ccessibility between the two countries, the Herald reported on Friday. The newspaper cited Iranian ambassador to Zimbabwe Rasoul Momeni as saying that the creation of air links would greatly assist in rejuvenating Zimbabwe's flagging tourism sector. "The importance of establishing airline links between the two countries cannot be underestimated," he was quoted as saying. Currently, Air Zimbabwe flies to Dubai where it parks its aircraft for about 18 hours "yet Iran is only an hour away", the Herald said. Momeni underscored his government?s desire to assist in turning around the fortunes of Zimbabwe?s tourism industry. He told the newspaper that Iran was ready to "exchange experience and establish co-operation in the area of tourism and hospitality", adding that there would be a renewal of all tourism memorandum of understanding. Iran, he said, would not only offer funds to Zimbabwe but it would assist with the provision of experts in various fields of tourism. The envoy, however, emphasized the need for Zimbabwe's local tourism industry to offer quality service and reasonable rates.That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
When I came across this portion of scripture I saw a couple of different facets, and parallels that I want to share with you.
The Lord requires us to be watchful. Especially in the times we are living, there is a greater sense of responsibility upon us to not only shine as lights for the Lord but also to walk according to the blueprint He has given us through His word. We sometimes lose direction and thank the Lord that His word always sets us back on solid ground. The Lord is the master in the opening verse. The faithful and wise manager, are those in ministry and leadership, and the servants are in essence the sheep. And so as we see two forms of reference taking place. The wise manager who does what the master required of him, and the other who does not fulfill what the master required of him. What really popped out at me was verse 47 & 48. We read that the servant who knows his master's (the Lord) will, and doesn't do it, will be rewarded with many blows. And the one who does not know and does things deserving of punishment will receive few blows. This should concern the church. This is not a time to sit under a shady tree in the spring air with a gentle breeze wafting b, while we sing "Kum Ba Yah". We should ready ourselves, and be girded up ready to do battle, ready to do what He has called us to do, and in so doing when He returns and we face the judgment seat the blows won't be as severe but the reward will be worthwhile.
Finally the Lord says to whom much has been given, much will be required, and so those who are faithful and wise managers, stewards of the gospel, and servants of the master, a time of heartfelt examination should be requisite as we journey on this narrow path.
Do you know anyone who is searching and currently walking that broad road? Are they perhaps standing at the entry to the wide gate? If there was ever a time to reach out to those that the Lord impresses on our hearts it would be such a time as this. Let us be encouraged to be counted as wise and faithful managers of the life that the Lord has entrusted to us. Let's not shrink back thinking we have no abilities, no etiquette, to simply say something that will ignite a spark of enthusiasm in a lost soul.
One thing I am fully at peace and aware of is that the Lord doesn't require for us to do everything all of the time. We plant a seed, someone will come along and water it, and Christ will give the increase and cause growth. His method of farming and crop rotation cannot be perfected, it is a proven system that has worked since Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected.
I love the freedom of journaling the thoughts I have in my heart, and hope that the Lord will provoke you, draw you closer and deeper into a relationship with Him, especially now as we near His glorious return.
The turmoil in Zimbabwe intensified last night when Morgan Tsvangirai, the new Prime Minister, was injured in a car crash and his wife was killed.
There was no immediate evidence to suggest that the crash was anything but an accident, but Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) henchmen have staged car crashes to eliminate opponents before and Mr Tsvangirai has previously been the target of assassination attempts. “Conspiracy theories will abound,” one Western diplomat said.
Officials of Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change said that his car was hit by the trailer of a large lorry as it swung out in front of it. Mrs Tsvangirai was on the side hit by the trailer and suffered terrible injuries.
A hospital worker was told by Mr Tsvangirai’s chief security aide travelling with him in a Toyota Land Cruiser, that Mrs Tsvangirai was thrown out of the vehicle and fell a long way off. The aide and Mr Tsvangirai were trapped inside, but as soon as the aide managed to extricate himself, Mr Tsvangirai called to him: “Help my wife, help my wife!”
Mr Tsvangirai was in a stable condition in hospital, an MDC spokesman said but even if the Prime Minister has escaped serious injury, the death of the woman to whom he had been married for 31 years, and with whom he has had six children, will be devastating at a time when he is struggling to establish Zimbabwe’s new coalition Government in the face of stiff resistance from Zanu (PF) hardliners.
