Maybe we should use the digital version? The difference is only clear in digital pix, apparently... Certainly not in real life. If you don't count zeros, you may be in trouble..

Thinking about practical ways to help in Zimbabwe: if you would like to help (brainstorming stage), drop me a line! Comment, Twitter or Facebook.

The situation in Zim has reduced me to tears. What hurts the most, I think, is that this is not because of some natural disaster, or because of some really serious thing that we couldn't control...

The images of malnourished children coming out of Zim now are so shocking to me. Growing up, we were always told to finish the food on our plates so we didn't become like the kids in Somalia or Ethiopia, because of course that's where those images used to come from in those days. To see that here brings home the reality of that kind of suffering to me, and makes me sick to my core. I just cannot believe what's going on now, and most Zimbabweans can't either. It's as if whenever I stop to have a conversation with anyone, that's what we're talking about: how did we get here?

I can't even talk about the unspeakable situation in Harare without getting angry... Someone told me that if I had plans to visit, I should postpone my trip, because it is truly unlivable there. I know the last time I was there, in May, things were pretty dire. Had gone to a friend's wedding, and they had had no water for a week (yes, imagine that, with children and visitors in the house). All their water was collected from another friend who lived nearby (another suburb), in 25L and 50L water containers; that's ALL the water for bathing, cooking, washing.. Not a drop out of the tap. People in Greendale, Harare, have lived like that for a while... Other areas too. Now it's so much worse that the images on TV are true: people scooping water out of ditches, and where there's been a water pipe burst... Even from a distance, you know that water shouldn't be anywhere near a human being, and more often than not it's children collecting it.

And then the cholera... Dear Lord. That's what makes me a little incoherent. Why, why, why? Something so preventable, something that .. yes, happens every rainy season, to some degree, but could be prevented by access to clean water? And at the very least, is eminently treatable, and yet we have no health system to deal with it? Zimbabwe, that once had such an enviable health system? I last worked in government hospitals in 2002; we had shortages of gloves and saline "drips" (IV fluids) then, but at least we had medicines and health professionals. A true sign of what things have become is that doctors and nurses actually took to the streets two weeks ago and again last week, to complain about the state of things in the hospitals.. Something pretty unheard of here. Never mind the stories I've had from patients about the terrible corruption in hospitals.. From x-ray technicians demanding bribes before you can get an x-ray done IN A PUBLIC HOSPITAL, to paying surgeons in foreign currency (AT A PUBLIC HOSPITAL) before you can have an operation done.. Someone told me about a nurse in Harare who is diverting public patients to a private doctor (who charges USD100, unimaginable money for your average Zimbabwean) for a fee (about USD25). Disgusting.

This is not to spread "fear and despondency"; I think the SABC does that very well. (There is almost a kind of maniacal glee when they talk over and over about an Ethiopian man who visited Zimbabwe and fell ill in South Africa a day later... That I call sensationalism, no matter how true it is). I am intensely irritated by a lot of the idiotic and totally useless rhetoric (including Tutu's, Odinga's, and Sentamu's- you are NOT helping us, or the situation!), but I am reduced to such depths of despair by the fact that I don't know what we ought to do. The situation here is truly, truly dire... And that legendary Zimbabwean ability to cope with anything that's thrown at us (we "make a plan") is not only stretched past enduring, it has become inappropriate.

I am upset, I am emotional, I am angry.

Something weird's going on in the skies over... Bulawayo? Zim? Southern Africa? I wish I had a better camera, but here goes:






Was lucky enough to see a VERY close encounter. Here's the link to what it is:
http://www.skymaps.com/events/20081201/index.html

What we can see is a crescent moon and two unusually bright stars near it; have never, ever seen anything like it. Pretty thrilling... Kinda scary, too.

Life here is just ridiculous, right now. My mom goes to the bank every day (on my behalf, as I have not had a bank account in three years) to get ZD50, 000, which is enough to buy a loaf of bread. If we don’t buy bread that day, then we may have ZD100,000 the next day, and perhaps even have enough money by week’s end to buy pizza. This is not really (completely) because we don’t have the money. It’s because we are limited to ZD50,000 withdrawals per day.

And why would any government- nuts, hare-brained or not- do such a thing? Because, of course, they were trying to put a lid on inflation, because they don’t want to print any more money. And why would they have to print more money? Well, in Zim that’s rhetorical anyway, but there’s a new reason: “burning”. That’s the term Zimbabweans use for a new and slightly insane stratagem, which must have Gono (our reserve bank governor) taking ulcer medication.

