Teaching, Working and Celebrating

We started the day with breakfast. Edward was missed since he had to attend to business in Iringa.

After breakfast most of the group - Sue, Stephen, Greg and Kassidy - took the 7 km drive to the water containment facility. Stefan to the clinic and Elizabeth, Sonja and I to continue our computer lesson for the young students.

When we returned, we found the water team warming by the fire. It was not until later in the day that we found out the water group did not actually do any work since there was only one shovel. This secret was hesitantly revealed by each worker to the rest of the group.

In the classroom our well prepared lesson plan was executed to completion. Sonja was a great teacher to the little ones. Everything went smoothly until we left the computer lab. The kids were excited and a photoshoot with dancing closed the school day.

After lunch we had the afternoon off and walked to the Catholic church where we ran into Batista, one of the students who is a true academic. Several of us walked around. Others used the Internet. At one point we met a young boy who claimed to be 18 named Deus. He gave us a tour of the most modern buildings in Pommern. Deus was very knowledgeable and took command as he explained the function of each building.

Shortly after returning to the mission house and passing the white pig, the basket ladies arrived. As they approached balancing their products on their heads we all covertly took pictures from behind the pillars on the porch. The baskets were beautiful and sevewral purchases were made.

The rest of the afternoon was leisurely. Some went to the pub, others read. Kassidy started another creative project.

Edward arrived shortly after dinner and told us his day had been challenging but successful. At dinner we celebrated Independance Day in this foreign land with stories of past Fourth of July experiences.

Following dinner, Edward gave us a history lesson about Tanzania, which included the settling of the Bantu and Hamitic people. He also told us about the Arab, German and British occupations and the Tanzania union in 1961.

The rest of the evening was spent preparing a lesson plan for class, taking pictures, watching Greg do the Hokey Pokey and laughing.