Aylesbury LIFE because Learning Is For Everyone

Just a brief note this week. I have been writing up curriculum plans for school and with a new course starting across five school years that is not a small thing.

I am mindful, however, of the plight of people in Zimbabwe where nothing happens unless you have US dollars with which to make it happen; thinking food, accommodation, health bills that sort of thing. Just imagine your elderly relative has a leg with gangrene, there is no place in the hospital until you have paid for everything from the bed linen onwards. Just imagine, the queues at the border are to go and buy food using overseas relatives' dollars and then bring it back to feed all the families that are dependent on you. Just imagine, the supermarkets on the other side of the border; they only sell catering size packs. Nobody buys anything else.

Now I am still hopeful for change that is positive. I am still hopeful that the whole region will enjoy an SA World Cup in 2010. However I should imagine a lot hinges on persuading Robert Mugabe to accept a ceremonial post as founding president and on persuading his military and secret intelligence (CIO) commanders to enjoy new found freedoms in retirement, perhaps overseas. Surely all can see these events would provide for the sweetest of solutions.

Come on Mbeki. I understand you are flying to Harare this week. We may or may not wish it were possible for Mugabe even now to make a go of it all alone. But that is so not going to happen, right?

Update

My facebook friend Mags Kimble pointed out this newpaper article (thanks Mags) but I never read it until after I wrote this note.

It seems that FIFA are putting the iron fist into the velvet glove of diplomacy with respect to any 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Maybe Mbeki will have to do likewise with respect to his mediation role in Zimbabwe.

Please pray for peace, prosperity and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.