Pressure Makes Diamonds

An earlier article of mine described my gratitude to various people who helped me in my quest to have a driver’s license. The road was long and winding (excuse the pun) but finally I  reached the destination. I learnt a lot of lessons along the way.’Sometimes you have to go through the worst to get to the best.Give time some time.’

Pressure Makes Diamonds 

Maybe the biggest lesson for me was the fact that I rediscovered my faith. I was born in a Christian family and from as long back as I can imagine I was a church goer,even getting presents in quizzes organized at church ;I believe the biggest one I got was the book titled The Great Controversy which I was given when I was in Grade six if I am not mistaken.The truth is I did not get as much from reading this tome as I should have as the level was way above me.I sort of fell off the wagon when I came to the Capital city for my secondary school education and I must say I never willingly went back to church after that.My visits were limited to the times I had to go and witness friends and family for the exchange of their marriage vows or the odd baptism.

One thing I am forever grateful for is the grounding that I got from the earlier church going,it has stood me in good steed throughout the years. Somehow I knew that I was in the wrong But I still refused to smoke nor drink.The failed attempts to get a license really made me look inside myself and I discovered that I had a yearning for that which was familiar to me-Church.I am glad to say since January I have gone back to the basics and have started my journey back closer to my faith and my creater.It is not by coincidence that having failed to pass the road test on four occasions last year, I managed to get the license on the second attempt this year. The fact is now I am calmer and more self assured than I was last year thanks to the fact that I have rediscovered my faith.

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Perhaps among other things I learnt is the fact that things happen for a reason. During my struggles I went through three different driving schools and in the process learnt how to drive three types of trucks; a Nissan UD, Isuzu and finally the Mercedes Benz which I drove on my triumphant last test.The lessons I learnt are that one needs to be patient when learning something ,they also need to realize that God’s time is the best time and things happen for a reason. If I had passed at my first attempt ,I would have ended up taking things  for  granted.

One more thing which made it easier is the fact that there were some people who  prayed for me and with me to strengthen my faith TO THEM I SAY THIS SUCCESS IS MORE YOURS THAN MINE,GOD BLESS YOU. 

The Case Of Mistaken Identity

Whilst standing outside one of the major banks in Harare, I was accosted by a young lady with a toddler in tow, at first I thought that she was one of the ladies who have perfected the art of begging,who regularly swindle gullible people out of their hard earned cash by telling them tall tales of hard luck so that they can part with a few coins.

Imagine my amusement when she asked me whether I was a Mr Chirume from Mutare.I shook my head with a chuckle to ease obvious embarrassment. She apologized and when on her way but it got me thinking of the time IN THE KINGDOM IN THE SKY(LESOTHO) ,When I had a similar case. I saw someone whose striking resemblance to my late cousin brother had me make a double take.

My brother, rest his departed soul had passed on a couple of years before the chance encounter with his “twin “ in Lesotho.He had been ill for quite some time before his demise. Two days before he passed on ,I went to the taxi rank where he normally picked up passengers. I informed by his colleagues that he had not been coming for work for quite some time. I proceeded to his place of residence and found his mother giving him a bath (this was a grown man of about forty years),his wife had deserted him because of the illness which finally took him to his grave.

On the day I saw the person who looked so similar to him, I took a double take, my mind told me that it could not be possible but my heart skipped a beat all the same. For a few seconds there I think I believed in reincarnation. I believe I had not fully processed his departure then. I finally was able to put the case to bed after thinking about it for a while and seeing the absurdity of my thoughts. 

What's In A Name

What’s in a name,that which we call a rose will smell just as sweet if called by another name,William Shakespear wrote.

