FLEAT blog: FLEAT is not a fleeting moment

FLEAT workshop reflections by Rebecca Munetsi

I have travelled the world, I have been to Spain Zaragoza, I have been to Zambia, Lusaka, Namibia Windhoek and in my country Zimbabwe. I have gone around Zimbabwe as a journalist. I write, I wrote stories, I attend and I attended workshops but I am ashamed to admit that some of the things that I have learnt in some of the workshops that I attended I can’t remember. If I do some of them, I haven’t practised them as yet.

August 2021, I attended a different kind of workshop. The Regional Women FLEAT workshop held online but hosted in South Africa by SAFCEI. It brought together women from our SADC region, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Kenya were represented. Besides bringing different women from different countries it also brought different faiths to say come and let us train you on how to become an earth keeper. As usual, I attended this workshop just like I always do.

During the workshop, I was actually amazed at how women in our region are busy working from nothing to make something. The projects I saw were initiatives brought about because people just had a heart to do something. It was different from other initiatives whereby people want money to do something. This training showed me that all you need is LIFE to do something. As long you are alive you can start something and help yourself, family, community and life. It does not need money, or education but just a willing heart to say Lord I am here use me as your vessel to do what you want. I vividly remember Celeste a young woman who started a project to help widows in her area. She had nothing but herself to just help the next person. Women testified on how SAFCEI had groomed them to start something for their families and community as faith leaders. Women had projects such as nurseries and home gardens.

I actually discovered my purpose, and why I was born. I asked myself questions like why am I still alive, COVID came and killed a lot of people but I am still here on earth for what?

That is when I realised that this meeting FLEAT I attended just like other so many meetings, was not a passing or fleeting moment in my life. It was a defining moment in life. It was God's Chosen. It is life-changing. It is my lifestyle. I am meant to take care of the environment as a faith leader. But how Lord?

The recent follow-up 3-day FLEAT meeting running from 22 to 24 February 2022 had all the answers.

The meeting opened my eyes to what I should do exactly. Save souls. Most of the time we go to our different places of worship and I believe despite the different faiths we are taught to love. However, when we come home do we love ourselves, our families, our neighbours, our communities and our environment? If as a woman you love yourself take good care of yourself, you are happy , thankful smiling, the whole family feels it and the environment too. You exercise, you have positive mind you grow your food, you cook nice food, you enjoy yourself, and you clean your yard, house and even the community.

The other side of the coin is also true. An unhappy woman is always sick, no peaceful sleep, shouting and yelling, lazy, unkind, unhelpful, telling lies, and gossiping causing problems in the family, workplace and community. One becomes prickly and toxic to live with. The house, yard and the environment is also dirty a replica of the sad spirit the woman has.

So I believe God Almighty will help us save our souls and save Mother Nature through working and playing as women.

“We all learn what is important to us and what matters to us”, says Shirley one of our presenters.

I believe peace, love and happiness matter to us. I want to love Rebecca. I want to sleep peacefully. I want to spend my time productively. I want to be me. I want to be happy. I want to smile. I want to explore nature. I want to grow food. I want to live and know that I did justice to the environment and to the climate. I want my family to be happy. I want my community to understand that we can eat the best of our land, we can eat the milk and honey of our land if we take good care of nature.

As a group of women from Zimbabwe, we and our families are going to be playing, cleaning our environment, growing our own food, growing our own herbs, eating nice nutritious food, travelling, having fun, exploring the beautiful nature, loving ourselves and the nature and taking care of the environment.

This doesn’t stop, it’s a process, it’s an everyday experience, and it’s our lifestyle. Adios.