her. She also did a brilliant lecture on Body Language and how this can play such a big role in interviews, etc. Thank you so much Sian! Liz Pierson also continues to teach music to a few students every Friday and they were able to take part in two concerts this term, which we so enjoyed watching! Thank you Liz!

And not forgetting Jill who has faithfully taught computer lessons every Thursday for over a year now!! You’re a star Jill!!!

I’ve loved my bible studies this last term but did not do as many as I had hoped to do with having a new born to juggle!!  My last bible study of the 1^st term was Easter based and we made wooden crosses.  I love how they so enjoyed this exercise!!

Two of our students have been accepted onto the USAP Programme – Ryan and Destiny.  We are so incredibly proud of them.  There were 700 applicants and 32 places given and we got two of them.  This programme does not guarantee them a scholarship at a US university but it nearly does – in the sense that they have been earmarked already and will be helped with applications etc.  Well done guys you have made us so proud!!!!

14 of our 15 students will be wiritng their SAT’s.  We have had two wonderful ladies volunteer their time to prepare our students for these exams – Rebekah Bell and Charlotte Allum-Smith.  They write their exam on 2^nd of June!!!  So we will all be cheering them on!!!

Taringana – on of our 8 who goes to school at St Georges, made the school chess team.  He has blown all our minds as he has played brilliantly – winning most games and being selected to represent Zimbabwe in a tournament somewhere in Afirca.  Well done Taringana – what an opportunity.

A funny story!!  We had some wood very generously donated to us from Atlas Copco and needed a few bunk beds made for the host families bedrooms that the 8 students are staying in.  I ordered our side of the road guy to make them and went to collect the beds a few days later.  I was met with a very funny sight.  A beautifully made bed but made for midgets who were incredibly fat!!!!  The bed was very short and very wide!!!!!  Sadly this bed was intended for two big guys and would not have made for comfortable sleeping if we had kept it!!  Needless to say we have a proper bunk bed now and the boys are happily sleeping in it!!!  Wiseman who made the beds found it hysterical that he had got the measurements so wrong!!!  He admitted later it was all due to guess work! 

The 15 students initiated a fundraiser to help raise money towards the boys examination fees at the orphanage, St Josephs that they have been volunteering Maths tutition lessons.  Also, Edwin, accompanied by one or two of the other students, has been visiting township schools giving motivational talks to the current O-level students (GCSE). We have been so proud of all our students as they want to give back!!! Well done guys keep it up!

We ended the 1^st term by taking the 15 to Gweru for the weekend. Mark and Hope took them to a wonderful teacher training college a couple of hours outside Harare. It was a great weekend of bonding for the students but also a time for them to see if any of them were inspired to become teachers. We think a few of them might be interested!  This weekend was a highlight for many of them this term.   Here is a cool photo of the 15 at a game park which they stopped off at on their way back.  A first for most of them - seeing african animals!!

A lovely lady called Brenda came out from New Zealand and spent a bit of time at the boarding house.  She did a workshop on how to debate and also showed an incredible BBC series on the World!! The students were amazed by what they watched.

Two young guys, Marko (whose full name is Makomborero - how cool is that) and Josh, have volunteered their time to run courses over the next year to help integrate the new 8 and our current 15 students into their new lifestyles etc. What brilliant men they are - these two men will be able to speak to their hearts and minds and be relevant to our 23 students. They are such a blessing and we appreciate all their input.

Fundraising
We have had a few fundraising events so far this year. Ange Smith ran another Mother and Daughters morning at a local primary school and it was hugely successful. The proceeds came to Makomborero Zimbabwe. We so value her input and passion for what we are doing.

Hwei Tan, another former pupil of Mark's, has just climbed Kilimanjaro to raise money for Makomborero. We feel humbled and in awe of her. Thank you Hwei – we know we could never have survived a climb like that!!!!

Susan Leese ran the London Marathon for us this year! Thank you Susan – you did brilliantly!!!!

Makomborero UK has bought a debenture for the London 10km run – we have 6 wonderful runners running for us!!!  Thank you guys!!  Hope it goes well!