“I don’t imagine he will be able to give much thought to running the country or the legislative agenda for a while,” the diplomat said.
The accident happened about 30 miles south of Harare as the Tsvangirais were returning to their home district, Buhera, for a rally tomorrow. Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesman, James Maridade, said that the Prime Minister’s car rolled over three times.
“The accident happened between 16.00 hours [14.00 GMT] and 17.00 hours but the details are still sketchy,” one party official said. “The driver of the truck appeared to be sleeping.”
Other reports suggested that Mr Tsvangirai’s Land Cruiser had suffered a burst front left tyre and then rolled.
Mr Tsvangirai was taken to the private Avenues Clinic in Harare, severely bruised and cut, where he was later visited by Mr Mugabe and his wife, Grace. An aide was also injured. “Morgan is talking, and he has been sedated,” said Eddie Cross, a member of the MDC’s national executive. “Last time I spoke [to hospital staff] he didn’t know about Susan’s death. He will be devastated. They were a real team.” The two-lane road leads to Beitbridge, the main border crossing into South Africa, and is notoriously dangerous. It is deeply potholed. It is used heavily by lorries bringing goods into Zimbabwe, many of them seriously overloaded. It was unclear if the Prime Minister had a police escort, but his car and driver and two accompanying security vehicles were provided by the MDC, not the Government, which would also seem to militate against the idea that this was an assassination attempt. Mr Tsvangirai has used the MDC Land Cruiser with a two-vehicle security escort for several years, usually with four officials in each car, and a security guard in the front seat next to the driver in the Land Cruiser, with Mr Tsvangirai usually sitting in the rear seat. Since becoming Prime Minister, he has been issued with a new Sclass Mercedes-Benz, which he uses for official business.
In December last year Elliott Manyika, a party youth wing boss, was killed in a suspicious accident and in November the air force commander Perrence Shiri was shot and injured in circumstances that have never become clear.
Mr Cross said an MDC team that reached the scene before the police was subsequently detained. “When police turned up, they arrested them and confiscated the videos and pictures they had taken,” Mr Cross said. Asked if fould play was suspected, he replied: “That’s the big question. We don’t like that [the arrest of the MDC team] but we have to wait and see. We will demand complete transparency and a thorough investigation.”
Mr Cross also confirmed that earlier this week the new Mercedes-Benz limousine just issued by the government vehicle pool to Lovemore Moyo, the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the MDC chairman, had had a blowout on the way from Harare to Bulawayo. Mr Moyo had travelled by air while his driver took the vehicle. “A brand-new vehicle with brand-new tyres. This is too much,” Mr Cross said. “There is something amiss.”
Mr Tsvangirai has been the target of at least three previous assassination attempts, most spectacularly in 1997 when an eight-man assassination squad burst into his tenth-floor Harare office and tried to force him out of the window. He has also survived numerous death threats, arrests and beatings, one of which left him with a cracked skull, and a two-year treason trial that could have led to the death penalty.
Yesterday’s crash also took place at a critical moment in Zimbabwe’s continuing crisis. Mr Tsvangirai took a huge political risk by entering a unity government with Mr Mugabe last month, but Zimbabwe’s generals and other Zanu (PF) hardliners opposed to sharing power with the MDC have been conspiring to destroy it. They refused to release MDC activists who had been abducted and detained without trial, had Roy Bennett, one of Mr Tsvangirai’s ministers, arrested and organised further farm seizures.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a statement last night expressing deep sadness at Mrs Tsvangirai’s death.
Was this indeed a tragic road accident? Call it a coincidence? Is there perhaps a conspiracy theory at play here? You decide...
We offer our deepest sympathy to His Excellency Morgan Tsvangirai, and their six beautiful children, The Lord strengthen and uphold you during this difficult time and senseless loss of your wife, and mother, Susan Tsvangirai.
