Day 5 of Rabbi Shmuley’s Visit to Africa with Christian Relief Organization ”Rock of Africa”.
We spent our Sabbath in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Dennis Prager and
I made a Friday night Sabbath dinner for our Christian fellow
volunteers from Rock of Africa. About seven Americans and six
Zimbabweans were our guests. We ate under the beautiful African sky. I
explained all the Sabbath rituals to our guests and we had the most
beautiful conversations.
We stayed only about a quarter mile
from Victoria Falls and walked there after the Sabbath prayers in the
morning. Needless to say it’s an awe-inspiring site. It’s about a mile
long and more than three hundred and fifty feet and even now, in the
dry season where less than half the water volume goes over, the mighty
Zambezi cascades over in a spectacular spectacle. When you see Victoria
Falls you immediately understand why they call it the jewel of Africa.
We spent some time with the street boys who are homeless in Victoria
Falls. ROCK of Africa works with them and tries to get them back to
their homes. Those that stay on the street risk many things, not least
of which is sexual abuse and prostitution. Obviously, AIDS is the
biggest killer here and getting these kids home is paramount.
But it’s difficult helping the street kids because many of them use
money given to them to get high on glue. Many think they are gaming the
system and taking advantage of the missionaries. But they tragically
end up dead in their early twenties.
Tonight, as the Sabbath ended, we started our long drive to Harare,
the capitol, where ROCK of Africa helps an orphanage and we are going
to spend time with the kids. We’ll also be reviewing an agricultural
program.
A few observations.
It was disturbing to hear that domestic violence is common and
people look the other way. This is a patriarch society and I’m told
that the women will carry huge weights on their heads and backs while
the husbands will walk by their sides carrying almost nothing. I’ve
spoken with many Zimbabwean women and they sound frustrated at the
gender inequality rampant in the culture.
The roads are nearly empty. Noone can afford the gas. And even fewer people can afford a car in the first place.
On the streets they sell the inflationary bills that were legal
tender in Zimbabwe until last February when the USD became the
currency. Notes of one hundred trillion dollars sell on the streets as
souvenirs for one dollar.
The children walk around in immaculate school uniforms. They might
just be the most beautifully behaved kids I’ve seen. When you say hello
they reply politely. When you wave, they wave back.
On the streets of Vic Falls there are many warthogs (Pumbas) running
around with their babies. They are really cute. The locals eat them.
I’d rather look at them myself and thankfully I’m kosher.
For photos and videos of Rabbi Shmuley in Africa go to http://www.shmuley.com.
