What a Day!

I went with Fr. Sossy today to begin the process of buying a small dairy herd (7 cows). We travelled to the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute in Mpwapwa, which is about 100 kilometres away. Mpwapwa is known for a certain breed of cattle developed there -- called, well, the Mpwapwa breed. After some discussion we were discouraged from buying them because we expect greater milk production -- closer to 20 litres per day than 10. We were cool with that, because we'd planned on buying the Boran-Friesian mix. The National Ranch Company (NARCO), we were told, has such a mix (though not necessarily F1) -- and we could have saved ourselves a lot of trouble by stopping there, saving ourselves 40 kilometres since it is that much closer to Dodoma.
All was not lost, however. The researchers we met were very helpful, including giving us some good advice re: goats, pigs, and chickens.
We left the office happy until we saw the land cruiser with a flat tire. A young worker was called over to assist us, and we were soon on our way to get the puncture repaired. We arrived at the repair shop only to find there was no electricity. Ugh. We finally found a repair shop that could manage without electricity and soon we were on the road to Kongwa to visit our friend Sr. Immaculata, SCIC, and deliver some things to her from Dodoma. Between Mpwapwa and Kongwa (a 40 kilometre distance), we hit a bump and the pick-up just petered out. Sossy thought the fuel guage might be broken and that we were out of fuel. After over an hour, Immaculata came to our rescue with a mechanic who diagnosed the problem immediately, made a temporary fix to get us to Kongwa, and then did a more thorough repair.
We left a 11 in the morning and returned at 7:40 p.m. I have a sunburned left side as a souvenir -- and another story to tell about adventures in TZ!
Video to follow when I have enough 3G umph to upload it.

Gratitude

I just opened a card written by one of our students. Her name is spelled Brighter (and she is!), but it is pronounced "Bridget."

Brighter comes from a poor neighborhood here in Dodoma. As a student at the Jesuit primary school she excelled in every way -- academics, performing arts, and being a wonderful person. Here at St. Peter Claver she receives a 65% reduction in her school fees.

Her card was a thank you note. She begins with "The Lord be with you" -- which I think might be a little joke because I catch her smiling at morning Mass as we struggle with the proper responses at or English-language Masses using the new translation. After her thanks she writes, "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at my hands. Thank you for helping me attend your school."

I am touched that she has connected what happens at the Eucharist with the generosity of people who have donated funds to help her with her study. As with the bread and wine, she is now taking up these gifts and offering them to the Lord in her studies. Pretty sophisticated thinking, if you ask me!

Tanzania Nakupenda

Tanzania, I love you.

“Our vocation is to travel throughout the world and to live in any part of it wheresoever there is hope of the greater service of God and the good of souls.” Inspired by those words of Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, I made my way here to Dodoma, Tanzania, in 2009. My first task was to assist in the founding of St. Peter Claver High School and then the plan was to do the same for Loyola Teachers Training College.

SPCHS is up and running. I think I have provided some little bit of help in putting into place the structures and practices which will serve the school well as it continues. However, plans for LTTC are presently on hold. Having accomplished the first part of my mission and not having the second part – the teachers college – to move on to, I will be heading back to the United States in April.

These three years in Tanzania have been remarkable, and I count it as a gift from God to have lived and served among so many wonderful people.

I will have a chance to reflect on my experience during a sabbatical that will end in December 2012. You can be certain that you’ll be included on these reflections right here at CHoP. (And soon the school’s website will be up and running and you will be able to keep up with the day-to-day school news at that site and at the school’s Facebook page, which we promise to maintain better.) I will start a new apostolic assignment in the United States in January 2013; what exactly that will be is yet to be determined -- I am hoping that it will be an assignment that provides some flexibility to allow some trips annually to Dodoma (and maybe some $ for that travel, too!).

They (I'd ding my English students for using an indefinite they!) -- they say that people tend to donate to people and not to causes. I hope that isn’t the case, because SPCHS will continue to need the support of my family and friends. I myself am only leaving the place physically; I have every intention to continue to support the mission in every way possible and hope whatever my next apostolic assignment is will provide me the flexibility (and maybe the financial means) to return to the school a couple of times each year.

I have told Father Sossy that I prefer not to have any farewell celebration – just a small ceremony with our students, teachers, and other workers on the day of my departure (12 April) will be sufficient.

However, I would like to have something tangible at the school by which the generations of students that come here will know of the support of people thousands of miles away.

What I am thinking of are some vibanda where our students can gather in small groups for studying. The singular is kibanda. A kibanda is a simple structure, a shelter or hut. Our study huts will have open sides – just a concrete floor, low walls to accommodate built-in benches, and a roof for protection from the sun and rain. We will decorate them with inspirational quotations (like this one from St. Ignatius Loyola: “You can do nothing more pleasing to God at this time in your life than to devote yourself totally to study.) And of course, there will be a notation that these vibanda are gifts of friends from the United States who are invested in the futures of children who are meant "to learn, to love, to serve."

If interested, you can use the link on the right of this page. Where you are given the opportunity to make a comment, you can mention “kibanda at Dodoma” so the gift is properly directed.

I am so thankful to so many for such generosity, interest, and support over these three years. As I wrote earlier, my own support for this project will not fade; I hope yours won’t either.

