I went to work!

Today I went to Gweru to check on Farai and his Aunt, who he has been living with for the past few months. Although I have been feeling a little down and discouraged lately, mainly because things with immigration don’t look so great, I was really looking forward to getting out of Harare, onto the road, to do what I do.

It would have been really nice to write a little paragraph right here about how today was the first day of my time in Zimbabwe that I actually did some work legally with that ever important work permit in my passport, but instead I am going to tell you to keep praying. On Monday, Immigration gave me 21 more days to stay in the country, which although it doesn’t sound like much, it is a miracle.

I felt as if I came alive as Ngone and I jumped into back of a pick-up truck in Harare and headed for Gweru (about two hundred and something k’s). The wind was blowing in my hair, and I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face as I spent the entire morning talking to God about how great He is. Without a doubt, I know that this is what I was born to do. It still amazes me, that this person was inside of me, but she was there all along!
When we got to Gweru, the real work started. I haven’t seen Farai in a couple of months, because it was not safe for me to travel. Gweru is a political hotbed, it is very MDC driven and during these tumultuous election times, it wasn’t safe for his family or for me to try to make why way to their home to see them. (Even on this trip, we had all of our meetings in town, rather than their home in the high density as Farai’s Aunt Bereta thought it would be safer for everyone involved.)

I met with the school administrator for a private high school, who knowing Farai’s situation was please to take him on as a student, and even said that he himself would mentor Farai. He was so kind and generous and went on and on about how important my work is and how he was sure that this was a divine appointment, and that he looked forward to working with more of my kids in the future. That was so nice to hear! Normally I feel like I am BEGGING someone to educate these boys, but this man considered it an honor. What a joy to come across a man who realizes that his role as an educator is a very high calling. He will Farai’s English teacher.

Please pray for Farai, next Monday, the kids will start writing their exams. Because Farai has been in school previously, the school is going to allow his to write exams as an assessment of what grade level he should go into. Farai is turning 19 on the 21 of July and is very behind, so we are praying that he will test well enough to earn a spot in Form 4. (That would make him a senior in high school.)

After all of the school stuff was out of the way, and all of our counseling sessions were over Ngone and I sat to process what had taken place. (I am hoping that Ngone, who used to be a teacher will want to be trained as a counselor for families like Farai’s). I asked him what he thought and he said, “I didn’t realize how difficult your job is”. I laughed as I ordered a ridiculously expensive pizza for us to eat before we made our journey. (The prices here are rising at an ever increasing rate of inflation. A pizza that was 220 Billion in the morning was now 1 Trillion).
After we ate we had to stop at a hotel to use the bathroom because there was no water anywhere else so all of the toilets were closed. When we went in to the hotel I noticed pictures all over the walls, pictures telling the history of Zimbabwe. From the liberation struggle, to independence, there were pictures of all of the men who worked so hard to see Rhodesia become Zimbabwe. It was so interesting to see the pictures of these young men, so full of hope for their country! There were many pictures of a young Robert Mugabe. I wonder if he ever imagined that after 28 years a woman’s salary would be equal to half as much as one child’s school fees?

I walked into the bar of the hotel looking at the pictures and I saw Nkomo’s autobiography. Joshua Nkomo is one of Zimbabwe’s heroes and he is often called the Father of Zimbabwe. I have never read his book, as it is not that easy to find! I asked the price and it was way more than I would spend on it so I turned to walk away. When I turned a man in a wheelchair said hello to me. I greeted him and realized that he was a senator! He is the owner of the hotel and invited us to sit with him. We spent hours chatting about Zimbabwe, about our individual stories of how we have come to love this place so much. I realized as we sat together, that we are both fighting a battle in Zimbabwe, that we both have opposition, and that for both of us, the only way we will win is on our knees.

After I heard so much about the history of Zimbabwe, which I felt honored that he would spend so much time with me, I was able to speak life into his life. I pulled out my Bible and shared with him all of the verses that have been speaking to me about the situation in Zimbabwe. I wrote them all down for him so that he and his wife can be reading them and praying for their country.
He felt that it wasn’t safe for me to travel at night and gave us a suite in the hotel! He pulled down a copy of Nkomo’s autobiography and autographed it for me and told me to take it as a gift. He said that he didn’t believe that it was a coincidence that a missionary was sent to him that night and went on and on about how much he appreciated me. I felt so honored to get to share the Word with him, so humbled to sit in the presence of a man that has been in this battle since the 60’s, and so loved by God when I see in just a small way how he creates these amazing divine appointments.

I am going to bed feeling so encouraged. Yesterday I was wondering if I was running someone else’s race, if I was in the wrong place, outside of the calling on my life… today my heart feel’s wildly alive, trusting that I am doing exactly what I was born to do!

Please pray for this nation, pray for Zimbabweans, pray for my kids, and pray for me. Sometimes the opposition is overwhelming, but in moments like this I trust that anything I am going to do for God is going to be opposed, but that He who is in me is greater, strong enough to walk me through any opposition, if I am willing to feel some pain, but persevere. I know that He goes ahead of me, preparing the way!

Pressing on,
Regina

P.S. Like all of our kids, Farai needs a sponsor. If you are interested in sponsoring Farai’s educational needs or the needs of any of our other families, please contact me through email at ocregina@hotmail.com His aunt is doing a great job of taking care of him, and after 2 years on the street I can tell you that it is so nice to see him looking like a kid! We only place our kids in homes where they will be loved and provided for (which is sometimes harder than it sounds!) Please let me know if you felt called to sponsor one of these homes!

Farai at his new school!

(Me and Ngone in the truck!!)