Thankful for You!
We hope this blog post finds you well! As we’ve entered November, the month of Thanksgiving, we are reminded of all we are thankful for, and YOU are at the top of that list! We know that JM2Z is God’s ministry and we know that He uses YOU to meet all the financial and prayer needs for this ministry. So we want to say THANK YOU for your continued support and partnership. Thank you for your generosity, consistency, and commitment to the ministry of JM2Z! We also recognize that partnership goes far beyond financial and that many of you are our prayer warriors - the ones praying us through so many things, the ones surrounding us with protection and pleading for provision on our part - YOU too, are an integral part of our partnership. And then there are others, the emotional supporters who send FB messages, emails, leave comments on social media, and at times, even send some snail mail our way - we thank you too!
We are presently in a mad dash to finish strong and complete the many things still left on our to-do-list for this year. Our board has granted us some vacation time, so we will be leaving Zimbabwe soon. Please pray for us to be able to rest and recuperate. We have found this most recent assignment on the field, most taxing. So much has been accomplished and we feel so incredibly blessed with all that has been done, ministry related. However, if we are being honest, we are exhausted… dare I say, feeling burnt out. Therefore, we plan to take some time to refresh ourselves and step away from all JM2Z related dealings. Although, an incredible blessing, this has resulted in some extra pressure and stress to finish up soooo many things. The ministry building being at the top of that list.
We are presently in a mad dash to finish strong and complete the many things still left on our to-do-list for this year. Our board has granted us some vacation time, so we will be leaving Zimbabwe soon. Please pray for us to be able to rest and recuperate. We have found this most recent assignment on the field, most taxing. So much has been accomplished and we feel so incredibly blessed with all that has been done, ministry related. However, if we are being honest, we are exhausted… dare I say, feeling burnt out. Therefore, we plan to take some time to refresh ourselves and step away from all JM2Z related dealings. Although, an incredible blessing, this has resulted in some extra pressure and stress to finish up soooo many things. The ministry building being at the top of that list.
Andrew's Permanent Residence
If you’ve been following along the last few months, you’ll have read about how we had applied for Andrew’s permanent residence back in June. Up to this point, Andrew has had to reapply every 9-24 months, depending on how long he is granted, for a spousal permit. A spousal permit is similar to a visiting/work visa that allows him to live in the country, work in the country, etc., but it also has its limitations. The main limitation is the constant need to reapply, filing out all the same paperwork, going for interviews, and paying the $300 fee each time. The other limitation is the amount of time allowed to be spent outside of Zimbabwe, which affects our furlough dates and travel plans. Needless to say, after 5 years, one can apply for permanent residence, which would remove many of the limitations and is more similar to a US green card. Like the name sounds, it’s permanent, which means no more applications and fees. Of course this application requires a lot more paperwork, additional interviews, and of course an increased fee of $500 (with no guarantee of getting it).
Andrew first applied for permanent residence back in 2020. They told us it was granted, but then Covid hit and we made last minute arrangements to return stateside and the permit was not ready to be stamped into his passport. When we returned to Zimbabwe in 2021 and went to immigration to finally retrieve the permit they told us was granted, but we found out in fact he was denied permanent residence and instead they just automatically stamped in a new spousal permit. We assumed at the time this was probably because of Covid and the amount of time that had passed, etc. So we waited until the spousal permit would soon expire and this year we went though the entire process of reapplying for permanent residence.
Andrew first applied for permanent residence back in 2020. They told us it was granted, but then Covid hit and we made last minute arrangements to return stateside and the permit was not ready to be stamped into his passport. When we returned to Zimbabwe in 2021 and went to immigration to finally retrieve the permit they told us was granted, but we found out in fact he was denied permanent residence and instead they just automatically stamped in a new spousal permit. We assumed at the time this was probably because of Covid and the amount of time that had passed, etc. So we waited until the spousal permit would soon expire and this year we went though the entire process of reapplying for permanent residence.
Getting fingerprinted
Once again, we were told it was granted. When we went to get it stamped in his passport we realized that, yet again, they stamped a spousal permit, not a residential permit. So again, he was denied. They gave no reason whatsoever. At this point we had spent $1,000 in fees and nothing to show for it. Although we were grateful they kept granting him his spousal permit, we would not keep putting ourselves through the residential permit process if we knew it would just not be granted each time. It’s worth mentioning that this is not unique to Zimbabwe. Yolanda has experienced many situations where certain visas have not been granted and no valid reason was ever given and a large amount of money was paid each time, with no outcome. This is unfortunately how bureaucracy works and the red tape is ridiculous and frustrating and often makes no sense, no matter which country you are dealing with.
We did ask if there was something we could do differently or something extra we should be adding to our paperwork, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At this point we are unsure if reapplying for a new permanent residence permit is even worth it next time. Right now for our dates that we have planned to be out of the country, it would mean Andrew could “lose” his spousal permit. But with our research, it seems all that would mean is he would enter on a tourist visa next year when we arrive and we would immediately reapply for a new spousal permit upon arrival. This is what we did when we were gone for Covid. We believe there are no other repercussions for this action plan but of course $30 for the entry visa and then the $300 for the new spousal permit - it’s a lot, but seems like our only viable option at this point should this be necessary.
