15 June 2007

Diamonds in the Sky

Sometimes I feel sorry for people who do not live in the drier regions
of the world. In a place like Bulawayo we have zero humidity at this
time of the year and it can get pretty chilly at night, with wonderful
clear blue skies and mild temperatures during the day. In weather like
this there is also the temptation to stay indoors after dusk. If you
have a fire of real mopani wood, even more so! It is a mistake.

Last night for example, at about 19.30 hours my wife and I walked home
under a sky that was ablaze with stars. Venus was near setting in the
western sky and what a sight. It was so bright you could mistake it for
a light in a passing aircraft only it flashed and sparkled like a
100-carat space diamond. Absolutely beautiful and free to all of us who
occupy planet earth.
Right overhead was the Milky Way - spiraling across the night sky like a
splash of diamonds. No moon, no clouds, no moisture, just the black
African sky and the diamonds of space.

Sometimes I think of Africa in those same terms - beautiful, exotic but
with a backdrop of darkness that sometimes overwhelms us. I have often
pondered what it would mean to mankind if there were no stars, just
black, empty space going on into infinity. I am sure it would have
profound psychological implications - let alone the philosophical
questions it would pose! We would then be quite justified in asking how
did we get here? Who was responsible?
The possibility that there might be life somewhere "out there" is always
a consolation in a universe crowded with millions of planets, suns and
stars.

But we do have Venus and a plethora of other stars to keep us company
and to force us out into space in an attempt to find life elsewhere.
When he was President, Ronald Reagan had a programme under which he
recognised outstanding human achievement in the USA. He called those who
were recognised and rewarded under this programme Stars in the night sky
of America. I have always thought this was a great idea.

In any dark situation there are always stars that light up the sky and
give us hope that we are not alone. Stars that illumine their universe
in a unique way and in the process light up our world. Here in Zimbabwe
we are no exception. Last week I attended a small community meeting of
20 or so individuals who have just taken a lease on 96 hectares
surrounding two small dams known as the "Hillside Dams". There they are
intending to build a restaurant, establish a botanical garden and aloe
collection. They are also going to put in fences and security and create
a small game park. All work carried out by volunteers and all costs met
by donation.

In my sons church there is a remarkable woman who has taken it upon
herself to help the children's wards in the local hospital. With over 3
500 beds, the hospital is a giant medical facility but being State owned
and operated is just about on its knees. The children's wards are
freshly painted and clean and every child gets a toy when they are
checked in. Drugs are fully available and supplied free of charge and
nursing staff are assisted. All wards have television and visitors from
the Church pay regular visits to children in the wards.
Another remarkable women in the same Church runs a massive programme for
the absolute poor and destitute in Harare. She helps thousands in camps
at various rubbish dumps on the periphery of the City, has pastors
ministering to their spiritual needs as well as food and clothing. Whole
families are selected and sent out to a training farm where they are
taught farm skills and then settled on vacant land as small-scale
farmers.

Driving into Harare after 400 kilometers of empty farms and abandoned
homesteads you suddenly find yourself looking at a string of three farms
where the fences are repaired, cattle graze the land and superb crops
grown on well-prepared lands. All three have housed their staff well and
produce milk on a large scale for the nearby City. How they have been
able to remain on their farms and keep going is a mystery to me - one
day I will stop and pull in to ask, but I already know that behind these
islands of sanity and prosperity are individuals who have just stuck it
out and have shown every determination not to give in and quit.

Of course there are many who do not contribute, many who in fact like
the dark because it suits their purpose. But those who do struggle
against the odds, who still plant trees and flowers and tend their
lawns, they are heroes in every way, bright stars in the night of our
time. The marvel of this process, is that in becoming stars in our
universe, we discover light always wins and that gives us hope.

It is really tough right now to give people hope and faith in the future
because things look so grim. We now know that Tendai Biti and Welshman
Ncube were actually in South Africa waiting for the Zanu PF
representatives to pitch up for the meeting. They did not arrive and
gave no apologies. On Monday Zanu PF submitted their response to the
request that they set out their basic position. We have now had sight of
that and I am told it resembles the ramblings of a lunatic - I am not
surprised, we have long known this was an asylum with the inmates in
charge.

The Zanu document in fact does not deal with any of the issues that are
on the table. They ramble on about "recognition of Mr. Mugabe as
President" and the suspension of "sanctions" as well as the well-known
diatribe about the MDC as a "violent Party". As if it would make one
iota of difference to anything if we did do those things! We do not
control the standing of Mr.
Mugabe in international circles - he does. We do not control the
imposition of personal travel and financial restrictions on the 100 or
so worst offenders in terms of human and political rights abuse - those
who control visa regulations and money markets do. I think we have shown
quite clearly who sponsors political violence and intimidation in
Zimbabwe - it is Zanu who holds degrees in violence!

I really do feel sorry for these Zanu PF types - they know now that they
are really up against impossible odds. Their only way of avoiding the
dip tank is to stay outside the holding pens. Once they are in, the only
way out is either over the fence or through the dip. On the other side
we wait with expectation - we have all the ingredients for a national
braai and celebration that will make the record books. I already have
picked out a couple of fat, corrupt, lazy oxen to provide the nyama for
my braai - I am sure everyone else is equally ready.

I am waiting to see just what Mbeki is going to do next. He has no
choice now but to exercise leadership and get this process underway. The
deadline for the SADC leadership is the end of June and this time I am
sure we are going to see that cattle prod in action - all 10 000 volts
applied in the appropriate place.

But for all of you who are in my universe and are little spots of light
against the night sky, hang in there, you give hope to all of us and you
make this dark place a place of beauty.

Eddie Cross
Bulawayo June 10th 2007

Previous articles from Eddie Cross

Nehanda Radio: Zimbabwe's first 24 hour internet radio news channel.

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.nehandaradio.com