November 5, 2009

“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime.” –submitted by Ben

Ben and I both awoke at 6 am and were packed by 7 am to leave at 8 am…Mzungu time. Momma Tony came in to get our mattresses. Then we went for breakfast. All we wanted was mzungu porridge – oatmeal. Three of the Form 3 girls came in and gave me pictures they drew and said goodbye. It was very sweet and heart warming. As we went outside to take photos all the Form 1 and Form 2 students came up the road from the classrooms. They sang me songs. Ben took photos of me with them and I videotaped some of the songs and the primary students having their morning run. It was a wonderful goodbye and send off on my safari/journey home.

As we headed down the mountain pass of Ipalamwa we waved goodbye and said kwa kheri to everyone. We picked up the headmaster of the primary school just before nearing Mr Hs house where he joined us for the safari/journey to Iringa. The ride was beautiful. Ben and I were quiet as Momma Tony, Mr. H, Ebrania, and the primary school headmaster talked in Kiswahili. Once in a while they would say what they were talking about but I was content with my own thoughts…

Upon arriving in Iringa we made a quick stop at the Lutheran church hostel where we left our things in our locked rooms. Mohammad then dropped Ben, Advent and I off to go to the bank and wander Iringa for a while. Advent was a great tour guide showing us around. We stopped at Hasty Tasty for Fantas and then said goodbye to Advent. Mohammad took us to the Lutheran hostel where Ben and I retired to our rooms to write in our journals, shower and just settle in for the night. It was a good thing because it started pouring down rain.

It was a good first day’s journey! –Pam

November 4, 2009

“God helps those who helps themselves and others.” –submitted by Pam

It is our last day in Ipalamwa or I should say my last day. Ben, Mohammad, Momma Tony, and Harran will return on Monday with four new volunteers. Ben and I have organized our things so we can be packed up and ready tomorrow at 7 am. We’ll have a quick breakfast to be on the road by 8 am. Well that’s Mohammad’s plan. I have mixed feelings about leaving this time. There is no much support needed here and I know I’ve made a difference. I hope I can continue to be of support from home and help them obtain the necessary funding and means for funding. They can’t always rely on volunteers for donations. Everyone is so thankful for all of our support and many here have said they don’t want me to leave and they miss Rich and Cheryl. They are excited for Ben’s return with the new volunteers.

Ben continued working at the student dorms with Ebrania. They finished the window stopped installation. But the window locks were black instead of gold, so at first Ebrania did not want to install them. He gave in and they spent the morning installing on all windows.

I held my last math class with the Form 1s. I could not have done it without the textbook which I had to clean the office to find. The students learn very quickly and we were able to complete all the chapters on algebra.

I spent the rest of the morning taking ‘pichas’ of the primary students, headmaster, Mr. H and some local preschoolers. The primary students then asked for the numbers and ABC cards. So I got the flashcards and played one last time before giving them to headmaster for the Form 1s which was the request of Pastor Alexander.

Ben was back at the student dorms with Ebrania installing the window locks. I being out with them for about an hour taking pictures and talking. The entire school seemed so deserted. The Form 2s were in exams. Form 3s left early to walk to a village 20 kilometers away to get maize and beans. So all that was around were Form 1s. I talked with some teachers for a while and discussed Ben’s and my plan to get world maps for the classrooms. They recommended getting them in Dar so it would be cheaper. Ben and I then played scrabble until the students came to sing. They are all wonderful and Pastor Alexander said very kind words regarding my work teaching. He spoke of my love for “my students’ and it made me realize how much my actions really did match how I feel inside. I wish I had millions of dollars to donate to fix all the problems and worries of the school. I said my goodbyes and they sang me one last song. Then as they dispersed to go to dinner, head girl and a few others came to hug me goodbye. Our final dinner was with Mamma Tony and Mohammad. We had rice, kuku we received from Tom, home-made rolls and pineapple. It was great. I must find Tom in Iringa and thank him before I leave. The rest of the evening was spent by Ben and I finalizing packing to we can be ready at 7 am.

