Dedication Day

I don't yet have pictures to post (I lent my camera to our journalism club -- and hope they (1) took good pictures and (2) return the camera), but I can report the day was a success.
It's almost 11:00 pm as I write this, and I have spent most of the day standing and am a bit tired -- the kind of tired where your mind continues to race, but your body is feeling it.
In any case, it was a good day. We started by blessing the classroom building and then went around to the other buildings. This was followed by entertainment by our students, who did a very nice job.
The tradition is to do fundraising at such an event, and we followed the tradition, raising 22,000,000.00! That's Tsh, not dollars. It's a very nice thing, in fact, to know that families are so generous, donating money to ensure that students from poor families might attend our school.
Following the fundraising we enjoyed a very nice lunch and closed the program at almost 4:00 (my day started at 5:50 a.m. in my office).
That wasn't the end of the day, however, for we had the dedication of the new Jesuit residence soon after. Whew.
Pics to follow, I hope.

Humility

A day doesn't go by when someone doesn't mention that ours is a school that already has a national stature -- and that is after not even five months. Such talk can go to a school's head!

We've met the antidote for pride! The VIP section for our dedication continues to dwindle. First the bishop discovered there was a more important event requiring his attendance; then the provincial informed us that he will be unable to attend because of more pressing matters in Nairobi.

The president's office has informed us that they have not received a single one of the three different invitations sent. The regional commissioner (rather like a governor, but appointed) will not be able to attend. I could go on.

It reminds me of something I heard once:

A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything is now ready.' But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.' And another said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.'

The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.' The servant reported, 'Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.' The master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'" (Lk 14:16-24)

Reflecting

As I prepare for our dedication on Saturday, the images of so many people have come to mind.

We have so much to be thankful for -- and so many people to thank. The Our Lady Queen of Peace Foundation most certainly, because they have provided us with an amazing campus filled with opportunity. But there are so many others as well who have been so generous.

And I'm thankful for the colleagues God has sent our way. Chief among them are our sisters of the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception of Ivrea. Srs. Maria, Immaculata, and Beatrice have been such great companions; they have enriched the lives of the Jesuits here in Ihumwa.

Thankful for our lay colleagues without whose diligence nothing would happen.

And of course, I'm thankful to the One without whom nothing is or can be.

It's Not Too Late!

Our container has not left the port, so there's still time to send some school materials to St. Peter Claver High School.

We are having great difficulty procuring quality chalk erasers and sponges for cleaning, so those are two things that certainly would be put to good use.

Here are directions re: sending.

On a related matter: I no longer have any shame re: begging. Already our blackboards are falling apart. They are made by painting the wall with black paint. I would really love to have proper porcelain boards here -- that last forever, as my American readers know. If anyone knows anyone....

People Get Ready!

The train's a-comin', yes; but that's not what I'm talking about.

Our dedication is just around the corner, and my days have been filled with preparations. And when not preparing for that, I've been writing a narrative for a grant for a sizeable chunk of change.

But I took a brief break from it this afternoon because I had to meet one of the e

ngineers at the classroom building. Today I remembered to bring my camera, so you can see our sign going up.

What? You say you've never heard of St. Peter Laver? He's the patron saint of launderers, of course.

Oh, and while I'm at it, here's some cuteness for you:

Falling Behind

Yikes. I know I don't post as often as I used to, but I don't have the available time as I used to -- or the internet connection.

The second reason was taken care of today when I bought a new modem, my old one having given up its digital ghost. I had a number of rather important emails to get out this past week. Every time that I went into town to send them (using the connection at the parish), they had either Internet problems or no power.

Today I am connected. Alas, I have no time to do anything other than this brief, pathetic explanation. Expect more soon, however -- certainly details about our dedication, scheduled for 4 June.

Construction Update: Kama Kawa

"Kama kawa" is slang for "as usual" (short for kama kawaida). We're behind schedule. The plan was to have the chapel and the Jesuit residence completed by 4 June, but that is clearly not going to happen.

I can report that there has been substantial progress in the last weeks. Our students will most likely be able to move to the other wing of the dorms. They'll be leaving rooms with rough cement floors and cabinets without shelves or locks. They'll now have tiled floors and very nicely made, lockable cabinets.

The classrooms are tiled and the poor-quality doors have been replaced. I need to find good quality porcelain chalk boards -- the black paint on the walls doesn't cut it with me.

The chapel will be basilica-size, and I think it will be a very nice space.

The Jesuit residence is far larger than we presently need, but I think it will suit us as we go forward.

The dispensary design was improved with the excellent suggestions of Sr. Immaculata, our school nurse.

The library will have an airy, spacious feel. Our students cannot wait for this facility to be completed. They love books -- and that makes me very happy.

The laboratory block is coming along nicely. Regular readers will recall how disappointed I was when I realized that our architect had designed our labs for 32 students -- and no teacher! The solution was to make those four labs (the fourth having been dedicated to agriculture) into 2 computer labs, a geography room, and a music room.

The administration block is off my radar screen -- I'm guessing nine months to a year before it is occupied.

Our playing fields/courts are on their way to completion.

And that's the quick rundown.

Apologies for the horrible format, but given that I am taking advantage of a few moments of adequate internet speed....