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JOTTINGS FROM HARARE
From CRN Circular No 7, Feb/02, edited by David Keane
PNI EMPOWERMENT TRUST, ZIMBABWE
Email Address: Geraldine Cockcroft zenga@samara.co.zw
Postal Address: PNI Empowerment Trust, Private Bag 7201 Post Office Highlands Highlands HARARE ZIMBABWE.
First Contact. It is now less than a month ago when we first received email contact from Geraldine Cockcroft, Director of the PNI Empowerment Trust in Harare Zimbabwe. Geraldine writes;
"Our organisation focuses on personal empowerment and psycho-neuro-immunology. We hold workshops, training, presentations, counseling and impart information. HIV and the possibility of long term survival using PNI, nutrition etc is a large focus of our work. A lot of our work is with the poor."
They had heard about the Compassion Response Network through an ex Zimbabwean now living in New Zealand. Geraldine had inquired about the possibility of receiving a free healing kit including a zapper and colloidal silver maker. Over the next few weeks, we have corresponded in length. I became literally amazed by the scope of their group activity and degree of organisation under such adverse circumstances. This is the most organised group in Africa that is open to using alternative treatments, that the Compassion Response Network has so far had the privilege to come in contact with.
About PNI. PNI stands for Psycho-Neuro-Immunology. PNI has a huge body of research in the USA. The PNI Empowerment Trust in Harare has a board of 12 Trustees. "We also have approximately 30 Goodwill Ambassadors from all walks of life that give us their input and expertise. In fact the Zimbabwe Ambassador in Australia is one of our Goodwill Ambassadors."
"We have two permanent members of staff who are owed enormous back-pay. And one almost full-time volunteer. We have various other people who if needs be will come in from time to time to assist us. A secretary is non-existent but would be a huge help."
What do PNI do? "We do a 2 and 4 day experiential workshop...and this year hope to train PNI counselors. We hold immune enhancement workshops mainly attended by nurses, doctors and people in the health field. We do Positive Health presentations.... stress .. grief work in other words enhancing the immune system. We print and distribute an amazing book called 'Positive Health' which is written by an organisation in South Africa that we work fairly closely with. Often the book is given to the people. In order to sustain our organisation we do corporate workshops, amongst many other projects. We often do television and radio work. We have put together, with a local drama group from a high density area a brilliant play on Positive Health in the local language."
Financing amidst Poverty. "As with all our work those that can afford to pay do so in order to sustain our organisation and those that cannot afford to pay don't pay...you cannot put a price on life its priceless. So many people are benefiting enormously from our work, its so frustrating as so many, many more could benefit if we had the resources. Times are really tough for everyone in Zimbabwe at the moment."
Most of the people they contact are too poor to pay, but they receive services anyway. In July 2001 a 2-day PNI experiential workshop and AIDS conference was attended by 100 people, but of these only 30 could afford the US$3 fee. The others were admitted free. They managed to collect enough donations to feed all the people and distribute printed matter. Counseling charges vary from nothing to US$2 an hour. They always include people at no charge in all their workshops. And there is an endless list of day to day running charges, petrol, phones and so on.
Outreach to the People. "Our heart is with the people, especially those in the lower income bracket where there appears just no hope. Surviving with AIDS is possible, it takes amongst other things information and personal hard-work. Its important for the people to realise that they have choice and can survive."
"In our 2 and 4 day workshops we put across experientially the tools in order to enable your thoughts and actions to enhance your immune system and enable you to realise that you have choice in your life. The results have been overwhelming. I have worked with people carried in and only 3 weeks to live and they have gone back to work a few weeks later and gone on to live healthy, happy empowered lives. They are creating their own miracles."
Geraldine has started to write a book about all the home remedy gems she is so eager to share. She writes;
Geraldene describes their Operational Base. "At present we operate from a fairly centrally situated house close to the center of Harare. We have quite a lot of buildings the use of which could easily be changed. It is my personal property, however due to the financial situation of our organisation and lack of funds I have given thought to moving, but as it is now it would suit the extra workload perfectly."
" For the last 10 years I personally have had a craft and textile business. We plan to incorporate this into the Trust and involve and teach people who have HIV, so that they are able to become self-sufficient.
