About The Book

The Heart of Zimbabwe follows Ann Portello, a Pittsburgh dental hygienist who leaves the United States after the death of her son and joins a missionary group working in rural Zimbabwe. Arriving in Nyadire, she enters a landscape shaped by political instability, limited medical resources, and tightly connected communities. As she helps establish dental care for local children, Ann is confronted by the limits of her own grief and the realities of a country balancing hardship with resilience. The novel traces her experiences within this environment, where personal loss, humanitarian work, and questions of faith and belonging intersect in unexpected ways.