This last week has been very challenging but with some highlights along the way.
The week was very busy with the ordinary things of life - planning, work and work. Kevin has been busy with the men pouring the first slab of the Boy,s Dormitory. He was still working at 7.00 pm last night and they have been at it again today. Compared to our experience in Bangladesh, nothing happens in a hurry here.
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Pouring the first slab
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| helpers |
You may be wondering what a photo of a few pegs have to do with anything. Well, it's amazing what can be used as a reminder or a lesson along the way. My options for drying the washing are throwing the clothes over a fraying nylon rope and getting many creases in them (no iron here), or "hanging"
them on the grass like the students do. ( not a great option for me as our area is rather sparse on grass as I found out when the rope gave way.) I was so thankful to be able to peg Kevin's long pants and pin my skirts to the line with four pegs that I found in the house and two safety pins I had brought from home. It reminded me that we need to focus on what we have not what we think we need and be grateful for God's blessings to us. I found a shop last week with a packet of pegs for sale so here's to washing this coming weekend.
The majority of the students here have lost one or both parents and cannot afford education and very often insufficient food They are sponsored by generous folk in Australia. Last Friday I was talking to a student who shared with me an amazing story of his life. One of the students came to me asking if I would mend his textbook. I was impressed by the way it had been previously stitched and on inquiring he told me a form 2( grade 9) student had done it . He brought the student to me and this is his story. Edgar has a twin brother and another brother a little older than him. His parents died when he was about 7 years old and as they had no one to care for them, the three of them lived on the streets surviving as best they good until a Catholic Priest from a German Mission called Kolping found them and got sponsorship for him to go to the Mission Primary School. After completing Year Seven, the school could no longer sponsor them and so the younger boys applied to come to Katoke. They were accepted and their school fees are paid by a sponsor but he has to supply his own personal needs. At holiday time, all students have to leave the school and so to have somewhere to go , he rents a small room from a man in Bukoba on a permanent basis. His older brother stays there but can only occasionally get work on a casual basis. I asked him how he could get money to pay the rent if he is living at the school, and was told he repairs books for the students (500 shillings each) and in the holidays he repairs other people's books but doesn't know how he will get enough money for the outstanding rent. I asked where he learnt to do this work and was amazed when Edgar told me that before his father died when he was about 6 years old , he taught him this skill. What an amazing Dad to have the foresight to give his young son a skill like that for life.Edgar has his heart set on becoming an engineer and with the dedication he has, will most likely realize his dream. He told me that each time he earns some money, he always puts a little away. There was no bitterness in his story. That is life and he is determined to make the most of opportunities that come his way.
Last Saturday we went to town with the Aussies to pick up chemical supplies for the science prac exams this week. We had a lovely dinner at the Kolping Restaurant (part of the mission that rescued Edgar) and then went down to the edge of Lake Victoria. It was really lovely and the vast expanse of water (300 miles wide) reminded us so much of Hervey Bay excepting that this is fresh water. One of the teachers brought us a huge Talapia from caught in the lake. It was about 40 cms long and did present a challenge trying to scale and fillet it with the only sharp knife we have. It has a blade about
15cm long and the point has been broken off.
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| Lake Victoria |
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| From the Shore |
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| Just finished a special treat - an ice cream. |
Sunday afternoon one of the choirs made their way up to our house and arranged themselves in the bit of garden near our window for a recording and photo shoot so we quickly joined them and had a great concert and after which we had to opportunity to chat with them and hear more of their stories and dreams. remembering their names is the hardest part . They come in to the Library and I recognize their faces but trying to remember their names is very difficult. Many of them have common English names but then you get Tanzanian names (impossible to spell or pronounce) and also names like God Love, Gladness, and Happiness. They just sing all the time. It is 8.10 pm now and I can hear a choir out in the school ground somewhere singing.
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| a great group of students. |
we are having a series of prolonged blackouts at present. The lights have just gone out and all the students are in the classrooms, studying. There is mayhem at the minute. I'm glad I'm not the one to have to settle them down and get them safely to their dormitories. No electricity means bed time at this time of night.
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