The basic principle is: there is a shortage of foreign currency in the country. Foreign currency makes its way into the country by mostly illegal, informal means. There is already a black market for foreign currency; however, there are a few individuals who have so many Zim dollars that there is no numerical term for them (perhaps scientific notation?). These Zimbabweans are anxious to turn their play money into real money. Therefore, they will pay a premium to do so. They cannot use cash to buy this foreign currency on the black market (as it is stuck in the bank), and that pushes this exchange rate up further (which is called the “transfer” rate, referring to the fact that the money was originally transferred electronically between buyer and seller). At present, the ratio of the “normal” black market rate to the transfer rate is approximately 1:15,000 (if you can imagine that). Now, if I were the reserve bank governor, I would make sure people never ever ever have access to that money; if you could get all that cash out of the bank, there would not be a Zim dollar to speak of. (Which there isn’t- but that’s another story). And that’s what Gono has done. And so now, instead of transferring the money electronically, people use cheques to pay each other.

All of which leads to prices like ZD50,000,000 for a can of baked beans. Because you can’t get cash, and almost everyone knows that there is money in the banks, and so if you have a card and can pay electronically, everyone wants a share of that huge pile. Which is insane. The average salary (if such a thing exists) ZD20,000,000. I suspect that no one actually knows, anymore, what the Zim dollar actually is, let alone what it’s worth.

Sure wish I had USD to “burn”. But then what would I do with what I get when I can’t spend it?

On another note; I shared on facebook about what we in Bulawayo call “rand shops” (the “rand” being the South African currency), which started with a few people going to South Africa, bringing groceries back and selling them in rand from their homes. (This goes back to the days of the farm invasions, and when farmers moved into town for security, they would sell milk and meat from their homes). These have gradually grown into almost-actual-shops (being as they are outside the law). However, the government recently introduced licences for businesses to sell their goods in foreign currency- which licences cost USD20,000- and now we have a few real (read: official) rand shops, where people can spend the money that gets sent to them from outside Zimbabwe (which merits a post all on its own- maybe in the future). This has meant we can actually get food, which is a relief… But has also made things that much harder for ordinary Zimbabweans. (Someone told me that rural folk are eating the seed maize that the government has given them for this farming season…)

So the troubles continue, for now.

So one day I was idly googling my name, as one might do occasionally, and I came across something a little startling: there is a rumor online (here, at Daniel Molokele's blog, and here, at independent.co.uk) that I am an illegal blogger from the basket case that Zimbabwe is. After rolling on the floor laughing, I was somewhat sobered by the realization that these people may know something that I don't. Thing is, with the scary media laws in Zimbabwe, it is very possible that I have broken some law by sharing my thought and experiences... But then again, to be honest, those laws seem to apply to proper journalists, not bloggers. I just don't know. Seem lately that bloggers in other places are getting arrested. I don't think the authorities here are that repressive, but I am not really sure...

My first inclination was to laugh because such a big deal is made of anything from Zimbabwe... And I think that article was used to further someone's slanted view on what's going on here. What I blogged about (here is where the quote was lifted from without my permission- aren't there rules about that??) was probably me feeling a little irritable, at the time- and the quote that was lifted had less to do with Zim's usual problems, and more to do with the drought we had. Aren't there rules about that, too? Makes me wonder if journalists are ever honest... Maybe we should trust bloggers more.

What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let satan have one more

What if the church, for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took a stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates

Chorus:
What if His people prayed
And all who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And turn from their own way ........

[Casting Crowns]

Why do blogs have to be read backwards? Has anyone (the people responsible, lol) realised how irksome that us? Often, to get a good sense of what the blog is about, you have to read from the bottom... argh.

As bizarre as it may seem, Zim has reintroduced coins. The entire country is abuzz (or a-jingle), because remember that we have not used them in at least ten, maybe fifteen years... There is a whole generation that doesn't know that you can use coins to BUY things, rather than as a toy or pretty accessory. What's even more bizarre is that yesterday the Zimbabwe dollar was trading at ZD1,500,000,000,000 to 100 rand (-here, it only makes sense to speak in multiples of 100); today it's trading at just ZD150 to R100. Bizarre!

