Zimbabwe has been in the news regularly in the last number of years for all the wrong reasons. Since 2000,

- life expectancy rates have fallen,
- infant and under-5 mortality rates have increased,
- the prevalence of of HIV in the population is about 20%,
- 36% of the population live in absolute poverty (less than a US$1 a day),
- national income growth is negative,
- the percentage inflation rate is measured in thousands.

There is serious concern about human rights under the current ZAN-PF regime, and the forthcoming elections in March will be a test of democracy. The Human Rights Watch organisation highlighted these issues in its World Report 2008. Click here for pdf report.

The BBC provides an excellent profile of the country and a timeline of key events. Click here

In light of all this it is difficult for us to imagine how life could have any semblance of normality. Yet Fr Paul Horan, O Carm, who serves in St Killian's Mission, (also in eastern Zimbabwe) wrote in 2006: "Despite such hardship on a daily basis people are generally very joyful and positive about life. Suicide is a rare event, certainly in our area. Our liturgies are truly uplifting with plenty of singing, even at daily masses, dancing, drumming, and processions." (Knocklyon News June 2006.

In late 2007, Fr Paul accepted a donation from St Colmcille's Parish for the St Simon Stock community. The money will go towards essential repair and maintenance work including the roofing of a church. The parish is run by Carmelite friars: Fr Desmond Bvirakare, PP and Fr Robert (Bob) Kelly, CC. Fr Ned Ward moved from the Regina Coeli mission to St Simon Stock but in now home in Ireland.

However, to get a flavour of what life in Rusape is like in the current climate, you can read these notes sent to us by Fr Bob - Rambles in Zimbabwe

Received May 2010

Greetings from Rusape/Mutare to all on Knocklyon!
Fr Paul Horan has just attached some photos of the blessing of the Church in Nzvimbe. I'm availing of the opportunity to send a message of thanks to all the people who have supported this project and especially the parishioners in Knocklyon.

The building was well advanced when I had to leave Rusape hurriedly in June 2008 during the violent election campaign. After returning in September 2009, it took some time to settle in and pick up where I had left off. The floor, ramp and toilets were completed in due course. Saturday, May 8th, was blessing day.

Two open trucks and two pick up trucks left Rusape at 9.00 am with about one hundred people from St. Simon's and St Joseph's on board. Conditions were ideal. Clear clue sky with temperature about 20C. The 80km journey took about two hours as we navigated the uneven dirt roads.Parishioners from a local outstation, St. Anthony of Padua, arrived either by foot or the elders on a pickup truck.

The ceremony began at midday with all the people assembled outside, facing the church entrance. Bishop Muchabaiwa led the prayers, followed by the blessing of the outside of the church, then the interior when the entire congregation entered.
The church, 25x15meters, was full with the combined choirs in great voice. A beautiful celebration of the Eucharist. I offered Mass for all who had contributed in any way to the construction and completion of this sturdy building over the past five to six years.

The locals provided food,sadza(ground maize) and mashona chicken, for the entire congregation.
We were on the journey back to Rusape by 3.30pm with grateful hearts for all that has been achieved.
May the Good Shepherd reward all who are good to us.

Love and best wishes.
Bob Kelly O.Carm.

25/03/2010
Greetings from Rusape/Mutare!
Thanks for your message and the news that the farmers are selling off some of the cattle from the sheds. It will ease the pressure on the silage and the grass when the rest are let out.
Not a great St. Patrick's Day or week. A poor performance by the Irish horses at Cheltenham. A rather dismal display by Irish rugby team against Scotland in Croke Park. The Pope's letter to the Irish Church at the weekend. Not much to lift one's spirit.

Weekend ministry was fulfilling. I had planned to visit an old person in the bush on Thursday last but the rain poured down. On Saturday am I went with Sr.Thomas. There were three people in the house. Two in their 80's and a lady in her 60's, who has foot or leg problems. I had visited the latter's mother in June 2008, the Sunday before I had to leave. Her mother died shortly afterwards.They were very grateful for the visit. After lunch I made my way to Clare Farm, 45km on the road to Mutare.The little thatch roofed church is very basic but the small group of people are faithful. It was my first time there since my return in September. They were very welcoming.
There was a choir competition in Chinmanimani about four hour bus drive from Rusape on Saturday. The combined choirs of St. Simon's and St. Joseph's had been practicing for some weeks. They came ninth out of twenty and were disappointed with the results.

I was looking forward to the last rugby game and victory against the Scots in Croke Park on Saturday p.m.. Very disappointing. Too many basic mistakes.Difficult to explain after two good games against Wales and England.
The St. Josephs' men confraternity gathered at St.Joseph's Church for their annual weekend retreat. About one hundred turned up from the outstations. I gave eight men and their luggage a lift to St.Bernard's on Sunday morning. After Mass, I visited Ambrose nearby and celebrated three sacraments with him. He was in grateful mood for everything he had received.
We had a three day seminar on Child Protection in the Pastoral Centre, Mutare from March 23rd to 25th. It was sponsored and organised by Catholic Relief Services.The facilitator was a Methodist. She was very competent with a mixture of input and group work. Sex and sexuality are taboo subjects in Zimbabwe. However, all kinds of abuse: physical, emotional,sexual and neglect, are common in families and by members of the extended families.Orphans, in particular, are highly vulnerable.
The news of Bishop Magee's resignation being accepted by the Vatican came on the evening news of Wed. 24th. Of course, he should have resigned last year when it was clear that he had not cooperated fully with the investigation into two cases of clerical abuse in his diocese.

Tomorrow,March 26th, is Mum's anniversary. I will offer Mass for her at the Priory before returning to Rusape.
Love and best wishes.

30/03/2010.
Greetings!
I hope this message finds you well as we are united in celebrating the Paschal Mystery during this Easter Triduum.
Last week was busy but informative. The three day Seminar ran from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Afterwards, I went to Hillside Golf Club each day for a forty minute brisk walk with one of my Irish confreres. It was good to see the grounds staff cutting the rough, shaving the greens and the tee boxes.The course should be in better condition for our next outing.The Club had borrowed or leased a stronger tractor to cut through the dense rough.While it was doing the job, it was also emitting a wave of black smoke. The Club's own tractor, an old Ferguson 35( about thirty or forty years old )was not up to pulling the power driven cutter. As the rainy season comes to an end, this will be the last major grass cutting exercise at the Club.
The Seminar ended on Thursday at 4.00pm A committee of six was formed to produce a document on Child Protection before the end of May.I reluctantly allowed my name to go forward. It will mean a number of meetings to put shape on what we discussed and agreed.Fortunately, DOMCAP(Diocese of Mutare Catholic Aid Programme )will fund the project and provide secretarial services.