November 3, 2009

“Youth would be an ideal state if it came a little later in life.”
-Herbert Henry Asquith, submitted by Pam

Harran is in Iringa now. We received a gift from him this afternoon: doorstops, locks and hot chocolate mix. We’ll no longer have to ration our cocoa.
In the moring Pam taught and I worked with Ebrania as usual. Around noon, however, Pam and I got the chance to see the Form 2s start their history exam. Headmaster Titus also shared with us a copy of the math exam that the students took yesterday. Pam was excited because a few of the questions were very similar to ones she went over in class. I hope they were all listening.

Just before dinner a large fire raged across a mountainside below us. I can’t remember if any of my teammates have mentioned them, but I feel I should do here anyway as they have become a commonplace occurrence. Started to either clear land for cultivation or chase game to places where hunters and their dogs can make a kill, these fires dot the mountains and there is rarely a day or night where you can’t spot the flames or smoke of one. To use them for hunting is illegal but farmers will regularly use them to help prepare land, especially so now in the months before the rainy season.

Muhammad thinks the one that caught our eye was started for the latter reason and got out of control. It was by far one of the biggest we’d seen. We watched the flames spread and dance until Momma Tony called us in for dinner.

October 31, 2009

“If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.” – Moshe Dayan, submitted by Pam

Happy Halloween! Here in Africa there is no celebrating of this very festive American holiday. I hope everyone at home enjoys the holiday being on a Saturday. Ben and I slept in as it is a non-work day. However, the Form 2 students start their government exams on Monday, so they requested I hold one more mathematics class. On Friday evening, one of the students said they’d begin studying at 8 am and requested I teach at that time. So, I headed to class to find them all outside cleaning their desks and chairs, as well as cleaning the room where their exams will be conducted. All writing on desks, chairs, and walls needs to be removed. They do this by taking a piece of glass and scrapping the wood, their version of sand paper. We agreed I would teach at 1 pm to allow them time to finish preparing the exam room. However, on the way back to our volunteer dorm, I met Head Boy Arnold who recommended I teach after morning porridge/tea break at 10:45 am. He was to tell the students to change the time. So I returned to the bench where Ben was working on his tembo carving. At 10:45 am the students were just going to porridge. So I hung out at the bench with Ben and children from the area homes. About 11:45 am I walked to the class to see if students were ready. I was told by a teacher the students were now fetching water and washing their clothes so we would start ‘maths’ at 1:45. I had mentioned lunch break was at 2:30 and he said we would start and then finish after lunch (my gut said we would start after lunch). So Ben, General and I took a walk to the Catholic Church, which is down the mountain. We took the shortcut down, which is very steep. We passed the government clinic and Mr. H.’s home. We made it to the Catholic church in 30 minutes. Now we had 30 minutes to get back for lunch, but now it was going up the mountain. I went up pole pole sana…very slowly! Ben and General were very patient with me and Ben said Akuna matata when I said pole for going pole pole.

We arrived for lunch at 1:10, so not too late. We were both hot and starving. After lunch Ben went back to working on his tembo carving and talking to students and local children. I went to teach at 1:45 pm, to be told the students still weren’t finished washing their clothes so we should start after their lunch. I smiled (laughing inside) and returned to the bench to find Ben and Harran playing scrabble. I then spent an hour or so working with the school cashier, Faraja, to finish organizing the books in the headmasters office. These books were sent to the school, but never organized or put into the library.

Upon finishing, I came out to find a teacher looking for me to start teaching ‘maths’. I spent an hour and a half teaching from 4:45 to 6:15 pm. I never thought I had patience, but this trip taught me to be patient and live with African time.

