The weather was extremely hot in Zimbabwe during March and April, but when last we heard, it was much cooler and the John Tallach School had closed for a few weeks’ holiday. After the school closes and the boarders are waved off in their buses, there still remain the chores — broken windows, damaged doors and furniture. Material such as glass is very expensive, and one headmaster told Marion Graham that when one of his pupils broke a window pane he made him measure the glass and go off to town to buy a pane of glass and putty, from his own pocket money! However, Marion decided to form committees of prefects and monitors to oversee the rooms and to prevent any damage. We hope this will prove effective.
The harvest was poor this year. Some people did not plant with the first rains but waited for the traditional date for planting and they were too late. During the school holidays Dr Hak went to Harare for a Medical Course and two of the John Tallach teachers went with her to Harare but continued another 25 km to Resthaven where there are two cottages in a lovely valley, where they could relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.
At Mbuma, April had been the usual busy month with malarial patients. The wards were overflowing with seriously ill people, some of them unconscious. By May there was some respite and most of the patients had gone home. The three trained African nurses who had arrived last September had left by March or April. It is very difficult to keep African trained nurses at Mbuma as it is very isolated, and they miss their friends and relatives and the interest of life in town. Their departure was a disappointment, and adds to the workload.
Mention has been made previously of Mjena where the Mbuma Sisters began visiting a young girl, Buhle, who had been in Mbuma Hospital. They usually had an African church member with them, and he conducted worship. Gradually the numbers attending increased until they moved into one of the classrooms. The Rev P Mzamo paid a visit to Mjena and held a service. The people asked Mr Mzamo if they could not have a regular service there as they live too far away to attend Mbuma. The outcome has been that now one of the elders comes every second Sabbath and takes a service. Before the service a Sabbath School is held for around 65 children. On the alternative Sabbaths the people meet for Bible reading and singing of the Psalms. On Thursday afternoons they meet to memorise the Shorter Catechism in Sindebele. There is a couple at Mjena who formerly attended our Church at Inyathi not far from Ingwenya, where they became members. They are taking the initiative at Mjena, and they have now begun collecting money to build a church. We hope the Lord will bless their efforts. J.N.