To read a recent newsletter from Africa University missionaries Jane and Larry Kies click here. Jane works with the Intensive English Class and Larry Manages the farm and teaches agriculture.

Dear Morris

It was a delight to see our pupils dressed in new uniforms.
Parents were very excited and they ululated thanking for
what you have done.The shoes have been delayed because we
didn’t get the right sizes.

The borehole is now functioning properly and we hope to start
a garden project. We have imbarked on roofing a classroom
block since we have five classes doing their lessons
outside.

This needs 200 asbestoes sheets and timber.We are also
working on purchasing 30 by 3 seater desks to easy the
conjestion in seating arrangements.

We shall keep in touch with you and inform of all the
developements at Clare Primary School.I hope Lloyd has
already sent you some pictures of pupils in uniforms.

thank you,God bless you

Misheck

To see pictures of Clare School library and children, click here

Drew Harvey from Pittsburgh recently returned from a trip to Zimbabwe. While there, he attended the retirement ceremony for the headmaster at Clare School and took a couple photos of the library there.

The books came from our VIM team visit in November and from the container. Funds from the VIM team are also furnishing school uniforms and helping repair the school’s bore hole so the kids and teachers can have clean water.

Clare Headmaster, Norman Murahwa, and Clare students are shown here displaying some of the textbooks that were purchased for them by our 2006 VIM to ZIM team.

Click here http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/world/africa/07zimbabwe.html?th&emc=th to read a recent NY Times article on the terrible conditions in Zimbabwe.

According to Rev. Lloyd Nyarota, Zimbabwe Conference Projects Coordinator, 377 textbooks will be delivered to Clare Primary School, north of Mutare, the week of January 29. These 5 to 10 copies each of virtually every subject taught in each of the school’s seven grades, will make a major difference in the lives of the school’s 600 children.

When our VIM to Zim visited Clare in November, we were heart-struck by what we saw. Ragged, yet energetic and friendly children were in barren classrooms made of converted stables and barns, Devoted and warm-hearted teachers were struggling with few resources to provide them an education. Shortages in rooms, texts, supplies, clothes and food—but not of love or faith.

While the gift of one team member provided for the texts, it started a chain reaction. More help is coming as soon as the school’s leaders work out priorities and cost details. Other generous donations will add to the impact.

Along a parallel line, they have set aside a room for a primary library and hired a woman to prepare recently arrived 165 boxes of books for use. These books were a part of the 600+ boxes we sent in the September/December container to start libraries in four rural primary schools in the area. The children will have books to read. The mastery of English—the nation’s official language and that of instruction in the schools—is their only hope in escaping illiterate poverty.

The generosity of many of God’s people is changing, in wonderful ways, the lives of hundreds of children in this poor rural area.

Marie, Anna, Megan, and Katie meet Clare School Children.

Clare children line up to help unload donated books for their library.

If you would like to read entries in our VIM journals written by team members while we were in Zimbabwe in November, 2006, just click on "Journals A & C" under "Related Sites" in the column on the right. Our team on the steps of our hotel, La Rochelle, near Mutare, Zimbabwe.

As of Friday, December 1, it had arrived and was partly unloaded. A lot of excitement, which our VIM team barely missed. We just got back two weeks ago. It took nearly a month of hard work by the District Superintendent, Rev. Chimbwanda, to get the necessary clearances from the Ministries of Health and Education so that the materials could enter duty free. Now the distributing—hundreds of boxes of books and supplies to 5 primary schools, plus some materials to 4 high schools, and lots of supplies to two hospitals, plus a variety of things to a number of local UM agencies. Look also for much more here about Clare Primary School, near Nyasura, about 30 miles northwest of Old Mutare. It is poor; the barefoot, ragged children are being taught in classrooms converted from stables and a tobacco barn by a group of hard-working dedicated teachers. They caught our hearts and we have already begun help through their Conference Projects Coordinator, Rev. L. Nyarota. If it works out as anticipated, it will become a permanent project in which all of you are invited to participate. More information— morris@taber.net 734-662-9880 2856 Renfrew Ann Arbor, MI 48105.

ALL information for VIM team members is now being posted on the website specifically created for our team http://vimtozim.org .

The container was shipped from New York on September 22. It is now somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Expected date of arrival in Durban, South Africa: October 16. ARRIVED IN DURBAN ON OCTOBER 19!!!!