I received an email from the travel agents in Harare informing me of a change in my travel plans. Instead of flying out on the night of June 23rd, I will now fly out in the morning and arrive in Gatwick at 6.00pm, when Aer Lingus flights have gone. I will overnight in Gatwick. No big deal. Anything is better than passing through Johannesburg during the Soccer World Cup.
This is a beautiful time of the year in Zimbabwe as the temperature eases downwards to mid 20C(70F) during the day and about 8 or 10C at night. Limitless blue sky is the order of the day.
Africans love processions etc. Palm Sunday allows them to express themselves in movement and song. I was at Padua outstation 56km(35 miles) from Rusape. The faithful gathered under two huge trees, the school assembly area, where there were rows of small walls for seating. I did the blessing of the palms and a short homily. We processed about 200meters to the church, while the congregation waved their palms, sang and ululated. The passion was read by three young men. I had a story about a young French nobleman, from a background of privilege, Eugene de Mazenod, who entered a church in the south of France about two hundred years ago on Good Friday. He gazed on the crucifix and prayed. He was overcome by a realisation of God's mercy and God's special love for the poor. In the south of France, at that time, the people were poorly educated. They did not understand the language of the Church or the Government. Eugene decided to found an Order:The Oblates of Mary Immaculate to minister to the people in their own language, a hybrid French, a dialect disdained by the educated and upper classes.

I was on the road to Mutare on Sunday p.m. to play golf on Monday and to celebrate the Chrism Mass on Tuesday. For some months, I was driving off the tee far to the left, often into the rough or into the trees. I decided to have a lesson with the professional. He took me for a half hour on Monday at 10.00am. I had developed some bad habits, which may take some time to correct. The lesson was worthwhile.
It is 2.30pm on Tuesday 30th March. I have just returned to the Priory in Mutare from the Chrism mass at Danganbvura, a settlement area about ten km out of town.
The bishop spoke for forty six minutes!
I offered Mass for aunt Oliver Joseph and will offer Mass for Dad on Holy Thursday. Twenty five years have passed since his death.
Love and best wishes for a blessed Easter.

7/04/2010.
Greetings from Harare!
It was good talking to the folks in Ballinlig on Sunday and hearing that all were well and that farming was going according to plan in spite of the cold weather.I hope all goes well for Michael with the handicapped in Lourdes.
After a busy enough Holy Week I took off to Harare on Easter Monday a.m with Fr.O'Regan to play some golf.
The Easter Triduum went off well. We had good congregations each day. I celebrated the Easter Vigil at St. Joseph's, fire outside, procession of lighted candles and of course baptisms.There were twenty ranging from teenagers to babies at the breast. Sunset comes very quickly. It was dusk by 6.00pm. I had to use a torch to read the prayers for blessing of the fire and the candle.As we entered the church it was dark so the procession had a nice atmosphere.
I had Eucharist at St. Simon's on Sunday. The church was packed. The choir and congregation were in great voice. An easy day with no outstation. The Carmelite Sisters invited us to lunch. Four of us, Frs.O'Regan,Horan, a broker from Northern Ireland and myself played golf at Windgate on Tuesday morning.The course is in excellent condition.The African Open will be played in Zimbabwe for the first time in fifteen years, during the latter part of May. Some of the preliminary games will be played at Windgate.Perhaps, the best course in Harare. A most leisurely and enjoyable outing. We had a delicious evening meal with our friends from NI. After working in the Stock Exchange in Hong Kong, he came to Zimbabwe in 1983.He helped us a lot during the currency crisis over the last few years as he was able to get money exchanged at a good rate.

Fr.Horan was on his way to an education conference in Terenure, part of the 150th celebration. The Principal and Senior teacher in Kriste Mambo were going with him.They left on an early flight on Wednesday morning.
Fr O'Regan and I were back on the first tee at 8.30am on Wed. Another enjoyable outing. The advice of the professional in Hillside last week was bearing some fruit. It only costs Seniors $5.00US to play eighteen holes with eight dollars to the caddie, two dollars for his lunch, plus a tip. Unbelievable value. We played eighteen holes in just three hours. Afterwards, we met Dave Hipwell, a brother of the late Frs. Hipwell, both Carmelites who died tragically, one in a motor bicycle accident in Rusape, the younger in a boating/drowning accident on the River Shannon,near Athlone.Afterwards, we took Fr Louis, a young eighty year old Canadian Carmelite, to Mamma Mia's for a nice Italian lunch. He is bursar in Mt. Carmel and does a fantastic job on the gardens, growing vegetables with the help of a good irrigation system.
The political temperature rose a few notches in South Africa at the week end with the murder of a white farmer, an extreme racist.The youth leader of ANC, Julius Mulema, is also an extremist, singing a song with a refrain "Murder the African Boer". He was in Zimbabwe at the weekend, praising Mugabe and Co. for the land reform. He was speaking out of ignorance regarding the present situation..
Hopefully, the explosion does not come before the World Cup, which begins on June 11th. South Africa is a volatile violent place.
Will make our way back to Rusape on Thursday after a very enjoyable break.
Love and best wishes.

15/04/2010
Greetings!
Thanks for message and the prayers.Glad to hear that all went well at Lourdes and that the farmers have spread the fertilizer. The rise in temperature and the rains should boost growth after a late start.

The relaxed and enjoyable days in Harare were followed by a busy weekend. We drove from Harare to Rusape on Thursday am. Friday I was on my way to Nzvmbe. It was good to see the locals had completed the cement floor of the church and built a nice ramp at the entrance. The Blair toilet was half built. It is a dry toilet with a chimney which is closed at the top. Any flies that go into the toilet usually go up the chimney and get trapped. This prevents many infections. There were four toddlers for Baptism. A lot of driving in two days;two hundred kms from Harare to Rusape,160km to Nzvimbe and back. Half of the latter on dirt road. Even though I was tired, I stayed up to view Leinster defeat Claremont in the Heineken Cup Rugby game, 29-28. It was a very physical encounter.
There was no public water supply last week and no electricity from 6.00am until 10.30pm on Friday. I went to the Carmelite Sisters farm to collect twenty containers of spring water on Saturday morning. Ziweya is an outstation about 20km out of town.The locals were slow in coming. The paper work for baptisms, e.g. date of birth, parents' names were not written up. I had to postpone the baptisms until the next visit. When I returned to St.Simon's there were two Marymount sisters waiting for me. The gear box in their truck had collapsed. They needed a lift to Mutare. We had a quick lunch and set out on the 220kms round trip.More driving! 100km=60miles.
More rugby on Saturday pm. Munster played Northhampton at home in Limerick. It was a great game with the home side winning comfortably in the end.

I had a double header on Sunday.I had celebrated group baptisms in St. Joseph's at the Easter Vigil. The homily was on the readings of the Sunday. My second stop was Tsanzaguru about 25km. There were twenty five for baptism, the oldest a 53 year old man down to a baby. The paper work was well done. A homily on baptism on this occasion. It was after 2.00pm when I returned.The rain poured down as I drove to Mutare in mid afternoon.
The golf course was sodden after the heavy rains. I reverted to some of my bad habits of driving into the rough. On reflection, I think I was tired after all the driving of the previous weekend. I had also picked up a bit of a chest cold.The temperature changes rapidly from high twenties to low teens after the heavy rains.I stayed on in Mutare to work with the committee on the document "Child Protection Policy".
Love and best wishes.

