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Sherrie Bumstead, the missionary nurse and founder of Bethany Ministries of Zimbabwe, Africa is here with all the medical and baby supplies we brought with us and collected by the church, friends and schools! She will use these for her home visits she makes weekly in the bush (rural areas).

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Visiting an orphanage in town (Bulawayo). There are 10 children in this new "forever home." They came from the baby orphanage and since they will not be adopted (?), they will grow up here together the rest of their childhood. It is only about 2 months old. THey are all under the age of 5.

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Greg got to do home visits in the bush (the rural area) of the same village. These 2 women had been dealing with high blood pressure and diabetes. (Notice the homestead huts).

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THis is a typical homestead in Zimbabwe. As you drive from town to town, this is what you see along the roads. Each hut is made like adobe- mud and straw. This keeps it cool in summer and warm in winter. Each hut is what we would consider a room in our house. One is living, one is kitchen, one is bathroom, etc. Their seasons are exactly opposite of ours. They are heading into their fall and winter now (April-August).

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The orphanage in a village outside Bulawayo called Mthombothemba, or "Hope Fountain."

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These are the church children's teachers I had the privilege of doing a training seminar with. They each walk for miles to get to where they are going every day. And because Zim is British colonized, they have tea each day at 10 a.m. That was our day's break time. They value relationships more than time, which is what we value more in America.

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Having tea at mid-morning during the teacher seminar. This is usually their breakfast too. Lunch is later if they have it, but usually they just have 1 meal a day.

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These are the school kids on break in the same village. Many are having snacks they brought from home - corn on the cob, juice, or other grown items. It's a government school, like ours in America, but they have to pay to go - about $100 a year plus about $40 for uniforms and materials.

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The only books and materials they get are those given by Bethany Ministries and it's founder Missionary Sherrie Bumstead. All the text books they have are from Texas - schools in East Texas that have donated and Sherrie has shipped over. Obviously there are only enough for one per class, not per child. They learn in English.

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This is the P.E. teacher. He was excited to get a new soccer ball, but jumped for joy when he was presented with the pump and replacement pins. He had a closet full of flat balls.

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Another homestead medical visit. Gives you a good idea of the huts.

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Children at the school. These notebooks (of blank pages) and pencils are all the materials they have. They all walk to and from school along rocky, dirt roads, and most without shoes. Even in the winter.

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More children in their classroom. They number their grades differently, starting at 0 for preschoolers. So if you are in the 3rd grade in America, there you would be in the 4th.

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The girls are on this side of the room!

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Just about EVERYONE walks EVERYWHERE. And as you see here, the women carry their babies on their backs like this and carry their other items on their heads.

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We visited a hospital in another small town. It is considered the best in Zim, but in America it would be shut down due to inadequate buildings and lack of supplies. They service about 600 people a day. They come from all over.

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This family was very excited because she just delivered twin boys. Our church made reusable diapers (they call them napies). They are formal in their presentation of items. I was squatting and you only hand things with your right hand, with your left on your elbow (didn't do that here - oops!).

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A new mom. She was in a large room with about 20 mothers in labor or newly born babies. We left them baby items too.

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Praise and Worship Center church of the village of Hope Fountain feeds about 60 orphans a day. The children walk from the school to the church to eat probably their only meal of the day of sadsa (thick grits) and beans or greens.

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These are the children at the church in the same village of Hope Fountain. This is a regular meal they get. It is called sadsa (which is just like grits but thicker) and beans. They also do greens and on special occasions they will do chicken and beef.

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This is also a common sight alongside the road. The cattle roam freely with their "shepherd." Many times you have to come to a dead stop in the middle of the highway because of cows crossing. There are no fences.

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Also another common site. Children walking (in this case running!) home from school...right on the side of the road - in this case a highway! Scary for us. People walk EVERYWHERE, usually for hours. If they're blessed enough they can catch a ride for a truck that will stop.

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More children at the orphanage - called "Ebenezer."