Last Saturday we went to Arun’s place (Arun is our hosts old domestic) which is in a rural villiage about 1 hours drive out from Bulawayo driving towards Mutobo along some very rough dirt road tracks. Arun has a small “villiage” type set up where the Chief has allocated a plot of land for huts for Arun and his family / workers to live as well as a large plot for them to farm (both fruit and vegetables and live stock). Arun is able to grow a lot of mangos, banana’s, guava,spinach, chimolia as well as the usual crop of maize, the amount that is grown is enough for his family and any extra he sells to the local markets. The place where he lives is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places Jodi and I have been to.
On Sunday Des and Pete (our hosts) as well as Debbie (the YFC director) and her two girls (Maddie and Stephie) went out to the Mutopas game reserve for lunch. The lake where we set up for lunch was quite large and so tranquil; the whole scene was stunning. The lake was apparently home to many crocs as well as hippo’s … so as you could all imagine, Jodi (the fearless adventurer) wouldn’t venture any closer than 50m to the lake side. It was just after we had finished lunch that we heard a large grunting sound from the lake, as we looked over 3 hippo’s had their heads out of the water … Jodi and I switched straight into tourist mode and took quite a lot of photo’s as well as video footage … this was our first bit of game that we have seen this time through as well as our first ever sighting of live hippo’s. 
On Thursday, Jodi and I went out to Willow Park with Debbie to check out the training centre that YFC are opening for teenage girls. There is still a lot of work which needs to be done to get the building in a worthwhile state, but things are definitely progressing well (expected to finish the renovations in about 6 – 8 weeks). This training centre will provide the girls opportunities to get trained in many skills such as sewing, cooking, house maid duties (cooking, cleaning, ironing, washing) as well as skills in setting tables and serving (so they can gain employment in restaurants) as well as computer skills (typing, using Microsoft office etc). The vision that YFC has for this training centre is fantastic and it will be awesome to see the girls complete these courses and hold a much better chance of gaining employment or starting their or businesses.
Another project which will commence shortly at Willow Park will be the farming of goats, pigs, rabbits and chooks. The main idea of this farming is so that eventually the training centre and camping area will be basically self sufficient and will not need to buy much meat from the markets. In time to come we are actually hoping to be able to sell either the meats or they live stock at the markets help raise fund to improve and upgrade the facilities and ministries at Willow Park. 
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