Wow! No internet access for over a week! I’m going through withdrawl – this is a great quick fix :)

We’re back in Bulawayo today. We left here last Monday and went to the Matopos and stayed at a place called Shumba Shaba. It was BEAUTIFUL! I can’t wait to show you the pictures! We stayed there for a couple of days with some of the pastors that work with Forgotten Voices (or the other way around, really). It was great getting to know them and enjoying the scenery.

We left Shumba Shaba on Wednesday and went to the Mtshabezi Mission/Hospital. This is one of FVI’s biggest partners. It was an amazing week with them. They were so gracious and took such good care of us there. It was overwhelming. We visited the Primary School there, and interviewed some of the children who’s school fees are paid by the Mtshabezi AIDS Project. It was so encouraging to see how much hope these kids have for their future now that they are able to go to school. We also visited some of the kids in their homes out in the villages over a couple of days. That was incredibly humbling. To see these kids surviving on next to nothing – literally eating weeds for meals – and then to go back to the Mission where they prepared such great meals for us. It was just hard.

On Thursday we were supposed to visit a woman who is cared for by the AIDS Project, but she died during the night and so we ended up going to her funeral instead. Her name was Setty, she was 28 years old. Her only child had already died of AIDS, and we aren’t sure what happened to her husband. Her family was so welcoming, and allowed us to film and photograph the funeral. These are some of the most powerful photos I’ve shot – I hope to post them soon after I get home.

I’ve shot well over 5,000 images so far – so I’m going to be BUSY when I get home!! Wedding and Portrait clients will have to come first – so I hope you can be patient waiting for some images from the trip. It’ll be worth the wait, I promise!

I’ve got a great story to share without about an interesting run-in with the “police” but I think I’ll wait till I get home. I’m not that worried that the Zim police are checking my blog, but just in case… :) You’ll just have to wait!!!

I’ll be home on Thursday and will try to reply to emails then. If I get the chance, I’ll blog again tomorrow, but who knows? Please continue to pray for safety – especially getting through the airport on Thursday. I hope all is well back home! I can’t wait to get back and hug my niece & nephews and see my friends & family!!

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