We were very discouraged when he was denied his permit a second time, but now that some time has passed, we are feeling better about the whole situation. It is our goal to be good stewards with what God has given us, so paying large sums of money for nothing is disheartening. Please pray that we will make wise decisions concerning this issue, moving forward.
We did ask if there was something we could do differently or something extra we should be adding to our paperwork, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. At this point we are unsure if reapplying for a new permanent residence permit is even worth it next time. Right now for our dates that we have planned to be out of the country, it would mean Andrew could “lose” his spousal permit. But with our research, it seems all that would mean is he would enter on a tourist visa next year when we arrive and we would immediately reapply for a new spousal permit upon arrival. This is what we did when we were gone for Covid. We believe there are no other repercussions for this action plan but of course $30 for the entry visa and then the $300 for the new spousal permit - it’s a lot, but seems like our only viable option at this point should this be necessary.
We were very discouraged when he was denied his permit a second time, but now that some time has passed, we are feeling better about the whole situation. It is our goal to be good stewards with what God has given us, so paying large sums of money for nothing is disheartening. Please pray that we will make wise decisions concerning this issue, moving forward.
Ministry Building
Unfortunately, we will not be able to completely finish the ministry building before our departure. However, the structure will be fully completed - the walls, floors, roofing, ceiling, electrical, and plumbing will all be completed. The new bathroom for the domestic quarters will also be completed, except for a lick of paint that will be done in January.
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We are so impressed with how fast this building has gone up. The details and cosmetic extras have taken longer than expected and yet we are still very happy with what has been accomplished so far and what will be completed before we leave. The building has resulted in many, many decisions almost daily. If you have ever worked on a new construction or even a renovation, you will understand.
They recently finished the small porch area, perfect for the toddlers to play in the shade and away from rain. Also perfect for the ladies to leave their shoes and wet umbrellas. And most importantly, a place to hang the ladies paper beads and create added security for the building (after the burglar bars have been installed). They’ve also installed the cement apron around the building and the stairs to the porch. Our yard slopes down, so there was plenty of filling in with rubble and building up a wall to level out the foundation.
They recently finished the small porch area, perfect for the toddlers to play in the shade and away from rain. Also perfect for the ladies to leave their shoes and wet umbrellas. And most importantly, a place to hang the ladies paper beads and create added security for the building (after the burglar bars have been installed). They’ve also installed the cement apron around the building and the stairs to the porch. Our yard slopes down, so there was plenty of filling in with rubble and building up a wall to level out the foundation.
They also finished skimming all the walls, almost like the finishing touch of plastering (not to be confused with plastering with cement, which they did first). The electrician came to install all the conduit pipes before they laid the floor and ran electrical cables above the ceiling line. Along with outlets and making a plan to run a new underground cable that connects to the main house solar system (The completion of this electrical connection will only take place next year). Then the carpenters installed ceilings and skimmed them as well.
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The painters were working at the same time as all the other tradesmen. They were painting the exposed rafters, burglar bars, window frames, and exterior walls. The interior of the building will have to wait to be painted next year because all the skimming needs a few days to dry and all the rain and humidity has increased that time. The plumbers worked closely with the builders to lay some pipes and outlets before the floor was laid.
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As our time to leave is coming up, we have 12 tradesmen here working in lots of different areas - builders, carpenters, window glazers, plumbers, electricians, painters and even the project manager makes almost daily trips from the capital to oversee the project and ensure we are on track to complete what needs doing. In fact, the plumber just connected the water last night and the electrician connected the electricity. So the tilers utilized the new lights and worked until 1:00am! We didn’t think they were even going to start this tiling this week, so we were surprised! We went out just before midnight to give them some tea and cookies to help to give them a boost. This made them so happy, that they began singing joyfully. Usually they work until dark, around 6:00pm or so, after starting at 6:00am. Each group of workers is usually here for a week, before a different crew comes, but it just so happens the last few days has been extra busy.
All these tradesmen need to be fed so lots of cooking and dish washing are going on as well. We put a large cooler outside on a table with cups, so they have access to ice water all day as they work. Most of the tradesmen have been sleeping on the premises, so we just gave them another bottle of mosquito repellant to help them ward off the dozens of bites. Today, though, we got everyone a nice chicken lunch (by nice, I mean a place similar to KFC). They were excited when they saw the bags!
All these tradesmen need to be fed so lots of cooking and dish washing are going on as well. We put a large cooler outside on a table with cups, so they have access to ice water all day as they work. Most of the tradesmen have been sleeping on the premises, so we just gave them another bottle of mosquito repellant to help them ward off the dozens of bites. Today, though, we got everyone a nice chicken lunch (by nice, I mean a place similar to KFC). They were excited when they saw the bags!
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There will be much left still to do to the interior next year - something Janeece may oversee since we have already discussed in detail with the project manager all that we want done and how. Handing over any project like this is hard for me (Yolanda), as I’m very detailed and overlook all the little things. I like knowing something is done properly and correctly and speak up when I’m not content with the result. Using donors’ hard earned money requires us to be good stewards and we believe that entails requiring good craftsmanship, which will last the test of time. We also recognize that we are in Africa and things are done at a different level and standard and so being cognizant of that (due to resources, tools, training, and machinery, not lack of ability).