"We work with so many different people in different circumstances. On occasion I have fed people from my own kitchen. Usually people that are employed can organise transport and do eat. At the moment even though you have all the money you cannot buy the basic maize meal. The country has run out."
Medical Aid. "Most people in employment are on a form of medical aid either through their employers, some private, or civil service or government medical aid." Most people on medical aid are "not necessarily the affluent, but those fortunate to still have a job. Most factories have a clinic. Employment is dropping fast so the numbers that can afford medical tests and treatment get less and less. However often extended family members assist in any way they can."
Of the advanced AIDS patients that their group is treating, perhaps 30% would be on medical aid and so would qualify for regular CD4 (immunity) and PCR tests. "CD4 tests are done here in Zimbabwe. They are relatively inexpensive and so are done more often. It is the PCR that has to go to South Africa."
"We work closely with some doctors. We also have communications with the Department of Immunology at the university here."
Painting a Picture. Geraldene said, "The loss of lives here and total devastation caused by HIV amongst other things is unbelievable". I asked how many advanced HIV patients there are in Harare. "Wow!! How many ants are there in my garden!! Most people have malaria!! Lack of iron!! Etc, etc. In one cemetery they bury more than 300 a day. It is an enormous area and there is talk that in order to not waste space, which they are fast running out of, they are considering burying the dead upright with cardboard in between. Many very ill people go home to the rural areas to die."
I then asked, how many of these would PNI Empowerment Trust come in contact with. Geraldene answered, "As many as we choose, depending on our resources at the time. We have a huge data bank and have contact with many support groups in the high density areas all over the country."
Compassion Response Network Support. I explained to Geraldene that our group at the moment had limited finances, and these were primarily directed towards providing free healing devices for Third World groups wishing to provide free healing treatment to the community through goodwill outreach. Besides colloidal silver/zapper, we are developing a Beck devices and also we are developing a multizapper, that you can strap up five patients around a table, and leave them for an hour while the treatment happens automatically; again from a single electronic controlling box. (Geraldene's comment, "sounds really amazing"). Geraldene is arranging for us contact with the Zimbabwe Ambassador in Australia. Hopefully, she may be able to provide free courier delivery for our devices.
These devices are by the way very easy to make. In Perth, our zappers were made by unemployed youth with some electronics flair; we of course paid them a remuneration for their labour, but the zappers were still very cheap. I proposed to Geraldene that if she was contemplating teaching HIV people to become self-sufficient in craft and textiles, she might like to consider expanding this business to include an electronics workshop, to train people to construct these healing devices, zappers, ozonators, Beck electrifiers and such. It makes sense to involve former AIDS patients in such a rewarding and creative employment. And the demand for such devices will grow quickly, especially after medical verifications come back. The goal must be ever to disseminate such technology to the masses. Geraldene's comment, "Wow!! An amazing idea."
In response to my comment that I was so amazed how much PNI Empowerment Trust had achieved, Geraldene replied, "Yes, now that you say it, it is amazing. However it always appears that it is never enough."
From CRN Circular No 10, Aug/02, edited by David Keane
Geraldene Cockcroft, zenga@samara.co.zw frequently writes email letters to us sharing about what is happening in Zimbabwe. I share here some insights provided by a selection of brief extracts from Geraldene's letters.
"Its amazing how through all this we still have so much to give and share with everyone and now more than ever our work is truly needed."
"So many people are leaving and often even if you have the money there is no cooking oil, soap, sugar, maize meal, petrol, salt in the shops to buy!"
"We are having really great success in putting across information and have developed a play called Tariro based on our Positive Health book."
"We at the Trust are really excited at the prospect of getting everything going. There have been many Zimbabweans waiting patiently and with excitement and anticipation at benefiting from your donation."
"We have hundreds/thousands that are not on any medical aid but are prepared and really keen to get started on treatment."
"I am trying however it is at times like a sinking ship and really so stressful...I laugh...there is no point in crying we must simply trust in the abundance of the universe and carry on."
"For example...At the moment Jack our program coordinator...who is an amazing man...has worked with us as a volunteer for the past 18 months...he stays with us Monday to Friday and we feed him he then goes home on a Friday...he has had very little money during this time and obviously cannot continue indefinitely like this...he needs socks toothpaste etc...He is very disabled...he is a dwarf...he is a true gift and an inspiration to us all at PNI."