Ben and I had promised Momma Tony we would teach her how to play scrabble, but we were both very tired after dinner. I had a bad headache that I think was from being dehydrated from the long walk and not drinking enough water in the afternoon. Thus, we went to bed about 8 pm. – Pam

October 30, 2009

“I go to pressurize Momma Tony.”
-Mohammad, submitted by Ben

We all woke up early in the morning as Rich and Cheryl were heading to Dar-es-Salaam and back to their regular lives. It was great to have them here for as long as we did and I know I’m not alone in wishing they could stay longer. Last night we spoke of our experiences here and Rich and Cheryl shared that they had come to know aspects of each others personalities that they had always known were there but never fully appreciated. I believe they have become closer because of this and hope that in the future they make such trips commonplace.

After they left the work continued. Ebrania and I measured and than began construction on window frames. Working with only a few tools it’s amazing how slow the process can be. We spent all day on it and are no where near to being complete.

Pam meanwhile headed to school where she’s been focusing on mathematics. The children have no regular teacher so her lectures and advice are invaluable.

The Form 2s have their government exam soon, so let’s hope they listen well.

After work we played scrabble with Harran. He pretends he doesn’t know what he’s doing, but almost before you’re lulled into a false sense of security he’s tallying points a player with English as their first language couldn’t be ashamed of. I should have suspected something after I discovered he owns his own board.

And as always, dinner leads to heavy eyelids and an irresistible draw to bed. – Ben

October 28, 2009

“Who’s in charge here?”
-Pam, submitted by Ben

We woke up to a sunny morning, the children sweeping the paths outside of our dorm, the roosters doing their daily awakening call and the usual anticipation of what the day may hold.

The morning started with both Pam and I teaching. I went to my favorite Form 1 A and B class and taught English. We reviewed present and past tense and afterwards I gave the students a choice of what they’d like to do. They spent the time asking me questions…everything from Michael Jackson to “where is Bin Laden?” The time I spend with these children and young adults is indescribable. And of course I can’t forget having them chant “If I believe it, I can do it!” and our five minute stretching break.

Pam taught math to the Form 2 students. They are proving to be difficult, but Pam is not giving up. She disciplined them and will go back on Thursday to try once again. I am confident that Pam’s determination to get through to the Form 2 students will pay off at the end.

Both Cheryl and Ben continued on the door project. I am confident it will be completed as a result of Ben’s determination. Cheryl continues to be the cheerleader and encourages everyone to push forward. A moment that I won’t forget is Cheryl checking off the number of pieces of glass cut by Ebrania for the windows. She pushed it forward.

In the afternoon Pam and I helped to bring bricks down to the classrooms. The best part of the experience was singing with the students…Keffa and Lea…”Soon a very soon, we will see the King” and “I am a passerby in this world.”

All in all a great day. It is the volunteers and Ipalamwa students that are making this an incredible experience.

On a personal note: whomever reads this journal and comes to Ipalamwa, please remember it’s about the children and young adults at these schools. Their smiles, determination and gratitude will impact you more than you know. – Rich

October 27, 2009

“I promise myself
To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person I meet.
To make all my friends feel that there is something worthwhile in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.
To think of only the best, to work only for the best
and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of
others as I am about my own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the
greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful expression at all times and give a smile
to every living creature I meet.
To give so much time to improving myself that I
have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, to strong for fear,
and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of myself and to proclaim this fact to the world,
not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on my side,
so long as I am true to the best that is in me.”
-Christian D. Larson, submitted by Pam

The day started with Ben and Pamela teaching. Rich and I decided to video Forms 1A and 1B. The children spoke about the challenges of the school – everything from water, textbooks, kitchen supplies, teachers, desks, chairs. A few times my eyes filled up with tears. There is so much that can be done at this school with proper organization. It is my hope to help long after I return to the USA.

We carried bricks for an hour which was great until we stopped and couldn’t start because headmaster was concerned that it was too much. Specifically Rich – didn’t want him to have his heart hurt.

After being told to rest we gave in. Then went for a walk with a few students for Fanta and sugar cane.

Rich and Ben BOTH injured their thumbs trying to cut the sugar cane.

It was an early night. I’m hoping to work to the end. My heart in filled with love for the children of this village. – Cheryl