Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities for Jul-Aug 2026.

Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities.

Our Homeschooling Activities:

Homeschooling:

Murray John’s busy months!

Murray John has experienced a busy two months of polo, including a trip to Kenya. This has made it quite challenging for him to stay on top of his studies. However, once the polo season concludes, he will have more time to focus on his education.

His tour to Kenya was fantastic, spending five days playing polo at the Manyatta Polo Club in Gilgil. It was an unforgettable experience for him, as he made new friends, explored different cultures and returned home excited for his next polo adventure.

Most Improved U18 Polo Player.

Murray John has put in tremendous effort with his polo, which was rewarded, as he earned the Most Improved U18 Polo Player trophy for this year. His participation in several Zimbabwe Invitational teams against visiting sides, his tour to Kenya, and being the youngest player to play in the winning team at the Zimbabwe Polo Open, all contributed to this well-deserved recognition. He is now eager to further enhance his polo skills and to explore more opportunities to travel.

Brand Ambassador.

After his team won the Zimbabwe Polo Open, Murray John received a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses and has since become a brand ambassador for the company, earning a second pair of glasses.

Be sure to follow Murray John on his Instagram channels; murray.whaley and farming_murray to see his farm work showcased through his drone photography.

Polo Mallet Repair Business.

Murray John’s polo mallet repair business stayed active during the winter. Firstly, he needed to work on his own mallets, which he tends to break, quite frequently!

However, many others have entrusted him with their mallets for repair, so he remains busy throughout the week, fixing sticks, alongside Jimmy, one of our staff members.

Paula Joy’s Health.

Paula Joy’s health has not improved over the last two months, and she has now reached a point where she isn’t getting any better. After consulting with a specialist doctor, here in Zimbabwe, she has been referred to a neurologist in Johannesburg. We will be traveling there in early September to pursue further treatment. For now, we continue to pray for Paula Joy’s healing, and we thank God that healing will come…

My Trip to Cape Town.

In early July, I spent ten days visiting my parents in Cape Town, as I was applying for my South African passport. It was a lovely break for me and a true blessing to have time with my parents. Whilst I was away, Murray John kept up with his work, and Paula Joy took care of the house and all the horses.

Homeschooling pets:

The Miraculous Return of Toby.

The most significant moment in the last few months has been our cat Toby’s return, after having been missing for three and a half years! We lost him when he escaped from his box and leapt out of the vehicle, during transit between the farm and the townhouse. We searched all over, offering rewards and prayers for his return. Despite all our efforts, we did not hear anything, so could not locate him.

Therefore, we asked for a photo, and, to our great surprise, it turned out to be our beloved Toby, who had been living at the Army University for the past six months. We shall never know where he was before that!? – We went to pick him up, tears of joy streaming down our faces, and we were all happily reunited. Toby is now extremely content to be back home with his sister and safely, once again, within in our loving family.

In early August, during a weekend of Polo in Harare, an old groom came to us and asked whether we were still looking for our cat? We confirmed that we were, and he told us that there was a cat next door, at the Army University, which looked like it could be our missing cat.

I always thank God for answering the prayers we have prayed for the safety of all our animals, and especially for bringing Toby back to us!

Horses:

‘Captain’.

Sadly, in early August, Captain broke a bone in his foot, so we had to say goodbye to our beloved Captain. He was such a special horse, who everyone loved to ride.

Polo Tournaments:

Zimbabwe Polo Open.

The Zimbabwe Polo Open is the largest tournament of the season. Murray John is the youngest player to have participated in it. He had an amazing weekend and his team emerged victorious, after a thrilling final match. As a result, he is now the youngest player to have been part of a winning team, at the Zimbabwe Polo Open. This is a remarkable achievement for a 15 year old.

International Polo.

At the end of July, Murray John participated in an international polo match against teams from Ireland and South Africa. Representing the Zimbabwe B team, he played in a game against the ‘Rest of the World’  team, where they narrowly lost. It was another fantastic experience for him and an opportunity to connect with players from different regions.

Carnival Cup.

The historic Carnival Cup was the next tournament. Murray John and Douglas were involved in opposing teams. Murray John’s team finished up as the runners-up. All in all, it was a wonderful tournament, which produced some excellent polo.

Copper Cup.

In mid-August, we headed to Chinhoyi for the Copper Cup, a renowned tournament that has been held since the 1950s. Once again, Murray John, and Douglas faced off against one another in the plate final, with Murray John’s team emerging as the winners. It’s always a pleasure to return to Chinhoyi, to play at our old club, and to catch up with good friends.

Junior Open.

The last tournament of the season is the Junior Open, where Murray John and Douglas teamed up. It was a tough weekend, and even though they didn’t win their last match, everyone enjoyed themselves. We therefore headed home with happy, healthy horses.

Homeschooling Adventures:

Farm Life:

Barley and Veld Fires.

The 400-hectare barley crop is still growing… However, July and August mark the fire season in Zimbabwe, with numerous grass fires threatening all the farms. We had to create extensive fire breaks around each field, to prevent fires from reaching the crop.

As a result we always remain vigilant and, whenever we spot a fire, there is a quick mobilization of persons to extinguish it. Murray John frequently uses his drone to monitor the fires, assessing their proximity and determining the best response, to prevent them from reaching the farm. Thankfully, up until now, we have successfully protected our crops from any fire damage.

Tobacco Season.

Once one tobacco season ends, the next one starts immediately! The seed beds are prepared for this season, and the land preparation has begun. Tobacco planting started at the end of August, making this month a particularly busy time of year.

Murray John is always busy on the farm, checking the pivots, flying his drone over the crops, to monitor their growth, and assisting with repairs and maintenance in the workshop.  His task includes checking on the GPS systems for the tractors working on the tobacco land preparation. He enjoys every moment of this work and puts in long hours each day after finishing school.

Murray John is definitely gaining valuable farming experience, and once he graduates from high school, he will be well-prepared to take on any farming job he can find, whilst attending university.

Travel:

Fothergill Island.

Paula Joy, Murray John and I have just returned from an incredible five-day trip to Fothergill Island on Lake Kariba. Sadly, Douglas was too busy on the farm to join us.

This luxurious trip was made possible, thanks to our very dear friends, who own the island. It was a truly amazing experience, which we all enjoyed to it’s fullest! 

You can read all about Fothergill Island in my latest blog post, Fothergill Island – a Families Paradise, and I highly recommend adding this travel experience to your bucket list.

Ferry Disaster:

On the final day of our trip, a tragic ferry boat disaster took place, when a government operated ferry taxi capsized, whilst traveling on the lake near Fothergill Island. It was heartbreaking to learn that nearly 100 lives were lost!

This incident highlighted the lack of care the government places, on the safety of people traveling across the country on public transport.  

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected, and we hope the Lord comforts  them, as they mourn their loved ones.

September begins with a trip to Johannesburg, for Paula Joy’s appointment with a medical neurologist specialist. After that, it will be time spent on the farm, plenty of schoolwork, and a return to summer sports.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” 2 Timothy 1:7

• Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities for Jul-Aug 2026.
• Fothergill Island-a Families Paradise.
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• Our Homeschooling Adventures and Activities for Mar-Apr 2026.