Letters from Africa

January, 2008 - some more

Carpenters finished making the 50 bunk beds on December 12. They put them together here, sanded them and varnished them on site. We already have the mattresses and sheets as well. Plumbers were here for about 2 ½ weeks putting up tanks to collect more rain water, replacing the long, long tubing that brings in water from Lake Victoria whenever it is pumped in our region, putting in showers in two of the toilet stalls, making a septic system for the girls’ toilet building (which is a “choo” in Kiswahili). Because we are in such a remote area, the carpenters and plumbers slept here. The plumbers had arranged for us to hire a woman to cook for them. The various “mafundi” (craftsmen) would hire local people to dig the ditches, make cement, etc. They would then have different women from the village cook for different groups. It was quite chaotic with all these people around and these little fires going on as different women cooked for various groups using firewood to burn between big stones on which they put the pots!

The lack of teachers is a major problem in Tanzania. Recently, we visited a brand new high school for boys for ages of our high school seniors and freshman college students. They had the most modern, well-equipped science labs that I could hardly believe would exist here. But they closed down the school because the boys went on strike protesting the fact that there was only one teacher in the school – so most of the time they just sat in class doing nothing!

I worry about how I will teach 50 girls in a class with no science equipment or lab materials. For the past few weeks I have been teaching English to some adults in the parish. It has been a good experience for me, but I find myself forever looking up words in the dictionary during the class to give them the Kiswahili word so that they have some idea what I am talking about. Yet, after 6 weeks of intensive English with the girls, we are not supposed to use any Kiswahili in Secondary School classes. I just do not know how I can do that with all the scientific terms. It should be some experience – especially as I am also supposed to be the Headmistress.

Because students do not have text books and simply copy down whatever the teacher writes on the board, I am using some of the donations and trying to set up a library with about 5-10 copies of text books in each of the various subjects so that the girls can at least have access to some books. We also have 6 older (but working) computers so we will be able to teach them how to use computers as well.

I came to Tanzania a year ago on December 31 and I just really, really want to get started with the school! The girls were told to arrive on January 14 and we hope to begin classes on January 15. There is so very, very much to do before that date. We still have to buy plates, cups, spoons, buckets for them to use for washing up, hoes and fyekeos (grass cutting instruments which have a long handle with a knife at the end that they swing with one hand like a golf club) for them to do work around the building. Please keep us in prayer that all goes well as we finally actually start the school.

2007 has certainly been a very different year for me in Africa. Sometimes, life can be a little difficult here – with the lonesomeness for other Americans, the cold showers, the power outages, the lack of water, the hand washing of clothes and finding more and more creatures like snakes on our property coming into the building. Yet, God has been good and I thank God for each of you, for all your support and encouragement. May God reward you a hundredfold. What a wonderful surprise package we received recently from my cousin, Lorraine Duncan, in Georgia. It had a Christmas tree, Christmas ornaments and Christmas garland in it that we used to decorate our small living space. Thanks so much for the Christmas cards and greetings we have been receiving. They were most welcome and I cherish them. May the New Year of 2008 be one of health, happiness, peace and much joy for each of you.
Let us continue to pray for each other.
Sister Stephanie