WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2007-02-27 Time: 00:00:00 Posted By: Jan
Zimbabwe/Mozambique: It’s Vida Esta’ Loca As Cyclone Favio Pounds
Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
Lloyd Mutungamiri
Beira
Feb 25, 2007
Life should be treasured. That is what the above phrase is supposed to mean in Portuguese. Life is precious, no matter how lousy it gets.
Thursday night, and I thought it would be my last as one of the most violent storms hit this port city of Beira. Before crossing over here, we had been told there was a cyclone blowing towards Mozambique’s second-largest city. They dubbed it Favio.
As the bus carrying Motor Action Football Club players rolled into Beira for a four-team tournament against some of the region’s most popular sides — Ferroviaro de Beira, Benfica and Textile de Pungue — so did the rains. Bucketsful of them.
There were gusts of wind and by the time we left the Ferroviaro clubhouse after a hearty meal, cars across the street were submerged in water and sewage with an overpowering stench, emphasising our predicament in the most emphatic way.
But the Mighty Bulls players were unperturbed. They were here to fight and soldiers thrive on the sound of gunfire and danger.
We left Mutare Thursday afternoon after Motor Action had played two friendlies against First Division opposition at Sakubva Stadium the previous night. And driving past Forbes Border Post, it looked as if we had taken the wrong turn; we were driving into the past, not war-torn Mozambique but a yesteryear Zimbabwe.
Manica Province has a thriving maize crop and rolling hills of spectacular scenery. We raced past Chimoio with its outlandishly coloured buildings, and there is better farming everywhere. Past the small settlements of Gonodola, Pumana and Mozambicans are laughing and waving at us.
We hit Sofala Province and it looks the Mozambique of the past as the road becomes almost impassable because of potholes. And all of a sudden, we are through the rough patch, back into old Zimbabwe, racing through some good cropping towards a Beira City, which they say is the busiest in the whole country.
About 60km before we hit Beira, we are back into the present as some nasty bumps end the reverie. The road is completely washed away, and signs of the floods are everywhere.
We hit town late into the night and the heaviest rainfall I have ever witnessed greets us, pounding the bus and washing away the weariness, bringing with it new fear. A tree comes crashing down right across from where we are sitting at the Ferroviaro Club. Violent winds — a blizzard — turn things a bit desperate as we sit down for a meal.
And sitting across us — myself, Mighty Bulls coach Keegan Mumba, Bulls president Eric Rosen, club vice-chairman Simeon Jamanda — are officials from Ferroviaro de Beira who ignore the rolling thunder and talk football.
They love their soccer here and they say they would want to import players from Zimbabwe. The passion is there, one cannot deny that, the same way you cannot continue to ignore the increasing danger from the rains as they flood the streets outside. A lot of crazy ideas race through the mind, but these football officials assure us doggedly “it is alright” as if they control the skies. They assure us the tournament will go ahead, but it beats me how this could be possible with so much rain. The bus is submerged up to the doorsteps outside.
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After what looked an eternity, we head for our hotel and it is rolling thunder, trees cracking. The road across the hotel is a stagnant river, the windows are rattling in their frames as we settle down.
The Bulls line-up is impressive — 2006 Soccer-star-of-the-Year Clement Matawu, rock-steady defender Regis Marere, Prince Matore. They are looking forward to doing well here ahead of a hectic 2007 CBZ PSL season back home.
Friday morning was a bit sunny, but the threat hangs around in the form of stifling heat. Everyone is quite excited about this tourney sponsored by Pungue Breweries. And I might decide to stay here, because despite everything else, there are a lot of smiling faces around. I could become Lloydinhio de Favio or something, as a reminder of Thursday’s nightmarish experience. Email: [email protected]
Source: All Africa
URL: http://allafrica.com/stories/200702260092.htm…br>
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