VIM to ZIM

Are you getting excited? We are!

I know one team member who has been packed for several months now. Pete Harris was breaking in some new shoes for Zimbabwe when we saw him yesterday at the CROP walk.

Gordon will be getting t-shirts for us to wear on the trip, so come prepared to change at Romulus. Also come without your suitcases locked or strapped and, if possible, with some room left inside as some folks have a lot of things they need to take for the projects they are going to be working on and we’d like to spread it out a little bit. Remember, you cannot lock your checked suitcases unless you use the TSA approved locks that can be accessed by security inspectors. You can get them in any travel store. Let us know if you are taking only one suitcase as some of us who have extra stuff can then add an extra one. We can all take 2 suitcases of 70 pounds each plus a carry-on. Make sure you don’t go over the weight limit as over weight costs are very expensive!

One thing we’re very excited about is that… Bishop Nhiwatiwa, his assistant, Rev. Lloyd Nyarota, and the District Superintendent, Givemore Chimbwanda, will be meeting and eating with us one night at La Rochelle. We think you will enjoy talking with them and getting familiar with the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe.

Our computer experts are working on setting up a blog site so we can communicate with folks at home. We will give you more information about that when we have things ready to go.

Emergency Contacts - If somebody needs to get in touch with you:

La Rochelle: November 5 - 18
E-Mail: rochell@syscom.co.zw (Emergencies ONLY, please)
Phone: (from the US) 011 263 20 22250

Bronte Hotel: November 18
E-mail: bronte@mweb.co.zw
Phone: (from the US) 011 263 4 796631

Heathrow Lodge: November 19
Phone: (from the US) 011 44 1753 68 69 70

In case of an emergency in Zimbabwe, we can call the secretary at St. Johns church and she will have phone numbers and e-mail addresses for everyone’s emergency contacts. If anything has been changed in your emergency contact information, please let Gordon know. (PastorGordon@charter.net)

For Airline information:

British Airways: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/home/public/en_us, or just Google “British Airways”

Here you will find up-to-date information on luggage, size of carry-ons allowed, and what you can take in your carry-on. Check just before we go, as regulations may change. Remember we are flying into Great Britain and out of Great Britain, and the rules are different in both cases. You don’t want the whole group held up if someone packs tooth paste in their carry-on when they shouldn’t have.

Airline Schedule:

DEPARTURE

Leave Detroit Metro: 22:35 3 Nov 2006
Arrive Heathrow: 11:00 4 Nov 2006
BA0202 British Airways

Leave Heathrow: 18:50 (or 6:50 PM London time) 4 Nov 2006
Arrive Harare: 06:55 AM 5 Nov 2006
BA0153 British Airways

1 flight connection, total journey time: 25 hours 20 minutes.

RETURN

Leave Harare: 09:10 19 Nov 2006
Arrive Heathrow: 17:35 19 Nov 2006
BA0152 British Airways

Warning - the connecting flight leaves on the next day. We have made overnight arrangements at Heathrow Lodge

Leave Heathrow: 09:10 20 Nov 2006
Arrive Detroit: 12:50 20 Nov 2006
BA0203 British Airways

1 flight connection, total journey time: 34 hours 40 minutes.

Things that still need to be donated:

Laptops — can be used computers, but should be in good shape and fairly recent. Should be able to play CDs and ideally DVDs. AU would like some laptops for their technology lab, and the District Superintendent would like one to take with him when he visits churches.

These are requests that Susan Henthorn got from the Africa University library’s instructional technology department. If you can help with any of these things, please let Susan know:

“2. In my area, she can bring a used / new laptop for the Library Department as a whole (for workshops, presentations etc) and Flash Disks.
4. Is she aware of a Time Control software to manage student use of computers? Can she discuss it with me and bring if possible?
5. Are they are using Innopac Millennium Electronic Resources Management Module. She may bring materials on how to market, promote, source and analyse Electronic Resources and any other resource materials she thinks will help us in E-Resources.
Below are some Audio-Visual materials which were requested by Library clients. Most materials are available in Video or Audio form, but nowadays they may be available in DVD’s. I would appreciate whatever form they are available.

• English Lessons - For English Beginners
• Environmental Science
• Farm Machinery
• Gender
• Health –Reproductive health, HIV/ AIDS
• Leadership
• Management
• Multi-lingual Video or Audio-Cassettes for the following Languages: Portuguese to English, French to English or vice-versa
• Psychology
• Theology videos
• Blank Video Cassettes

Video or Audio Cassettes in Languages
1. French to English
2. English to French
3. Portuguese to English
4. English to Portuguese
5. Counseling Video Cassettes
6. English lessons for beginners and DVDs for the above languages.”

Pastors’ workshop:

The Pastor’s workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 14. Our 4 pastors will be attending (and anyone else who might like to be involved). Place yet to be decided. There are 28 pastors in the district and the topic will be the United Methodist Discipline. Marsha will be bringing 12 Disciplines and Morris has ordered enough more. Everyone — please leave room in you luggage so you can tuck in one or two Disciplines when we are in Romulus.

Schedule:

There are no significant changes to the schedule that has been posted on the website (annmorristaber.net), except for the Pastors’ Workshop addition.

Meeting Place Friday, November 3:
5:00 PM — Meet at the Romulus Community Church, 11160 Olive Street, Romulus, Phone # 734 941 0736. We will do repacking as necessary, have a send-off by Rev. Elias and Tapuwa Mumbiro, have a pizza supper, and then start shuttling folks to the airport. Your car can be left at the church.

Simon at La Rochelle warns us that electricity is off for long periods of time most days now. He suggests we bring crank powered flashlights, but I would think a good strong battery or two would take care of the two weeks. Don’t forget your shots and malaria medication!

Questions?
E-mail Ann, Morris, or Gordon