March 12 from Tumaini House!
Ayako, our volunteer from Japan was shaken yesterday when we told her about the Tsunami that hit home. She was able to contact her family and no one was injured but her father was stranded, in his office, without a train home. She left with some other volunteers this a.m. on safari and it is our hope that she is able to relax a little and enjoy her experience. If it is anything like my safari was she will be duly impressed.
Welcome to Candice, our newest volunteer from Toronto, ON. Canada! Candice arrived yesterday with pencils, and toys and Frisbees and SHEET PROTECTORS (the plastic ones that cover pages, not mattresses), spices AND an oven thermometer . . . Enormous thanks go out to Christina, Domi and families from Germany for reaching out so lovingly to help our university attendees, Mary and Reward Minja. Their and brothers Nelson and Kelvin’s bios are on our site at www.tuchifo.com “Minja Family”.
And a mother’s worst fear . . . last night Grace came into my room to inform me that Raymond had been in an accident on a pikipiki (motorcycle). Oddo’s brother inlaw Deo had been driving him back to school and they were struck by an oncoming vehicle. It looks as if Deo’s ankle is broken and Raymond busted up his knee but there was no medical treatment for them immediately. It won’t be nice if they have to re break his ankle to set it but “procedure” here seems to be to wait to set a broken bone, why I don’t know . . .
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| Happy birthday Zawadi!!! |
March 16th!
Happy Birthday to Zawadi (who got his stitch out yesterday, thank you Ayako) and to our volunteer Candice! There will be cake tonight, although Harriri and I will miss it because we are headed to the hospital for his umbilical hernia surgery. And speaking of surgery, none was necessary for Deo as his ankle turned out NOT to be broken . . . perhaps that’s why they wait, I don’t know, but we’re oh so very happy to hear that both he and Raymond are on the mend!
Our hearts go out to the people of Japan struggling with this disaster. I am receiving news here and there and all of us here at Tumaini send our prayers to family and friends . . .
Thank you to Michael for helping Oddo. We have received your kind gift and I will pass it along to him.
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| A hesitant Liadi began school today! |
Things are good here, quiet and peaceful after some turbulent times last month. The children are oh, so very happy, healthy for the most part (except for Mwajuma who is home to go to the hospital to check out her appendix as she experiences persistent pain on her right side) and advancing academically at astounding rates! Our youngest, Liadi hesitantly joined the other youngest members of Tumaini in class today. He had stalled, claiming he would cry, then he announced he needed his uniform, once delivered there were no more excuses and he headed up. He tried to tell me he needed a backpack to go to school but he's only going upstairs, with Latifa and Pendo and the other youngsters, and Teacher Winner! There were two trips down to see me with emergency "dirty knees" which only I could clean for him but he returned to class and completed the day. We are terribly proud of him and all of our Tumaini children each of whom is now receiving a quality, English Medium education which will give them a real chance!
The children of Haradali, Mwajuma, Evalin, Margaret, Angela, Eliza, Emma, Lazaro and little Daniel are hopefully coming home for the weekend, our Young Roses students begin their monthly testing on Monday (did I tell you Francis got 100% on his last math test and is #1 in his class?) and Mary Minja (our university student) is home! Reward will be home on Saturday and then we can thank Christina, Domi and families (from Germany) on “Skype”, hopefully, for their kind support of these very determined students, and perhaps even a call to Bibi Oma who has also helped them! It would be nice to set it up. Mary brought some of her school work home to show me and was disappointed that she earned only a “B” on two papers. She is dedicated and disciplined and will study her heart out to be the best she can. I’ll let you know about Reward's grades once he returns home . . .
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| And our wonderful Mary is home for a break from university in Dar! |
Thank you to my sister Pam for our Skype chat . . . I’ve been missing home of late and it was nice to see and talk to you! It’s now 4:54 a.m. and the roosters are just beginning to crow. We still have had no rain . . . the locals will start to worry now because the long rains should have begun.
I will send photos of our special project, helping Upendo’s family with their home repair (new concrete floor, drainage ditch dug, new supports and siding, window and wall repair, and new beds, mattresses and nets for Bibi and children, oh and uniforms for Pendo and big sister Zawadi (Zawadi has hers and Pendo’s is coming!) . . . thank you to Pat’s brother Dan for your kind donation and thank you volunteers Tumaini for pitching in! Another family made safer and given a better chance because of your kindness!
And, do you remember the Chikira family of four siblings (Glory, Ayubu, Wema and Carol) orphaned and struggling to get by alone? Well, their new toilet was completed today and we will plant as soon as the rains begin. The house is repaired, the children equipped for school and soon a successful harvest will allow them, as a family, a good chance at building their lives . . .
We send hugs and well wishes home. I hear you are getting our rain. Be well and thank you, so very much for your continued, loving support of these wonderful children!