21/04/2010
Greetings!
How lucky you are not to be travelling at this time of ash!
Last week went quickly as I spent Tuesday working with the committee on the Child Protection Document. I picked up a chest cold which was reluctant to let go but which lowered the energy level.Class with the prenovices on Wed. was leisurely as two of them were away on a church music course. We finished the morning by collecting a load of fire wood from the Carmelite Sisters Novitiate for the Sisters in Rusape.With the onset of the cold season, a fire will be necessary in the near future.We are at the end of the rainy/hot season. We had an inch of rain today, Tuesday, 20th. The days are shortening, with light from 6.00am until 6.00pm.

The weekend also was leisurely as I had no outstation on Saturday and only Mass at St..Simon's on Sunday, which was Independence Day. I took the opportunity to quote from the Mugabe's speech of thirty years ago" The wrongs of the past must stand forgiven and forgotten. The people of Zimbabwe should strive to adapt themselves intellectually and spiritually to the reality of political change and relate to each other as brothers bound to one another by a bond of national comradeship."The opposite has been the experience of the people. Almost twenty thousand were put to death in Matebeleland during the period after Independence, 1980.The Fifth Brigade, as it was called , were trained by the North Korean Communists.
This time he was back to his usual self of denouncing the US, Europe and of course his old enemy, Britain. Nothing changes. The blaming game is alive and well. Not much to celebrate after thirty years of destructive government policies. Recovery seems even further away than in the developed world.

There was a gathering of Cana/Charismatics groups at the Emmaus Spiritual Centre,Rusape. It is difficult to distinguish one from the other.They had sessions from Friday until Sunday p.m.. Monday was a bank Holiday for Independence.
Love and best wishes.

30/04/2010
Unseasonable weather seems to be the pattern here.
It was good talking to the folks in Ballinlig on Sunday and hearing that some of the lambs were ready for sale and the cattle were being let out to pasture.

On Friday last, there was heavy rain in the late afternoon accompanied by strong winds. The temperature dropped. Saturday was similar with rain without wind. I had a memorial Mass out at a family home in Tsanzaguru. The table was set up on the verandah at the front of the house.However, as the rain increased, we had to move inside.The living room was crowded as well as the adjoining rooms. We got through and left immediately after Mass.As usual, the women were cooking the meal out of doors during Mass.

Sunday was dry but very cold. The temperature in the quadrangle was at 20C but the harsh cold wind was biting. I had Mass at St. Joseph's. The people were slow in coming. Many of the women had gone to Mutare by bus for a confraternity meeting at St.Joseph's Sakuva. About a thousand gathered from the missions and out stations from Friday p.m. until Sunday morning. They love those gatherings as it is one of the few opportunities when they get away for a weekend.I had an easy weekend.

I went to Mutare on Sunday afternoon in time to watch Chelsea demolish the opposition in the English Soccer Premiership.My truck was booked in for a ten thousand km service on Monday morning. The cost $325.00US. Inflation is running high.

Monday was ideal for golf. The first time since last September that I did not use sun block.The ground was easy on the feet after the rain and the fairways and rough had been cut.Tees and greens were also in good condition. My first nine holes were good.

Following the Icelandic ash, Europe is now in crisis with the Greek economy in freefall. One wonders where it will end. We had our last committee meeting on the Child Protection Document on Tuesday. Thank God, our work is done. A meeting of all the clergy in the Diocese will be held on May 11th to finalise the document. It will them be printed and reviewed after a year.

We have reached saturation point on the coverage of the British election on SKY TV. The media are promoting the debates by the three leaders as if they were the best TV in the world.The result may be a hung parliament with no party getting an overall majority.

Love and best wishes to all.

05/05/2010
Greetings!

Glad to hear the farmers are selling off the lambs. The combination of rain and heat should bring good growth to the pastures. Lucky the stone came in the window behind you.
Another month and time moves on swiftly.
A weekend of different experiences. I was booked for a memorial Mass on Saturday at midday, which turned out to be a mass of thanksgiving for a graduation.A young lady from the settlement area, Vengere, had graduated with a B.Sc. in agricultural science.The family arranged Mass at the home. Her twin brother is in fourth year of Medical School. How a family in such humble circumstances could manage to send two of their children to College, while a third is at second level, is amazing. It gives some hope.The young lady,Suzan, is about to start a Master's degree later in the year.
Leinster went down tamely to Toulouse on Saturday p.m. in the Heineken Rugby Cup semi final.The opposition had too much muscle and strength.

Sunday, I had Mass at St.Andrew's. I gave a lift to a six/seven year old orphan girl back to her grandmother's place.It is a very sad scene. Her parents died. She was placed at the orphanage in Rusape. An aunt came and took her to her home. Within a short time the aunt died. She was left in the grandmother's care along with a number of other orphans. She goes back to the orphanage during school holidays and cries her heart out when returned to her grandmother. For legal or beaurocratic reasons, it is not possible for her to return permanently to the orphanage.So sad.
The outstation is well organized with good local leadership.I gave a lift to an old lady who has arthritis. The church was full with great participation by the congregation.After Mass, I gave the old lady a lift back to her home and retraced my journey to give an eighty seven year old and some others a lift to their drop off points. The old gentleman was so grateful. He finds the seven kms walk each way a bit much. As a result of the recent heavy rains, the dirt road to his place was very badly broken with gullies and big stones in some places.Much care needed in driving.
I made my way to Mutare on Sunday mid afternoon, hoping to watch Munster play Biarritz in the Heineken Cup semi final..
Unfortunately, the game was not shown live but was put on at 1.00am on Monday,while the result was announced on the 9.00pm news. Monday's Irish Times brought the news of McIlroy's victory in golf :GOLF: "ON THE eve of his 21st birthday and ahead of this week’s Players Championship, Rory McIlroy produced an imperious final round 62 to claim his first win on the PGA Tour at the Quail Hollow Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

But yesterday’s spellbinding final round 62 upped the ante to a completely new level as he closed out his first win in America with a 15 under par 273 winning aggregate. He also lowered the course record by two shots." A great performance by the young man!

I got a tummy chill at the weekend, sat between an open window and a door after perspiring on the journey from Rusape to Mutare. Was unable to play golf on Monday. My energy was very low. I took it easy at the Priory.

Mary Robinson paid a visit to Zimbabwe last week in her role of empowering women.The group was addressed by Mugabe. Robinson was very circumspect in her TV interview, saying "she noticed some tensions in the country."

Love and best wishes.

13/05/2010.
Many thanks for your message and the news that the farmers have the last of the lambs ready for sale.
We got news on Thursday last that the father, of the young lady who had graduated recently, had died suddenly. He had done the translation for me at the Mass of thanksgiving for her graduation on the previous Saturday. He was a primary school teacher in St. Joseph's and had been on sick leave for sometime. The funeral Mass was at his home in Vengere on Thursday evening. The body was then taken to Gurure his home rural area. It is a custom here for people to return to their area of origin to be buried. A big shock for all the family.
Monday this week brought the news of Fr.Mulcahy's death R.I.P.The oldest Carmelite in Ireland and a revered character.We offered Mass for him at the Priory on Tuesday morning.