, the printing industry has been my mainstay for 24 years. I have watched this trade change in massive ways since 1985. I still remember during my apprenticeship using chemicals that today are outlawed across the globe. Flammable material that given the right combination of science and creativity would be dangerous in the wrong hands! The printing industry today has made massive leaps forward in achieving high standards that compliment the environment and protect certain aspects of the echo system. To that end, and in view of wanting to take a hold of information technology and exploit it, I have embarked on fulfilling that vision and goal. I have partnered with a facility that exists on both the east coast and west coast of the United States, and will soon offer the exact same service fulfillment internationally to clients wanting to use our facility and take advantage of our "GO~GREEN" echo friendly service. As an incentive going green when you use our online ordering system you will be assured of better pricing, higher standards in quality and service truly second to none. You will be able to place your order, send me your artwork, or upload your own, pay for the printing and shipping all in one easy simplified process.The Inauguration Speech of the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe,
His Excellency, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai.
Your Majesty, King Mswati III, the Chairman of the AU Commission, Mr Jean Ping, President Mugabe, former President Mbeki, Your Excellencies, Honoured Guests, People of Zimbabwe,
Today is an historic day for our country. As we form this transitional government, we look back with reflection on the difficult journey that has brought us to this day, and look forward with determination to the road that lies ahead.
To my fellow African leaders, there can be no turning back on the political agreement which each party has signed, knowing it is not a perfect agreement but still a workable one. An agreement that if implemented with good faith, will deliver a peaceful way forward toward a stable economy, a new constitution and free and fair elections. Brothers and sisters in SADC and the AU, we are counting on you to be our partners and to ensure that this agreement is upheld as we face the challenges of rebuilding our country in the days ahead.
Though today’s ceremony marks a very significant milestone on our democratic journey, it is only the beginning. On this day 19 years ago Nelson Mandela walked free from Victor Verster prison, an historic step on South Africa’s long road to freedom.
But former President Mandela’s release did not signify the end of his people’s struggle for democracy. His personal liberation showed that the victory of freedom over oppression was near. But on February 11th 1990, make no mistake, freedom had still not arrived. Only with the courageous effort and compromise by all parties was a peaceful transition finally possible.
With the formation of this transitional government, President Mugabe, Professor Mutambara and I have pledged, in the sight of God, to deliver to the nation a new political dispensation.
This is our promise to you, to our children and to the future generations of Zimbabweans. This is the debt that we owe to our liberation heroes and our democratic heroes who paid the ultimate price so that we could all live together, free from fear, hunger and poverty.
For too long, Zimbabwe has endured violent political polarization. This must end today.
For too long, our people’s hopes for a bright and prosperous future have been betrayed. Instead of hope, their days have been filled with starvation, disease and fear. A culture of entitlement and impunity has brought our nation to the brink of a dark abyss.
This must end today.
Economic collapse has forced millions of our most able to flee the country seeking menial jobs, for which they are often overqualified but underpaid. They have had to leave their children behind to be cared for by the elderly, who do not have the resources to feed them and watch in despair as these flowers of our nation wilt and die.
This must end today.
People of Zimbabwe, I have a vision for our country that will guide me as Prime Minister. I will work to create a society where our values are stronger than the threat of violence, where our children’s future and happiness is more important than present political goals and where a person is free to express an opinion, loudly, openly and publicly without fear of reprisal or repression. A country where jobs are available for those who wish to work, food is available for those that are hungry and where we are united by our respect for the rights and dignity of our fellow citizens. This is the Zimbabwe that I am working towards.
To achieve this vision, my priorities are very clear.
Firstly, we must implement our democratization agenda.
Through parliament, the people’s representatives in the MDC and Zanu PF, will pass legislation to restore the people’s freedoms, create the mechanism through which a people’s constitution can be created, reestablish the rule of law and promote the independent media. Our liberation war was fought to provide political freedoms to all Zimbabweans and we intend to restore them as a matter of urgency.
As I stand before you, more than 30 innocent people continue to languish in jail months are being abducted and illegally detained. While I will not interfere in the judicial process, I will make it a priority to ensure that the law is upheld and that the justice system deals with their cases in a fair, equitable and transparent manner in the shortest possible time frame
People of Zimbabwe, I call upon all of us to put aside our differences, to begin a process of national healing within every community, to work across party lines and look forward together with hope, while learning from a sad past that has so devastated our nation and our people.