So of course everyone went scrounging through their old bags and garages and such (even flowerpots, apparently- a whole another story), and then promptly went shopping...
Images: above: the famous ZD100Bn bill. Below, the new Z$25 coin.

I just wanted to share this with all of you… For those of you who don’t know, I am a Sunday School teacher at St John’s Anglican Cathedral, in Bulawayo (that’s in Zimbabwe). (The story of how I came back to the Anglican Church- even though I am a charismatic Christian- is a lengthy one- so ask me later).

Today was Christmas day- or, rather, Boxing Day- for my kids. Samaritan’s Purse apparently coordinates the collection of gifts from various churches and individuals in the United States, and their delivery to needy kids in other parts of the world. For the first time, I truly appreciate, from deep down in my heart, what an important job this is. Maybe it’s because of how tough things have been in Zimbabwe lately- so many families are in trouble, and this has been a particularly tough year financially. So many people have been impoverished by our current problems… And my heart has been for the kids in particular. Zimbabwean parents are a proud crowd; a parent would rather do without, than let their child go to school with a torn uniform, without shoes, without some kind of “tuck”- but that’s exactly what’s been happening. Never mind that there is now a generation of children who probably don’t know what ice cream tastes like. A young life’s little pleasures are pretty hard to come by in today’s Zimbabwe. I guess that’s why the Christmas boxes we got from Samaritan’s Purse (and gave to the kids today) were so very welcome. The sort of stuff in them is the stuff all kids dream of- extra-bouncy balls, sweets, Slinky’s (what is the plural for that??), cars, dolls, pencils, notebooks, glitter glue, etc etc… So very cute. Also some practical things: toothbrushes, combs, toothpaste, soap, the like. Every box packed with such love… And my kids went wild (not, please, that these are not even strictly under-privileged, by Zim standards). These were such precious, precious gifts.

If you have ever given to Samaritan’s Purse (or wiki here): THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart. God bless you a thousandfold. If you have ever considered giving (to Samaritan’s Purse, or a similar organization), please know that these things really do make a difference. It’s not just food and clean water (two of my passions, where donor funding is concerned) that kids need; I had never really thought about it, but seeing the joy in these kids’ eyes was something to behold, indeed!

Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
(KJV)

In place of my weakness- strength!
In place of my inability- ability!
In place of my sorrow and pain- joy!
In place of my lack- provision!

Christianity has always been about the cry of the wounded for healing. We come to faith after recognition of our need, and Christ becomes all we need. But there is a different kind of recognition of our need, that leads to condemnation.

I come from a family where every kind of weakness is mocked. It’s a family where “strong” is considered the only way to be- no tears, no weakness, no inability. Anything that is has a broken leg is put down. I am only half-joking, because the world truly is like that. Part of the reason we find it such a struggle to believe in Christ is because He offers us full acceptance… which makes no sense. We are broken things, and fully aware of it- and if we are not, the world keeps reminding us of it; so how come Christ accepts us?

I work a lot with human bodies, of all shapes and sizes. When I was with a patient yesterday, she said something to me about her “big tummy”; and I laughed (as I always do, because everyone does that- especially women), and asked her (as I always do) why it is that we are so critical of ourselves. It led to a discussion of body image disorders, and the Extreme Makeover disease. The strange thing about condemnation is that although it starts out as an external thing, after not very long, most of us internalise it. And once that happens, it becomes our prison. And then, eventually, somehow, we come to God thinking that’s the way He wants us- grovelling, and disgusted with ourselves. And we don’t leave it there; we are redeemed (praise God!), but we take the burden with us- because we feel better carrying it along, thinking somehow that if we feel bad enough about ourselves, we can bully ourselves into winning a place in heaven (or into being right, or accepted, or gaining favour, or just making up for the wrong we’ve done).

Not so. Christianity differs from every major world religion in one critical thing: we don’t have to do a thing to earn our salvation. Christ died for us. That’s it. It is finished. We can’t believe it, you see; we (in our broken, sin-blinded state) imagine that there’s something we can do, to make us ok. There isn’t, though, because it’s done. Unbelievable as it may be, it’s true. And most of us have trouble appropriating that; it’s called grace, and we don’t get it.

