Zim Update #3

Hello friends!

I wanted to get another update to you all before I head out to Karanda tomorrow morning. The internet will be less reliable than it already is here in Harare, and I will be much busier once I am out at the hospital, so I'm not sure when you will hear from me next.  

The past few days have been spent in orientation and preparation for our stay at the hospital. We learned about the history of Rhodesia, and how it became the Zimbabwe it is today, as well as how TEAM became involved here originally. Interesting fact: the name Zimbabwe comes from a tribal word referring to large, conical stone structures built by an ancient civilization in the southwestern part of the country.

Another, more continual aspect of our training, has been becoming more versed in the intricacies of showing respect in Zimbabwe. Respect and family are the two pillars of Shona culture. You are given respect based on your place in the family tree. The line of respect starts with Sekuru, or the grandfather, and then Ambuya, or grandmother. Respect is then extended to your Baba and Amai, or father and mother. At the end of the line of respect are married men, married women, single men, single women, and then children. All of Shona culture, from greetings and handshakes to posture and titles, are dictated by respect. Our team members' place in the line of respect is complicated because, while we re single women, we are also considered professionals, which affords us a higher level of respect.

Family is viewed very highly in Zimbabwe. Your aunts and uncles are considered mothers and fathers, while your cousins are siblings. Members of the family are expected to care for each other, without question. One part of the family that I found rather funny was the role of the "tetè", or the aunt (from the father's side) in choosing a husband for her nieces. The tetè is in charge of the entire process, while the father does not even learn anyone is interested in his daughter until the potential son-in-law shows up at his house to arrange the bride price. I'm not exactly sure that my dad would be pleased with such an arrangement but apparently it works in Zimbabwe.

Another interesting part of our training is trying to comprehend the dichotomy of Zimbabwe culture. One side of the culture is more Westernized. These Zimbabweans typically dress much like we do in the states, carry cell phones and other electronics, and are most likely employed and living in an urban setting. They are also almost exclusively from the Shona tribe, which makes up approximately 75% of the country's population. So far in our trip, we have mostly come into contact with this side of the culture. In fact, during our shopping trip today, we heard American music at both the grocery store and the craft fair. Everything from Taylor Swift to Michael Jackson was playing.

The great majority of people living in Zimbabwe are from the more traditional side of the culture. They live in rural areas and typically are subsistence farmers or peddlers. They live on a much less varied diet than their urban counterparts, eating sadza, a form of cornmeal, at every meal, with occasional vegetables, and meats, on special occasions. The traditional Shona also observe more conservative dress, which is why we are required to wear flowy skirts that extend beyond the knee.

Orientation has been fascinating. I have certainly learned a lot, about the Shona people, the country of Zimbabwe, and the hard working missionaries here at TEAM. Today was our last day of preparation in Harare. We bought a month's worth of food for six people without spending our entire food budget, which I found impressive. It was sometimes difficult to figure out amounts of food since they use the metric system, but we learned to rely on certain people in our group as mental calculators. We also learned that it is socially acceptable to openly laugh at people, even if you don't know them. I was on the receiving side of quite a bit of laughter as I pushed around my cart full of 8 KGs of milk, 8 KGs of juice, and 20 loaves of bread.

Tomorrow we leave for Karanda early in the morning. Prayers are appreciated for travel, as we need to transport 9 people and a month's worth of food and supplies out to rural northern Zimbabwe. I would also ask that you keep in mind our health. Most of the team is still feeling under the weather, due to allergies, remaining jet lag, and continued lack of sleep.

Thank you all for you prayers and support!

In His Service,

Mary