In Joburg for Christmas

(BTW - I'm in Joburg for Christmas)

2009 - the coming of the Green Back. Officially

2009 - the coming of the Green Back.  Officially

Noone would have dreamed, in the last days of 2008 that the coming year would shape up so very differently.  Few men would have believed that in the silent realms of hyperinflationary economics, minds immeasurable different to ours were watching us.  And slowly and surely, they drew their plans against us.

(With apologies to H G Wells' remarkable "War of the Worlds")

But early in the year, Zimbabwe suddenly staggered from a dollarised black-market into a legalised multi-currency environment which turned out to be predominantly USD in Harare and the north of the country, and ZAR in Bulawayo and regions closer to the Rand monetary area.

Suddenly, the few Zimbabweans with jobs and money became relatively rich and were briefly able to buy, buy, buy to their hearts' content.

But slowly, although the shops in the more affluent areas continue to be well stocked (certainly relative to the preceeding years of run-away zillions of Zim dollars), the available pool of green-backs has been sopped up.
It will be a hard Christmas again.  But, as various commentators have pointed, this is what Zimbabweans can cope with.  If we learned nothing else in the last few years, you now know how little we need to survive.

What would Paul do?

I had thought of doing a brief "2009 in retrospect" (if I had time) today. But driving back from the shops (buying lunch for today, dog food for the time I'm away and Zimbo groceries to take with me as pressies), I had Acts playing in the car.
And this struck me...

• Act 20:24 I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 

So what would Paul have done with 2009?

1. Finished what he was given to do.  (That counts towards the retrospect if I get that far)
2. Recognise that it was not only because it was such fun and so fulfilling
3. Acknowledge Who the commission (along with provision, opportunity and nudge) came from
4. Acknowledge that it is all about His Name and Glory

And what a neat, compact summary of what we are to talk about!

• to testify to the gospel of the grace of God

 Four words we take for granted, and on the back of which, even 2009 Zimbabwe makes sense!

It's raining...

I told you years ago that you shouldn't expect regular ZimLemming posts.
And I was right.

But the internet is a funny old place, so maybe I will dabble again for a while.

So, what has happened since last I was here?
Don't ask me. Just don't ask. I might tell you.

But that's why I'm here. To tell you. To let you in on my thinks and findings.
This week I find myself about to go off on holiday. Holy-days, surely. Three weeks south of the boervors curtain to round off a very full and very rewarding 2009.

So, assuming I pop in here again in January, adieu, have a great Christmas and I'll speak more then.

(Oh yes, and it is actually raining outside!)