I don’t know if I can explain myself properly and do not
want to offend because I will brag about family, but I must try so please bear
with me.
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My sister Pam left Tumaini last night with our newest
Bibi (Janet) after three weeks of full on Tumaini loving. We escorted them, with Pendo whom she
sponsors, Said (pronounced Sieed) whom Janet helped with English, little Daniel
who steals everyone’s heart, and Liadi.
We saw them off at the airport and I shared with Pam how proud of her I
am. How grateful I am that she invested
the time, money and energy to come and share in her big sister’s vision. Long before Pam came she spent hundreds of
hours fundraising, speaking, scheduling events for me to speak at, shopping,
laminating, screening and sorting donations to come to Canada and then on to
Tanzania. Her efforts resulted in my
meeting a very special and caring family in the U.S. who sponsored the shipment
of our soon to arrive (hopefully) container.
That family not only foot the bill to get it here, they worked
diligently to help fill it with their own donations. They were the depot all U.S. donations
shipped to before coming to my family farm in Ontario, Canada. Pam brought Bibi Janet and Mama Teri here to
Tumaini and they in turn brought their own special gifts. A friend bought us a much needed cow
(pregnant and ready to deliver any day) which provides our children with milk
daily. Another friend supplied a ton of
soccer/futbol equipment and many, many friends have embraced Tumaini as a
result of her efforts and contributed physically and financially to the care of
our family.
I marvel at her because I know our history. I know her lifestyle. We did not enjoy a love filled childhood. Pam received very little affection growing up
and NO assistance with her post secondary education. She had to find her own way as our parents
just didn’t care and yet, from somewhere within she realizes how important her
giving is to these children, to Tumaini.
She is not wealthy and yet her family sacrificed her presence and the
many of hundreds of dollars it cost for her to come here and help us. Once here, she and Bibi were quick to reach
out and provide assistance to numerous needs here in the village. They purchased the sand to finish the front
walk of the classroom we’ll finish painting today for kindergarten at a local
government school and they PAINTED that classroom! They paid the rent for Dada Omari whose sick
infant forces her to stay home and care for her instead of finding day work which
would have covered that rent. They
contributed to the gas for our children’s safari and bought us kuku (chicken)
as a special treat for the children on their last Saturday here. They worked with our weaker students daily to
help them progress in their English and they joined us (49) excited and
rambunctious and noisy and occasionally vomiting children on safari and
forewent what would have been a much more luxurious experience had they
travelled in a smaller group but they WANTED to be with the children.
Standing at the airport, watching my sister check in her
bags and give us one more tearful (she’s a crier) wave goodbye, I felt such
happiness and yes, I must admit, pride.
Africa is not for everyone and Pam has a few “phobias” she overcame in order
to join me here. She is not a bug person
although she was virtually consumed by them while here. She worried about the food and falling sick
and coming face to face with a snake or a roach or a monster spider, and but
for the snake she experienced them all . . . and she endured, with joy and love
for these children we love so much. She
and Janet have some hilarious stories they’ll share and I think both of them
will be back . . . I know we hope they will.
So back to the airport.
Waving her off, I was, and still am moved by the commitment, the
sacrifice she made to join us here. By
the support she gives Tumaini every month to help us sustain ourselves. And while I was standing at the airport
feeling so very grateful to her I was reminded that each of you who comes to
Tumaini makes the same sorts of sacrifices in order to be here with us. I appreciate hers because I know her so
intimately, much more than most other visitors/volunteers, but you, each of you,
and the sacrifices YOU make in order to be with us, which I know nothing about,
is no less significant, nor, less appreciated and that is the moral of this
story. It is so very important that each
of you who visit Tumaini knows how terribly grateful we are for you having
joined us. For the gifts, large or
small, you bring. For the skills you
share. For the love you give. I cannot appreciate your sacrifices to the
same extent because I do not know you as well as I know my sister, but I hope
you understand what I am trying to say . . . thank you! To sponsors who month after month embrace
that child you choose to help. To those
of you who work so hard to fundraise for us and send us much needed money to
carry on our support. To you who come
and live with us and sometimes get chewed on by bugs and vomited on by
children, and eat beans WAYYYYYY more often than you prefer . . . please accept
a sincerely appreciative mother’s thank you.
Month end exams are ongoing today. Tony continues to struggle and we are trying
to diagnose why. He is willing and
enthusiastic. Simply, he doesn’t seem to
grasp different concepts necessary for him to build a solid foundation and
advance academically. Latifa continues
to work to catch up. The rest of class
one continues to progress. Gerehad and
Nelson and Zawadi and Latifa and Liadi are all a year older this month and
thank you to sponsors for sending gifts and cards and well wishes . . .
Awards will be presented at Amani school on Friday
(Marko, Rwekiza, Josephat, Francis, Esther, Gerehad and Jenny) and our Haradali
children will come home Friday night for a month’s break. (Mwajuma, Mwanhamisi, Lucia, Baraka, Evalin,
Lazaro, Emmanuel, Margaret). Kelvin and
Connie, newly cosponsored by the Egles family from B.C. Canada (Dave and Jackie
and Jordan and Christopher), are on safari together and getting to know each
other on a more personal level. It is
always our wish that sponsors and their child(ren) work to establish and
maintain a relationship. Cards, emails,
letters, even the occasional phone call are always welcome!
Baba Dave Egles has wired our house for our new solar
installation which will come, one day, in the container. He has become our resident Mr. Fix It and
daughter Jordan has toured local schools good and bad and will report to us her
findings.
We are well.
Healthy for the most part and looking forward to the upcoming school
break. Lohai is completely recovered
from malaria and we wait to see how Reward reacts after his dawa (medicine) finishes. He most recent scan shows no parasite in his
brain. Thank God! We (Oddo and I) rushed to the Chikira family
(a family of orphaned children we outreach to) to pick up Wema (12 years old) convulsing
with fever. We rushed her to the
hospital but there is no lab in the evening and so I brought her home, got her
fever down with some dawa (medicine), fed and showered her and she is asleep
beside me. We will see Dr. Lyimo in the
morning but I don’t fear malaria. THAT is a relief.
Hoping all of you are well and your preparations for
Easter are coming together as you wish.
I had hoped to be home for Easter but the container delay prohibits
that. Be well and thank you again, to
each of you Tumainites who love and support us daily.
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