Friends Of Matthew Rusike Children's Home

Barry Barnes retired in June 2012.  The FoMRCH executive committee greatly appreciated his regular reports and personal contact with the home. His guidance was invaluable over the years and we miss his presence and support in our continued work for the home.

While working for Action for Children he helped set up a regional forum in South Africa, supporting it for 8 years, so that heads of residential children’s homes could meet regularly 3-4 times a year and share advice and good working practice in childcare. Rev Margaret Mawire, present head of MRCH and Zimbabwe National Director attends these and catches up at the same time with Astonishment Mapurisa now doing similar work in Johannesburg.

In Barry’s own words:

“After almost thirteen years of involvement with MRCH, it is hard to believe that, after my June visit, I won’t be making those regular trips to Zimbabwe, braving the occasional vagaries of the airport and anxiously hoping that either my cousin or Astonishment will be on the other side of the sliding door at the Arrivals point! It has always been with a sense of anticipation that I have alighted in Harare and, depending on the season, found the bougainvillea or the various trees to be in bloom – bliss! And then dodging the potholes on the way to MRCH, occasionally having to find fuel on the way.

It has been such an extraordinary experience to journey with MRCH over this time, and I have so many memories: my early acquaintance with Munamato Mangobe, who provided such stability in the 1990’s and who had such an ambition to move the Home forward; meetings with the various Presiding Bishops [at least five, over the years!] and Conference Secretaries; Astonishment starting at MRCH on the first day of one of my visits; our subsequent friendship and partnership as a vision was put into practice to move MRCH into 21st Century; and the discussions and decisions about development  funding from [then] NCH and the MC [Britain] to enable this. Then the huge changes to the MRCH campus – and on other sites as well, and so many more over the years.

At an early stage of my involvement it was good to meet and discuss with John and Mary Bromley their experience andsignificant contribution at MRCH And, of course, the earlier involvement of Joe Withington, who continues to remind us how far we have all travelled in our partnership with the Home. I have also benefited tremendously from the wisdom, experience and enthusiasm of the Friends of MRCH over the past decade and more. It has been a privilege to have had your support and friendship during what have sometimes been very challenging times: your commitment has been, and continues to be, inspirational.

We have all seen such changes at MRCH over the past decade. Undoubtedly these changes have benefited so many children and a dedicated staff group have played such a big part in this process. They too have grown professionally and have, in the most difficult times, never ceased to be anything other than committed to their calling. The service has reached more children and families across the country and they have come to know the support and enabling nature of the – now – national organisation.

It is a service of which the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe can be proud and I hope it will continue to develop over the next 50 years. The international partnerships, which have been nurtured over the years, are vital to the ongoing work of MRCH and I can only hope that those responsible for the stewardship of the service will ensure the continuing quality of these relationships. Certainly there are many challenges to be faced by a new generation of managers: the existing work at the home, the outreach projects and the ambition to provide new services in other Districts of the MC in Zimbabwe. All these will depend on both local and international input and it will require patience and trust to continue to move the vision forward.

But, to quote Robert Browning, “…..Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

Thank you to all of you who have walked alongside me over the past years – it has been such an amazing time – and I wish you all so well as you continue the journey.  Barry Barnes

Rev Will Morrey, of Action for Children, is very pleased to report that Rev Mawire has successfully negotiated with the School of Social Work at the University in Harare for in service training to MRCH staff.

A programme leading to qualifications from the university will be commenced this year. Action for Children has provided the funding for this year and will look to continue the support for professional child care training into next year.

Astonishment Mapurisa has been the director of the Matthew Rusike Children’s Home for 11 years and National Director for Childcare in the Methodist Church for 4 years. In that time he has changed the old dormitory lifestyle and introduced family groups.

Finding funding to build 6 new family group homes and refurbish and change the use of the boys and girls dormitories has been a huge task which he achieved. Funds were also found to extend the old crèche building into the Early Childhood Development Centre as it is today.

A large part of his work has involved spreading the MRCH influence into many communities in the Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru districts.  This involved using Methodist church buildings in the cities as centres where vulnerable children and families could receive support. Pre-school children can be safely cared for and fed while their older siblings attend school. After school the children have someone to help with homework and also receive a hot meal. Some of these centres now grow food and rear chickens to improve the diet of very vulnerable families. All are run by church volunteers.

In rural areas, local volunteers from the Methodist churches were taught to make bricks, dig foundations and build resource centres where a child can be cared for until family members are traced (maximum stay 2 weeks). Wells have been dug and outdoor kitchens built to make the sites work well. These centres have been built within a radius of 15k of villages and are near enough to schools for children to attend daily.

The Friends of MRCH sponsored Astonishment to visit the UK 3 times. Each time he had a very busy itinerary arranged for him to meet and speak to as many supporters as possible. He greatly impressed everyone he met with his dedication and love for the children in his care. His presence inspired many people to make generous donations to FoMRCH.

He was sponsored once by the Uniting Church to visit Australia where he was able to make some excellent contacts which brought even more support for MRCH.

It has been very good to have personal contact with Astonishment and very helpful to be able to tell our supporters that we know, first hand, exactly where their money is going to help the children.

Thanks to Astonishment’s guidance and friendship, the Friends have enjoyed 11 years of cooperation for the benefit of the children of Zimbabwe as we have supported his inspired leadership and vision of growth. We shall miss him greatly and wish him well in his new placement.