That’s probably at the root of our self-condemnation, and by extension, why we condemn others. Of course there is much to condemn- we are, to our eyes, unfinished, and we still make mistakes. We think that somehow if we squash ourselves down, berate ourselves for messing up, we can make it better, or stop ourselves from being stupid (a word we like to use), or stop ourselves making the same mistake again. (For the record, not so). Self-condemnation breeds nothing but poor self-esteem, a very sick feeling in the middle of oneself, and, eventually, the feeling that others are condemning you too; and then, your own constant condemnation of others. It’s generational, too: if your parents condemned you, you tend to condemn yourself, and you are likely to condemn your children. It’s like a contagious disease, and is closely related to shame.

The point, however, is that Christ sets us free, makes us whole- not anything we do. That’s nothing to be ashamed of; that’s something to rejoice in! He makes us more than we ever dream; He makes us perfect in God’s sight (and who has a higher standard than that??). Christ is there when we are broken, making us whole… In our sickness, making us well… In every situation where we cause hurt to our loved ones, healing that hurt and restoring us to fellowship. In short, He fixes us where we can’t fix ourselves- whether we believe and accept it, or not. We don’t have to live condemned- by others, or by our selves. We can live free. Life is not a popularity contest, and condemnation lies to us; there is no happy prize for self-condemnation, and living to avoid the condemnation of others only earns us a world of pain.

A simple prayer: Lord, I pray for freedom from self-condemnation, and Your power to set me free from the condemnation (real, and perceived) of others. I accept and receive Your sacrifice for every mistake I have made, and for every mistake I will ever make, for all my inability and weakness, and all the ways I have hurt myself and others. I pray that I would forgive myself too, and that I would be set free, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

I have rarely been in such agony of indecision... Today is potentially the most important election Zimbabwe has ever had- and I don't know whether to vote or not.

Morgan Tsvangirayi's pull-out (on Sunday) has left confusion in the ranks of Zimbabwe's moderate voters (and I am one of them); does it make sense to protest against the unfairness of the way the campaigning was done, and the uneven playing field by not voting- or does it make more sense to go and register my discontent by voting? Almost everyone I have spoken to in the last two days is not going to "bother" to vote- "because 'he' has won anyway, because what's the point, because if we all go and vote, we are saying the election is right".

MDC has sent pamphlets around asking people not to vote- which is in line with what Morgan did on Sunday. But what will it say if a substantial number of voters go to the polls, and Mugabe still wins? The only way the boycott will make any sense is if NO ONE in opposition to the situation goes to vote, and the turn-out is disgustingly low- but will that happen?? The MDC have also asked those who are forced to vote to spoil their ballots(someone said she would draw a smiley face)....

What to do? :(

The ZD5 billion "special agro-cheque"- initially for farmers, now for anyone who goes to the bank to make a withdrawal. You also get a ZD25 billion version, and a ZD50 billion version.

If you want to see what that looks like in figures: ZD 50,000,000,000.

Images: the ZD5b cheque, and the cheque against the equivalent in ZD10 million notes.

Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men…
Pro 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare, but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
KJV

Lately, I seem to be making very unpopular decisions. It sucks. I am at an all-time low in popularity rankings at home and abroad. No, not really… :)

Taking the unpopular stand always makes one feel awful. Everyone wants to be liked. No one wants to be the outsider. But that doesn’t mean that one should go with the flow, swim with the shoal, when it is more convenient to do so.

I remember a very sore lesson learned a few years ago. I had a job with a really BAD employer, and I spent a long time thinking that it was probably issues on both sides (i.e., that I had a part to play in the poor relationship we had). I probably really wanted her to like me (a very feminine trait, I think). I did not think that it was possible that this woman just had an aversion to me, and would not come round, no matter what I did. Psychologists call that a co-dependent relationship; I just called it hell at work. It was also odd to me that a working relationship should be so fraught with conflict- surely conflict is for personal relationships? It was a hard thing for me to acknowledge that this woman was, simply put, a bully; and it was an even harder step to decide to leave (strange, I know). And I still waited for three months, walking around with a resignation letter in my pocket, until the decision was taken out of my hands (to my immense relief, and slight mortification).

And then, there’s family. What about taking a stand when the people closest to you are involved? One of the things that happens to someone who is a Christian in a non- Christian family, is that one gets victimised for their beliefs. Nothing like the usual persecution (you know, beatings in the night, arrests in the night, torching of your hut in the night) that happens to Christians elsewhere, but it comes close :) An example close to home: many Zimbabweans believe in both traditional spiritualism, and also the Christian God. When someone chooses only the Christian God, that can make for a little drama. I experienced that in my childhood- particularly because I am descended from a strong healer (imagine how much fun that is). Spiritual battles are real. Sometimes comfortable religion, sitting in the pew on Sunday, has no idea. And when the battle comes, your stand has to be solid, or you’ll be run over. Maybe the worst part, though, is when you realise that your relatives think you odd: why don’t you think like they do? Why do you consider yourself better than them?