The week end was busy. At long last we had the blessing of the church at Nzvimbe.
The building was well advanced when I had to leave hurriedly in June 2008 during the violent election campaign. After returning in September 2009, it took some time to settle in and pick up where I had left off. There was building and painting work to be done at St.Simon's for the ordination of two Carmelites and painting at St.Joseph's for the Confirmations in October. The floor, ramp and Blair toilets at Nzvimbe were completed in due course. Transport of cement on the dirt roads during the rainy season is a major problem.Saturday, May 8th, was blessing day.
Two open trucks and two pick up trucks left Rusape at 9.00am with about one hundred people from St.Simon's and St. Joseph's on board. Conditions were ideal. Clear clue sky with temperature about 20C. The 80km journey took about two hours as we navigated the uneven dirt roads.Parishioners from a local outstation, St. Anthony of Padua, arrived either by foot or the elders on a pickup truck.

The ceremony began at midday with all the people assembled outside, facing the church entrance. Bishop Muchabaiwa led the prayers, followed by the blessing of the outside of the church, then the interior when the entire congregation entered.
The church, 25x15meters, was full. The combined choirs were in great voice. A beautiful celebration of the Eucharist. I offered Mass for all who had contributed in any way to the construction and completion of this sturdy building over the past five to six years.

The locals provided food,sadza(ground maize) and mashona chicken, for the entire congregation.Mashona chicken are free range in contrast to broilers.The people who travelled with us from Rusape for the ceremony could not believe that we would go so far,160km round trip, to celebrate Mass on a monthly basis.
We were on the journey back to Rusape by 3.30pm with grateful hearts for all that has been achieved.
I had to cover much of the same journey on Sunday as I went to celebrate Eucharist at Fatima outstation.

The local news on TV is very parochial.Much time is given to what the Zanu politicians have to say. Road accidents are another daily feature. During the close of Holy Week and the end of Easier Week over one hundred people died on the roads. As I returned from Mutare on Tuesday p.m. there was debris near the junction of the Nyanga Road exit at the beginning of Christmas Pass. I learnt later on the news that a speeding bus had run into a parked truck on a wide and straight patch of road. Five people were killed and thirty eight injured.On Wednesday 12th, one of our elderly priests, Fr.Toner, was driving on Seke Road, near Hatfield. Harare when his side of the car was struck by a small commuter bus.He has five broken ribs and is unconscious at the time of writing. It seems that he was attempting a U turn on a major road.
Love and best wishes to all.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church 1994-2010
Nzvimbe,
Ward 31,
Makoni, Rural District Council,
Rusape.
Nzvimbe Church

1. The beginning and location:
Nzvimbe church is about 80km south of Rusape off Dorowa Murabinda Road: The church started in 1994 with only four members:Mr. and Mrs. Mabika, Mr. and Mrs. Mushori.
Fr Michael Leonard (Killaloe Diocese,Ireland) was the first priest to visit this small station.He introduced catechism lessons through Mr. B. Mudziwapasi, who is an ex teacher in the area.The lessons proved good and a after a while, twenty eight people were baptized. Nine couples were married in church. From there the church grew.
Later on, came Fr Simplisio Manyika O.carm., and Fr Michael Cooney(Killaloe Diocese, Ireland). The latter introduced Fr Bob Kelly O.Carm., to our station in September 2001
.

2.Request for a church:
In 2004, after ten years, a new committee with Mr. B.Mudziwapasi as chairperson, Mr. E.Mushori, secretary and Mr. S. Munodawaca,treasurer was formed.
In March 2004, Fr. D.Bvirakare and Sr. Thomas......advised the committee to write an application to Fr Bob Kelly, through the chairperson Mr. H.Ndorwi of St.Simon Stock Parish, Rusape.The application was accepted.


3. Building of the Church:
In 2006, the chairperson Mr.Mudziwapasi was called to Rusape for the good news of building the church.Church members supplied bricks. Fr.. Bob bought the materials required.I am very much pleased with the quality of the building work. It took almost one and a half years to complete this beautiful building. Everyone is now very happy. Thanks to Rusape Town Council and our Councillor, Mr. R. Mushori,who assisted in the pegging of the church site and area. Mr. Mushori and his family are also church members.


4.Comments:
First and foremost, I , the Chairperson,on behalf of the church members would like to Thank God for this great gift to us. Secondly, I would like to thank Fr.Bob Kelly for providing the materials for us. May God bless him. I don't want for forget to thank the following people for their input:Mr.H Ndorwi for forwarding our application to Fr.Bob. The first builder, Mr.Magoto, who did a nice job.Mr. Chirariro who did the roofing.Mr. Gwandingwa who made the church plan. Mr. C.Mutambira, a church member, who did most of the finishing:plastering, floor and sanctuary including altar, ambo and chair. We also added a toilet to the plan with all the cement provided by Fr. Bob.

5. The End:
I am very pleased to let you know that the church was blessed and officially opened on 08th May, 2010 by Bishop Alexio Muchabaiwa of Mutare Diocese.

Compiled by
Mr. B Mudziwapasi(Chairperson).
08/05/2010.

Received 16 March 2010

Greetings from Rusape, where the climate is moving from the warm wet season to the long cold dry spell.While the temperatures were high, it was the driest year since 2001.

A report by the International Red Cross and UNICEF, on SKY TV, March 11th, painted a grim picture of food and other shortages in Zimbabwe. It is estimated that 2.8 million people are hungry and suffering from malnutrition - a high percentage of these are women and children. A third of children are orphans. The year ahead will be difficult as the maize crop has failed due to the drought. It was stated that HIV/AIDS patients need to eat well daily, otherwise the medication has a detrimental effect. The New Zealand cricket team has cancelled their visit to Harare because of an outbreak of cholera. The matches may be played elsewhere.

This message brings my best wishes for St. Patrick's Day and Easter. I hope it finds you and yours well after the long severe winter. I keep up to date with the Irish news courtesy of the Irish Times News Digest. According to the economists, the turn around in the economy may be slow in coming.The turn around of trust in politics, banking and church leadership may be even slower. It is a painful time.
I have been unable to keep up to date with Schools' rugby results as the Irish Times does not seem to have the same coverage as in the past.

The following is an account of my pastoral and other activities since Christmas

With love and best wishes.

Bob Kelly O.Carm.

29/12/'10
Greetings and best wishes for the New Year!

Tuesday, 22nd, was Unity Day. Doctors were off. However, all shops/businesses were open with the exception of the banks. As a result, there were crowds at all the cash outlets, getting some money out for Christmas.I tried without success to get some money changed. Some shops will take Euro or Sterling and give a better rate of exchange than the banks. I bought a fine boneless Horseshoe ham, seven and a half kgs, about 15lbs.

I played golf with the brethren on Monday and Tuesday and enjoyed the outings. Ambrose was discharged on Wed morning. He was not very happy with the care or lack of it in the hospital. I took him and his son back to St. Simon's for lunch before taking them out to their humble home in the bush. We provide him with some basic groceries, thanks to a donor in Dublin.

