Chidamoyo Hospital in Zimbabwe

On Wednesday the 17th of February 2016 Joanne Miller Minnis went to be with the Lord and her husband Jim at the age of 86. We were on our way to Harare to fly to the US to see her when we received the news she had died.  We had hoped to be with her to help take care of her in her final days, but God saw fit to take her in His time and to help her not suffer here on earth.  We are now here with her daughter, Laura and family to help where we can in planning the memorial service and encouraging the family in this difficult time. It was just a month ago that we eulogized her husband, Jim Minnie, Pa to me.  Just the day before his funeral Ma found out she had Pancreatic cancer which had spread already to her liver.  The next day after the funeral for Pa she told her family she had about a month to live.  All of us were in shock as she had not really had any symptoms until then. I met Ma and Pa in 1995 when they had moved from Southern CA to Sebastopol in northern CA to "re

What to do when ZESA (our electricity) has been off for 10 days and still counting: Eat lots off meat and invited your neighbors as your freezers aren't keeping up with the heat! Save your solar back-up so that you have fan for part of the night to keep you cool. Go swimming before you go to bed to cool off! Get all the X-rays and Lab work all ready to go before you turn on the generator so you can run it for the shortest time possible. Get used to not reaching anyone on their phone because they can't be charged! Take cold showers every morning and dream of warm showers! Tell your new visitors there really is electricity at times--since they haven't seen it since they arrived a week ago! Overhear visitors deciding they will give up electricity for lent! Swim at lunch time to cool off because there are no fans at the hospital in your office. Call ZESA everyday and hear from them it will be fixed by tomorrow and then when you call the next day they said it is no

We had a big day of celebration to say goodbye to our Lake Union Crew friends on Monday 25th of January.  After 6 hard weeks the building was completed.  We have to do some of the finishing up inside to have it functioning, but the building is in!   We started the day with special devotions to thank the team and their hard work.  We then moved to the building with staff, patients and pregnant women and dedicated the building to the Lord.  There was much dancing, singing, ululating as we dedicated the building to be used by all the future pregnant women of the community.  Major's headman said "he was so disappointed his wife couldn't have more babies and be able to use the building!" Then there was a special lunch a celebration to thank the 15 local volunteers who worked alongside of the Lake Union Crew volunteers for the 6 weeks.  Their cook for the week, Tamara cooked a wonderful goat with sadza, rice, and vegetables.  They made smores for dessert.  They receiv