Oh, and friends. What about peer pressure? So you have chosen the way of sexual purity- rrrrright. Who are you kidding? I have friends who amaze me with the very public stand they make, and that in the face of so much opposition. I even have a friend who was a virgin at 25, and married a virgin, too. Why is that so rare in today’s world? Can you bear it when your friends don’t approve of the decisions you make? Can you tell them when they are doing something wrong, and take their anger and the potential loss of the friendship; or would you do anything to maintain the relationship?

Do you maintain your relationships AT ALL COSTS? That’s the beginning of co-dependency. Do you sell out your individuality, just to be in the “in” crowd? Do you speak up for yourself when someone hurts you, or do you stay silent so as to stay in that person’s good books? When you see something that is obviously wrong, do you look away, so you don’t draw attention to yourself?

So, what’s the solution? The Bible is clear; keep your eyes on God, not man. Most of the time, people see you through the film of their own expectations, their old pain, their twisted thinking, their broken soul. Always remember that. Any standard man sets for you is no standard at all. God is the author and finisher of you and your story, and He alone can say what you’re worth. (So it’s a relief that He thinks you are worth dying for, innit). There is absolutely no point in taking the path of least resistance, selling your individuality for a pittance, just for your 15 minutes in the limelight. Everything you do, do it unto God, and learn to be deaf and blind to the responses of the people around you. STOP COMPROMISING WHO YOU ARE. You are one of a kind, with good reason. If God wanted you to look like the next person, He would have made you that way.

Remember, Christ was considered a radical in His time.

Recommended reading: Approval addiction, by Joyce Meyer.

Something interesting happened last night. My sister answered my cell phone- my aunt was calling from Gaborone, Botswana. Of course the talk turned to politics... And the state of things in Zimbabwe. After about three minutes, my aunt inexplicably said,mid-sentence, "If you are listening in, please get off the line, I'm speaking to my niece"- and they got cut off immediately. If that isn't creepy, I don't know what is....

Thing is, the culture of fear's been around for ages... Zimbabwe's been a police state for who knows how long. Most people don't know that Voice of America radio (VOA radio) broadcasts something called Studio 7 (a program for Zimbabwe by Zimbabweans in Washington, at 7 pm Zimbabwe time). What even less people know is that the frequency gets jammed at about 1905h; you get this awful sound coming through, and that's it, no more outside news for you. It's true that they are broadcasting "illegally", according to Zimbabwe's current media laws... But you know that there are shades of truth, where politics is concerned. There is also a very popular "new" newspaper (I think started by Zimbabweans in the UK, but I'll have to confirm that), which is a tad sensationalist in its approach, but at least gives Zimbabweans a break from the propaganda in the state- owned newspapers.. I am surprised that hasn't been shut down yet, but if there is a clampdown by the new government-read-old government, then they may be in a spot of bother... Honestly, unless you have satellite tv in Zimbabwe, only the rumor mill will give you the other side of the story. And believe me, that is alive and well in Zimbabwe.

Anyway... Word on the street is that Zimbabweans will press on, and not be cowed this time. We have waited so long for this; we are hanging onto hope. Most people are moving on with things, but keeping an ear to the radio (TV is a total loss).. One of these days, just now, we shall overcome.

PS. I MUST mention this here: if there is one thing Zimbabweans use to deal with the every day hardships, it is humor. There were so many jokes going around at election time, to do with the three candidates, and the failure by the electoral commission to release results....

Sorry about the delay, have been updating on facebook and forgot about the blogs!

Well, we have had results for six House of Assembly seats (remember, we voted for president, house of assembly, senate, and council, on Saturday).. And the way things are going, looks like it will take another week to get everything. Thing is.... Anyone can go to a polling station and see the results on the wall outside... And people have already been collating figures. See zimelectionresults.com

The mood? Tense. Since about midday yesterday, when we had all been expecting that the initial results would be out, people have been getting restless. Last night, riot police were patrolling Harare, and residents were told to stay indoors. This morning, I have not been out yet, but people want to know who our new president is... And that's likely to be the last result announced. There will be unofficial celebrations though, I am sure...

