Email From A Farmer’s Wife
It is Sunday, 27th April, time is 1am.
It seems as if a lifetime has passed since my first letter on the 5th April. We are still on the farm (husband and myself) but now with a base camp set up 150 yards from the homestead, and a roadblock below the house. This made up of drums and branches from trees.
We were informed that there was to be a “pungwe” tonight. A “pungwe” is a political reorientation by the Youth Brigade and “war veterans” of our staff and surrounding people.
Woken up at 11.00 (Saturday) pm with the “pungwe”, it is getting closer and closer to the homestead. It is now right outside our front gate. (This is locked permanently for protection.) Our security dog is very quiet, does this mean that he has been killed?
The noise escalates, I start phoning for assistance. The time is 11.40pm on Saturday 26th April, the reaction team leader is phoned, and he can hear the noise on my side.
He assures me that assistance is on its way. I phone his superior who reassures me that they are on the way. They always reassure us they are reacting but they never arrive. I phone a Provincial leader but the lady of the house informs me that he is asleep and will not be woken. My question to her is what if there is “bloodshed tonight” and the reply is “there is nothing I can do!”
It is now 1pm and still no assistance has arrived. The “pungwe” has moved away from our front gate and now back at their base camp. It is only in instances like this that one notices how sound travels through the dead of night. It is so much LOUDER!!! The “pungwe” continues.
We have checked on our Staff housed within the security fence and they are okay. This is Staff brought in to help while our permanent staff refuses to work as they are petrified of intimidation. Our security dog is okay we have checked on him too.
It is a waiting game. Will they or won’t they come to help us?? While I am sitting here trying to put words together I just want to say how wonderful the family have been during this time. For all the support and love you have given us during these three weeks. We love you so much.
To all the friends and family who have phoned from all over the world we could not continue without you. For those few, brave enough to pay us a visit in our situation you are wonderful people.
To all the strangers that have replied to our situation we thank you for all the support, phone calls, texts, emails etc., it is so encouraging to know that you stand with us in the fight of our lives.
May God Bless you all.
A Farmer’s Wife
(The time is 1.15am - still no reaction)
(Source: via email)
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