One part of the building (almost) fully completed is the bathroom for the domestic quarters. New fixtures, fully tiled, much larger, and soon to be connected to hot water as well (next year).
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Unfortunately, we will be requiring some more funding to complete the building and all the finishing touches. The actual structure of the building was always fully funded, but now we’ve moved onto all the extras: fans, down-lights above sewing machines, large cupboards for storage, electrical connection to the existing solar system, solar geyser, mini kitchenette (just a sink, counter, and cupboard, possibly a small fridge), rain gutters, exterior security lights, porch burglar bars, furnishings, shelving, curtain rails, and other such needs. We are approximating this all to be about $7,750. If YOU would like to give towards this you can make a donation by clicking the Donate button below. Be sure to put in the comments/check that the gift is for the “ministry building.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, as many of you may know. Last year, we found out that the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe, offers $1 breast cancer screenings during the month of October. Therefore, we made a note of it for this year, so that we could send all of the ladies to be screened. Breast cancer, if detected early, is very treatable, but most ladies here will only detect it in the later stages when it is often too late or too expensive to treat.
We hired a kombi (15-20 passenger van) to transport all the women to Harare. For one of the ladies, it had been nearly a decade since she had traveled to the capital city, just 70 miles away and for another one, this was her very first visit ever to Harare! All the women dressed in their Sunday best, for a day out to the big city. I had called ahead to the Center, explaining that a group of women will be attending from Chinhoyi and to please ensure that they are all seen, since they will be traveling about 2 hours to get there. These $1 screenings are on a first-come, first-serve basis and only offered between 8:00am and 1:00pm. When the ladies arrived they just stated they were the group from Chinhoyi and this ensured they were all seen right away. They said there were many, many women in attendance and the line was very, very long but they got preference to be attended to - thank you Lord.
We also sent them with some money for lunch. There’s a KFC on the way out of the capital, back to Chinhoyi, which we had mentioned to them. The kombi driver stopped there for lunch on their way back and everyone got to have a drink, fries, and 2 pieces of chicken. This was a big deal for them! None of the ladies had ever eaten at KFC (there are only 2 in Zimbabwe), and 95% of them had never ever even eaten at a fast food restaurant (like a formal chain, not a side of the road fast food vendor) before. They felt super fancy and were all so excited. They sent us photos (the few that have camera phones) and even a short video of them worshipping in the kombi on their way back to Chinhoyi (we posted that video on our JM2Z FB page. You can take a look there).
We hired a kombi (15-20 passenger van) to transport all the women to Harare. For one of the ladies, it had been nearly a decade since she had traveled to the capital city, just 70 miles away and for another one, this was her very first visit ever to Harare! All the women dressed in their Sunday best, for a day out to the big city. I had called ahead to the Center, explaining that a group of women will be attending from Chinhoyi and to please ensure that they are all seen, since they will be traveling about 2 hours to get there. These $1 screenings are on a first-come, first-serve basis and only offered between 8:00am and 1:00pm. When the ladies arrived they just stated they were the group from Chinhoyi and this ensured they were all seen right away. They said there were many, many women in attendance and the line was very, very long but they got preference to be attended to - thank you Lord.
We also sent them with some money for lunch. There’s a KFC on the way out of the capital, back to Chinhoyi, which we had mentioned to them. The kombi driver stopped there for lunch on their way back and everyone got to have a drink, fries, and 2 pieces of chicken. This was a big deal for them! None of the ladies had ever eaten at KFC (there are only 2 in Zimbabwe), and 95% of them had never ever even eaten at a fast food restaurant (like a formal chain, not a side of the road fast food vendor) before. They felt super fancy and were all so excited. They sent us photos (the few that have camera phones) and even a short video of them worshipping in the kombi on their way back to Chinhoyi (we posted that video on our JM2Z FB page. You can take a look there).
Heading Stateside
We will arrive in Chicago on December 12th. We will plan to celebrate Christmas with Andrew’s family and then start traveling in January to come and visit YOU. We will send out our itinerary in our next blog.
Please be in prayer for us:
We hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends! We “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever,” (Psalm 107:1). And our prayer for you this season is that, “the Lord Bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace,” (Numbers 6:24-26).
Please be in prayer for us:
- Pray that we will finish as much as possible with the building before we leave
- Pray for protection of the ministry base while we are absent and before Janeece arrives in January
- Pray for provision for the additional ministry building expenses
- Pray for rest, refreshment, and relaxation for us for a couple weeks while on vacation
- Continued prayer for the women, their families, and their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being
- Praise that all the women had clear screenings
- Praise for all that has been accomplished with the ministry building
- Praise for a very productive assignment for 2021/22 with the women, children’s programs, etc.
- Praise for Janeece who is able to come and fill in for us while we are on furlough
We hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving with family and friends! We “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever,” (Psalm 107:1). And our prayer for you this season is that, “the Lord Bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace,” (Numbers 6:24-26).
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