We visited my late uncle and late cousin’s tombs when we were in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. My mother and I had not managed to go for their funerals so we took the opportunity to ‘visit’ the deceased. We started with my uncle’s and all went well and we walked over to my late cousin’s grave. The first thing we noticed was the cracked tomb cover (OK, I don’t know what you call the part of the grave that covers the casket – not the tombstone itself). I will just call it the “cover”. Our relatives informed us that there are now thieves who go around stealing tomb covers, grind off the words and resell to other mourners. Can you imagine?!! Apparently the cover is only placed on the tombstone and not glued or secured in any way. The robbers just slide the cover off and make off with it.
My cousin’s tomb cover had been partially slid off but it seems one of the robbers dropped, cracked it and was just left like that. We tried to push it back into place and in the process my finger was hit by the cover while one of my aunties’ thumb was almost crushed. My fingernail had a black mark while my aunt’s thumb was swollen quite badly. The ransacking of the graveyard made me sad. How hungry or desperate is one that they can stoop so low?
Ouch, my poor finger. Of course, it healed very quickly but it was a sad reminder of how our world is turning out.
PS/.. Please, please, don’t dwell on my unkempt nails. I was on a working farm people! OK, I didn’t go into the field but I spent most of my time on a farm all the same. 🙂
Zambian Lady 
Jun 13, 2016 @ 00:03:09
Very sad ~ I wonder how bad things must get for people to do such things.
And as I come from the countryside in Oregon, there is nothing more beautiful than hands that have felt the earth 🙂
Jun 16, 2016 @ 18:58:11
I wonder too….
Jun 04, 2016 @ 22:12:48
Oh, that is so SAD. I hope you and your auntie have both recovered.
Jun 02, 2016 @ 10:51:29
What an unpleasant discovery. Unfortunately, desecration of grave sites has been around since time immemorial. For reasons of greed or poverty, or plain vandalism, some of the human race aren’t able to let the dead rest in peace.
Jun 03, 2016 @ 19:56:42
It really is an unfortunate state of affairs.
Jun 02, 2016 @ 01:16:58
Sorry about your finger. At least the crack kept the thieves from taking the cover. May your uncle rest in peace.
Jun 03, 2016 @ 14:51:32
Thanks. It’s a sad state of affairs, I tell you.
Jun 02, 2016 @ 00:24:43
That’s really disgusting that someone should desecrate a grave although it’s not a new phenomenon. It’s been going on since time immemorial. 😦 I would also have felt very sad.
Jun 03, 2016 @ 14:56:32
This behavior is apparently relatively new in Bulawayo, so you can imagine the shock. This has been going on for years in Zambia, though thieves would steal the coffins and deceased’ clothes.