Yikes! It's almost the end of our second trimester. Having felt like this pregnancy has lasted forever, it's suddenly all speeding up and getting quite real! Yesterday, your dad booked us into the hospital (so Granny can stop worrying about you being born at home!).
While you're safe and cosy in my ever-expanding tummy, the world out here has become pretty scary. In the last 3 weeks, Covid-19 has hit Zimbabwe hard and we now know a frightening number of people who have the disease. We're back in a hard lockdown (though compliance has been patchy at best), so we're all working from home and trying to keep as safe as we can. How weird to think that one day, this bizarre period will be something you'll learn about in History.
January has also been an interesting one in global politics. We stayed up till midnight the other night watching the Capitol being stormed by Trumpites - he's been impeached for the second time by the bye. There are some truly baffling conspiracy theories on the rise - really, dear unborn child, I pray more than anything that you are granted the gift of discernment - boy do you need wisdom to navigate this crazy world of ours! (but heck, I could be the nutcase after all and Trump and in two weeks time, I might be eating humble pie before a crowd of MAGA evangelicals - who knows!).
Our dear friend, and your revolutionary auntie, FM, was also arrested this week and has been remanded in prison. Grandpa is working extra hard to get her out as soon as possible. I keep thinking back to our one night in cells last year and the strange comfort that came from at least being there with friends. I hate thinking of her alone, having to be brave in the face of such cruel and ridiculous injustice. I know that this won't defeat her though. She is strong and courageous and her fierce hope in a better Zimbabwe will get her through this.
I cannot tell you how inspired I am by the women of this country. We know a few good men, you and I (a lot of them are in our family!), but my goodness, the women! There's the young, feisty, constitution defender, and the slightly mad, older lady with faith like a mountain, who rescues the discarded and sick and sees miracles happen, and the women who start soup kitchens and just keep serving, and the writers and artists who use their voices to speak for the silenced and won't give up hope. Learn from your sisters and aunties and grandmothers little one. They have so much to teach you.
Stay safe, stay woke.
Mother
P.S the rain is pretty incredible this year. It has been a reminder that God's grace continues to sustain even when all hope seems lost.
