We moved into our apartment at Greenglade last week. The former occupants have moved out to the VIM-built faculty housing on AU campus. We were spoiled at the Mountview, but it is time to settle in to life at Greenglade and shed our insulated hotel existence. Our address here is 17 Greenglade, Hardy Crescent, Umsasa, Mutare, Zimbabwe. We also have a phone. To call from the States the number is 011-263-20-62380. The people who live here are all on the staff at Africa University and are like one big family, and we are already getting better acquainted and developing closer relationships here. There are lots of children and young people, so it is a busy (and sometimes noisy) place. We have been warned never to leave our windows open and food out in the kitchen as the monkeys come in the windows and help themselves (especially bananas) or trash the place looking for food.

The books which have arrived for the library at Hartzell have almost all been processed and will soon be ready for the teachers to check them out and take them to their rooms for the children to enjoy. All but about 2 bags that we sent from home have come now. Whenever a new bag arrives, it always seems like a miracle that it made it over such a great distance. Ann has hired two unemployed young high school graduates to help her do the book processing. They are both bright and catch on fast, so things have gone quickly. (Fortunately for her, but unlucky for the country, there is a large pool of talented people and a scarcity of jobs.) The room for the library is not quite ready. A carpenter is making the shelves and furniture from scratch. The lumber has been purchased and some of the shelf brackets and shelves have been installed, so things are progressing. It is wonderful to see it take shape.

Answering the questions sometimes posed a challenge for her.

Two boys reading.

Ann has attended two United Methodist Women's meetings. They are held every Friday in the church at the Hartzell Mission and women come from the area around the mission. The meetings are all in the Shona language. Several of the teachers from Hartzell Primary School come, so one of them acted as a interpreter, but Ann still missed a lot of what goes on. She was impressed, however, with their devout and enthusiastic Christian witness and the support and sisterhood they have with each other. They all wear uniforms of blue cotton dresses trimmed in red and white turbans on their heads, the colors signifying aspects of their faith. She was told they have uniforms so it will be have an equalizing effect and some women will not feel inferior because they can't afford fancier clothing.

Mr. Maramba, the headmaster at Hartzell Primary School, gave a welcoming party for us on Monday. He invited several teachers from the school and the pastor who is Mission Station Chairman and his associate. We had a nice meal (including sadza) and the headmaster and the pastor gave speeches of such praise and appreciation for her work that it was almost embarrassing. Ann responded that she was only doing what she enjoys doing -- working with kids and books.

Hartzell schoolchildren reading their books.

Morris' American History class has sorted itself out so there are about 25 students in it now. He is much happier with this number than the 60 originally promised. The 60 represented the entire group of experienced secondary Arts and Humanities teachers completing a two-year program for their bachelor's degree and all had been forced into the class, as there were no options offered. When other subjects were offered at the last minute, most of the non-historians opted out. There will be much more chance for interaction with those who remain. He gave his first exam last week and now has a pile of essay questions to finish.  The gift of texts is much appreciated, since most simply couldn't have afforded to buy one. The text would have cost them the equivalent of nearly a month's wages of one of the university's secretaries. The remaining copies will be used another semester. Meanwhile the library's history collection will be augmented by much appreciated donations of both new and used books -- of their choice. Those of you who have supported us should know that you are making a significant contribution to the future of many hardworking students -- and of Africa.

The students at Africa University have been on "strike" this past week, however, so no classes. The National Students' Union planned a week of demonstrations to protest the government's drastic cut in student support and its refusal to discuss the matter with them. Since this also affected most of AU's students, they agreed to participate. The demonstrations didn't occur, because riot police (shields, helmets, truncheons, tear gas) blockaded the entrances to every college in the country and refused to let them off the campuses. (The government still uses authority from the colonial era to forbid any gathering that it considers dangerous to order and stability.) There was no real trouble, just considerable bother and a surreally quiet campus. Based upon the little said in the media (even in the independent papers), most of the public seemed to believe it was a good idea to keep them from demonstrating. Morris and Ann are trying hard to avoid commenting on Zimbabwe's politics. It is difficult, especially when so many people have to so much to say about it to us.

Morris is enjoying getting acquainted with the faculty at AU. It is even more international than the student body. Deans of faculties come from Tanzania, Nigeria, Congo, and Ghana. One of my history colleagues is a Nigerian who has just arrived from teaching at the University of Malawi and the other was previously Zimbabwe's ambassador to Nigeria. A Malawian lecturer in Agriculture did his work at Michigan State and one of the new theologians just finished his Ph.D. at Northwestern. Actually, the majority of the faculty is Zimbabwean, but even there, their varied life and teaching experiences make for fascinating conversations -- humbling ones, too.

We are constantly meeting people who are helping here. One couple is running an NGO training local people to go into rural districts and build their own school furniture. A pediatrician/obstetrician couple is arriving soon to work in a very rural hospital that has to generate all its own power (They are helping another doctor who will soon be forced to retire at age 70). These are only two of many we have met on temporary, long-term, or permanent projects that make us aware both of how genuinely generous and concerned about others people can be and also of the tremendous needs of the people in one of the more fortunate countries in Africa. We are constantly amazed, however, at the amount of humor, laughter, and good spirits that abounds here. Despite everything, the Zimbabweans really love life!

We are learning much in our encounter with Africa University, Hartzell School, and Shona life and culture. We have been trying to learn a few words in Shona -- at least so we can at least greet people in their own language. Life here is challenging, sometimes frustrating and occasionally depressing, but always rewarding, and never gets boring.

Grace and Peace to all our friends, relatives, and those of you who supported our projects.

Ann & Morris