Hanwa

9 February and 11 February 2012, Hanwa



Hanwa Mission



Community United Methodist Church (CUMC)  has strong ties to Hanwa Mission, south of Murewa Mission in a remote and rural area.  Hanwa is an old tobacco farm, the land seized by the government in the 2000's.  In the mid 2000's the government destroyed the homes of urban dwelling populations believed to be opposed to the government.  The homeless populations were resettled in rural areas.  Hanwa is such a resettlement.  Very small former tobacco worker homes were turned into staff housing and tiny classrooms.  The buildings were used as is, tobacco stained walls and all.  About 40 students per tiny classroom, seated at makeshift cinderblock desks and benches, is the norm.  Hanwa has both a primary and a secondary school.

Secondary school block

Hanwa officials asked the Zimbabwe United Methodist Church to establish Hanwa as a mission and this was accomplished several years ago.  CUMC partnered with Hanwa to build two new two room school blocks, a primary school block in 2009 and a secondary school block in 2011.  Most on the team were involved with one or both of these building projects.  The secondary school block dedication was held on 9 February with the team as honored guests.  Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe dedicated the school building.  The children of Hanwa sang, danced and made speeches.  A men's band performed hand clapping, toe tapping music.  Gifts were presented and exchanged.  Lastly, all were served a meal provided by the Hanwa community.  It was a festive and joyous event.

Pretty in patterns

The women of the Shiloh UMC in Hampstead, Maryland wanted to be involved in the volunteer effort in Zimbabwe.  They sewed 264 sun dresses, in five sizes for school girls in Hanwa and Murewa.  Shiloh church member Kelly Hill brought the dresses to Zim and we all had the fun of giving the dresses to the girls and seeing their looks of delight at the colorful new dress. 

Dave Bonney of the Smithville UMC, Dunkirk, Maryland traveled to Zimbabwe and Hanwa in March 2011 for the first time.  He fell in love with Zim and the children of Hanwa.  As he volunteered at Hanwa he made many friends.  He decided to help a young Hanwa student go to Murewa Secondary School as a boarding student.  The student, Alan, is now at Murewa and doing very well.  Dave saw him several times on this trip and is very active in helping Alan as a friend and mentor. 



Hanwa Eagles



While in Hanwa last March Dave played pickup soccer with the boy’s soccer team.  He learned that the team had no uniforms or soccer shoes.  They had no mascot.  He determined to change this.  The team and coach decided they would be the Hanwa Eagles.  With the help of his church, family, friends and groups both in Maryland and in his native Maine, Dave acquired uniforms for the varsity soccer team, provided soccer team t-shirts for the varsity and JV teams and collected donated soccer shoes.  We (Jim and Sue) helped Dave distribute the soccer clothing.  We took pictures of all the players and recorded their names.  Dave will have sports cards made for each player.  It was a pleasure and privilege to help Dave make his and the Hanwa Boy's soccer team’s dreams come true.