I celebrated the Vigil Mass and preached in St.Simon's at 6.00pm. Christmas is not a big event in Zimbabwe.The church was about two thirds full. It was the same on Christmas Day in both St. Simon's and St. Joseph's. However, a full church gathered at the outstation, St.Andrew's. A lot of people go to the country for Christmas, bring some gifts and take back some maize and other basics to sustain them in the weeks ahead. I took the theme from this year's Liturgical Calendar: Reconciliation, Justice and Peace. Many Catholics buy a Liturgical Calendar or Guide for the readings at Sunday and weekday masses.They are well acquainted with the Bible. After Eucharist in St.Andrew's, I gave a lift to an old couple. The man is 87 and walks 7km to church. He has about 2km to walk from where I drop him off. It was 2.30pm by the time I got back to St.Simon's.Time to unwind before dinner.Ten of us, eight Carmelite sisters from local convent and farm, plus two of us, enjoyed a delicious meal of turkey, ham, vegetables and a few glasses of wine. Apple tart, custard and ice cream. A local white farmer's wife gives us a nice rich fruit cake. It is almost like a plum pudding. I doused the Ballinlig plum pudding with local whiskey but it failed to light. Bad whiskey! We enjoyed it very much. St. Stephen's Day. I had a memorial Mass in the location/settlement area for a 32 year old woman, a victim of AIDS, whose funeral I officiated at some time ago.

Communication wise, I had a frustrating time from Dec 23rd to 29th. Several good friends sent emails and attachments with pictures, music, reflections etc. They jammed the email access, with some messages coming in as often as nine times. The ordinary email phone access in Rusape was too slow to download the material. Thank God for broadband. They have radio broadband in Mt. Carmel. I was able to clear the back log in a few minutes. Good to be back in contact with you and the outer world ..
We had a good Christmas. Sunday 27th was the Feast of the Holy Family. I garnered a few thoughts from Pope Paul V1's reflection: Holy Family at Nazareth, place of prayer, gentleness and work. I had mass at St. Simon's. The church was packed. The folks who had gone to the rural area had returned.
It was a real struggle for them, as transport was not able to deal with the crowds waiting patiently for hours to travel home.

Next stop Nembaware, 74km each way, with a little over fifty on the dirt road. As it had not rained for over a week , I was able to take the normal route. Once again, the church was packed. The locals had carried out the plan for the sanctuary, with altar, ambo and chair nicely constructed in local stone. A teenage builder had done the work assisted by many locals.The pointing between the stones could be a little sharper. I congratulated them on the fine work. Another sanctuary completed.

Instead of going to Mutare on Monday 28th, three of us went to Claremont Golf Course between five and six thousand feet above sea level. The scenery is spectacular with the course surrounded by the Nyangan Hills. The course manager apologized for the state of the greens. The broken down lawn mower was being repaired in Mutare so the greens had not been cut for the Christmas weekend.Green fees were $5.00, caddie fees $5.00 plus tip. Nyangan fresh trout and French fries with three soft drinks and tea for three, amounted to $19.00. Great value.

We returned to Rusape for evening meal.The smoked Horseshoe boneless Ham tasted terrific. What was left over, we sent up to the novices. There is a lot of carving on a seven and a half kg ham.
Fr Paul Horan and I made the two and a half hour journey to Harare on Tuesday 29th.,with the intention of staying until Saturday, Jan 2nd. Each of us had some business to do. We combined that with some golf.
Mt. Carmel Student House was built in the 50's as an orphanage by the Nazareth Sisters. It was acquired by the Carmelites in the early 90's, renovated and extended. It sits on about four acres of land, some of which is used as a vegetable garden and the rest as lawn with two tarmac tennis courts. Fr. Louis, a French Canadian, keeps the place spick and span. It is a very relaxing environment. Windgate Golf Course is only fifteen minutes drive. We played there on Wed.morning.
With love, best wishes and God's blessings on all of you for 2010.

6/01/'10
Greetings and best wishes as we launch into the New Year!
The difference in climate is immense -minus grades in Ireland while Zimbabwe grades move towards the high 30'sC. It is becoming difficult to sleep at night. On Sunday night, Jan 3rd, I slept with just the mosquito net to cover me. Even with that, I perspired quite a lot.

Christmas week was very relaxing. I had an early start on Monday,28th. Poor old Ambrose had problems with his catheter. I went out at 5.45am to take him to Rusape General Hospital. People were already working in the fields, cultivating and weeding. Sadly, we had no rain since before Christmas. Crops are stagnant and will wither unless rain, and plenty of it, comes soon.
Four games of golf in eight days is very unusual for me. Having played in Clermont on Monday,28th, we played again on Wed.30th and on Friday 1st Jan. in Windgate, Harare. The course is well maintained. The fairways are narrow with pine trees on both sides and a number of dog legs. We played before 9.00am, had the course to ourselves and completed the eighteen holes in three and a half hours.

We went to the travel agent on Tuesday 29th. The lady was not very positive about Air Zimbabwe. However, I still booked my flight for June 23rd, Harare/Gatwick. I have to make my own arrangements for Gatwick/Dublin but that should be no problem. I presume the agent gets a better percentage on higher fares. Collecting liturgical guides and altar breads was more of our business. There were no liturgical calendars, which a lot of people prefer to the liturgical guides. It took over an hour and a half to get some money changed in a bank, where one of the staff is a brother of one of my African confreres. I was standing in the heat of the midday sun, guarding my truck, while Fr Paul Horan waited impatiently in the bank. Imagine having to go to Harare to have foreign currency changed into US dollars!
Business done. It was back to Rusape on Saturday morning in time for lunch. Christmas is a very popular time for weddings. Because of the shortages, both of goods and money last year, many couples postponed their weddings. The reception was held on the church grounds with the local women doing the catering.The loud music was not conducive to a siesta.

I had Mass at St. Joseph's on Sunday morning. A full church in joyful mood with plenty of song and movement. A good start to the day. We celebrated the Mass of Epiphany. All holidays of obligation are celebrated on Sundays.
I went to Mutare on Sunday pm, played golf at Hillside in the midday to mid afternoon heat on Monday. At the third hole there was a massive clap of thunder and a vicious flash of lightening. I dropped my umbrella with fright. We took shelter in a hut until rain, thunder and lightening eased off. Unfortunately, the rain was only sporadic.

I'm finishing off this message in Mutare on Wed.6th, where I came for the Simple Profession of two Carmelite Sisters. Rain came in abundance on Tuesday pm - about an inch fell in two hours. Good for the gardeners and farmers. Not so good for telephone , email or internet, which were not working this am.

12/01/'10
Greetings from hot and dry Mutare/Rusape!
The ongoing heat is a cause of major concern as there has been no significant rain for over two weeks. It is almost at critical point for the maize crop.
You may have noticed in my last message that I had Sunday down as Jan 6th, where in fact it was Jan 3rd. The celebration of the Epiphany on the Sunday confused me as we use the liturgical calendar for the rest of the week both for Mass and Prayer of the Church with our starting point as Jan 6th. A lapse of memory!
You certainly got your share of severe weather. You will be glad to se the end of the cold spell and safer driving conditions.