Our second priority is tackling the humanitarian crisis with every means possible.
In the immediate days ahead we will focus on the cholera crisis. We will urgently reduce both the number of outbreaks and the unacceptably high mortality level by tackling the causes of the epidemic.
We will also ensure that every Zimbabwean has access to emergency food aid regardless of tribal or political affiliation. In this regard, we will ensure that the people can access humanitarian food aid on a non-partisan basis. I call upon the chiefs and local councilors to work together to ensure that all those that are deserving can access the help they require.
To all of the international relief agencies and donors who have assisted us, let me say thank you on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe. It will be the mandate of this government to do all we can to make it easier to help alleviate the suffering of every Zimbabwean as we tackle the humanitarian issues gripping our country. In this regard, I will ensure greater impact and efficiency in the distribution of emergency and development aid by appointing a senior member of my cabinet to coordinate emergency and development efforts.
In addition to emergency food distribution, the transitional government will make food more available and more affordable by removing all duties on foodstuffs imported into the country. In the short term, we will convene a food summit of all relevant stake holders to help us ensure that no Zimbabwean goes hungry. We will introduce incentives to resuscitate and rehabilitate the local food manufacturing industry and we will move towards self-sufficiency in food production beginning with the next agricultural season.
The third priority is to stabilize the economy.
Out of the 20 fastest growing countries in the world, 15 are in Africa. Indeed, despite the overall economic gloom in the world today, the International Monetary Fund predicts a growth rate of 6.3% in sub Saharan Africa in 2009. As the world slows down, much of Africa is still growing. This is good news for us as we all know, if we work together, Zimbabwe has the skills and resources to contribute to this hopeful trend.
To get our economy going again, we must get the country working again. This starts with an educated and healthy workforce. Our schools, once amongst the best on the continent, can be restored to that standard of excellence. Similarly, our hospitals must be places of healing, with the staff and resources to prevent and treat disease.
The professionals in our civil service are the backbone of our government, making sure that policy decisions are carried out and delivery of government services moves efficiently and accountably. Today our public service has ground to a halt as many of our patriotic government employees can no longer afford to eat, let alone pay for transport to their place of work.
If we are to successfully address our nation’s humanitarian crisis, we must first address the urgent plight of our civil servants.
As Prime Minister I make this commitment that, as from the end of this month, our professionals in the civil service, every health worker, teacher, soldier and policeman will receive their pay in foreign currency until we are able to stabilize the economy.
These hard currency salaries will enable people to go to work, to feed their families and to survive until such time that we can begin to sustain ourselves as a country.
My Fellow Zimbabweans, as we work together to rebuild our country, all of us must do our part. This will sometimes require sacrifices. In this respect, I ask every school be re-opened, and that every member of the civil service is behind his or her desk on Monday providing service to Zimbabweans.
As your Prime Minister, I will ensure that there is a clear distinction between the party and the state.
As your Prime Minister I will be open and honest with you.
It will take time, commitment and unity of purpose to rebuild our great country. I appeal to all Zanu PF supporters and MDC supporters, to recognize the legitimacy and contribution of the other party to our nation’s history and our nation’s future and work together to restore our pride in our people and our country.
We will need help from the international community and I ask them to engage with us to rebuild our nation and to work towards reestablishing a relationship that is not based on humanitarian assistance alone.
People of Zimbabwe, we face many challenges but we are brave and resourceful. By uniting as a nation and a people we can succeed. If you match our efforts with your own, we will succeed, if you match our desires with your own, we will succeed, if you match our dreams for Zimbabwe with your own, we will succeed.
At each point in our proud history we have looked forward not backwards, we have stood for hope not fear, we have believed in love not hate, and we have never lost touch with our democratic values or sight of our democratic goals.
People of Zimbabwe, I ask you to support me as your Prime Minister and the efforts of our new transitional government. I ask you to share my vision for our great country, to work with me to rebuild our nation and to walk with me on this promising phase of our journey to a true and lasting democracy.
May God bless you and May God Bless Zimbabwe
CHRISTMAS comes but once a year. While this day induces excitement and wanton spending and merry-making, it must be a time to reflect on the man on whom this day is centered. This is our Lord Jesus Christ.
