January 22, 2003

Hello again from Zimland

Just a note to bring you up to date.

Because of my breakin and theft I have now installed new burglar bars on my house and hired a guard. He works from 6pm to 6am and is so happy to have a job that he also does all my gardening, is putting in a vegetable garden for me, cleaning up the yard, washes my vehicle daily, etc. I pay him about $15.00cdn monthly!!! Have bought him garden tools, a club (to beat the shit out of intruders), flashlight, raingear, etc.

Am off tomorrow to a big game hunting camp owned by a Rotarian. Been there before and had one of the great experiences of my life so am really looking forward to this weekend. They say there are Cape Buffalo in the area right now and are going to arrange for me to shoot one with a .485 rifle. It is like a cannon. The meat will go to the villagers in the area.

I am also going to privately fund a whole school of primary children for their school

fees. About $50.00US if you can believe it - but now 250 children will be able to go to school for a year. Good feeling.

Plan to visit my shaman (witch doctor) up there who I saw last time and see what he has to say about me.

The weekend after I am off to Botswana with a group of 25 Rotarians and spouses for a golf weekend hosted by a Rotary Club there. We are also going to tour an under-ground gold mind. Should be a great trip and I will be able to buy mealie meal for my lodge there and import it back into Zim.

The weather is HOT here - about 35-38 Celcius every day. Huge thunderclouds but little or no rain. Petrol/diesel lineups are still here but it seems to have eased up a bit so the wait is down to 3 hours instead of all night and half the day.

The business is going well. A bit spotty because of the petrol problem and people reluctant to burn fuel to get out there but we had our biggest day ever last Saturday so you never know.

I have bought a dining room set, new bed (so my second bed is now available for guests along with a single bed in the third bedroom), a new CD player (lets see if they steal this one!!!) and other household stuff.

I have just heard that Rotary has found a way to get funds into this country via South Africa so am working on getting my last Matching Grant here so I can get on with the work I came for. Am also hoping that the container shipment will leave Canada soon and be here for late March so we can disperse that as well.

Got to run

Love,

Doug