"Prices here are going mad...an example in Zim dollars. My daughter's school fees in April…Zim$8000 a month...now Zim$23000 a month. Sugar normally Zim$70 for 2 kg if you can buy its now Zim$400 for 2 kg...A bucket of maize was Zim$100 now Zim$1200.....its sheer madness. I complain but the poor people with just no resources are really suffering."
"We have started a huge vegetable and herb garden at the Trust and supply people where we can. When I say huge we only have an acre of property in total."
"A newly formed group that is affiliated to the PNI Trust called the Voice of Hope works with children that are orphaned and infected with HIV".
"Farms....about 90% of farmers (other than the peasant farmers) have been banned from farming. No planting of crops or watering, dipping of live stock is allowed. Consequently whole herds of cattle are having to be killed by their owners or just slaughtered by various invaders. Chickens, sheep even horses are all suffering the same fate. Whole wheat and soya crops are lying unattended in the fields. Many farms have now been taken over by members of the ruling party, army, police etc. Farm workers have been chased away from their jobs and homes. This coupled with a drought has caused there to be shortages of maize, sugar, milk, margarine and cooking oil as well as some vegetables. There is very little tobacco being planted which in turn will lead to low tobacco sales...therefore no foreign currency to buy salt etc. more shortages."
"Many companies have had to make much of their workforce redundant so there is mass unemployment. People all over are being attacked even in their homes at night. People abducted and tortured some never found again. Women are continuously being raped. With the tests for HIV infection currently at one in every three! Its is all horrendous."
"Hospitals are over crowded and many professionals are or have already left for greener pastures. There is no money for the hospitals to purchase drugs for service equipment. Mostly people just get sent home to die after lying for hours waiting to see a doctor. The grave yards are full as 100's of people in Harare alone die everyday."
"I go all over the place day and night and only come across love, kindness, compassion and togetherness. Crime is on the increase as the people are desperate. I work with people who are really ill. When someone comes and sees me . . . I then go into my personal kitchen and make a sandwich or something for them to eat. It helps for a moment. I feel so frustrated as with more resources we could reach literally thousands of people."
"Somehow we are managing to get by just!! However I realise that surviving like this is very stressful for me personally. We believe that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing and that it is our purpose. Doors will open to enable our work to reach the people that it needs to reach."
"I need to feed myself and family and more importantly the Trust needs to pay some salaries and running costs so that we can all get on with our purpose and work with the people, instead of never having enough petrol etc."
"Thank you for your prayer list....no wonder things are really starting to pick up...your support and prayers...thank you...to the entire group...and you are all scattered all over the world!! just amazing."
"Most of the people do not work and even if they do their resources are limited."
"This last week we have had all sorts of other organisations contacting us...they run various projects in the rural areas etc. organic nutrition groups...crisis groups...the list goes on and on. Its wonderful to watch this all unfold and be provided...totally on purpose...thanks to you and your group for all the meditations and prayers they are being answered....its just wondrous and I am often laughing in wonder at what I see happening."
"Now all three parcels have arrived...wonderful we cannot wait to get started. Once again please give our thanks to the prayer group and to the universe for its constant and abundant supply of gifts through which we learn our lessons."
From CRN Circular Nov/02, edited by David Keane
There have been quite a few changes in Harare since the treatments have started arriving. Some treatments (Tetrasil and Essiac powder) are in limited supply so they are being put aside until we can commence the main project. Other treatments such as colloidal silver, zapper, and Beck devices can be used repeatedly and so these have been provided immediately to the many in need. Geraldene, our contact from Harare, writes,
"Now things have to start happening and the benefits of these treatments must get to the people as soon as possible as time is of the essence."
"We started making our colloidal silver on Friday and distributing it immediately. Interesting noticing the changes it is making. I am asking people to bring their own brown bottles (old ones) where they can. We will then sterilise them and recycle."
"Prayers are being answered. Colloidal silver --- literally thousands of people want to take it. The prison would even be interested in giving it to the in-mates, as so many are HIV!! I feel that this all has to be done slowly and carefully. My intuition tells me not to jump in as I always do."
