Bricks

Yesterday we walked across Epworth to visit a friend who had spent the day repairing damage to her tiny brick house. We found Elizabeth hastily (but joyfully) mixing and applying concrete to large cracks in the walls of her home. The cracks had appeared, literally overnight, when the rains returned to Harare this week. Around Elizabeth’s home, less robust structures had collapsed.

Elizabeth, with the help of her daughters, was boldly removing broken bricks, filling large cracks and strengthening weak joins. She had never laid bricks before but serious damage, as well as the forecast of more heavy rain, left her with few options. She was using the understanding she had gained from watching the scores of houses being constructed very close to her own home.

Elizabeth is more frequently employed selling skincare products around Epworth. This week sales were poor and she was unable to purchase enough cement. As a result, more than an ideal quantity of mud was going into the slurry. If Elizabeth’s home survives the rainy season it will be a miracle borne out of her deep faith and tenacity.

As light faded, Elizabeth invited us inside to pray. She then insisted on walking us part of the way home. I could not be as hospitable and joyful if our shoes were switched.

Grant