I am a 16 year old person living in Zimbabwe. I think the time has come for a more direct
appeal, and so I am writing to you, the world.
Maybe, just maybe, there might be someone out there who can help us...
It's tough here now. The inflation rate is so high that if you don't change money within 6
hours you could get half the amount of foreign currency that you would have originally
received.
We're starving now; people die around us. In the last year alone at least ten people
associated personally with my family have died despite the fact that they were only
middle-aged. Other people don't make it to middle age. They don't even make it past
childhood.
Our once-proud nation is on it's knees. We flee or die. This beautiful, bountiful once-rich
land has become a living hell. We have dealt with it until now; we have made a plan. That
was the Zimbabwean motto: "MAKE A PLAN".
But now we can't make a plan. We're too tired, too broken, too bankrupt. We can't afford
life, and life does not cost much, not really. We cannot afford to eat, we cannot afford to
drink, and we cannot afford to make mistakes, because if we do we die. We don't have the
capital to support ourselves, and those few who do, have to deal with the horror of
watching their friends and family fall into absolute poverty as they cannot afford to help
them.
Here is a poem I wrote on the January 2nd, 2007:
"NEW YEAR"
The rising sun finds us in yet another year,
And we look back over every disappointment,
Every bitter failure,
Every salty tear.
The future sits golden before us,
But we are afraid to hope or care.
We've been beaten down too many times before
And life holds no promises there.
At this very same instant every year
We glimpse the rainbow of hope above the street,
But every one of us nurses the very same fear
And faith lies dying at our feet.
Many men have perished,
Claimed by starvation, disease or another's hand.
A nation knocked down to its knees
Now desperately struggles to stand.
Perhaps this year will be different,
Perhaps a hero will come.
But deep down we know
That this cannot be so,
For if it were it would have been done.
There is no light to splice the darkness,
No dawn to dispel the night,
No one to see our struggle,
No one to pity us in our plight.
Who in this world will save us?
Who in this world will come?
Where will next year find us?
If God's will be truly done?
I think that this poem sums it all up. That's life in Zimbabwe. We're sick of struggling; sick
of fighting. We're waiting desperately for a great hand to pick us up out of the dirt because
at the moment we are outnumbered by Fate herself, and so we close our eyes and pray. We
have fought for too long, and have been brought to breaking point. We simply stand,
heads down, and bear it. Our spirit has gone; we are defeated. After a valiant struggle of
over fifteen years, we have been broken. There is no will left, no spirit. Like a horse that
has been beaten until it cannot fight anymore; we are the same, and, like that horse, we
stand dusty, scarred and alone, with dried blood on our sides and lash marks along our
flanks. Our ribs too stand out; our hide is also dull. Our eyes are glazed, our throats are
parched, and our knees struggle to support us so that we stand with splayed legs to bear
the brunt of the next beating, too dejected even to whimper...
This is my plea. The thought of picking ourselves up again is sickening; one can only take
so many blows before oblivion is reached, and we are teetering on the rim of the
bottomless void. One more push will be the end of us all...
There must be someone out there who can do something. There must be someone out
there who cares! We are a destroyed nation, and the world sits back and watches,
pretending they cannot hear our cries. I appeal to you all...
HELP US!
A 16 YEAR OLD ZIMBABWEAN.. ....
TED TIPLER: Our dear Gulli, Wendy, Peter and Sue, please accept our deepest condolences
on the passing of Ted. He was a really special person and I will always remember him by
that great big smile he wore. God bless you all. - Peter and Denise Botwright
Edward TIPLER.
Gulli, Peter, & all the family; so sorry to read the sad news on
Morning Mirror.
Thinking of you all, and sending you a big hug. Kevin, Marian & Luke
Moloney, Ireland & UK
Condolences
Ted Tipler - dearly loved brother and uncle of Kath, Don and family. A
very special man who has always played a big part in our lives. We are
all going to miss him beyond measure. Thanks for all the wonderful
memories Ted - we will treasure those until we see you again. You have
now moved onward, Christian soldier, and we know that the nail scarred
hand of Jesus has brushed those tears from your cheeks and that you are
at peace at last. Our love thoughts and prayers are with Gulli, Sue,
Wendy, Pete and families.
Tipler. Ted
Deepest sympathy to Gulli and family on the sad passing of Ted. A truly fine
gentleman who did so much for squash in Matabeleland and Zimbabwe.
Matabeleland Squash Association
TED TIPLER OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH TEDS FAMILY AT THIS SAD TIME - RICK AND
MARGARET AND ALL AT ACOL CHEMICAL
Dear Gulli, Susan,Wendy, & Peter,
It was with great sadness that I read of Ted's passing on the 15th March. He was a lovely
man. A perfect gentleman... always charming, friendly & cheerful. Such wonderful
memories of Queen's Squash Section...lots of fun & laughs. And the social get togethers at
the Andersons! Happy memories to cherish.
My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time.
Colleen Henderson. Malaga Estate, Elands River Valley, Mpumalanga. RSA.
The memorial service for the late E. H. Tomkins will be held at Farley Funeral Service
Chapel, 46 Jason Moyo St, and 3rd Avenue on the 27th of March 2007 at 1500 hours.
Fr Richard Rohr's quote; "Once we attain a critical mass among people, things begin to
change." is absolutely true.
To quote the Bible "As you believe so it will be". Very plainly put for all to understand.
As long as mass thinking remains, that is what we will all receive. We need to start
working on our thinking, difficult true, but if we don't change our thoughts we will never
get change. Lets all make the effort.
"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but look what they can do when they
stick together"
Vesta M Kelly
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