Having gone to Mutare for the profession of the Carmelite Sisters on Wed.Jan 6th, the week went very quickly. I had an easy weekend as a memorial Mass for Saturday was canceled. I had only one Mass on Sunday at St. Simon's. Fr Andrew is back from his annual holiday. With three of us the week end work load is light. I took the opportunity to do some reading and prepare new material for classes with the prenovices at Kriste Mambo. It is good to do something fresh.
Golf on Monday was less than satisfactory. A good start on the first two holes and then the wheels came off. Bogey followed by bogey. However, It is always good to get out with the brethren. The heat was intense at times. Two of us bring flasks of iced water. Approaching the 17th tee I asked my caddie for the flask. It was almost empty. I thought the cook may not have tightened the cap properly. Then the caddie said "Baba, I used the water to wet the towel for cleaning the balls". I couldn't believe what I was hearing. We had a good laugh.

I kept Mary Cleary's Christmas cake to finish off the Christmas season on Sunday, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Like keeping the good wine until last. It was delicious.
When I came to the Priory on Sunday PM, I found that radio broadband had been installed. The technician adjusted my lap top on Monday am. It is a marvelous facility. One can send or receive messages from any part of the house, without having to dial any numbers.

I'm writing this from the Priory, Mutare. Fr Desmond brought Ambrose to Mutare Hospital outpatients early this Tuesday morning for his first check up with the surgeon. He was first in but was not seen by the doctor until 12.30. He had to have the stitches out but the whole process is very slow. I'm waiting to go back to the hospital at 3.00pm. Hopefully, he will be ready for the trip home.
In the introduction to my long Christmas letter, I stated that political violence had decreased.However, take over of farms is ongoing. Three local white farmers, in the Rusape area, were dispossessed in December. One family were forced out by young political thugs on Christmas Eve.
Love and best wishes to all.

20/01/2010.
Greetings!
Ireland and England have had the worst snow and frost in years.
I made three trips to Mutare Hospital before Ambrose was ready to travel home. Fr Desmond had him at the hospital at 7.45am on Tuesday,12th. It was 12.30 before he saw the surgeon. By then the nurses were on lunch break until 2.00pm. I called at 12.30;1.45 and finally at 3.15. Things move slowly in this country. The stitches were out. The good news was that he was feeling much better. The cook at the Priory had made up lunches for Ambrose and his son. On leaving the hospital and reaching the tar road, I asked Ambrose to say a prayer. As I sped along the steep and winding Christmas Pass, he prayed in thanksgiving for all who had helped him.He was very grateful. All that remained was that he would get the results of the biopsy, which had been sent to the lab. on Dec 23rd. The results were on the way from Bulawayo. He was back home by 4.45pm.

I had a funeral service on Wed at the Crematorium. An old European had died at the local nursing home. He had no family here. His former white friends looked after his funeral arrangements.The crematorium is a simple structure. An open shed with a plinth for the coffin. As I did not have a ritual in English, I had to do a little improvisation. About a dozen people gathered. After the service, the coffin is placed on an iron trolley, with three tiers of timber, which is pushed into an enclosed space with a chimney and set on fire. The ashes would be ready for collection on Saturday. I did not wait for the final part, lighting the fire. Instead of having class with the prenovices on Wednesday, I went to Kriste Mambo on Thursday. It was my first class with them after their break of a month at home.

The post brought some belated Christmas mail. Zol staff were on retraining courses on Friday and Saturday. The service was poor.

Five of the six/seven year old children from the local orphanage moved on to Mt. Mellary Mission Station a week ago.It will be a big change for them.They came from the orphanage, a block away, to say thanks. There is a large boarding school at the Mission.They will go into first class in the Primary School.They were either abandoned or their parents and grandparents had died of AIDS. A new group will take their places in the near future.

Still no rain even though the sky has been murky on a few occasions. The temperature increases. The dark clouds roll around. There is the odd clap of thunder and yet no rain.
Haiti earthquake is dominating the world news.What a tragedy for the people! Our shortage of rain is minuscule in comparison. You will be glad to see the end of the snow and frost.
Having confirmed by phone that the results of Ambrose's biopsy had come to the clinic in Mutare, I went there on Monday morning, only to find that they had been sent to Rusape Clinic. I dropped in, on my way to St. Simon's, to collect them.Thank God, he got the all clear. No malignancy.
Love and best wishes.

29/01/2010.
Greetings!
This time last year I was struggling with a heavy head and chest cold, while also adjusting to the cold conditions of Dalgan Park. Now, it is a case of coping with a prolonged hot and dry spell, wishing that there would be a days rain to break the monotony and freshen the air.
The network was malfunctioning last week, Being without communication with the outer world is, to say the least, a bit frustrating. It is so good to be able to receive the Irish Times Digest early in the morning, not to mention emails.

I spent Thursday morning visiting the sick and housebound. One elderly woman had eleven children. Only three are alive. The others were victims of AIDS. A lot of loss in her life.
I had Eucharist at the school on Friday at 7.00am. The children sang "Early in the morning I will rise and praise the Lord". They pass by our house before 6.00am on their way to do homework or study at school. Few of them bring their copies/books home. One English teacher told me she has 50 pupils in class but only ten English text books for comprehension work.

Local TV news informed us last week that there are areas in Mutare which had no running water for the past four years.There are thousands of people living in crowded accommodation in these locations.
I had Mass at Padua on Sunday. It is a very hot place.The maize crop is turning yellow while only about eighteen inches high. It was good to see the new altar, ambo and celebrant's chair in place. A local parishioner had donated the materials. A big improvement on the worn out timber fixtures.The church was packed and the people were in celebratory mood.

Since Christmas we had been hoping to have a game of golf at Leopard Rock, about forty kilometers from Mutare overlooking the Mozambican border. It is a spectacular place. In former times,Royalty, including the Queen,stayed at the hotel One of the tees is named The Queen Elizabeth while others are Kilcullen, St. Andrew's and World's View.How the architects/engineers designed it on this mountainous range is baffling.The course is 6164 meters long with lots of water and other hazards. Situated at between five and six thousand feet above sea level, the air is refreshing.The psalmist would be at home there;"And you mountains and hills, bless the Lord."Or the opening line of Eucharistic Prayer Three: "All creation rightly gives you praise." Four of us teed off at 11.00am on Monday 25th, taking the best placed ball for our next shot.The ninth hole, a 165 meters par three, is surrounded by water on three sides. I had par on it, which made my first nine. A young African man was up to his waist or higher in the water searching for lost balls. We had a hamburger for lunch and were finished the round by 4.00pm. Eighteen holes, plus caddie, a hamburger and soft drinks for lunch, cost each of us $35.00US. A room in the Hotel(sharing) during the World Cup- costs $200.00US per night. A few drinks on the verandah after the game and we were on our way back to the Priory. The mountainous road is very steep and crooked. Sadly, there was a horrific crash about half way down. At least three people were dead on the roadside as a mini bus and car crashed into early other. The car was a wreck and the mini bus had gone over the edge.

I went directly to Kriste Mambo from Mutare to take class with the novices on Tuesday morning. The Novice Director is taking a few days off. Once again, the views are extraordinary, a combination of hills and valleys with the odd stream. On Wed. I took both prenovices and novices for class, discussing Pope Benedict's letter "The Year of the Priest", with special reference to St. John Mary Vianney, the patron saint of all priests, whose one hundred and fiftieth anniversary the Church celebrates.
Hope all goes well with the farmers during the lambing and calving season.
Love and best wishes to all.

