Hugh Lynn a half-Maori, half-Scot from New Zealand who runs The Whakapuare organization.
Whakapuare started 1969 an indigenous actives group. (Whakapuare means OPENING THE DOOR) Since then over 100 projects in New Zealand, through out The Pacific islands and Australia have been started.
Hugh has now taken Whakapuare to Zimbabwe and Indonesia. (as a result of the first Vittachi conference, which Hugh attended, and through which several young people have come into Subud).
Here he writes about his 3rd visit to Africa in 2003 with his Indonesian-born wife, Murianti…
We are now back in Harare. We have been away on the road visiting these cities: Gweru, Bulawayo, Mutare and Mudzi.
At the last place we stayed for one week to activate our Vhombozi School Project. Which is called “Water for Vhombozi” plus the “fund-raising committee project”. We deposited Zimb$1 million for the water project and Zimb$500.000 for the fund raising committee/project.
Hugh Lynn and Murianti in Zimbabwe
Our last week was spent in the rural area of Mudzi which is 4 hours drive from Harare, population 135 thousand in the villages that surround the area. No European or foreigners anywhere. In fact, you cannot get into these areas without special permission from the people who run the area.
This is where a lot of the fighting took place. This was one of the birth places of struggle for independence. It is steeped in history – war history. Fighting, death, pain, then finally independence.
They just don’t like strangers coming in to the area. Murianti and I did the latihan each morning. I think that helps a lot. I think that God is looking after us both. Thank Goodness. I don’t think we could have done it on our own.
Vhombozi School is some 26 km from Mudzi town which takes us one hour driving on what would have been a dirt road once. Very few motorized vehicles travel this road. You either walk or go by ox-drawn wagon.
No electricity, water if you can get it. Most people have to carry it on theirs heads. Woman do this work.
Our first night in Mudzi we were interviewed by the head people of the area (war veterans). We passed our test. They asked a lot of questions. Why were we here? Who were we? After we were accepted – you cannot get into the area unless you are – doors started to open.
We secured transport after much negotiation then petrol then a driver. This took 6 hours. We needed them to operate for the week to get backward and forward to the school.
Over the week we built-up strong relationship with the people of the area. We presented one workshop on Africa Speaks in Mudzi and visited two separate schools with a presentation to an assembly of all the people.
Ancient Dance, Ancient Culture
We went to visit the Vhombozi School each day, and that itself is exhausting enough. At one meeting with the parents some 400 attended from around the villages to hear our plans and then to approve them. Finally on the last day, Saturday, there was a Continue reading ‘WATER FOR VHOMBOZI’
