The illusive Naartjie snake

I made this movie on the spur of the moment, in Pretoria, after seeing a couple of naartjie skins thrown into small trees along a path in the nature conservancy we were walking in. I was baby-sitting a new Macbook Pro, and decided to teach myself to use iMovie, and this was the resuly, a couple of hours later.

AbR 2009

A snapshot of the Africa by Radio executive who were all at the first ever AbR Continental Convention held in Johannesburg, earlier this month. The next one should be held in Accra, Ghana, if plans work out.

Last Sunday, as I left Pretoria for the airport, I spotted a hoopoe on the lawn in the complex where Bob and Barb Bartz live. I was not quick enough with my camera, which I regretted, because the hoopoe is a wonderful bird, and reminds me so much of our old house in Harare. Hoopoes have always made me smile, think happy thoughts, and muse that life will get better. Don't know why - but the are an emblem of sorts for me.

I was so pleased to see this photo in my email, from brother-in-law Andy.

Africa Got Soul!

Great idea and great sounding music, as Motown sounds are recorded with a South African, and particularly Cape Town style. I think I will look for this CD when I am there next week. I heard an interview about the group called ABAVUKI and their CD titled AFRICA GOT SOUL, as we were having a lovely long sleep in this morning.

The Oxford Times have done a review as have The Times. I see the album is widely available for online purchase, so I will probably head over to iTunes later and look for it.

African leaders apply pressure on Mugabe

Paul's Pick au Mali

Having just returned this afternoon from almost a week in the interesting capital city of Mali - Bamako - some of our Zimbo or former Zimbo readers might be interested to see this photo of me and Paul Van Egdom. Paul now works with TWR (Trans World Radio) in Johannesburg. He now looks after English language productions from TWR that go up on their Africa satellite, some training, and coaching responsibilities, and is finding his vast experience in radio being used well. It was wonderful to see him again.

SWIKIRI - sweet mama africa!

In the past couple of weeks I have come into contact with Alexander Lau, who had found my Paradise Lost podcast. Seems that Alex has a deep love and passion for Africa (he's a US citizen) after some years living and working in Southern Africa. Have a look at swikiri.com for starters, and then his music loops project. Sounds like an interesting fella.

New Casting Hope podcast

Aubie Banda works with Radio Chiunjota as part of his mission work in Chiconono. Originally from Malawi, Aubie's life changed dramatically when as a young Muslim labourer he heard Christian songs being sung in a language he could understand. His story is worth listening to. Custodio Tivane is the recently appointed Director of Feba Radio Mozambique. He has expansive vision for using radio to reach parts of that enormous country with the hope and love of Jesus Christ. Custodio shares a little about his life, and you can just hear his passion as he talks about Feba's partnership with Radio Chiunjota.

Direct download: Casting_Hope_podcast_4.mp3

Website: http://www.castinghope.blogspot.com/

Photo: Bob Bartz climbing the mast at Radio Chiunjota

Largest loss of life since World War Two

Child soldiers in the Congo

As harsh a reality as hundreds per week killed in suicide bomber attrocities inside Iraq, a special piece on BBC's Radio 4 brought me to a sobering reality that the continuing conflicts in the parts of Africa where the DRC, Uganda and Rwanda meet have now claimed more lives than any other war since the Second World War.

Very little press coverage in the first world, remarkable indifference from world leaders, and scandalous silence from neighbouring African countries. 4 million people now dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, tens of thousands of women have been raped, thousands of 7-10 year old boys have been trained to kill. Today, it struck me really quite hard just how much of an evil all of this is, and how worse is the evil of political leaders and business leaders who continue to profit from diamonds, cobalt, and other natural resources, with such a human price.

Robert Mugabe - The Early Years

Not everything is known about the early life of Robert Gabriel Mugabe, as this newly discovered photo shows. From c.1939, computers and digital manipulation of photography was not yet invented so the picture must be true, surely.

Well if you believe that, then you might also believe that this month's elections in Zimbabwe will be free and fair expressions of the democratic process - which our own Thabo Mbeki and good friend of His Excellency, claims is the experience and norm in Africa.