MY SIGNATURE

GIGANTI GIGANTI PERFORMING

My signature

At seventeen, I entered High school,
I signed admittance documents.
At nineteen, I enrolled for a Psychology Degree at University,
I signed admittance documents.
At twenty three I graduated with a lower second degree class,
I signed for my certificate.

At twenty four, I became a clinical psychologist,
I signed my first employment contract.
At twenty five I had to sign my life
To a man I loved since childhood.
Our traditional wedding took place under a huge Msasa tree in Guruve communal lands,
On the 25th of April 1992.

I had made a vow to God.
To follow our traditional Shona culture of purity before marriage
So I did wed as a virgin
My in laws gave me a traditional white cloth for purity
And the church gave me a white bible.
Oh, how I remember these events so vividly.

Our wedding was like a royal rumble
Songsters sang sonorously
The grass and trees also sang along
We were greeted by a fanfare of people
Blowing traditional trumpets-  mbira and hosho
It was a real jamboree
Everyone had gathered to witness our signatures

“You may embrace the bride”
These words from the late Reverend Moyo fifteen years ago,
Always ululate in my mind as if it was fifteen days ago
My husband gave me these  handmade sandals as a wedding token.
I loved you Lawrence Marshal Moto.
Rest in peace my darling husband.

I signed almost every paper in my life
But my greatest signature,
Was when I signed the marriage papers on that day during the harvest season.
I reached the zenith of my bliss.
Quavering in disbelief.
For real I had married a romantic protagonist of my life.

With my signature, I lost my virginity happily
Inside our round hutted bedroom on top of a reed mat.
It was a dream come true.
I changed my name from Chiedza Adriana Mugove
To Chiedza Adriana Moto.
Oh, how beautiful it rhymed

Unfortunately, my greatest signature became my greatest snare.
I had signed my virginity to an HIV positive man.
I felt annihilated and cheated.
By a man I loved more than life itself.

After all the long wait my Lord
What I got was HIV
I lost the will to survive
Lawrence had lost it for the umpteenth time a long time ago
So he died five years later
On the eleventh day of the seven month 1997
He was buried on an anthill in Guruve communal lands
I signed for his death certificate.

I have forgiven you may husband.
Today I am coping well.
Though at times I feel lackadaisical.
But my rectitude keeps me going.
I turned forty last week.
Today it’s my fifteenth year living positively with HIV.

Our signatures were important.
They gave us a strong personality later in life.
It was not easy to accept my tragedy.
But I tell you, if it was not for your signature.
I would not have been this ascetic.
I would not have become a Systemic Family Therapist.
And I would not have saved people’s lives.
I became a living example to the hopeless.

At forty I am signing my life.
I will always sign it.
In remembrance of those great signatures.
We both scribbled many years ago.
I wish you could sign again.
For I know you were not a sadist.
Till we meet again
I leave you this, MY SIGNATURE.

Reproduced with Lance Muteyo's permission and taken from the blog giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/99-days-of-pentecost-two-weddngs-in-zimbabwe/. I cannot wait for the poetry compilation.

Please visit www.charityhope.org.uk/for more of Lance's work.

One way, among many,  to support this charity's work is by buying my new book via this link  http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Being-a-Woman-in-Africa-/291021986876? your views will never be the same again after reading this book.

********

It's my daughter's 25th birthday today. Ebenezer!

Pink Rose xxx

TRAGEDY OF THE OUTCAST

A POEM FROM ZIMBABWE

This is a touching poem from Zimbabwe and it's self explanatory. Over the past few years and at the time I worked with women and children and now, I have met with amazing and very spirited men who are determined to tackle gender equality, poverty, domestic violence, sexual abuse, rape, education (or lack of it) and disease. Lance is one of these amazing men and his work in Zimbabwe is inspirational. Thank you all men of valor out there - too numerous to mention.

Tragedy of the outcast – by Lancelot Muteyo, Harare, Zimbabwe

Like any infant she was born
Healthy and gorgeous
Somewhere through the fateful eyes of history
Her parents were caught with their pants down

Unaware, the Human Immuno – Deficiency Virus infiltrated their veins
Residing in a dilapidated squatter camp they quickly developed AIDS
A squatter camp called Tariro meaning hope
Yet with no ray of hope inside that community.
A squatter camp that had no street names
Her parents sadly succumbed to the pandemic and died

Rudo, their daughter was left vulnerable in Tariro.
Though adolescent, she became a pauper
A static of HIV and AIDS orphaned children in the AIDS on line resources.
With nowhere to go within the dusty roads of the camp.

She found spiritual support within the church
A church constructed by cardboard boxes.
Inside the haven of comfort
Pastors sexually abused her inside the holy baptistery
Male teachers terrorised  behind the library stacks.
Uncle Taka converted her into a sex machine in exchange for food and shelter.

Already vulnerable!
Consequently, vulnerable to vulnerability!
Pathetically, an AIDS orphan became an AIDS victim
An AIDS survivor – not victim rather
Honestly history gave her an unfair destiny

World AIDS DAY 2013 Celebrations Zimbabwe
Lancelot Muteyo

First published by Maren Tirabassi on http://giftsinopenhands.wordpress.com/2013/11/28/for-world-aids-day-poem-from-zimbabwe-prayer-from-the-united-states/

Reproduced with Lance Muteyo's permission.

The video below sums it all up. 

AFRICAN WOMEN VIDEO

2014 CHALLENGE: RESTORING HOPE

This year I will be working with the following organizations in my own small way.

1. Charityhope Trust – 

I have worked with this charity from day one. Please donate towards improving education in Africa via their website www.charityhope.org.uk/. My own passion is for a school called Madimutsa School, located in a remote part of Zimbabwe.It's school buildings are like this 33 years after Zimbabwe became independent. Nothing much has changed (see pictures below)

We need more donations like this

We would like more books, footballs and net balls, sports kits, money to pay tuition fees- it's $5 a term for one child. Some children do not afford $5 a term so drop out of school - every little helps. Please check out ways to donate on the Charityhope Trust website.

2. Adonai Baptist Church, based in Marondera Zimbabwe. This is a growing Baptist congregation based in a small town called Marondera in Zimbabwe. They work with ordinary people in the community and come face to face with people affected by poverty, disease, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy and dropping out of school, domestic violence, child marriages, sexual abuse and rape. I'll be bringing you reports of actual cases from his community.
   Special appeal;
   The immediate need for the young and energetic Adonai Baptist Church Pastor is a laptop. If any of you readers from around the world would like to help with a laptop for our Pastor in Zimbabwe, please drop us a line on this e-mail address adonaiorg95@gmail.com. Adonai desperately needs that laptop for their work at Nyameni, Marondera, Zimbabwe.
   Partnership
   Would you like to visit Zimbabwe, partner with them and and help them spread the word of God in any way? Do you have Bibles to spare in your local Church? Do you have anything else suitable for this growing Church? Please get in touch.
   Individuals, Churches and organizations are welcome to donate.
   Please get in touch if you are up for this! Contact details are Adonai BaptistZim's facebook page, be a friend, be a partner. OR write them an e-mail on adonaiorg95@gmail.com, or visit their blog page on adonaiorg95.blogspot.co.uk.

My book is still available on http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Being-a-Woman-in-Africa-/291021986876? Proceeds from this will support the above organizations.