14/02/2010
Greetings!

After a week, our phone was reconnected on Thursday 4th. A technical fault according to the phone people. It is just so frustrating to be out of touch, either by email or Internet. At least the TV news from SKY and BBC kept us abreast of the developments in NI. Thank God, justice and policing are now in the hands of the local politicians. Hard to believe that it took almost eleven years to agree on such a basic part of governing.The die hards are slow to let go of their privileged positions.

We expected to have a funeral on Thursday p.m. The woman was from an outstation. Local custom dictates that the body can only be in the house for one night. Otherwise, the family have to pay money to "the head man." Unfortunately, when the body was taken to Rusape Hospital on Wed. p.m. there was no refrigeration in the morgue. The body had to be taken 80km to Marondera. It was late when they arrived on Thursday evening. It was agreed that we would do the funeral Mass on Friday at 10.30am and that someone would meet us on the dirt road. The burial has to take place before noon . Otherwise they have to wait until the mid afternoon. While I celebrated Eucharist under the tarpaulin, nearby,15meters away, four women vigorously stirred the sadza in a forty gallon barrel. There was great activity preparing the meal.
They were waiting when I arrived. We drove deep into the bush on very uneven terrain. I have never been so far away from even a dirt road. There was a gathering of about 200 people. Everything was ready, including a tarpaulin to protect padre from the sun. The cloth covering on the table was a zambyia with quotations in French from St. Luke's Gospel about death and resurrection.A good start for the homily. I forgot to ask where they got the zambyia. A zambyia, a wrap around, is worn by women when they are seated on the ground. Sitting on the ground is the usual posture as they do not have chairs in their houses.

I had a good weekend with a memorial Mass on Saturday in Vengere township or settlement area, and at St.Andrew's outstation on Sunday. We got a lot of mangos in the offertory processions:some for the orphanage, the convent and ourselves. I took the surplus ones to the Priory, Mutare. I was able to watch the play off of the Dubai Open on Sunday p.m., between Westwood and Jiminez, before leaving for Mutare.Ireland deserved their victory over Italy in the Six Nations Rugby in Croke Park, but they will need to step up the pace against the French in Paris on Saturday.

I had a pleasant game of golf on Monday with good scores on the first nine.
After class in Kriste Mambo on Wed. I went to Nyanga, about 60km from Kriste Mambo, to visit a couple in their 80's.Years ago,they farmed extensively in the Sabi Valley. The husband was an accountant while the wife was a nurse.They were evicted from the farm by the War Vets. Later they had a fuel filling station and general store in Juliasdale, which they were forced to sell at a knock down price to a ZANU PF supporter some years ago. Like many other elderly whites, they are supported by their son who lives and works in Mozambique. He had to flee the country some years ago as he was body guard to TSvangarai, the leader of the Opposition.
With love and best wishes.

21/02/2010
Greetings from Rusape!

The heat at the weekend was stifling. I had Mass at an outstation on Friday in a small galvanized roof church built on sheer rock.The people were slow in arriving. GOAL was distributing food a few kms from the church. On the way to the church, there were many people carrying the food in wheel barrows or scotch carts(pulled by cattle) and some on their heads: 50kgs of mealie meal, 5kgs of beans and two litres of cooking oil for each family.GOAL distributes the food on a monthly basis. Hopefully, the Government majority party, ZANU PF, will not interrupt the process as they did some years ago when Concern were involved in a similar project.Frs. Kilmurray and Troy arrived from Dublin via London/Joburg on Friday and made their way directly to Mutare.They had the weekend to relax before two long meetings on Monday and Tuesday with the brethren. I had a memorial Mass for a young woman, late twenties/early thirties, on Saturday morning. That was followed by the blessing of the headstones for her parents' graves, who had predeceased her. She and her parents had separate individual graves, in which no one else will be buried. It has something got to do with ancient custom and the world of the spirits. A very complex world!

The electricity went off shortly after the rugby game between Ireland and France kicked off at 6.30p.m. on Saturday. Fortunately, we have the generator to give us light and power to operate the computer and TV. The game and the result were both disappointing.One comment from a man from the Midlands says it all:“I thought the French defense was just fantastic,” said Larry Flanagan from Moate, Co Westmeath afterwards. “We just weren’t good enough I guess. It was a terrible pity that D’Arcy didn’t get that first try when he kicked ahead. That would have given us momentum. But we weren’t good enough.”

Sunday was an easy day with Mass at St.Simon's. The twentieth anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela, from his twenty seven years imprisonment, gave me an opportunity to speak about peace and reconciliation.I applied to him the words from Eccleiasticus 44:1 - 15 Let us praise illustrious men, our ancestors in their successive generations. Some of them left a name behind them, so their praises are still sung.Their names live on for generations. I offered Mass for Oliver on his anniversary and remembered Michael and Maeve McLoughlin.Their families were celebrating their anniversaries in Dublin. I was with them in spirit and in prayer.

Our meetings were long, from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. on Monday and from 8.00a.m. to 2.00p.m. on Tuesday.Suitable personnel for formation work in novitiate and house of studies is a major concern.The visitors brought out some mail, medication and a book recording the history of Terenure College, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary.Mass was celebrated and televised on the foundation day, Jan.10th, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. A lecturer in history in UCD, Fergus Darcy, wrote the book. It is a beautiful publication, running to between 550 and 600 pages with photos to record events over the years.

My daily circuit training is going well. Thirty five minutes morning and evening.I hadn't lost any weight since before Christmas.I'm still 91kgs, about 200lbs.The effort to loose ten pounds between now and end of June has begun. I'm hopefull!!
Love and best wishes.

26/02/2010

Greetings!

The media coverage of abuse in Dublin Archdiocese is very painful reading.

My weekend plans and ministry were altered due to the death of a Carmelite, Sister Frances in Mutare I celebrated Eucharist at the school on Friday morning.There was a full church. Of course, only the baptized received the ashes. Africans are very interested in ritual.

There was a funny incident on SKY News on Ash Wednesday. Joe Biden, Vice President of the US, appeared on TV giving an account of his visits to various parts of the country, including a trip to the Winter Olympics in Canada. There was a black mark on his forehead. The anchor lady and the sports reporter on SKY wondered if he had fallen or had an accident at the Olympics. After the commercial break, the anchor lady, Kay Burley explained that it was Ash Wednesday and that it was the mark of the ashes on his forehead. She confessed to being not a good catholic. Mention of confessing. Tiger did a St.Augustine like confession for his infidelities, transgressions and affairs live on TV.The Irish Times report concluded an editorial 'a Tiger doesn't change his stripes'. The prurience of the media was not satisfied because no questions were allowed.

