We have now been here for over 12 weeks…and we feel at home! I am now at the stage where if we came back to England, we would find many things weird! It is nice to feel a sense of belonging and home here, which I am sure will be heightened when we move into our own cottage in 2 weeks.
I am also SUPER excited that my parents are coming to visit soon, we have a jam packed week planned for them and it will be lovely to spend time relaxing with company and enjoying the finer things Zimbabwe has to offer..like Elephants!
Today was a slow start, which then led to me running around the hotel searching for people who had seen the banner advertising the school, come in to look for it, then got lost! So I had to find them all then give them the now well rehearsed tour and spiel about the school! And praise be to God, we got 4 more registrations! We printed out 20 registration forms, and now have 1 left, which technically means we should have 19 children…we only have 4 confirmed, but at least 10 who we know are bringing the forms back. We are learning, that in Zimbabwe, there is a difference in timings. For example…
Just now – means could be whenever!
Now now – means now
5 minutes -means at least 15
30 minutes – means around 3 hours
I’m coming – means I’m somewhere in the vicinity but a few more phone calls will be needed, or a fork lift truck to come and get me, before I come and see you!
So although we have handed out many forms, we are anticipating a late December and even possibly January surge of applications. We are SO pleased that the Pre-School will be serving both the church and the local community. We have both really enjoyed spending time in the town getting to know people and discussing what we are here for and what our future here is like. So God is using us both in the school and in the community, which is nice!
Once we have opened the school, and settled into our cottage, and worked out a short term plan (do they even exist?!) I am hoping that we will be able to join in with some further projects. I have started to work with the Sunday School and am on the official rota to join the team so am looking forward to getting to know the young children through this also – there are at least 50 if not more children in this church. I am also really keen to start a babies/young children’s dance class, so am going to look into the technicalities of that! (I miss dancing!)
We are also still in the process of learning the language (not as quickly as Phil and Sue in Azer!) and we are often laughed at by our peers when we try and say words, but we are beginning to formulate some sentences, and can use some slang words! So people now tell us ‘ah you are now Zimbabwean’ which is also nice!
So please continue to pray – as we know you are – as we feel so blessed! The usual points still count, more registrations, resources need buying, our personal settling in to the community and language learning, and that we would continue to listen to God for our next steps.
We are so excited to be opening the school in January, it has been an experience!! Not many can say they have left home, left country, moved to Africa, built and opened a pre school from scratch…so thanks to God for sending us on such an exciting mission! Lets see where the next few months take us.
Much Love, God Bless,
Sophie xx Greg x Clive