MamaDee

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Easter Fun and Special thanks!!!

Volunteers Milou and Ceri organized a competition where the children (teamed up with our older children as Captains) ran around looking for questions and then were given a clue to the next . . . SO much fun and at the end, with pipis (sweets) mailed to us from U.S. friends, (Juhrs family I believe), we worked hard on acquiring some interesting tongues!!!! Thank you, thank you, to Ceri and Milou and to all of you for loving us!!!

Priska and her team trying to answer the question!

Team leader Nelson with help from Robinson organize their team!

Volunteer Milou, game organizer ensures there is no cheating!!!

A sun "kissed" Ceri, fellow organizer and volunteer helps the children!

Look at the smiles. Everyone had fun!!!

Bryson and his team build a strategy!!

Watoto listen to their leader . . . we hope!!

These team members are looking pretty relaxed don't you think?

Volunteer Line joins in the fun!

And our Kakas played too! Raymond above and Lohai and Jeremiah below!!!

Hugs for the organizers!!

AND THEN!!! IT WAS PIPI TIME!!!

And somehow we ended up with some funny coloured tongues!!!

And to end our day, a game of football! Thanks to Baba Bruce Veltri for providing uniforms!!!

Coach Raymond gathers his team and heads to the park!!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Happy Easter!

Wishing our Tumaini friends and family a love filled and peaceful Easter with our deepest gratitude for your continued support . . . kwa wote, Asante Sana!!

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Bomb blasts Beasts and Blessings . . .

Bomb blasts, beasts and Blessings . . .

First of all I’d like to send all of you, each person who loves us here at Tumaini a joyous and peace filled Easter holiday. For our part, we will enjoy “ugali Canada” (mashed potatoes), gravy, roasted meat, a sweet banana “stew” and a wonderfully delicious carrot dish followed by, Nan’s Chocolate Fudge Pudding, after church services tomorrow. Thank you all for making our Easter celebration possible and a special thank you once again to Mama Karen and the Just Ladies Travel Club for sponsoring our Easter safari. We went a little early to ensure our Katy could join us (we miss you terribly) and fun was had by all!

It has been quite a week. Last week was election day in this district. The M.P. of this area died, and, instead of democratically electing a replacement for him, the national ruling party “CCM” (Chama cha Mapinduzi, or “The Revolution Party”) unilaterally appointed the deceased’s son. Some believed it not the right decision. The opposing party (there is an election every five years in Tanzania, with the last in 2010), “Chedema” (The Democratic and Development Party) has a bigger voice than it has historically and in the end, won the election by a small margin. Now we at Tumaini had very little to say about things to this point, other than to grumble occasionally about the early morning music blaring from passing CCM vehicles as they travelled to their temporary headquarters at the end of our dead end street. The parade was daily and loud but so be it. Tanzanians like their music BLARING. What did become an enormous issue for us was what happened when rumors of said ruling party spread about them stealing the ballots at a voting station while the police turned a blind eye. All hell broke loose and the accused were just down the street . . .

Blessings

We had begun our day with Harriri’s and Liadi’s Lutheran baptisms at our local church. We gifted them each with their own children’s bibles (which they haven’t put down and ask me to read regularly). Our own Nelson and Mary have become God brother and sister to Liadi and the headmistress of our local public school, Kilimani, and her husband Mama and Baba Makawa sponsored Harriri. It was a wonderful service, a wonderful morning and we all returned home in high spirits. I had to run a quick errand afterward and when I returned, volunteers Milou and Ceri greeted me at the gate with solemn news.

While I was gone, rioters had marched up the street, past our gate, headed to CCM headquarters. Hostile, angry, frustrated rioters with sticks beat people unfortunate enough to have crossed their paths and initially, our children witnessed the chaos from our front porch. I was out and Oddo had gone to Moshi to attend a funeral. Our volunteers wisely collected the children, brought them inside and inserted a video into our DVD to distract and settle them but everyone was fearful.

The rioters protested about how the government had allowed the ballots to be stolen and how they were refusing to announce Chedema’s victory on television. We heard gun shots and what we would later discover to be the explosion of “smoke” bombs which continued well into the night. Everyone was concerned the riot would escalate and larger, angrier crowds would come to CCM headquarters. If they did they would have to come right past Tumaini House.

