- Dear Family and Friends,
-
- Christmas 2003 has been an extremely emotional time for
me as this year the veneer of anything resembling festivity and tranquility
has come almost completely from outside the country. Gone are the days
when our families came from overseas and we treated them to the majestic
beauty of our spectacular country. Now the tables are turned completely.
This Christmas a member of my family came home for the first time in three
and a half years and with her came sacks full of life saving essentials,
gifts and special treats. Out of the luggage came chocolates and coffee,
dried fruit and dehydrated packets of food, medicines, toothpaste and
piles of second hand clothes. In the post came parcels from Zimbabweans
living in exile all over the world, from friends and strangers.
-
- In the days leading up to Christmas, we began stretching
and sharing the bounty, making a little go a very long way and the simplest
of things gave such joy. One woman who we gave toothpaste to, clapped her
hands with delight, saying she could not remember when she had last been
able to afford to clean her teeth. To another woman a small packet of tampons
was a precious gift and worth more than a month's wages. To someone else
a tennis ball was the first real toy his 3 year old son had ever received.
This youngster was born just after Zimbabwe's political madness began,
and struggle and strife is all he has ever known. To another man, who writes
the most amazing personal diaries about his struggle to survive in Zimbabwe's
hell, two simple exercise books and a ball point pen were treasured gifts.
-
- On Christmas Day, the most special gift was delivered
to my gate just as the sun was sinking into the horizon. The son of a neighbor
arrived with a small enamel pot containing 4 home made scones and 4 muffins.
With much thanks and laughter the pot was returned to the boys parents
with 6 eggs and 4 little chocolates inside it.
-
- Our government seems completely oblivious to the suffering
of the masses and so, those of us who still can, are helping each other,
be it through food or toothpaste, old clothes and shoes or a simple pot
with half a dozen eggs in it. The worst is yet to come in Zimbabwe as inflation
is now at 620% and waiting to soar again as soon as the shops re-open after
Christmas. In the months ahead hundreds of thousands of children will not
be returning to school in the new year as the fees have just gone up by
over one thousand percent. The short term future for Zimbabwe is extremely
bleak but thanks to the enormous generosity of friends and strangers, this
week I have made a little go a long way and my much repeated prayer is
that this will be our last Christmas in such appalling circumstances. I
thank you all for reading and forwarding my letters, for your continual
messages of support and encouragement and for helping me to help others.
-
- Until next week,
-
- with love, cathy.
-
- Copyright cathy buckle
- 27 December 2003. <http://africantears.netfirms.com>
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