I took four Carmelite Sisters to Mutare on Friday after lunch for the all night vigil of their member.I had hoped to play nine holes or at least have a good walk in Hillside.The rain came down heavily and did so all through the night. After the funeral Mass, I made my way to Triashill via Rusape to collect some confraternity women at base. There were three accidents on the 100km stretch of main road, two involving lorries or heavy trucks and one car which had gone off the road into a dike. Every trip is a reminder of how dangerous the roads are here. I say a prayer to my Guardian Angel on every outing.
Sunday was an easy day with Mass only at St.Bernard's. The outstation, where Ambose lives, is a short distance from his home. He was looking great and in good humour. With tears running down his cheeks he said "I am well again." It was my first time to see him since early January, when he had a check up at Mutare General Hospital. A victim of polio at seven years old, his legs never developed fully . He uses crutches.We celebrated three sacraments in the shade under the eve of the thatched house/round hut and then gave him groceries to do for the month.There were three small steel stools, about the size of the ones we used long ago for milking the cows. We sat, sang and prayed.
We had good rains this week.
Love and best wishes

4/03/2010.
Greetings from Rusape!

At long last the tropical rains have come. I was in Denzva for Mass on Friday,where there is a temporary thatch roof supported by light poles. It is like an umbrella.We had just reached the truck at about 2.30pm when the heavens opened. It rained constantly from then until midday on Monday. The reservoir/dam, which had been very low, is now overflowing but our water supply is sporadic and uncertain. Not enough pressure to fill the tank, which is about fifteen feet high. It is back to the bucket and sponge instead of a shower.

I had a feast of rugby on Friday night and Saturday evening. Ireland left it late to beat England but it was a good victory.Three tries in any game is a good score. Sunday was a busy and long day with mass at St.Joseph's at 8.00am and at Nembaware 12.00 noon.It took one and a quarter hours to drive the 54km(about 35 miles) journey, half of it on a very slippery dirt road. There were small numbers at mass in both places. I got back to Rusape by 2.45, had a quick lunch and set off in the rain to Mutare. My neck and shoulders were very tired from the shaking on the rough terrain.It rained heavily through the night.On Monday morning it seemed unlikely that we would have golf. However, by midday it cleared up. There was surface water on the fairways but we had an enjoyable outing.

Four attempts at getting diesel from Reddan fuel station failed. Their station in Juliasdale, 60km away from Rusape, is closing. However, we are fortunate there is another one 30km from here on the way to Harare.Water supply, electricity and phone services have been very erratic in recent times.
Monday was another dark day for Zimbabwe.The Government, ZANU PF, passed legislation in 2007, under the title Indigenous and Empowerment, that all businesses, valued over five hundred thousand US dollars, should be 51% owned by local people in five years time.On Monday they were trying to reactivate this legislation.The mining industry which is underdeveloped and undercapitalized will remain unproductive for years to come.Having destroyed the farming industry as well as tourism, the third plank of the economy, in the past, is now doomed to failure. There is an element of self-destruct in politics. It will be interesting to see if MDC(formerly in opposition but now in partnership with ZANU in government) can prevent the implementation of this crazy policy. While in Mutare I browsed through the book on Terenure College. It is very well written. A trip down memory lane!

Fr Kilmurray completed his visit and returned to Dublin on Saturday to severe winter weather.He would have got a flavour of tropical rain in Harare before his departure.
My summer schedule is falling into place. I fly home on June 23rd and return to Zimbabwe on September 9th.I have booked the Carmelite Cottage in Wicklow, beside the sea and a golf course, from June 25th to July 2nd. A wedding in Rathfarnham,Dublin, on July 2nd.I will fly to the US on July 8th to do Mission Appeal out of New York from weekend 10th/11th July until August 16th. My Carmelite confrere in New York will arrange the places where I will preach.The details will come later.
Love and best wishes to all.

11/03/2010.
Greetings!
The rains continue. On Thursday, March 4th, I went out at 7.15am to celebrate Eucharist at the Carmelite Sisters Farm a few kms out of town.The river was in spate. About a foot of water was flowing rapidly over the bridge. As there was no parapet or protective walls on the bridge, I could not risk driving through the rushing water. A local man, in a truck, directed me and led me on an alternative route to the farm, going out to the main Rusape/Harare road and crossing the high bridge before taking the longer dirt road to the farm.While I arrived a half hour late, the Sisters were glad I made it.

Sr. Thomas, the parish pastoral sister, celebrated her 75th birthday on Friday. The local women's confraternity organised a Mass for her at 2.00pm followed by an African meal. I ate some goat! I was celebrant and homilist for the occasion.The Africans have a love of talking. Numerous people paid tribute to her work with the local community. Each speech was followed by a song or a verse from a hymn.

Mr. Zuma, President of South Africa, accompanied by wife number three,(he has five), was hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. He had an entourage of two hundred. His efforts to get the sanctions against Zimbabwe lifted got a cold reception.The article below on land distribution is an indication of Government failure. Most of the redistributed land is unproductive. The same is true in Zimbabwe. However, there will be no audit or admission of failure here. The political hacks blame the sanctions for every failure.

The sale of tickets for the World Cup Soccer, June 11th to July 11th, is way below expectation. Prices are drastically reduced.The downturn in the world economy and the fear of violence in South Africa are contributory factors. It is estimated that twenty thousand people are murdered annually.
Love and best wishes

The Irish Times - Thursday, March 4, 2010
ANC admits farm transfers to non-whites have failed
BILL CORCORAN in Cape Town

MORE THAN 90 per cent of the formerly white-owned farms the South African government bought to allocate to victims of apartheid have failed commercially, a government minister has said.

Minister of rural development and land affairs Gugile Nkwinti said the land reform programme’s failure had prompted the government to abandon the initiative, as they would not reach the target of transferring 30 per cent of land to non-whites by 2014.

Following the onset of democracy in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) government established the flagship programme to redistribute the country’s land, the vast majority of which was in the possession of the white population, in an equitable manner.

However, Mr Nkwinti told reporters in Cape Town: “The reality is that this has not happened. We have not talked about the revenue that the state has lost because farms totalling 5.9 million hectares, which were active and accruing revenue for the state, were handed over to people.

“And more than 90 per cent of those farms are now not functional. They are not productive and the state loses revenue.

“We cannot afford to go on like that.”

The minister also warned beneficiaries of the redistribution programme who were leaving their farms unproductive that their land would be repossessed, in order to ensure agricultural output did not fall further.

According to Mr Nkwinti, the main reason behind the land reform programme’s failure was that those who benefited did not have the skills “to continue producing effectively and optimally on the land”.

He went on to say new proposals to turn around the now defunct initiative had already been drawn up and would be presented to cabinet for approval by the end of this month. They would then be made public by the end of May.

As a stopgap measure, the government had set aside just under €50 million this year to aid the farms currently in trouble.

Included in the policy document, Mr Nkwinti added, would be a proposal to restrict foreign ownership of South African land, as non-nationals were buying it up three times faster than the government was able to acquire it for redistribution.

The restriction of land ownership by non-South Africans was first mooted during the era of former South African president Thabo Mbeki, which ended in September 2008, but the government of the day never followed through on the proposal.

This message arrived from Bob on 16 Nov 2009.

Greetings from the Bush to all in Knocklyon Parish!

I hope this message finds you all well. I have fond memories of my time with you this time last year.
As a result of electricity cuts, phones out of order and multiple problems with Zol email and internet, it has been a struggle to communicate with the outer world.

After two months I'm back in my stride, busy but fulfilled with life and ministry.
Thank God all my family are well and working.

Love and best wishes.
Bob Kelly O.Carm.