Morning Mirror 59 5th August 2003 |
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Mother always said it was important to learn something new every day and during our last visit to Vic Falls and Hwange we discovered three new things. The first was that the Gwayi / Shangani pipeline is not just a pipe dream but is slowly becoming a reality. The tour guide from Ivory Lodge told us there were people in the area (Chinese he thought although Malaysian was another suggestion) who were actually there measuring and marking...... The second thing we learnt was that there are several teams of Doctors in Zimbabwe from a group called "Doctors without Borders" and they are doing valuable work with malnourished children in Tholotjo, work with HIV aids children and breast-feeding mothers in another part of the country and these intrepid folk, (the ones we met were from Spain) did not use their NGO transport for their own use which we though a fine gesture when you see other NGO outfits swanning around on private trips in fancy cars paid for by donors. The third thing we learnt was that on the read to the Hwange Safari Lodge there is the most incredible Wild Dog / Painted Dog / Cape Hunting Dog project being undertaken by a group of caring conservationists. Just off the road in the bush is a wild dog sanctuary of incredible proportions. Enormous magnificent interlinked cages, fully electrified against predators both human and animal. The project looks ahead at educational tours for groups of school children both local and imported to bring about awareness of the plight of the Wild Dog. And fourthly, the Falls were magnificent, the rain forest just as lush as we remembered it, the Falls themselves were absolutely breathtaking, thunderously full, and we suddenly remembered why we are in love with Zimbabwe !!
Never again in your (or my) lifetime will the Red Planet be so spectacular This month and next Earth is catching up with Mars, an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years but it may be as long as 60,000 years. The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. At a modest 75-power magnification Mars will look as large as the full moon to he naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot. At the beginning of August Mars will rise in the east at 10 p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. But by the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30 a.m. That's pretty convenient when it comes to seeing something that no human has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively brighter and brighter throughout the month. Share this! No one alive today will ever see this again.
Thought I would let you know we watched SUNDAY last night, which is a documentary show and the first half was once again dedicated to Zimbabwe so someone out there is trying. We have all bombarded folk so something is paying off! It showed Bulawayo, rusty cars in queues, David Coltart at a meeting, a farmer called Wilde showing folk his lost farm and the poaching...hope that doesn't get him into trouble! the reporter had sneaked in as a tourist. We also watched Fear Factor the final which showed young Mark Hewlett, a zimmie, who won it...that was a good feeling. He was good friends to some friends of ours here, Hilton and Dot Morgan who are ex Fort Vic and ex Bulawayo too..he won US 25,000 and fully deserved it. He had to pick up dead rats in his mouth and spit them into a drum...he did the most and then he had to drive a car at top speed into a swimming pool, get out of it underwater with a flag that was in the car and swim to the side and hang it onto a pole..he did it in 37 seconds, really powered through the water...very interesting. Cheers WORD ABOUT MERYL HARRISON Just had a read of the mirror and thought you might like to know that the lady from the NSPCA who was so ill was sponsored for everything from flights to hospital and surgeon fees and the pacemaker she had fitted was donated as well. She is well on the way to recovery and should be back in Zim soon. The story of her cardiac condition was on the breakfast show of 702 - our local talk radio station, and within half an hour everything she needed and more was donated - excess donations will probably go to the NSPCA - so it shows what miracles can be worked!!..." I am a Zimbabwean, born and bred , I have lived. I came into this world, born of great parents, born into a country i am proud to be a small part of. I sit in my little world thinking and in my minds eye is see the following. I stand upon the side of a grand view, the side of a majestic granite kopje, i look out on a land and i have a tear in my eye. Not for a bad reason but for the fact that i am a zimbabwean. I stand there and i imagine and remember the warmth of the african sun on my cheek, i can feel the warm wind blowing across the veld, I can hear the sounds of the vlei grass moving with the gentle caress of the sensuous warm wind. I can smell the far off smell of a rural Zimbabwean cooking fire, the smell oh the glorious smell of some indigenous wood being burnt to help to feed a small persons hungry stomach. I can see in minds eye the expectant face of that child, hungry for that little food that his parents have managed to scrounge from a cruel and unforgiving soil. They have lived a hard life , worked hard to provide for their progeny, and try as they may find it very difficult , and for the life of me they accept their station in this life. Many will starve as there is very support from a harsh and unforgiving government. If you vote for me you can eat, if you don't then you starve. I am a Zimbabwean , i am proud in name both family and in Nationality. I was born to this world to try and help a nation. I can smell the fear of a people down trodden by a tyrannical person. Hell bent upon the destruction of a great country, yet her people are resilient to this, they will succeed. These are my people, black, white, asian, coloured whatever you maybe you are my people. I was born among you , i am you brother and your friend, i am your rock, lean upon me and see what i see, hear what i hear and smell what i smell. I see a country once great amongst it neighbours, i see a country once capable of feeding not only her children but her neighbours children, and now where has that gone ,i ask was all this for no reason, lives sacrificed. I see a country that is torn apart by civil unrest, i see a sad picture. I want to see my country again proud and strong amongst her neighbours and by our gods good grace we will be in our place , holding our heads high. I remember working with my fellow zimbabwean, a hard working person, proud that his days work was a vital part of an economy, making our country a wealthy and prosperous place to be , so much so that people from other countries far and wide wanted to come and live there, and still do. He worked as i did for a common good , so i ask for you all to help us work for a common good, i don't ask for your money, i ask for you help in putting pressure in the right place to help make the change to make us proud again. Pass this on to your friends please is all i ask. Thank-you
Congratulations to Anita and Terence on the arrival of Caitlin Elizabeth DICK AND CATHY COOPER ANNOUNCE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THEIR DAUGHTER ALIZA TO FRITZ YOUNGER SON OF PHIL AND ROSIE BOTHA
WE SEND OUR HEARTFELT SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILIES OF THE FOLLOWING
We wish to offer our deepest sympathy to Derek Hudson and family on the very sad loss of Gill. We deeply mourn the loss of Lionel (Tubby) Reynolds, deepest sympathy to Brenda, Lynne, Wendy , Doug and families.
The President's biography will be released in October this year. Written by Mr Nathan Shamuyarira, be sure to book your copy at your favourite bookstore. |
