Reading is Fundamental!

Thank you to all those who have supported our library over the years with your donations to Books for Africa. We'll have another shipment leaving soon with science lab materials, books, some musical instruments, and other learning materials.

As you can see from the pictures below (all of which are recent except for the first), our students have developed a taste for reading. Tanzania does not have a reading culture -- but that is because of the lack of availability of books. Our young students love Goosebumps and graduate to Harry Potter as their reading abilities increase. It's wonderful to see. Many books remain in storage until the completion of the library, which is why you see the students crammed into the temporary library.

Asanteni sana. Thank you all very much.

150!

That's the estimated number of Catholic schools closing in the United States this year. If you know of a school closing and think you can convince the school's administration to donate learning materials
for use in Tanzania, please contact me! 

Also, if there are liturgical items, they can be put to very good use, too!

An Anniversary

Today marks the first anniversary of my departure from Tanzania, which I continue to hold so dear to my heart. Here is a video of a performance of the music of the Wagogo, the people of Dodoma.

Can't Help But Think

This is an amazing video of an exciting project in Cleveland. I can't help but wonder what sort of project could be done at OLQP.

Moo News

At this time last year I reported the arrival of our cows, purchased with funds raised by family and friends, principally at a fundraiser organized by my friend Rob Loeb and my sister Toni Arman with assistance from two other Toledo friends, Pete McHugh and Tom Antonini. In my first year they raised funds for library books (and SPCHS has the best holdings of a high school library in the nation, I'm told); in the second, they raised funds for the livestock (pigs and cows); last September they raised funds for a bakery -- and they've agreed to raise funds for an apiary this next year.

You might see the theme. With the exception of the first year, when the school needed to establish a library, they have raised money to support projects that will produce an income for the school.

Here's the news -- the five cows have become ten!  You'll also see some pictures of the bakery equipment purchased with funds raised.

Interested in helping? Click here, click on International Missions, and note SPCHS in the comment section.

And then there were ten!

The thatched structure in the background is a study hut.

Bacon!

This is the growing pen.

Baking equipment

The bakery -- notice the louvres are screened.

Father Dick Cherry, SJ, RIP

I received news yesterday that Fr. Dick Cherry, SJ, had passed away. He was a fellow Toledoan serving in the Eastern Africa Province. Here's the official obituary:

Fr. Richard W. Cherry, SJ
April 3, 1937, to
April 2, 2013

Let us pray in thanksgiving for the life of our brother, Fr. Richard W. Cherry, S.J. (AOR), who died at 6:55 pm (EDT) on Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at Colombiere Center in Clarkston, Michigan.  May he rest in peace.

Fr. Dick Cherry, SJ

Dick was born on April 3, 1937 in Toledo, Ohio. He entered the Society of Jesus on September 1, 1955 at Milford, Ohio. He was ordained on March 18, 1969 in Poona, India, and took final vows on August 15, 1977. As a Jesuit, Dick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Latin, Licentiate Degrees in Philosophy and Theology, and Master’s Degrees in Mathematics and Physics.

Dick’s Juniorate Studies were at Milford (1957-1960) and his Philosophy Studies were at West Baden College in southern Indiana (1960-1962). Dick did his Regency at University of Detroit High School, Detroit, Michigan (1962-1965).  With a view to his working as a missionary in India, Dick was assigned to study Theology at the Papal Athenaeum in Poona (1966-1970) and was ordained in Patna on March 18, 1969. Dick subsequently taught science at various Jesuit high schools in the Patna Province: New Delhi (1970-72), Jaipur (1974-82), and Patna (1982-85).

Dick was first assigned to Eastern Africa in 1985 to teach at Loyola Secondary School in Wau (in its first incarnation) where he taught until Loyola had to be closed in 1987 due to the civil war. Dick continued to teach in Wau, usually as the only Jesuit there, at St. Mary’s Senior Secondary Seminary and at John Paul II Intermediate School.

Dick moved to Adjumani to work as Assistant Project Director for JRS (1992-1994). He  moved to Dar es Salaam and taught science at Loyola Secondary School (1995-2006) and also served as Superior of the Jesuit Community (2000-2004). Dick returned to Wau in 2006 to be involved with preparing for the reopening of Loyola Secondary School. He was Acting Superior (2006-2007) and taught when the school reopened in 2008. In 2012 Dick was missioned to supervise the laboratories and teach at St. Peter Claver Secondary School in Dodoma, but he fell sick before he was able to take this mission.  He went to Colombiere Center in Clarkston, MI, to deal with health needs.

Suffrages: As we remember with gratitude all that God has done through his life of service to God and God’s people, we are reminded of our privilege and obligation to offer Masses and prayers for his eternal repose.  All members of the Chicago-Detroit Province and those applied to it are to offer one Mass intention for Dick.  Members of the Colombiere Jesuit Community will offer one additional Mass intention.  All will wish to remember Dick in their prayers and Masses.

Wake:
Friday, April 5, 2013
4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Prayer Service 7:30 p.m.
Colombiere Center
9075 Big Lake Road
Clarkston, MI  48346-1015

Funeral:
Saturday, April 6, 2013
10:45 a.m.
Colombiere Center
9075 Big Lake Road
Clarkston, MI  48346-1015

Burial Service:
Immediately following the funeral

 What the obituary does not capture is what an amazing impact he had. Dick Cherry was the best physics teacher in Tanzania, bar none. He took a different approach than other teachers -- his principal concern was not his teaching but his students' learning. And he designed his teaching with their learning in mind. That doesn't sound so radical, but believe me it is about as radical was it gets!

I met countless graduates of Loyola High School, Dar es Salaam, who could not stop talking about the difference he made in their lives.

Beyond that, one must admire him for his willingness to put himself in one of the most dangerous missions, where the lives of missionaries are under threat.

Well done, good and faithful servant!

Folks who would like to make a memorial contribution in his honor -- to either Loyola High School, Wau, or to Saint Peter Claver High School, which was his last assignment (which he could not take up because of his health), please use the link in the upper right of this page.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

While it isn't an "extra" edition, I am happy to announce the publication of the first issue of the student newspaper at St Peter Claver High School, the Mercury. Sean Kenney and I tried to get this accomplished during our time in Dodoma but didn't succeed. Happy to see that the wait was worth it. Congratulations, Journalism Club!

Do you want to help to financially support the extra curricular activities at SPCHS? Please contact me.