Many of you have expressed concern over Susan Wells’ (Ontario
resident killed in Arusha, Tanzania) recent death with respect to us
at Tumaini. My understanding is that Susan
was a six time volunteer from Collingwood, Ontario, just 41 years old and on
return for yet another month of work helping youth. She didn’t make it . . . we don’t know Susan,
but we know her work and so send our heartfelt condolences to family and
friends, as they must be struggling with how something like this could happen
to a woman just trying to help.
Susan was evidently, met at the airport by a young man
she knew and found dead the next day.
There is all kinds of gossip about how.
The young man who met her is currently in custody. That is all we know at present . . . My
partner in Tanzania, Oddo is following the story from his end but is gleaning
less information than we have here. Some
of our volunteers at Tumaini had not even heard of this tragedy until I shared
it with them from Canada.
Please try not to worry.
We have cautioned our volunteers further who have been cautioned in the
first place. We try to be careful and
with God’s blessing will continue to remain safe. We will update you when we have more
information, but for now we ask from those of you who pray (I know our Tumaini
family will be praying) to take a moment and include Susan Wells’ family and
friends in your prayers . . . we are so sorry for your loss.
From Tumaini, many of you know that Christina has (had) a
shida (problem) with having too many front teeth growing in . . . well, she no
longer has that problem. She fell coming
down the stairs and knocked one of her permanent teeth right out! Katy tells me it didn’t even slow her down
from eating dinner that night!
Kaka (brother) Michael, Executive Director of our soon to
be Tumaini Australia is at Tumaini and (training in medicine), he, Oddo, Katy (who
is suffering also), and Mamas are struggling with some of the children
(Harriri, Christina) and a few others with a nasty stomach virus . . . sending
hugs!!!
And, unfortunately, in the excitement of a month’s holiday (December) and upcoming Christmas holidays, I am hearing reports of the misbehaviours and negative attitudes of some of our children! This is certainly not the right attitude as Christmas approaches and although it is only a few of our children, it saddens me, and I am sure it does our supporters, to hear that even ONE of our Tumaini children would take advantage of the incredible opportunity granted him/her by their sponsorship support! I hope Oddo, and Katy, you will share my and our supporters’ concern with the children involved!
And about Christmas gifting this year . . . we are
focusing on growing our school building fund and so, should you choose to help
Tumaini as a part of your giving plan this holiday season, please consider
purchasing a brick @ $20.00 per, (or as many bricks as you wish), and your
generous donation will be directed towards our Tumaini school building
fund. Tax receipts (in Canada) will be
issued and a Christmas thank you “brick” card will be sent out to you or your
chosen recipient. Please provide
instructions on your online donation request.
(www.tuchifo.com – How you Can Help
– Donate) or email me mamadee@tuchifo.com
if you require assistance, and ASANTE!!)
We are working on rebuilding our Tumaini website and
thank you for your patience in waiting for it to occur. It is an enormous undertaking as you can
imagine and so I would like to personally thank each of you for your patience .
. .
To our sponsors . . . some of you have been caring for
your chosen child for more than three years now and your love and support has
changed their lives . . . forever! There
really are no words to express Oddo’s and my gratitude for what you have done .
. . some of your children would not be here today, alive, without our intervention
and we could not have done THAT without you . . . I wish there was a way to
thank you sufficiently, to illustrate how different their lives are because
people have chosen to love them, to care for them . . . suffice it to say that
you do a wonderful thing for a very lucky young person on the other side of the world and
from their Mama and Baba (Oddo), Asante sana, (thank you very much) . . .
The Retired Teachers of Grand Erie have granted us $4,000.00 to be used towards an ESL program and the expansion of our children’s education at Tumaini and we could not be more grateful, stay tuned for updates after my return . . .
Kelvin (currently in Victoria, BC, attending Glenlyon
Norfolk School) returns to Ontario on Friday and then we’re off on a whirlwind
of Christmas school speaking engagements and visits before our return to
Tumaini. His principal, Mr. Jake Burnett (pictured with Kelvin)
will visit us at Tumaini in January to educate himself on our culture and
hopefully to set the foundation for a long term mutual relationship between
“GNS” (Glenlyon Norfolk School) and Tumaini.
Karibu (Welcome) Mr. Burnett and Asante . . . Enormous thanks to GNS staff and
students for embracing Kelvin and making his experiences with you unforgettable
. . .
To new BC Tumaini friends from Kelvin and myself, Asante
sana (thank you very much) with a special call out of thanks to Anna and Thomas
from Ema, and to Noah and Oscar and Jordan and Christy and Mama Jack and Baba
Dave. Someone’s life is forever changed
for having shared time with you . . . Asante.
We have so much in comparison to the poor . . . we have
health care and social assistance and enough food and hopefully love . . . it
is our dream to provide this care to our Tumaini children and carry them as far
as they need to be carried until they will be in a position to support not only
themselves but to help carry someone else . . .
From the bottom of my heart to each of you . . . happy,
happy holidays with prayers for good health, peace and joy, to you and yours .
. . from Oddo and myself, we hope you will pause for just a moment and savor a
warm feeling when you think of all you have done to help us help a child . . .
. Asante!
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