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