At the service, a visiting preacher was speaking and we had permitted Kelvin, Neema, big Anna and Mwajuma to attend. After the rioting began Raymond, Lohai, Jeremiah and I took the truck and rushed down to get them. As we turned south from the main road to head down into the older part of the village, we came face to face with a massive crowd of angry protesters and realized immediately that the truck wasn’t going to get through. The boys felt that perhaps I or the vehicle might be targeted and urged Jeremiah and I to come home. They thought they could “blend” into the crowd, sneak past them and get to the church and get our children and that’s exactly what ended up happening. It was a frightening night as we hunkered down, unable to escape the sounds of shouting crowds and explosions. This continued into the night until a ferocious rain began which finally dispersed the crowds. It was announced that Chedema had won and Usa River settled down.

Eliza

Oddo’s daughter Eliza has experienced another episode where she can’t remember what has happened, where she sort of “blacks out” but is mobile. I hesitate to share this but many people here (a surprising number) suspect it is a “possession” of some sort and she was taken for prayer. There were no physical post episodic symptoms other than her inability to remember. She initially complained of a headache, then rose and left the house, running all over the village until, exhausted, her family finally caught up with her. She had no memory of her experience complaining only of being “tired”. Following up the last time it happened Oddo discovered there were three other girls at school with Eliza waiting for their parents on the day he ran to pick her up, having experienced the same thing she had. It keeps coming back to some sort of toxicity but . . .

Lohai and Liadi have completely recovered from malaria and Reward, although initially struggling with recurring dizziness after finishing his dawa (medicine), says that most recently he is feeling better.

For your information, the photos (not the baptismal ones the safari ones) I’ve included with this letter are taken by Kelvin (12 yrs. old) while attending safari with Baba Dave and Dadas Jordan and Connie. They are spectacular hmmm? We’d like to produce a “Kelvin’s Calendar” for 2013 with all proceeds coming to Tumaini of course! What do you think?

I hate to ask, knowing that you are busy with Easter and our approaching spring, but, our car needs new tires and I wonder if someone might be willing to help us out by organizing a fundraiser specifically focused on generating approximately $1,000.00 so that we can purchase new tires. For those of you who have been here you know how hard the “roads” are on the car. The old ones are simply worn out.

The rains have come. Daily and nightly we experience a deluge for usually an hour at least. Things are green. We have water. There is no dust. We do struggle with the Nairobi Fly, a tiny, ant looking insect which when squashed on the skin (a natural tendency once discovered) emits an acidic body fluid which, within a couple of days causes the skin to blister and peel, like a streaky burn. It is not too painful, simply uncomfortable. Malaria will become more prevalent in this weather.

Welcome to new volunteer Line (Denmark) and thank you for running with our older girls. Other than complaining of aching legs they are loving the attention!! Thank you Mama Teri for visiting and caring and sharing and to Stine and Anna for your time here with us. To Mama Teri and Baba Gary thank you so much for sponsoring Nelson. As you know he is a very deserving young man who truly needs our help if he is to succeed in his studies as he so obviously intends to.

Please keep Baba Raymond in your prayers as he has been diagnosed with throat cancer and is fearful of “modern” medicine, opting for “traditional” cures. We are arguing with him now to come for proper treatment. Also, please pray for one of our Mama Mzungu who is struggling with recently diagnosed cancer.

There is some chance the container has arrived already although we have no confirmation of that and it is not expected until next weekend. As soon as I hear, you will. We wait patiently for its arrival and I now intend to return to Canada on May 2^nd.

Your Tumaini children are well. We are all home and busy and having fun “on holiday”. The children watched “Home Alone” last night and Liadi does “the scream” perfectly! It is hysterical! Be well, God bless you and Happy, happy Easter!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Dada Mdogo . . .

March 27 from Mama . . .

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.

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.

Tumaini Safari 2012!

Enormous thanks to Mama Karen Albert and the Just Ladies Travel Club for providing us the funding to take 49 children, two mamas, 4 volunteers, Katy, Oddo and I on a WONDERFUL safari of the Ngorongoro Crater AND Tarangire National Park where we stayed over in their hostel. The photos speak for themselves I think!!