A Sad Week

Today I feel like I was run over by a bus.  It has been a long week and I feel quite drained, emotionally and physically.

On Wednesday morning I received a Facebook message from a friend, telling me about this sad story. (it is the first story in the list). There are not many people in Banket any more and this tragedy will have affected everybody who lives there.  This is an example of the lawlessness that exists in Zimbabwe and I fear that things like this will continue to happen until law and order is restored.  Sadly, I believe that the 'powers that be' do not have the will to stop this criminal element; they probably encourage it (it is part of their political agenda, to remove as many white people from that country as is possible) and more and more innocent, hard-working citizens will lose their lives and their livelihoods.  Murder and violence happen every day, all over the World, but when it happens to people you know it becomes personal.  You feel powerless, vulnerable, angry, furious! I cannot begin to imagine the emotions the survivors and their families are experiencing right now; this will affect them for the rest of their lives.

On Wednesday evening John received a call.  A long time friend and ex-neighbour was tragically killed in a freak car accident while travelling in South Africa.  A one-time farmer turned trader, this man was a man of principal; he still lived on his own farm in Zimbabwe, surrounded by illegal settlers who harassed him daily with demands for money, fuel, inputs for 'their' farm, yet he steadfastly refused to compromise.  He had survived several attempts on his life by these criminals: one such time his entire family were barricaded in their house while around 300 machete-wielding, drug- and alcohol-fuelled thugs tried to beat down his door - they were rescued by the brave intervention of a neighbour. It is ironic that his life came to an end in such a way. And it illustrates to me even more that fact that when it's your time, it's your time.  We have no control over our lives and we cannot choose how we want to die.

My deepest sympathies to all the families affected by these tragedies - I mourn for you and with you.