People Work Hard for Their Money

Progress

Here are some photos of the major buildings in phase one. Above is the almost completed residence for patrons/matrons (dorm parents/supervisors). Below you'll see the boys dormitory (two more floors will be added to the structures in subsequent phases), followed by a picture of the dormitories and multi-purpose building from the vantage point of the second level of the classroom building (overlooking the rebar getting ready for the slab to be poured for the laboratory wing). The final picture is from the second floor of the multipurpose building, looking out over the dining hall toward the stage.

Nipo Dodoma

I am in Dodoma.

I arrived here at 9 a.m. this morning, and I'm very happy to be here.

Last evening Malasi, the Jesuit scholastic who is part of the OLQP project, arrived from Dodoma to fetch me and my things. We left the language school and headed to the Salvatorian Institute, where we had rooms for the evening. After looking up Bart Murphy and getting settled, we headed out for a farewell dinner of beer and chicken with some friends.

As we returned from a long, very enjoyable evening, there were sprinkles on the windshield. I suggested that we switch out cars, locking ours in the safety of Bart's garage and parking his outside -- not only for security but also to keep my things dry. Well, I was thankful for that when about 45 minutes later the clouds opened. I've never in my life witnessed such rain -- no associated with a storm, just buckets of pouring rain, coming straight down. It rained like that for about an hour. I thought how nice it would be to sleep following the rain, for surely it would cool down. It didn't. I barely slept two hours before the alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.
As soon as I woke up it began to rain again, though not as hard. This doesn't seem an important detail to narrate except for this fact: we had no canvas. We had to be in Dodoma for a 9:00 a.m. site meeting at OLQP, so there was no other option than to just face the fact that some things were going to get soaked. I did say to Malasi that my experience told me that as soon as we got away from the mountains we'd be fine. And in fact that was the case. I enjoy his companionship and we had a good drive. I've been on that road now five times; driving it after the rains made it a new experience, so green -- even the dusty Dodoma region

The site meeting went well. The buildings are going to be very nice, I must say. I must also say that I am very happy that we did not set a 2010 opening -- there is no way we could be starting school and boarding for 140 form one students in six weeks.
It's very nice to be home, very nice indeed. Speaking mostly English today, but Sr. Euphrasia, the head teacher of the primary school, insisted on speaking some Kiswahili, which I appreciated. She informed me that I would be celebrating Mass at the convent on Monday in Kiswahili -- and preaching. Yikes: Ninahitaji msaada wa Mungu! I need God's help!

Now to work.

A Request for Prayers

Yesterday morning my sisters and brother in Toledo met with the nursing staff at the facility where my mother has lived the last few years (and where, despite its unfortunate name -- Sunset House -- my mother has received great care).

My mother, now 86, had surgery for colorectal cancer six years ago, and during the last few years she's also had pretty serious dementia. Lately she's lost her appetite and has been fidgety. Noticing these as symptoms of discomfort/pain, x-rays were ordered. A six centimeter mass is visible on her lung.

My sisters and brother will meet with the hospice folks on Monday.

Say a prayer for Marcella, please, and for us, too, as we embark on another chapter in our life with her.

A Certain Sort of Privilege

Happy Thanksgiving! (Or, Sikukuu Njema ya Mavuno! -- that's my guess anyway; Kiswahili speakers, what do you think?)

Last night, I was reflecting on what I’ve learned over the course of three months in language school. Not enough was the initial answer! I found myself reflecting on what I’ve learned beyond grammar and vocabulary.

One of the gifts of being here has been to gain some small sense (very small, admittedly) – some small sense of what by black and Latino friends often experience in the United States. That is to say, one of the things I have realized is the privilege of having my behavior in the US treated, for the most part, as unremarkable.

Here, I miss is the ability to walk down a street and go unnoticed. I spend a lot of time trying to pretend, knowing full well that all eyes are on my every move. I miss flying under the radar, being able to duck in to a shop and buy a bottle of water without it being a big deal – or any sort of deal at all. It’d be nice not to be a novelty: to be able to take a daladala like other folks, without people raising eyebrows or commenting on how surprising it is that I am riding on the daladala.

So there’s a certain irony here: Even as I attempt to live in some sort of solidarity with the people here, I am being given resources to live in solidarity with brothers and sisters in the United States.

Indeed, a lot to be thankful for.

Fra Rikardo Maria

On Sunday Bart Murphy, SJ, brought me to meet an extraordinary man, Brother Rikardo Maria.

Rikardo, an Italian who has lived in Tanzania for many years and speaks such good Swahili that he was asked by the bishop to head the diocesan radio apostolate, has founded Franciscan communities for both men and women. They might be called Franciscans of the Strict Observance, for their poverty is very close to the poverty of poor Tanzanians. For instance, the men's residence had dirt floors and no screens on the windows.

Rikardo has started two secondary schools, one free and the other very inexpensive. Over 2000 students attend these two (mostly) day schools (there is a hostel, however, for girls at one of the schools). Many of the students are older -- some as old as 40. An amazing project spearheaded by an amazing man and his companions.

Here's a link to their website.

A Well Project

My friend Henry and his friends met one another at the Salvatorian Institute here. After graduating, they started an NGO that puts in shallow wells in villages near Morogoro. Impressive work.

You can see how deep that well is -- and it's unprotected, so anything can fall into it, including animals and children. And what follows is what they end up with, a ring well with a durable hand pump:

One thing I love about the above video is how the slightly older boy has learned about levers -- look at how easily he pumps compared to the younger child before him.

My hope of course is that in ten years I'll be posting similar videos about similar work of graduates of OLQP.