Although I do not intend to sermonize, those celebrating Christmas must reflect on the events that led to God allowing Jesus to come in the form of human flesh and dwell among us.
The ultimate purpose of his being born was to eventually bear the consequences of a sinful world and die on the cross to save humanity.
For those who may not know, when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God laid a plan of redemption and the ultimate sacrifice would be his only begotten son.
Even when he was born, Christ knew the cup he was to drink from and he endured all his suffering willingly knowing that at the end of it all, his mission of saving humanity would have been accomplished.
And so as we celebrate this day, we should celebrate God's redemptive powers and mercy that he showed to humanity when he allowed Jesus to be born and die for human beings who were otherwise destined for eternal death, because of sin.
Living for the moment leads to carelessness and impaired judgment as is seen with the increase in fatal road accidents, usually caused by drunken drivers and regrettable actions such as indulging in unsafe sex with its known consequences.
Let this Christmas be spent with family, reflecting and thanking God for having brought us this far when several of our family members and friends have gone.
Love and blessing be yours this day. Have a merry Christmas!
ay from San Diego the memories are burned into our hearts and minds with each day packed full of adventure and fun more so than we have had in a very long time.
stic resource, and sometimes a website and reality can be distorted. Saturday night before our trip began I looked at the facility where we were going to stay, and imagined it to be rustic, maybe home from home. Reality didn't let us down. The cabins were nicely laid out, appliances were in good condition, and the back yard scenery was pleasant. We even had a family of deer that would come walking through every morning and evening which added to the calm of being in the wild.
Glen and Toni had us over for dinner the previous Friday and Glen put me through a crash course in fishing. The last time I fished was 
a good 17 years ago, so the lesson intrigued me and I couldn't wait to get out there and see if I would have any success. Vicky opted to sleep in so Tammy and I woke early, loaded the car with all the gear, drove into town and got some Starbucks before heading out to Bass Lake. Greg who works in the deli of a local supermarket on the banks of the lake is the fisherman 'guru'. So we stopped by and asked for his advice on where to go, what bait to use etc. He pointed out a few spots on the lake itself, which we tried, but after a couple of hours and not even a single bite we decided to try a different lake altogether which Greg admitted was less frequented and had an excellent stock of rainbow trout.
and we chatted a little. He suggested a few spots we should try on the lake and so - knowing the locals have a good idea of what's going on we set up our fishing poles - I had to look at the diagram Glen drew for me...I might scan it for you all to have a grin! That piece of paper became my bible for the day! I found a spot, Tammy found her spot and within minutes she pulled out a 12 inch trout.
itten the girls (and me) and so we gulped the burgers down, and excused ourselves from the table heading back to our spot on the lake. I think what impressed us was the fact that we were the only people there, and were able to find spots freely and enjoy the afternoon fishing. A few hours passed and nine rainbow trout later...we decided to head home for the night. Yes - we took the fish with us. Glen had given us a fishing bag that conveniently had a measuring rule printed on it, so we were doing everything by the book, measuring to ensure we were within the 12 inch limit. The girls attempted to gut one fish each but couldn't stomach it, so I prepped them all and froze them. We are going to have a follow up photo shoot of that once we put them on the BBQ!
direction we should visit. Little did we know that it appears to be a less frequented ara, the road was poor, the altitude was frightening having climbed to well over 5500 feet. At the crest of the geographical center we stopped and looked down into the valley - and there what appeared to be thousands of feet below was the Redinger Lake. We were so high up that i
t almost looked as if we were flying over it. back in the car we continued to climb higher, and came upon another vantage view point that over looked Mammoth lake. We pulled in to Mile High Vista and looked down into the valley floor to see the most amazing lake reflecting blue for the sky, surrounded by mountains, rivers and trees...very inspiring view.
hurst and so we set out from Mile High Vista looking for Grizzly Road. This was a short cut across mountain farm land that would connect us with the main road that would fil
ter down into Bass Lake - eventually! Little did we know this grizzly road would turn into a narrow one vehicle pathway for what seemed like endless miles. The girls were uncomfortable, fearing a bear sighting or attack...Nancy and I however were less intimidated and continued along the winding curves taking in the beauty that surrounded us. I remember at one stage we were rounding a corner and heard something below in the ravine - did we stop to investigate? No! We all were of the same mind that it could have been a bear. A little further down this narrow road we saw cows crossing the road - this is at an altitude of 6000 feet. No wonder they say happy cows come from California...looking at the plush vegetation and awe inspiring views, it is no wonder they are happy! I must mention that this day trip took us 5.5 hours to complete a distance of only 91 miles...
