The late afternoon walk took me up to the school hall with its huge and impressive new roof. I noticed though that there were some gaps in the roof where the rain would be able to come through, and also that the wooden cross bars would make the ceiling too low for netball. The walls are still to be finished and electrification will be needed so that the hall can be used at any time. But what will it be used for?
I was also shown the new clinic, which is serving the surrounding area as well as the mission (with drugs paid for by the Friends), and the Dining Hall, which is badly in need of new doors. Some new Blair toilets are also needed in various locations so that when the electricity goes off and there is no water being pumped into the water tanks and loo cisterns, alternative toilets are available. All of these subjects formed the subject of a meeting of the St James’ Management Committee which took place on the evening of my second day and at which I represented the Friends. Together we worked out the most practical way forward on water supply, vehicles, invoicing and payments, and other subjects. The major step forward was that the committee accepted the idea of servicing the diesel generator and linking it to the water pump on the main borehole so that when the mains electricity cuts out (as it does regularly) the mission can still pump up essential water to the main tank. This will be cheaper than sinking a new borehole and/or building a new reservoir, though in the long term a new or restored bore hole is still needed.
After the meeting I spied Leonore in the staff room (she had been out all day with a school trip to St Columbas) and another joyful reunion ensued. She looked well and happy despite the sad loss of her daughter Nomagugu last year. She is relieved not to be ‘acting head’ in these difficult times. Like so many Zimbabweans she is going through the current hard times in Zimbabwe with fortitude and trust in God’s greater purposes.
