Wow  - Here it is September 5th and I realize it has been a very long time since I blogged.  And no I have not dropped off the face of the earth.  We are, indeed, still in Zimbabwe and in just three short months, as of tomorrow, we will be heading home to Canada.

It is truly with mixed emotions that we get ready to leave this country that has become our home away from home.  We are missing family and friends and looking forward to being back in Canada...AND   We will miss the friends and colleagues here in this country, who have been such a part of our lives for the past four plus years.  As we leave here, I am very aware that the work here is not finished.  I will be returning to Zimbabwe for shorter periods of time...probably for one months stints twice a year until the job of leading our college to attaining accreditation status.  The details of what that will look like are in process of being worked out. Having said that I realize that coming for short periods of time will be very different from actually living here and working with my colleagues on a daily basis but God willing, that will be rewarding for both the Zimbabwains and me. I am not sure whether or not the cottage in which we have lived will still be available.  However, I do have alternate plans if it is not.  I am just trusting that God, who called us here in the first place,  will work out the details and so I will leave that to Him.

The trees here are beginning to blossom and soon our street will be purple with the Jacaronda's in full bloom.  It's supposed to be summer but I'm still finding it old in early morning and evenings.  Our lass rooms are cold and I can hardly wait for the 'hot' weather to arrive.

We have been taking advantage of some of the social activities lately recognizing that our time here is quickly drawing to a close.  Some of those social events included:  1) A live theatre production of 'Sister Act'to which we took our sponsor child, Makanaka and her brother Panashe. The production was fabulous and just watching Maka and Panashe and their reaction was awesome. They had never been to anything like this and we so enjoyed being able to treat them in this way.  Panashe, who is eighteen, said it was an experience he will never forget.  2) We have been out on the golf course a couple of times in the past month.  In the four years plus that we have been here, we have probably been golfing a total of four times prior to this.  It costs us all of $5.00 per person for nine holes.  We just have not seemed to fit the time in to go more often.  Such a shame!  Scores were not anything to write home about but it felt so good just to be out. 3)We also went to a concert put on by the runner-up of 'The Voice - South Africa".  Another enjoyable evening.  4) Also went to a polo-cross game.  Polo-cross is quite popular here and Glen actually went two days in a row.  It was the International Junior Championships.  But, one day was enough for me.

 Doesn't sound much like ministry, does it.  However, things have been very busy at our college and we are in the midst of our first semester, having just changed our systems.  Just prior to the beginning of our August semester, I facilitated and also participated in a Teacher Training Course through APTEA (Association of Pentecostal Theological Education in Africa) which is the association through which we are seeking accreditation.
(Including a picture here of those of us taking the course)

This semester we have students from Namibia and supposedly have some coming from Malawi. They have encountered some difficulties with their passports and have been delayed.  Hopefully they will arrive before it is too late for them to join the current classes.  It will mean they have to work hard to catch up.  We are praying that things work out for them.  
Am inserting a picture of our students and staff on orientation day.  The picture was taken in our chapel.

We are working towards reinstating our Degree program which was discontinued in 2008, and, of course, we are still working towards our accreditation.  Renovations to our facilities are underway in a number of areas.  Being the Director of Quality Assurance has me running in many directions trying to see what all can be done while we are still on site.  Glen is still doing numerous repair and maintenance jobs and I know the workers will really miss having him around when he is gone.

Will try and be more diligent in keeping all of you up to date on what's happening this side of the world.

Love and blessings to you all.

Marj