Stu Campbell will also be organising another Peter’s Commute this year.  We are so grateful to him for all the hard work that goes into this event, especially with another little Campbell arriving in the next few weeks!!! http://www.justgiving.com/teams/peterscommute2012  (actually the little fella arrived today – woo hoo – welcome to the world Alfie).

Shaun Orpen’s company – Acturis will be running for us in the London 10k.  Thanks guys!!!!  You are gems!!!  http://www.justgiving.com/acturis2012

We are always continually humbled by all your efforts at raising money for Makomborero – thank you, thank you!!!  Thank you also to those of you who have so generously given personally to Makomborero.  We know that without all of you – what we are doing would not be able to happen!!!

We are also thrilled to welcome 3 more local Zimbabwean companies on board – Stanbic Bank, Atlas Copco and Delloittes!! They have generously sponsored 6 students between them and we are so grateful for their support and belief in us!!

Makomborero Zimbabwe Staff
We have purchased a minibus for the project. This will relieve a couple of hours each day for the students who currently use public transport and will also save us money in the long run.   It was a little bit of a stressful process buying the minibus but we have it now, fitted with seats and running like a dream!!!  We are excited to be able to provide another job for someone and we welcome Stephan onto our team – our driver.

We are so grateful for the 4 amazing house parents who host the 8 students in their homes – thank you!!!  Also as always this term could not have been the success it was without Dinnis (our incredible house mum) and Johannes (our handyman/caretaker) – you guys continue to serve tirelessly and we so appreciate you!! Thank you also to our incredible team of teachers – Charles Muchoko, Katy Lanas, Hayden Eastwood and Alison Stancombe. What an amazing team we have been blessed with!

Hopefully we have updated you on this last term. The pressure if on for the 15 as they begin to prepare for their final exams .

Family news!
We were blessed with another special visitor from England.  A special friend Elizabeth came out for two weeks and we so enjoyed sharing life with her.  The kids so loved time with her and our house felt empty when she left.

We also loved having Riems and Jen and their little girl Emily come and stay with us for a few nights before they headed off on their new adventures in Mozambique.  http://casatevelde.com 

We so loved our time with them and meeting their precious girl – we are so proud of them too with their big move to deepest Africa!! 

With the latest three lots of friends who have come out so far this year we love it how friendships pick up from where they left off – thank you guys for blessing us with your presence!!!   

We have had 4 burglaries in 6 months and have found it very unsettling – especially this last burglary as it was stuff taken from inside rather than outside.  Thankfullly our back door was locked and they never got in – just fished stuff through a small open window in the Cottage.  It was also at 7pm when we were putting the kids to bed – so feels so unsettling.  It looks like we will be getting a dog!!! (we now have a puppy – will blog again soon with details)

Little Ella is 4 months (actually nearly 5 months) and is changing all the time.  She is a precious gift to us and has slotted into our lives so well.  She has a gorgeous smile and chats to anyone who is prepared take time to give her their full attention.  It is going way too fast and I still pinch myself at the miracles God has given us – 3 precious children!!  Thank you Lord.  A journey we thought we might never take but now have 3!!!!!

Matt took a while to settle into his new school, it quite literally broke my heart as a mum to see him struggle so much to settle.  I found myself on my knees many an evening, shedding a few tears for him and praying.  But he found a special friend towards the end of the term and it has made such a huge difference.  I realise that this is only the beginning of wanting my kids to fit in, be loved and accepted for who they are and enjoy life!!!  So I know I will spend many more hours on my knees over the coming years with all 3 of them.  Matt also learnt how to swim this term.  From not being able to and then in 10 weeks swimming on his own – so proud of him.  He is such a deep thinker and comes out with stuff I’m sure a lot of little boys his age don’t even think about!!!  Matt is totally obsessed with cars at the moment and lego!!!  Matt loves people and well often be found chatty away to a complete stranger.

Zoe is our little ball of fire – who is a boundary tester, cuddle bunny, loves her bling jewellery, her babies etc.  She is a great little mummy who breast feeds her dolls regularly, gives them cuddles, sings to them etc.  I love watching her.  She is also an aspiring cook who loves to cook up little treats in her pretend kitchen!!!  She keeps us on our toes.  She loves her little school which is 2 mornings a week since January and she is thriving in this little environment!!  She is our social butterfly who loves people and can be incredibly nosey!!!