e of the most memorable days in Yosemite. Jack and Mary hired a pontoon for the day on Bass Lake, and so we packed the cooler boxes a
nd loaded up. Remembering how busy Monday was we arrived at the dock and to our surprise and blessing discovered the lake was practically empty! If there were more than 10 boats on this vast expanse of water then that was a lot. So...we loaded the pontoon, and Jack piloted us out of the harbor to begin our day of water adventures. I took the wheel for a moment and then Tam piloted us. They only allow counter clock wise movement on the lake so we basically traveled the entire lake in search of a quiet spot to BBQ. Yes - the pontoon came equipped with a BBQ! We found a decent spot kind of in the middle but more to t
he east end of the lake were we dropped anchor, BBQ'ed and swam. The initial shock of getting into the frigid water was soon forgotten and we were able to cool of and splash around for a while. Something about being on the lake, with good food, good friends and family just made for a really special day in Bass Lake!
had not actually gone into Yosemite proper. Friday was penned as the day to drive into Yosemite. If you get motion sickness then I suggest you take something prior this trip because whilst the views are totally amazing, the winding twisty roads will mess with you before you get to the Yosemite valley village. You know, 
having traveled a fair amount, I am yet to experience what we experienced this trip. Already at an elevation of over 5000 feet, we were shadowed by El Capitain, half Dome and every other notable mountain in the park. We went on a guided tram ride - a distance of only 12 miles lasting 2 hours. El Capitain towers above on the right of the main road. At the foot, is a camp ground which is home to a team of rescuers who are world famous and renowned for their rescue abilitie
s. They live there in white tents all year round and are flown around the wold to rescue and search for missing persons. The Park guide told us some very interesting facts about what we were looking at. Back in the day, there was an explorer who decided he would climb El Capitain. His first attempt took him forty two days! Reason being that he loved his drink, and so would climb...get thirsty and come own to drink. Once he sobered and put the drink aside he managed the climb in two weeks. On average El Capitain now takes two and
half days to climb, and climbers will peg sleeping hammocks on the face of the rock and sleep for the night before resuming their endeavor. The youngest person to ever climb this mountain was a 7 year old french boy, a lady who was told she would not live long, had a heart transplant and climbed El Capitain, one section of the face is actually now known as "triple bypass". The rescue crew who live there all year round however, can scale the top of El Capitain in 2.5hrs....!
ees grow untouched in the
park. The giant sequoias. The photos hardly do justice to the enormous size of these trees. Their story is quite remarkable. They live for thousands of years - some date back as far as 3500 years. They do not die. Insects cannot harm them. Fire doesn't destroy them. Their seed pods can stay on the tree for 20 years before falling to the ground. It is estimated that a single sequoias holds enough seed to germinate 2 million new sequoias. This particular grove that we were in has a sequoias population of 500...do the math! Scientists have been unable to establish what gives these trees the ability to withstand the elements, to live infinitely. There is fossil evidence that these trees lived across the USA, but with changing climates only a few groves rem
ain intact today. Researchers are studying the sequoias in the hope of unlocking their secret to longevity so that the same formula can be applied to mankind - like we really need to longer than we do already! You will see a picture of a sequoias that has been burned in the shape of an upside down Y...the opening that you see on this tree is large enough for two small vehicles to drive side by side through it. I looked up at the towering trees some over 350 feet tall, and could almost picture the Lord walking through this area in the cool of the day. Just seems like a place He would want to grace with His presence.
all to quickly. Before we knew it a week had passed, and we were on our way back home. The roads were good, only the traffic in and around Los Angeles was crazy as it always is. We all agreed that we need a vacation from our vacation, seems you always arrive home feeling more tired than before going on a trip. Nevertheless, we had a truly wonderful time, enjoying peace and quiet and taking in the beauty of the Lord's creation at Yosemite.