"I woke at 4.30 this morning feeling like its all too much!! I do not ever really get depressed, thank goodness, and I will never give up!! I thank God for my strength and resourcefulness."
"We have been planting a lovely vegie garden, the seedlings!!! We will keep them going carrying buckets."
"For the last 5 months I have been doing all the house work, cooking etc. We have 32 rooms including the offices. Washing, ironing for 4 people. Then at 6.30 pm someone comes for help, advice, counseling. After dinner at 9 its emails, letters to type, appointments tomorrow to plan."
"Its all too much!! I know I am doing far too much, always believing that God has a plan. When I had an income, and simple food was fairly easy to put on the table, basic petrol etc was met, then I could get on with my real work with the people. At the moment its like everything is spiraling out of control. Then I feel guilty. How can I complain when others don't even have enough money for bread or rent?
"I feel that if I can just fight my way through some of this lot. Then there is light at the end of the tunnel. The need of a sponsored office is urgent."
"We have lots of volunteers but most of these people have no office skills or very basic ones. I think the need for someone to run the office, filing, up-dating our vast data bank, taking phone calls, typing, bookkeeping, would really allow me space to get out there to the people. Jack does amazing work but his office skills are not too hot and being disabled hinders what he can do. Jonathan does the computer section and also studies computers. He co-facilitates when we do workshops."
"I also do trauma counseling. Its unbelievable what is going on. The people here have so much love in their hearts and are so peace loving. They are just so afraid. Imagine you have little food, HIV, relatives dying or sick around you, grief, no money, no prospects. Would you want to live or would you just give up? Would death not be a release from all the suffering?"
"I know of many, many people with reoccurring thrush, athlete's foot, skin rashes etc. These are people who I have worked with in PNI or with counseling and I simply tell them that I have Colloidal Silver. It might help, would they like to try."
"David my dream would be to fly you to Zimbabwe for 2 weeks. To really see first hand what is happening to the people or should I say what is not happening!!! It is devastating and people are so ill and dying, and it appears nothing is being done. There is no hope or help for them. It's so really bad. With PNI, nutrition, herbs, garlic, tapping the sternum (thymus) all sorts of tips that may help and now Colloidal Silver at least it gives the people choices."
"Great News...Dr Margaret Taruninga is on board! I have also organised with her to work in her surgery once a week using various treatments."
"It appears that my life has come to a total halt other than working with all the machines/treatments and turning out Colloidal Silver. I started at doctor Margaret on Friday and then was at her surgery all morning yesterday and today and then she comes to the Trust evenings from 5 to 7. I am getting really proficient at doing it all. The blood electrification I prepare and then Margaret just places the electrodes on and I do the rest, ozonator water on tap, Magnetic pulser."
"If we had more units then 6 people could be undergoing treatment at the same time. It would take Margaret and I perhaps 20 minutes to set them up and then Margaret could get on with the patients waiting in her surgery whilst I monitor and complete the treatment. I have taken a lot of information from each patient and also have very recent CD4 counts as well as recent viral loads on some of them. Its amazing the people are so excited about the treatments. They often report for a treatment the next day with a write up on what has gone on with their bodies in the last 24 hours."
"Margaret is an amazing woman and really dedicated in getting this to the people…she says the treatments make real sense to her and I agree."
"Things are getting far worse here. Just no bread, washing powder, petrol, so please keep us in your prayers."
"I am working in the surgery 3 mornings a week and every evening here at the Trust we work with treatments from 5pm sometimes till about 9pm in the evening."
"People are literally begging to get on to the treatments. All people undergoing the treatments have a CD4 (immunity) count of under 130 and some are very ill. With regards to the Colloidal Silver I have distributed quite a lot and am waiting for feedback. Whilst on treatments I have been introducing the patients to guided visualisation and meditations from a cassette. They are really appreciating it."
"I feel that it should be a top priority to generate funds to meet allowances for these dedicated people. This situation cannot continue for much longer and needs to be urgently addressed so that matters pertaining to the focus of working with the people can take priority."
"Margaret is drafting a protocol for the treatments. I will type it up later in the day. This is needed for approval of the Ministry of Health. Both Margaret and I know him very well so there should not be a problem. We need to know the possible side effects of each treatment. This is needed for the protocol."