News from Ballantyne Park Cell Groups, Celebration Church
Harare, Zimbabwe
20 October 2009
There has been a marked reformation in the sporting realm since David Coltart, a Christian MDC Senator, became Minister of Education, Sports, Arts & Culture. In recent years cricket had become politicized and racially polarized which, added to dubious financial arrangements, had meant that all the senior players had exited the game and standards and morale had sunk to unprecedented levels. With the rebuilding of the country, new initiatives have been set in place for regionally sponsored franchise teams, where cricket can be developed at grass roots levels. This week Zimbabwe completely outclassed Kenya in a series of five ODI’s that heralded the return of a multi-racial national team, picked on merit and not according to racial/political connections. New brilliant players came on debut and shined alongside some of the senior ones that have bravely survived the bad days. With the new remuneration incentives and intentionality to maintain team selection on merit, we should no longer be a pariah cricketing nation. I am sure on our current form, we will soon be reinstated as a fully fledged Test-playing nation and confidently take on the big teams who will be in for a shock. It was wonderful to see the large crowds coming back for this weekend’s matches, especially those from the white community who have been disenchanted in the past five years by the “goings on†in Zimbabwe Cricket, where sub-standard teams were fielded against top international teams, with the inevitable results. The refocused Zim team set off to Bangladesh next week where they commence the daunting task of convincing the world that we are a team to be reckoned with.
Another sign of reformation in the sporting domain was announced in church this weekend, where the Christian soccer team “Lengthens Football Club†won the prestigious national “Super 8 Cup†against such teams as the legendary Dynamos and CAPS. The cup was presented to the congregation by Coach and Owner Musa Gwasira, a Celebration Church businessman, who three years ago took over the Lengthens “boozers/losers club†and turned it into a mirror of Christian reformation. The team now has bible study and prayer instead of the old drink and orgy sessions and, with discipline on and off the field, they have risen to be the leading national soccer team. Their recent fame has given them great influence for good in Zimbabwe’s soccer fraternity.
Harare reader Debi Jeans of the Rolf Valley Gym has kindly permitted us to share from this week’s “Valley News†something of their bitter-sweet experience when they attended Dr Austin Jean’s “Year of ’84’ University of Zimbabwe medical school reunion†in Oz. “Not unlike countless amongst you who know the richness of belonging to a community who have strived, struggled and overcome challenges together, 41 doctors from 9 countries gathered to remember, relive and celebrate the part of their lives which defined them then and now. It was a hugely emotional reunion; however when Austin’s turn to get up and do his presentation on “Migration of Doctors” the feelings in the lecture room were palpable. He showed a PowerPoint presentation on Zim, the worst of it 18 months ago when shop shelves were bare and a loaf of bread required an impressive pile of million dollar bills, followed by images of where we are today as well as capturing the reasons why we’re still there.
The jacaranda trees in full blossom next to Pari hospital (where this group spent a significant part of their medical school years), the full supermarket shelves, a St. Johns College first team rugby photo call, pics of Mana, Kariba, Chimanimani, our beloved Rolf Valley sports medicine centre and gym …. ending with a video clip by our new Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr Henry Madzorera, greeting his class mates and inviting them to come home for even a short visit to fill the enormous gaps in teaching and lecturing our existing medical practitioners as well as helping to get the medical school back up and running. My heart was heavy feeling the impact and energy in that room, even more so after hearing each doctor briefly describe his / her post graduation journey. Just one class – imagine the effect it would have had on our situation if they had stayed! Time to look forward though, and if even some or a few take up the call to service, their expertise gained out there will be passed on and the ripple effect immeasurable. What was once a world class facility, clearly seen in the fact that nearly all the graduates around ’84 have gone on to become successful specialists in practice all over the planet, has been reduced to almost nothing†.