We had a typhoid scare just after Debs left.  There has been typhoid in Harare over the last few months and I was tested and one of my markers came back positive – so needless to say the whole family had to take samples into the lab and be tested etc and it was all a little stressful as I tried to think of all the people we had come into contact with.  Thankfully the further tests came back negative and it just shows I had been in contact but not contracted it!!!!  There have been lots of tummy bugs going round that we have had but thankfully managed to avoid typhoid!!

Our Easter Gardens we made - Matt and Zoe did one each!!

This 1^st term at times felt like a marathon – one that really took its toll on us physically, emotionally and on our family!!  Mark working two full time jobs and not seeing much of his family, having a new born, doing project work etc etc we felt like we were drowning at times.  It made starting this next term very hard as we knew what we were in for.  We keep reminding ourselves that the end of the year things will ease up and our family can return to some normality – please pray for strength for us to make it to the end of the year!!

We went away for the last two weeks of the holidays.  What an incredible break it was.  We were in Clarens and Lesotho. 

We literally fell off the face of the earth.  It was hard work getting everything in place with the project before we left but all the very late nights were so worth it.  Just loved being a family, catching up with Mark’s folks and my brothers.  Matt and Zoe loved seeing their granparents and getting to know them better.  Granparents are such special people in their little lives!!! 

I also loved special time with my brothers, meeting our latest nephew (who is a very cute precious little boy – loved seeing Rich and Anni as parents – they are brilliant at it and make my heart all warm when I see them with Simon) and just being together – the 3 siblings – very special – lots of fun and wonderful cousin time. 

The cousins just love time together.  The scenery was amazingly breath taking and God felt very near!!!  We were so proud of Pee and Jo and the work that they are doing in Lesotho – they are incredible.  What joy to watch my brother preach in one of the two churches he leads in rural Lesotho.  To see him speak and interact with people in his village was such a joy.  Jo his wife, is a true legend.  She has embraced a very different life and is a fabulous mummy, home schooler, cook etc!!!  I could go on about how proud I am of them but will leave it there!!!!  Guys I know some days are tough but you are doing a fantastic job and building His Kingdom!!  If you would like to see a few more photos of the three siblings together - here are my brothers photos - https://picasaweb.google.com/peteandjowest/April2012

All the cousins!

Funny story!!  This is a roundabout that has been put in the village my brother lives in in Rural Lesotho  – when the kids play on it – it pumps water into a tank that then enables villages to use a tap to fill their water containers and carry water back to their houses.  The funny part is that it is in a part of the village where there are not many children – so in theory it is a great idea but practically not brilliant!  Especially when you see old ladies pushing the roundabout round 200 hundred times to fill a bucket!!!

We also had the chance to visit and stay with my wonderful cousin Kelly in J'burg with her and her husband!!!  They are amazing hosts!!!

Matt and Zoe so enjoyed time with their Daddy too – so wonderful to see Mark connect with them again – I get a little tearful writing that as back into this term, it is so hard for Mark and the kids not seeing each other.  We were so blessed in many ways during our holiday and it made for such a wonderful break – free accommodation, gifts from people, time with Mark’s folks, time with my brothers and their families, a night away just me, Mark and Ella etc.  Feel quite speechless at how blessed we were!!!  We haven’t had a break this long since before having kids and it was incredible!!!  So we brace ourselves for this term, trusting him to sustain us through this tough, busy season!!  Learning to carve in precious family time here and there!!!!

A few photos:
Matt at his end of term concert!  Lovely for my folks to be there too!  Proud mummy and daddy - and granparents!!!

Zoe and Daddy!!!

Enjoying a moring at a little game park in Harare!

There were 4 in the bed!!!

Matthew on the computer!

Hello Ella!!!

We have a kindness jar that the kids put a coloured stone in when they do something kind - it also counts for us Mark and I.  When the jar is full the kids get to choose a day away as a family.  They choose to go to Paradise Pools for the day - about 1 1/2 hrs out of Harare.  What a lovely day!!!

The kids trying out Ella's Bumbo!!!

The kids love our Administrator Hope!

All squeezed into Zoe's bed!

A special weekend for our family in March!!