UPS and Downs from Mama . . .

Hello from Christina

Kathy Hoey and her Tumaini Class

Our deepest sympathies go out to families and friends of former volunteers, Canadian Kathy Hoey who was with us last year for two months and taught in our first grade class and her travel companion Jean Luc from France who were just killed in an auto accident while travelling in Bolivia; to Betty Crooks who just succumbed to a massive stroke and to Mary and Reward and Nelson and Kelvin’s aunt who just passed as a result of breast cancer.

We are doing very well for the most part if we don’t count Angela and Priska and Pendo and Mary and Anna having chicken pox and then with the rains, which have come, several of us coming down with a nasty chest virus causing seriously high fevers in the children. . . nasty coughs and very tough chests, oh, and some strep throat, but other than that . . .

Nasma, Mama Korosho and Eva

Almost everyone is studying with dedication; completing homework promptly upon return from school (it is so cute because we have given even those children who attend our Tumaini school here and walk only 10 -25 meters from school to home, new backpacks which seem to help with organization and retention of their supplies.  They take “possession” of their properties very seriously).  We begin to prepare for our month end exams and have curtailed “playing” as much as we had previously enjoyed, in an effort to reconfirm our priorities.  Studying comes first!

Amani Primary School continues to perform, positioned #3 in our district.  Haradali Primary School, where our boarding students attend, performed #7 in the district and Tengeru was #1 so our Tumaini children are attending very strong schools.  The reality is that corporal punishment continues everywhere as a “deterrent” to unacceptable behavior whether we like it or not and our Tumaini children suffer also.  I was recently forced to “visit” one of our schools and “stir the pot” after a teacher beat Christina . . .

A funny story.  Recently, while I was out, one of our volunteers came to Steve (my husband was visiting Tumaini) and told him he needed money for radishes or something like that.  Steve didn’t understand, because he has never seen a radish here and he knows we shop weekly for our supplies and so shouldn’t need anything. 

He asked again to clarify and the volunteer said “radish”.  He had looked it up.  Steve went to Margie to ask her to clarify and, perplexed, she asked what he meant.  He asked her to show him a radish (clarification) . . . she asked, “cabbage?” and went to fetch a cabbage, not understanding why.  Steve said, “no, not a cabbage, a radish”, at which time Margie went to point out the RUBBISH.  We needed to pay for our garbage pick up . . .

We "caught" Pendo and Connie cleaning the shoe rack.

Thank yous go out for helping us with a CT scan for Mama Angela who is displaying behaviors we have seen before indicative of a tumor.  It turns out her immune system has been depleted to a point where a virus has begun attacking her brain.  The local AIDS support facility here in our village, “DREAM” has sent the scan to Italy for analysis and further prognosis but things do not
look good for her.  She is no longer able to walk, is often confused, and has recently fallen and hurt her face, all a result of a decision she made to stop taking her ARVS.  (Medication she needs to suppress her HIV).  We do not know what the next steps are but will let you know. 

And a further big thank you to Tumaini Australia and Tumaini Belgium for funding the improvements made to the Kikwe family house.  A widow with four children remaining at home and struggling in a falling down mud shack, Mama shrewdly sold off a parcel of her land in order to facilitate the construction of a block home but the builder absented himself before finishing and left her with a poorly built shell, unfinished and unsafe for she and her little ones.  We have installed grills on the windows and door, glass in windows AND the door, replaced infested lumber, leveled the floors and parged the outside of the house in order to

Lohai holding things up

make it weatherproof.  All that remains is the completion of a choo (toilet) and her pastor’s blessing and they move in!  Another happy family.

Lohai is always hard at work

Straining sand for cement

Enormous thanks to Rita and Will Stratford and family for visiting us at Tumaini while on safari, not once, but twice!  To Kate and the brood (congratulations Tyler and Lauren!) we thank you and to Will and Rita’s company, thank you so much for your kind donation in support of our children!  Asante!

Thieves cut down three electrical poles here in Usa and left us for several days “powerless”.   Now that usually is not a problem for us here at Tumaini thanks to H.E.S. Solar (Dave Egles and friends) because we are often the only house living illuminated but with the rainy season just commencing and dark and glooming clouds hanging over us, even our solar pooped out and we were left, literally, in the dark for several days, as to when power would be returned.  One of our volunteers Shivaun asked me if we had any ice as her perishables were, well, perishing . . . I advised her to start eating . . .

Happy to report that we are back in the bright again, although the weather has turned very cold and damp and oh, yes, WET!

I am often reminded of why we do what we do here at Tumaini and the other night Wema, Neema and Kelvin were chatting with Mama Korosho and I after bible study.  I was slapped in the face with the reality that not one of them has a parent . . . six parents lost . . . how blessed I am to be Mama . . .

Tumaini Class II

Tumaini Class III

Thank you is never enough but it must suffice as we carry on towards Valentine’s Day.  Yes it is celebrated here and yes Valentine’s cards are distributed, and we will celebrate Angela’s birthday this Sunday, our only February girl.

Latifa analala

Our prayers go out to you that you are safe and healthy.  We are, for the most part.  Be well and as always, Asante kwa upendo yako.  Thank you for your love . . .