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A Letter From Beth Daly in Zimbabwe (Posted September
04th, 2003)
The following letter was penned by Beth Daly and send to Mustard Seed Headquarters in Jamaica. We thought you might like to take a read of it.
On a recent trip to Africa, I spent a day with Brother Garvin and
experienced first hand the work he is doing in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. To
begin, I must mention what an example of heroic virtue Brother Garvin
was to me. Everyday, he confronts death amidst the worst poverty I have
ever seen. Many frustrations hinder his efforts, including a lack of
spiritual community to encourage him in his work, opposition from the
local church community, and little other support in a seemingly hopeless
situation. The devastating economic conditions are the result of a
corrupt government (the head of which, unfortunately, is “Catholic”) and
the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.
After the new Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, visited Mustard Seed
Communities in Jamaica, he asked Brother Garvin to help the orphans of
Bulawayo whose parents had died of AIDS. Brother Garvin, who is still a
seminarian, has been in Zimbabwe now for one year. He refers to the
people living in the squatter’s camp as “the forgotten ones.” His
efforts focus on the most immediate and changeable problem, hunger. He
is also working to develop an orphanage that can exist within the
village community. He faces many obstacles, such as language barriers
and tribal beliefs that reject the western idea of an orphanage.
Since his arrival in Zimbabwe, Brother Garvin has started the Narrow
Gate Youth Club. The group started with six boys and has now grown to
over 40, many of whom are AIDS orphans. They participate in Morning and
Evening Prayer, daily rosary, and Mass with Brother Garvin, as well as a
day of recollection, which includes a talk, prayer, and Mass. The boys
ride their bicycles to remote squatters’ camps, visiting families who
are losing loved ones to AIDS or who are grieving the loss of a family
member. What most impressed me was the joy and peace on the faces of the
Narrow Gate Youth Club members, a sight that was rare among the
Zimbabweans I met. I believe the joy and peace directly resulted from a
sense of purpose given to them by Brother Garvin through this ministry.
In addition to his help for the orphans, Brother Garvin also has started
a day care center for the young children of women who have lost their
husbands to AIDS and are forced to seek employment.
On one visit to a squatters’ camp outside of Bulawayo, we delivered
small bags of food to people who had very little and were in a situation
of terrible despair. As we drove along a seemingly endless dirt rode to
the squatter’s camp, passing the lean-to’s, shanties and kralls in which
numerous people lived, many small children ran behind the truck in
delight at Brother Garvin’s visit. As we parked the truck, a very long
line of people holding old bottles, sometimes broken, formed behind the
truck. We gave each person a plastic bag containing small amounts of
sugar, soy meat, matimba (very small, salty dried fish), tea leaves, a
candle, and Vaseline, which they rubbed on their bodies to keep them
warm during the bitterly cold winter nights. They each received a cup of
cooking oil, which we poured into the bottles they carried with them. I
recall a very old gentleman coming to me with the broken pieces of his
bottle of oil. With sad eyes, he communicated to me through body
language that he had dropped his bottle and needed more oil. It was very
painful to have to send him away, as we were out of oil and still had
many people standing in line who had not received any food.
I assumed that the food we were handing out was their nourishment for
the day. I recall thinking that it would never fill them up, but would
at least keep the pains of hunger at bay. I was shocked to learn that
the little bit of food they received was to last a family of six for two
weeks, and that five American dollars can feed a family of six for two
weeks. Only $500 dollars every two weeks feed the one hundred and
twenty-five families who live in the squatters’ camp we visited. Our
financial support and our prayers will go a long way to help Brother
Garvin persevere in his work in Zimbabwe.
Mustard Seed Children, A Profile (Posted May
15th, 2003)
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Periodically we will
be profiling different children living within the Mustard
Seed Community. We hope you will enjoy getting to know
the children.
Name:
Jerdine Edwards
Date of birth: 10/11/87
Sex: Female
Address: Jerusalem
Disability: Autism
Jerdine's Story:
Jerdine was born at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital; it
is said that she was abandon by her mother on a paternal
aunt, it is said that both mother and father are employed
and are unable to provide adequate supervision for her
as no one would supervise her for long.
Jerdine is one of three children from a common law relationship
which separation came into play due to father denying
paternity of one his child (not Jerdine). Father regrets
not been able to keep Jerdine because his job takes
him all over the island and he is not in a position to
offer special care that is needed. Various agencies was
sought after and she was accepted in Mustard Seed, since
she have been here she have been exposed to school, social
and domestic activities with a little prompt.
She have grown to be a wonderful young adult, she is loving,
friendly gets along well with her peers well discipline
approachable and wear a warm smile it's a pleasure having
her with us.
Name: Juanita Campbell
Date of birth: 11/5/90
Sex: Female
Address: Jerusalem
Disability: Mental Retardation
Juanita's Story:
Juanita was born to a mother who is said to be mentally
ill and would repeatedly leave her children in the care
of the father who is simple mined. It is said that the
care of the children were very poor and suspicions has
been aroused about her been molested by her father as
she have been treated for S.T.D twice at the Grange Hill
Health Center. Her father ran away because of allegations
of him having relationship with Juanita.
An aunt who was said to be interesting in the care of
the children did not keep her appointment, the court had
no choice but to grant Juanita and her sister a Fit Person
Order. Juanita was placed at the Granville Place of Safety
where her mother would visit every week and tried to initiate
plans to steal her away. Juanita's mother, is said to
be married and does domestic work, which make her able
to visit Juanita she denies trying to steal her away.
Superintendent reports are that Juanita is imprudent gives
trouble and needs to be seen by a psychiatrist. Both Juanita
and her sister have little communication skills and appears
none focus and none attentive.
Juanita has been with Mustard Seed since February 23,
2000. She is able body attends school and participate
in all social activities with a little prompt. She also
tends to be unruly and can be disruptive what is special
about Juanita is that she is very loving to younger children
that's when you get to rap with her which would bring
out a smile.
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