A Rose By An Other Name

Traditionally ,our names are supposed to depict some happening in our parents lives,Reval,Sarudzai,Makandionei,Dambudzo to name just a few of the names that hang around some Zimbos like a tire-necklace ,for those of you who are not aware, this is a sadistic form of punishment devised by the South Africans where they pour petrol into a used tire ,put it around a person before setting it alight. The victim dies an agonizing death. Unfortunately, most of these people with these traditional names somehow actually suffer as in the case of one called Nhamo (Suffering).Many a time these children with the hard-luck inspired names change these names to “acceptable” ones once they get a chance or when they start going to secondary school because we know that teenagers can be cruel if you don’t have a cool name, one can end up being bullied mercilessly

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This is the reason why some Zimbos end up with names like Kubi,an Anglicanized version of the name Kubvoruno,which was deemed uncool by its owner. Usually we are in the habit of having two names one given at birth which normally in the child’s mother tongue ,then another which is Christian inspired for the church baptism. These are the names that are normally adopted once one starts going to school or when they want to appear ‘cool’. Many a time these guys  with the ‘found names’ tend to ignore those who grew up with them should they accidentally meet and greet them using the hated “African” names.

A lot has been said about the need for our people to being conscious of where they come from by not many can withstand the need for them to appear cool in the eyes of their colleagues and peers.Peer pressure applies even too the aged.

The Quest For The Elusive Dollar

It is an open secret that things are tough in Zimbabwe at the moment ,people spend most of their time hustling to get the elusive greenback.

The Quest For The Elusive Dollar

So serious is the way in which some people hustle that there are reports that people have gone as far as Nigeria ,Ghana and Mozambique in order to look for charms which purportedly help them to acquire money at any cost. The dailies are full of reports of people who would have gone to these so called ‘Prophets’ and Witch Doctors who promise them heaven on earth. Often times they are given small twigs and told to go and do as the ‘Prophets’ will have advised. Most of them cry foul after discovering that the twigs end up turning into enormous snakes which completely take over their lives.

Recently ,a certain lady from Chinhoyi, who claimed that her mother had left here a huge snake when she passed away, had to resort to one of local radio stations in order to look for help as the gigantic snake had completely taken over her life and turned it into a living hell. Those in the know claim that the damsel in distress had a huge mansion and several top of the range vehicles but she could not attract nor keep a spouse as it was taboo for her to do so. She lived alone with only a maid to keep her company in the huge mansion. Loneliness and need to be reed of the demanding reptile, forced her  into turning to the radio station in order to ask for help. It is reported that several ‘Men of God ‘ tried and failed to kill the gigantic snake, with some reports saying it was as big as ten meters and weighted several tonnes.

Last week, there was a reported breakthrough in the case as some Prophets went to the home of this lady and succeeded in killing the snake.

Another reported case is one of a lady from one of the affluent suburbs of Harare, who reportedly went to Mozambique in her  quest to get instant riches, she was told to go and perform some rituals , when her money was enough for her needs ,she had to return to the Wizard who had given her the herbs ,un fortunately for her, she did not return and the room where she was supposed to keep the money that was created by the wizardry was so full of money that she no longer knew what to do with it. At the time of writing she was so overwhelmed that she was asking for advice.

In our quest to be better than the Johns next-door some of us are going out of our way and abandoning the nurturing of our parents to the extent that we end up biting more than we can chew.

The Power Of Gratitude Part 3

What goes around ,comes back around ;they say on the second of July 2017,I was reminded of this when a friend reminded me of a good deed that I carried out more than twenty odd years ago.

At the time a friend told me in confidence of the financial problems she was going through and asked whether I would be able to lend her some money for nephew’s school fees .I do not remember the exact amount involved any more .I had a bit of spare cash at the time and grudgingly gave it to her ,I was not really sure whether I would be able to get it back.To her credit she was able to pay it back and I promptly forgot about.

The Power Of Gratitude

Fast forward some twenty odd years later ,I am now the one in a fix and I require help in paying for some driving lessons ,during a conversation I happen to mention  that I am having problems ,imagine my surprise and delight when  my friend, out of the blue, inform in that I should go town and collect enough money for my lessons and a bit left over.I profusely thank my benefactor ,proceed to the point I was instructed and duly get the promised amount.A day later my reminds me of the helping hand I had extended all those years ago and informs me that the fellow I had helped in paying for his fees eventually completed school ,passed and now has a well paying job in The Republic Of South Africa.

Imagine, if I had refused to help out when I did what would have happened.What was a small gesture at the time resulted in me getting a leg up.Often people act without consciously thinking out their actions not realizing that they have a bearing on what happens in the future.Should one be in a position to help,they should just do it ,they never know that kind deed may lead to their getting a helping hand in their hour of need.