Barney and his diary sessions will be back from next week and this weekend, with 2 days left of the Quiksilver Pro 08, we are heading for a bumper feast and hope all you surfer dudes will have a great time!

But today we will be reflecting on a rather sad topic that the whole world know about, but strange, we are not really doing much about it and therefore the colour choice of black- because Zimbabwe is truly having a very black time at the moment.

I would love to share this email I have received from a friend that was kind to forward it to me and I feel compelled to share it with all our members!

Dear Family and Friends

Well never thought I would have to do this email - do not know if it may be my last from our farm 'Chidza'.

At 3.30pm today a lorry load of so-called Mugabe brain washed 'war-vets' arrived at our gate to take over our land, equipment and pedigree cattle.  This crazy action is occurring in a country where there is very little food being produced!

It is now 6pm and they have been singing their war songs at our gate for three hours, the atmosphere is violent and more and more of them have arrived.

We managed to get our daughter Alison and her young son 'Little John' into town and for now it is just John and myself, plus our dogs remaining in the house on the farm.

They have said that our labour will not work tomorrow.  They have demanded that John must kill them a sheep, which John has flatly refused to do, so no doubt they will simply kill one for themselves.

None of our paid labour will even attempt to come to work tomorrow either!  Graham Richards who lives South of us is also under siege at the same time as us, so this siege of the last remaining whites is an orchestrated plan.  The Goddards and Deidricks are in the same boat.  They have already taken over Pa-Nyanda Guest Lodge, and Graham and his wife Callie are now in town.

Alison is at John's sisters in Masvingo town and her husband Carl is expected back from Buluwayo tonight.

Lorna's telephone no is Zw code 39-264323; Ali is on 011216643

Our Phone landline is 039-266080

Cell phone nos. 011-215275; 023-258810

Please pass this email on to as many folk as you would like to, this illegal action must become 'known' thru out the world.  If you know of anyone in the Media, please ensure that they become aware/alerted to this evil tyrant's actions to keep power at all costs.  We have to let the world know what is happening.

Well done to Zesa!  As they load shedded us and I phoned my friend in the Zesa Faults and he phoned Harare and they have switched us back on.  So for now please keep all of us in your prayers and we will send a follow up tomorrow if we are able.

Our love to you all

John and Joy from Chidza.

May it never never ever happen in South Africa!  Let us embrace all the good people in Zimbabwe and keep them in our thoughts!  I will never complain about 'load shedding' again or the sometimes bad quality of produce I purchase from the supermarket around the corner.  I will defenitely have more compassion and spare a thought for all in Zimbabwe!