Watch this space.

Woke up very early this morning, to go and exercise my democratic right… Got to the polling station at about 0640h, and there was a queue of about 100 people. All very eager to vote, and all thinking that things would only get hectic later. Which they didn’t- but I will get to that.

The actual process was fairly simple. Walked into the polling station, presented my national ID (a metal ID that’s very distinctive- it clangs in the most awful way when you drop it). Had my fingers checked for ink. Went to the desk where my name was crossed off the register. Moved on to where I dipped my finger into red ink (so much nicer than the invisible ink that shows up under UV light- that used to sting! Lol), and then on to where I got my four ballots: presidential, senate, parliamentary (MP), and council. At each point, although the people giving out the ballots were right next to each other, the same process: a greeting, a clear explanation of exactly how to vote and fold the ballot over, as well as how to show it to the electoral officer afterwards, before putting it into the box. Wonderful. And then I voted… And realised how confusing it might be for older voters (ok, sorry, being patronising). The parliamentary ballot had so many names on it.. And then of course there are two MDCs…

Anyway, that was it. left feeling elated. Went back to the polling station later, to find it empty (could picture the dust and tumbleweed).. Not sure, but it appears there was a very low turnout for these elections- which is just amazing to me. That doesn’t really matter, though. Anyone who didn’t vote has no right to complain about the situation anymore…

Now to wait for the results.

images: the City Hall, a polling station; and the ink on the left baby finger

Its “election eve”; and Zimbabwe is abuzz. Text messages have been flying all week, and almost every conversation has turned to elections. I have just been listening to an election official explaining all the reasons that “rigging” is not possible, and I find that for the first time I am worried, rather than excited. It’s a little like the night before a major exam that you have taken before: what if I fail again?

Because a lot of people had that awful sinking feeling in 2002… In fact, I have met a few people who will not bother to vote this time. It was terrible; people queued for hours to make a difference, and then waited with pen and paper as the results for each constituency were announced…. And only towards the end was it clear that the opposition had lost. There was so much despondency afterwards… And no one wants a repeat of that.

But however the election goes, this is a historic election for Zimbabwe. As I was saying to a friend, this feels surprisingly like democracy. The campaigns have been pretty unrestricted, and it’s the first time we have had THREE strong candidates (well there is a fourth one, but… anyway). It’s also the first election since independence when people feel there is a real chance that change will happen. AND there has been no violence, this time, either. What there is, is hope.

I am thrilled just to be here when this is happening. I will be at the polling station at 5 am (the stations open at 7), to make sure I exercise my right to vote… And I will be biting my nails until we know the result.

Yup, this feels a LOT like democracy…

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork.
Psa 19:1 (KJV)

If you haven’t seen it already, I HIGHLY recommend the Indescribable DVD (by Louie Giglio, and I think the Passion team- I couldn’t find the info, unfortunately). I was blown away… And even that is an understatement. God is AWESOME. The universe is awesome. And to think God knows the stars by name…! That’s just beyond anything I can imagine.

The images Louie uses are from http://hubblesite.org/ -check it out, it’ll blow you away, too. And when Louie talks about the math involved, well that just makes you realise how huge God must be... Tell me, when you have seen the images, that you think the universe happened by accident… Alright, maybe you will; but to me it’s just another part of creation glorifying God- as the above verse says. (Like the way we’re put together glorifies Him).

I know I’m raving about Indescribable- but you have to see it to understand. Get your hands on it. The DVD doesn’t seem to be available at the 268 store, but I think any good Christian store will have something for you.

It’s exactly two weeks to elections, and the excitement is reaching fever pitch. The political landscape seems to be shifting before our eyes, and the balance of power seems to be shifting in confusing ways. But that’s in my humble opinion. The President is of course the assumed strong candidate, and we are reminded every night when we watch the news on the local TV station (yes, we have just the one, and I had given up on watching it until now, when it makes compelling if irritating viewing). There is a whole lot of propaganda… And along with it, sudden changes in government policy towards its citizens (our government has noticed us!). Traditional chiefs have been given thousands of litres of fuel (petrol or diesel). Civil servants have been given a massive pay rise this week (which has ended the strike by teachers in the civil service- they have been away from work for the best part of the school term, which ends in a few days). A few days ago on the news, we saw pictures of huge trucks full of grain which the government has bought from South Africa and Zambia. There have been so many promises made by the government in the past few days, mostly to do with the economy, and how much work is being done to make things right. And so on. All the usual election campaign white noise that we hear all over the world when it’s the season… And I am angered, because where has the government been for the past three years, while people suffered? Where were they last year, when there was no food in the shops? Then, all we heard from them was a deafening silence…

