I have been working very hard lately on lesson plans, chemistry problems, and anything else that I can possibly do to give my students, especially my form VI, a chance to be successful on their national exams. My students are PCM combination (physics, chemistry, advanced math, and general studies). Their families have paid much money for them to study at Mkuu. Unfortunately, their physics teacher has found a new and better job, their math teacher has been gone for a long while, and their general studies teacher is moving to join her husband in some remote corner of the country. Now they have only one teacher, me. I go to the classroom everyday, and I try to prevent them from being called out during class time for things such as work detail. I have bought them NECTA review books and syllabi for all of their subjects. I have encouraged them not to waste their class periods even if there is no teacher. I was very proud of them when I arrived at the classroom early one day and saw a student at the board teaching. I am now also holding additional class sessions for form VI on Saturday mornings for about 3 hours. They are voluntary, but almost all of my students seem to come.
Concentrating on my school work not only benefits my students, but it also helps me. There are times when I really, really miss the USA, especially when there are water, electricity, or network issues. Last week I went to Moshi to get money from the bank, and the network was down. I had plenty of money in my account, but I could not access a single penny! I only had enough to eat lunch and take the bus home. Luckily Cheryl had some extra money to lend me.
On days when I have both electricity and running water, I call it "sikukuu" (a holiday). After not having running water in my home for several days, it has been a real joy to flush my western toilet. I like to stand and watch the water swirling down the hole. If it rains almost everyday and everything is lush and green, why do we have no water? Not having electricity is just as bad. My mature eyes are not able to handle studying by booklight, flashlight, kerosene lantern, or candle light. Usually I give up and go to bed, because I have no TV, ipod, computer, or other form of entertainment. What is the problem with the electricity?
It is ironic, however, that one night I found myself wishing that the electricity and the water would both go out. For some reason all of the water hoses connected to my toilets and my sinks began to leak. I put buckets under them and enjoyed listening to the sound of the "drips". In addition to that, loud music began playing at about 6 in the evening and continued throughout the night. It sounded like someone was having a party outside my window. An hour or so of Tanzanian music is fine. I actually like it, but this was like an endless loop of Rose Mahando, just a constant, repetitive beat.
Needless to say, I did not sleep much that night. The next day when the teachers asked me how I was, I avoided telling them that I was a good potato, but I did ask them about the music. They said it was for a funeral celebration. All night? I am often so confused. That day I also asked the school handyman to come look at the water hoses, and they had stopped leaking! I told him that they certainly had been leaking and I even showed him the dried water marks on the floor. He told me that they had sealed themselves. Now they seem to have sealed themselves so well that the water is refusing to come out of the taps. There is, however, a little river a water running along the side of my house. I think it is a broken water pipe and I have reported it, but it takes a while to get things done here in Tanzania. The person who needs to fix it is not around. He has gone to Moshi to collect our 30 year old school vehicle. After driving it around the school campus backwards one day, the handyman has taken it to town for "vehicle maintenance and repair." Still not sure I'll ride in it when it returns.
There have been a few changes in my life lately, and I have no words to express the feeling of not just seeing God at work, but feeling His power work through me. It literally takes your breath away and leaves you exhausted. First change: I was walking past the church one day on my way home and a student came up beside me and asked to carry my bags. The appropriate thing to do is to let her do it. As we walked, she told me that the hostel was closing for the O-level semester break and that would be a problem. I thought that maybe she wanted money, but she said, "No, I do not want money. I just want a place to stay." I knew then that I would help her, but I needed some time to think. She was on my door step at 7 am the next morning, with a friend, and I told them that I must first go to school and talk to the headmaster. The headmaster was not around, so I spoke with the second master. He said that students typically were not allowed to stay with teachers in their homes, but in my case, it was different. Fidesta and Prisca could stay with me as long as they were not a bother. They would be much safer with me than they would be trying to find rooms in town. He also gave them permission to eat meals with the girls at the A-level hostel (for free!). That was a relief, because I was not sure how to feed Tanzanian girls.
At first, I did not know if I would like sharing my last haven of personal space, but now I have no regrets. These girls are wonderful! They do everything for me. They get up early every morning and mop and clean my home. They do dishes and wash clothes. Even though they eat at the hostel, they insist on preparing my dinner, because they think that they eat more in one meal than I eat in a week. Not exactly true. I eat breakfast and a heavy Tanzanian lunch at school. Usually I am not very hungry at dinner time.
I am trying to get to know these girls, and Fidesta's story has touched my heart. She is a form 4 student here at Mkuu and she is also a true orphan. Both her parents have died. Her oldest brother used to be the head of household, but is now living in Dar with an uncle. He is eligible for university but Fidesta does not know if he will go. Her sister saw no options and recently married to try to secure her future. For awhile, Fidesta and her younger brother, Yudathade, were living all alone. However, Fidesta moved to the hostel at Mkuu when it became unsafe for her to stay at her home. Now only her young brother (maybe 14) is living at the family home. He is actually one of Cheryl's form 1 students, but she has so many that she really does not know him. The thought of him living alone bothers me, so I asked Fidesta if we could go to greet him and bring him some food. Life has not been kind to these children. Fidesta has stomach problems, probably from the stress. She cannot eat beans. Meat is not served very often at school, so maize or rice is her usual meal. I will never forget Fidesta's response when I told her that she could stay with me. She said that I had lifted her from a snake pit. Thanks be to God! She had been praying so hard.
Second change: House girl has a name (Neema, which means "Grace of God"), she is 10, and she has never been to school but has always longed to go. Monday, Neema went to school for the very first time. I sent a Tanzanian friend to Morogoro to talk to Victoria and to take care of the paperwork needed to enroll Neema in school . In order to help her catch up to her peers, Neema's schooling is costing a bit more than normal to pay for extra assistance. When Francis gave her a school t-shirt, (she had no idea that we were planning this), she was overcome with joy.
Third change: Agness (Victoria's daughter) is coming today to stay with me. She never completed her secondary education and realizes now that she wants a better life. She is 24. My school has adult education classes in the evening so she will be enrolling in those. After a year or two, she will sit for her form 4 national exams. Pray that she is successful in turning her life around.
Fourth change: Little Maria finished her first term at her pre-primary school and scored very high marks.
Fifth change: Victoria says that God sent me to remove a great stone from her neck. She now sees hope for the future.
Thanks be to God and to all of you who have given me so much support.
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