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Wrinkled and old, with a beautiful linen headcover, my seatmate on my flight from Ethiopia is blind in one eye. She needs help putting her bag in the upper bin, as do I, due to wearing a sling. A third woman comes over with purpose and a huge smile, cheerfully helping us both before putting her own things away. Kindness. At some point, I get up to stretch and while trying to buckle myself back in, an aged, hennaed hand reaches out and buckles me in. She reaches around my back and straightens my t-shirt, making sure it is comfortable. I take her hand with my good one and squeeze [...]

Here you can see Tanya doing some Art Therapy training for social workers and educators who work with children of war, abused children, street children, children traumatized by natural disasters, and children without a voice. It is an honor to work with these folks who give so much of themselves to help the littlest ones. #AFCAids #BeKind

We just handed over the houses to the grannies, celebrating with them...peanuts, donuts and coca cola for all. They received blankets, a water filter each and solar lamps. #afcaids #lovewell #bekind

We are building a house to replace the widow's home which is falling apart. The team is busy spackling, painting, sanding, and husking peanuts (Aiden). Today is hot and the humidity is extraordinary, so we are a sweaty mess. Well, we were a sweaty mess early, early on, before any work started.

Four hours waiting for the team to get through customs and baggage claim in Bangui, Central African Republic. Three hours to get through the border crossing to Congo, thanks to crooked police and immigration officials. Ten hours on the back of a motorcycle to do a trip that normally takes 6 hours. Six tired but incredibly gracious team members. One frustrated but still-functioning translator who has worked through five languages in the past two days. One tired and equally frustrated team leader with one busted shoulder. Two houses to be finished and three latrines to be built. We are Vacation(ing) with a Purpose in Gemena, Democratic Republic of the Congo. [...]

By faith we said we'd build a maternity ward in Mombasa, Kenya. AND we said we'd send three containers of medical supplies. Today, I am so grateful to each donor who has helped us finish the Mercy Ward and who have helped send two containers. One is being offloaded as I type this update! Once we have enough hospital beds, equipment and enough funds, we will ship the third container. Thank you to all who've made this dream possible and to Betsy Dorsey for her constant and invaluable help. #AFCAids #LoveWell #BeKind

The team arrives at the Bulawayo airport looking more chipper than I thought they'd look, thanks to a hotel stay in Johannesburg. It is so great to hug people I have been corresponding with for such a long time! The sky is so, so blue and the temperature is a perfect 74 degrees or so. We pile into the hired van and take off on a 2.5 hour bumpy road to Morning Star, our home for the first five nights of this trip. The Weaverettes and I have been at MS for the past four days and have been getting to know Di and Gary, the new folks who run [...]

Digging holes for chicken coop fencing. Painting trellis frames. Clearing the area for AFCAids' new greenhouse,  Plumbing. Fabricating trellises. Just some of all the things the volunteers have been involved in as part of their Vacation with a Purpose here in Zimbabwe. It is so nice to be under blue skies again after a couple if rainy, dreary and incredibly cold days. It is expected to be 33F degrees tomorrow morning, so this bit of sun is so welcome. (Click on any of the photos below to see larger versions)  

A bit of our day today with team two.....  Some of our volunteers spent time painting bee hives for AFCA's beneficiaries. A beekeeper in Kenya noted that brightly colored hives attract swarms more easily. While others were involved in building a chicken coop, moving a million bundles of thatch And of course we took pictures of some goats... all part of AFCA's livelihoods program - supporting families to build their capacity to sustain themselves!  

Team two has arrived in the Matopos! Everyone is healthy and not acting sleep deprived at all. It is so good to meet folks I've been in touch with for so long (and Suzanne, who I met once, long ago). Welcome to Zimbabwe!