Monday 25 April - drive to Chipinge from Harare

Chipinge (pronounced Chipingee) is a district high up in the mountains (feels like jungle), in the south eastern area of Zimbabwe; this is where the Plan (international part of Plan Australia) office is based for this region. There are over 6,000 children in this area. 4,000 of which have sponsors - Alisa (my sponsor child) is one of them. All of them go to school.

The trip to this area was long and, again, bumpy. Oh, and it was bloody hot too! The driver who picked me up was a nice young man named Eddy, he works with Plan.

We drove about 200 kms and then picked up Gladys, she is the program unit manager. Fortunately they were both home visiting their families near Harare for the Easter break and were heading back to Chipinge this week anyway. They both work with Plan for the week and then return home for the weekends. They are really lovely people.

I have found that just about everywhere we have gone, the local people have been wonderful - they are very humble people, friendly and willing to help (except for Mike, he scared me).

I stayed in a boarding house in the middle of the tea plantations near Chipinge township. It is run by the ladies who work in the fields; after a day of working they come in and cook dinner - hats off to them!

There was only myself and one other lady from Kenya staying here, it's strange - vastly different to the last 3 weeks - I felt cut off from civilisation, but this time no other tourists from our group, no Adam - just a little bit scary, but I toughed it out.

Tuesday 26 April - sponsor visit with Alisa

Eddy and Gladys picked me up from the boarding house at 8:15 we then drove 40 mins to the village where Alisa and her family live. We went to the Mapungwana district school on the way (Alisa's school). It is school break but there was a lot going on there, children were working in the gardens, staff were there to welcome me.

I was treated like royalty at the school and village. It was very special, very emotional - everyone was so happy to see me. They told me stories of how Plan has helped them. They sang songs about Plan and how they always bring help and assistance to them.

The locals did a traditional dance. They even cooked us lunch.

Alisa is very shy, but she was happy to have a new friend - me.

All the neighbours from villages around come to see me. When we first arrived Alisa and her sisters were off getting water, they have to carry large buckets from more than a km away back to the village.

I took gifts for Alisa and the children; sweets, colouring books, pens, pencils, textas, story books, hats and a specially knitted jumper for Alisa. They were all so excited when I started handing them out - I did feel like royalty!

The visit to the school and village was an amazing experience; it was awesome and such an eyeopener. I feel so lucky to have been able to see how they live, no water, no electricity, but they were so clean, well dressed and happy people.

Absolutely amazing - there are so many adjectives to describe the experience, but you have to feel it to believe it!

I spent the six hour drive back to Harare wondering how I can justify the way we live in modern society, how to justify the good life that we have, but I take comfort that Alisa and her family are happy in their lives.

It truly has been one of the highlights of my life!