Regardless… The campaigns have been interesting to watch. Only in the last few days have we seen adverts in the media for Simba Makoni, the ex-ZANU-PF man. He has been travelling around the country, speaking to rural voters seemingly at what we call growth points (small business areas in the rural areas, where you might find a shop or two, a bus stop, perhaps a bank, and for certain a “beer hall” or three). To be honest, I still don’t know what he stands for, except that he is anti-Mugabe. Like a good amateur journalist, I took a walk to his base in Bulawayo, to sort of snoop around, and also hoping to get a manifesto. (I am terrified of going to the MDC-Tsvangirai base because of who may be watching, waiting to put my name on some kind of black list!). I was struck by how little was going on. I asked for printed material, and was given fliers… While I was there, someone from the MDC-Mutambara faction came in to get posters to put up in his area of Bulawayo, and was told that they had run out of posters. It would seem that Simba Makoni’s campaign is very short on funds, a major disadvantage when you are up against the well-oiled ZANU-PF machine, and the almost-as-well-oiled Morgan Tsvangirai machine… All this has made me realise how important funding is, and has made me see the Hillary Clinton/ Barack Obama race in a new light.

Morgan Tsvangirai seems to be doing pretty well, too. Whenever he has a rally, he has a good-sized crowd chanting and cheering him on. I think he’s a very credible threat to the current president’s rule… But who knows. A friend (who is white, and a former farmer) has been walking around dressed in red for the past month (if you didn’t know, MDC’s colour), and is solidly behind him. The reason she gives? He has shed blood for the people of Zimbabwe, and anyone who has sacrificed as much as he has deserves to win. I do wish he would campaign more among the rural voters, with whom ZANU-PF has the greatest support, and who always swing the vote in ZANU-PF’s favour. In that respect, Simba Makoni is doing the right thing. Tsvangirai may be preaching to the converted.

In the meantime, prices in the supermarkets this week have hit a new high. Milk was ZD 23,000,000 a litre yesterday, and a standard loaf of bread (which, to be honest, is neither standard nor bread, lol) was ZD 11,000,000. The government probably doesn’t need that so close to elections… People who are not solidly behind ZANU-PF are a little confused as to who to vote for. Voting for Morgan Tsvangirai worries some, because he does not seem to be great president material, and some believe the MDC leadership might eventually turn out to be just like the current leadership. Voting for Simba Makoni may split the anti-Mugabe vote, allowing him to win. And then there was a rumour in the early days that perhaps Makoni was a Mugabe man… But I am not convinced he is. Especially after seeing how little money his campaign has.

Image: some of the adverts in the newspapers.

Zim has been a fun place lately... This year has brought many new things: new currency denominations (see above), and a new player on the political scene (presidential candidate Simba Makoni). Oh, and inflation officially at 66,000 % (yes, you read that right). What that means, in layman's language (that is, if you live here), is that one litre of milk that cost ZD2,000,000 last week costs almost ZD9,000,000 this week.. That a banana costs ZD1,000,000... Not too many Zimbabwean are economists, but I think everyone now understands the language of inflation...

Election fever is starting to grip the nation. Elections are set for Mar 29, when we will choose a president (new or otherwise, lol). It is a "harmonized election", which means we will choose both a president, and also members of parliament etc (a general election). Just how this will be done and completed on one day remains to be seen.... Due to a quirk in our constitution, we used to have the general and presidential elections two years apart, which apparently was not efficient.. So this is a better system. Most people are (and the world is, too!) only interested in finding out who Zimbabwe's next president will be. There are three candidates: (current) President Robert Mugabe, MDC (main opposition) leader Morgan Tsvangirai, and a new independent candidate, Dr Simba Makoni, who is formerly of the ruling party, ZANU-PF. I will try and keep everyone posted on how things progress. All I can say for now is that the advent of Simba Makoni has got Zimbabweans talking about and interested in this election, which I can assure you was not the case in January. There are even , groups about him.. (see here or here). And here is a BBC article on him.