Jesuits complete Hairy Haggis Run for Zimbabwe
Three teams representing Jesuit Missions completed the challenge of the 26 mile Hairy Haggis relay in Edinburgh on Sunday 25 May and in the process, highlighted the crisis facing the people of Zimbabwe. Their t-shirts were emblazoned with slogans such as 'Silence Kills' and 'Justice for Zimbabwe', reminding spectators that Zimbabweans are facing extreme hardships, torture and death as President Robert Mugabe continues to refuse to relinquish his power following the elections of 29 March. Further elections are planned in Zimbabwe for 27 June; but in+ the meantime it is being claimed there is widespread intimidation of any voters who did not previously vote for the ruling Zanu PF party. The fastest Jesuit Missions team was led by Hal Broadbent from the Jesuit Provincial Offices; they completed the course in 3 hours and 49 minutes. The other two teams ran from St Ignatius' College in Middlesex. The first team finished in five hours and four minutes, with the other St Ignatius College team just four minutes behind them. Accompanied by their school Chaplain, Father Tim Byron SJ, the boys' achievement was all the greater because they were running in a cumbersome Womble costume, which they exchanged with each other around the course instead of a baton! "Orinoco and Great Uncle Bulgaria were more like a sail when the boys were running against the howling gales that predominated the beginning of the race," said Jesuit Missions' Ashleigh Callow afterwards. "Then when the sun came out, it was more like a sauna in the latter part of the race." The two College teams were running to support their school's link with St Ignatius School in Dodoma, Tanzania. Zimbabwe was part of the British Province of the Society of Jesus until 1978, and there are some 40 British Jesuits still working in the country. For more information, go to www.jesuitmissions.org.uk