Hello all!
Have I mentioned that I’m very excited you’re reading this blog? Well, I’m very excited! I’m enthusiastic to share everything that’s going on, and since it would be obnoxious if I called you up about every new development or my growing interest over these countries, you should be excited that The World Race hooked me up with this blog as well.
Something incredibly touching happened this week, and I want to share it because it amazes me. There is a girl about my age serving a life-sentence in a prison in another state. I got in touch with her through a Christian program, and we’ve been writing letters back and forth. When she heard about the mission trip she responded with a tremendous amount of interest and encouragement, and described arrangements she was making to provide some support from what she had.
I know the sacrifice she is making, and I don’t know if I’ve ever made that kind of a sacrifice to support God’s work. Those gifts, however much or little they are, always mean the most. Because it meant a lot to me, I wanted to share it with you.
Where am I at right now? I still need between $3,000 and $4,000 before September in order to have my full support raised before we launch (about $11,500 has been raised). Once again, this is my goal so that my time overseas can be focused on the work that we are doing and not support-raising. Also, now that I’ve graduated I am living at home for the next few months to save money, and I returned to my old job for the summer. I will use the money that I earn from my job to fund my trip (mostly equipment and shots) as well as further support.
If you would like to give, there is a “Support Me!” link on the left of this page. We are a little over three months away from launch, so this is when your support is dearly needed.
We are the September 2014, route 4 group – otherwise known as the K-SQUAD (which we shall be referred by here on out), and if you are following our journey you might be interested in learning about our 3rd country, Zimbabwe.
ZIMBABWE
If you also didn’t pay attention during 9th grade Geography, here is a short history of Zimbabwe.
The area of Zimbabwe was populated by the Shona people. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe (at one point the dominant power) still remain (Zimbabwe actually means “stone houses”). These ruins were the recovery sites of many stone, bird carvings, which have become the national symbol of Zimbabwe and can be seen on the flag. At one point the Ndebele people (warriors and cattle-breeders) were pushed into the area of Zimbabwe explaining their modern, cultural presence.
Great Zimbabwe ruins and soapstone bird.
Now enter the Europeans, prominent among them, the infamous Cecil Rhodes in 1871. Cecil was an entrepreneur with a plan for British colonization. It went like this – receive local permission to occupy lands for gold mining, send in British settlers, claim that the areas are now British (because of all of the British that conveniently settled there). In fact, his exploits were so respected and renowned that they named the area after him – Rhodesia.
The 20th century, similar to so many African countries, becomes a series of compromises and shifts in government, always with white rulers. In 1953 Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), and Nyasaland (Malawi) were combined into a single, self-governing colony called the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, or the Central African Federation. In 1963 the federation was dissolved into the three independent colonies, but the Europeans still ruled until a multi-racial election in 1980 placed Mugabe (a rebel leader) and the ZANU party in power. Mugabe continues as the president in a corrupt administration notorious for abusing human rights, suppressing freedom of press and speech, and persisting for 3 decades through election fraud.
The symbolism in the Zimbabwe flag is as follows:
Red – blood shed for independence
Yellow – mineral wealth of country
Green – agriculture and land
Black – African people
White triangle – peace
Red star – socialism
Bird – national symbol of Zimbabwe
The life expectancy in Zimbabwe is 37 for men and 34 for women – the lowest in the world. About 15% of individuals live with HIV, and treatment is very hard to access due to government corruption, small availability in rural areas, and a shortage of healthcare workers due to a major economic crisis during the last decade. Furthermore, Zimbabwe was the location of a devastating Cholera outbreak in 2008, which claimed thousands of lives, and is still a major risk today.
Because of these crisis and political corruption, Zimbabwe has a huge population of refugees in other countries, primarily South Africa where 1 million + are estimated to reside.
The major exports upon which the economy is based are tobacco, nickel, postage stamps (really?), gold, and cotton.
Zimbabwe is primarily a tropical savannah with a rainy season from October – March (we will be there during the rainy season, I think).
It is home to the famous Victoria Falls in the Zambezi river.
Of the population, 70% are Shona, and 20% are Ndebele. While English is the official language, other prominent languages are Shona (language of the Shona), and Sindebele (language of the Ndebele).
Here are some phrases in Shona.
Hello = Mhoro (singular)/ Mhoroi (plural)
What’s your name? = Unonzani?
My name is… = Ndinonzi… / Zitarangu i…..
Would you like to dance with me? = Ungande kutamba? (sg)/ Mungade kutamba? (pl)
I love you = Ndinokuda
Goodbye = Sara Zvakanaka (sg)/ Sariayi Zvakanaka (pl)
The major religion is Christian, but even Christian believers still practice traditional ancestral worship and witchcraft which is influenced by Shona tradition.
There is so much culture to go into, but I’m unfortunately going to keep it short and stick to religious practices and a small, cool little instrument, the Mbira dzaVadzimu.
The Shona believe that when a person dies they become a wandering spirit after a few months in the grave. When this happens the family must perform a ceremony, the Kurova Guva, and one family member plays the role of a medium or Svikiro, to welcome that wandering spirit back. The Svikiro’s role will include possession by the spirit.
Here is a website that explains Shona cultural religious practices and the Mbira dzaVadzimu, which features prominently in Shona tradition.
http://www.zambuko.com/mbirapage/resource_guide/pages/music/mbira_shona_spirit.html
Pleas pray for Zimbabwe – for the people dealing with a corrupt government, treatment and medicine availability, and most importantly, for the people to know the love of Christ and to follow Him completely as there is still so much ancestral worship. Also, pray for our time there as in all of the countries we are going to, as well as for our preparation, and that God will use us in each of these places to spread His Word.