Let me close by sharing the words of a patriotic song that is very much on my mind:

Tanzania Tanzania
Nakupenda kwa moyo wote
Nchi yangu Tanzania
Jina lako ni tamu sana
Nilalapo nakuota wewe
Niamkapo ni heri mama wee
Tanzania Tanzania
Nakupenda kwa moyo wote

A rough translation:

Tanzania Tanzania
I love you with all my heart
My country Tanzania
Your name is very sweet
When I sleep I dream of you
When I wake to you, Mother, I am happy
Tanzania Tanzania
I love you with all my heart

The Nest

My mother used to use a French phrase regarding the patience needed while working on a project:

petit à petit l’oiseau fait son nid. Little by little the bird makes its nest.

Indeed that can be said for this project. We did reach an important milestone in December when we received our school registration number from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training. On Thursday Madam Lydia, the new assistant headmaster for academic affairs and government relations, and I stopped by some of the government offices -- the municipal office of secondary education and the zonal chief inspector's office. In neither place did we have to wait, which was a gift. After these visits, I spent yesterday preparing a report which will serve as the first step to get the school registered to be a site for form two national examinations. Slowly but surely.

As I write this our students are scurrying about the campus doing their weekly chores. Some are hoeing in the school garden, others are watering trees, still others are cleaning the dormitories, the classrooms, and the multipurpose hall. One group was transported to the village of Ihumwa, where they are helping with a building project at the Catholic parish. Our students embrace work with joy -- it is great to hear all the chatter as they set about doing what needs doing. You give them some general direction and they figure out the rest for themselves -- usually doing a very good job (though I always thing the classroom building could be just a little smarter!).

Last night I wanted to go out for a bite to eat with Kizito. There is a new restaurant not so far away, 4 Points, and I wanted to try it. Well, in order to get to that restaurant, we had to pass the new hotel of the parents of one of our Form I students, the Mushi family. They saw us stop to ask some folks walking for directions and waved us in to their parking lot. It wasn't the evening I expected, but it was a very nice evening nevertheless. I explained to our hosts that we were there as customers but looked forward to being a guest in their home some day. (They were relieved, I think that we were willing to pay for our meal -- although they have been successful in business, owning two well-regarded clothes shops, I think they've been stretched a bit financially by the opening of this hotel/restaurant).

On Monday I head to Mpwapwa with Sossy to begin the process of purchasing some cows -- the famous Boran-Friesian mix (the Boran is an indigenous breed that has more sweat glands, making it suitable for the heat; the Friesian, related to the American Holstein is a good dual purpose breed). That same day work on the cow shed will begin. The picture is of a pure Boran. Again, I can't help but be amazed that a kid from Anderson Parkway, Toledo, Ohio, is thinking about Boran-Friesian mixes and other such things! It does tap into my Connell family roots though -- my father grew up on a farm.

You can expect more news later today.

The Steady Trickle

237 families showed their intention to have their child joing Form I by placing a deposit. I knew that not all of those families would show up, but I had expected at least 210 students -- the number for which we budgeted -- to show up. Imagine my disappointment when only 180+ students showed up!

I have spent the last two weeks contacting possible candidates, following up with folks whom we offered spaces but whom we didn't hear from, testing potential candidates, etc. (I use "I" very loosely -- my secretary did much of this work. Thank you, Redempta!) Well, I am happy to report that we are now just a couple of students shy of 210. And we didn't compromise on qualifications to get there (I chose not to accept a number of students who did not meet our admissions criteria).

We can all breathe a sigh of relief.

This morning our students have their first work assignments. They're all about the campus doing various chores -- it is very nice to see their commitment to maintaining their school, their home.

As promised, pictures to follow at some point.

Because of the generosity of Rotary International, Toledo, OH; The Loyola Foundation; the school communities of Fairfield Prep, St. Xavier High School, Cincinnati, and Gonzaga College High School, Washington, DC; and the Jesuit Community of Scranton, PA, we now have a second school bus. The first, purchased last year, was donated by the Chicago-Detroit Province of the Jesuits. The buses are used for the transportation of employees and also for the transportation of our students to their service sites.

FYI, still not feeling well but I'm trying to be strong like the people here are. You charge on with life despite illness, which is just part of living.

Update: Not as strong as I thought! I was back in bed for most of Sunday. But now it's Monday morning, and I am feeling as if I have the energy to get through the day.

Malaria II

Last year at this time -- the first full week of classes -- I was diagnosed with malaria. It began with vertigo and progressed to achy joints, a headache, etc. For the past few days I have not felt well. The symptoms just described haven't been present but I have experienced extreme lethargy and a general feeling of, well, ickiness. Yesterday I also developed a skin infection, so off to the doctor I went.

My doctor is a Benedictine monk who practices at a small Catholic hospital just north of Dodoma. I was surprised that he was not so concerned about the skin infection, but he sent me immediately to the laboratory for tests for a number of things.

Yep. I have malaria. I'm also hosting some parasite. Both easily treated -- but I've been put on 3-days bed rest, too, which isn't so easy for me. I'm staying in bed today, but I'll try to venture for a few hours to my office tomorrow -- if only to save me back.

I always feel like a baby when I get sick here. Most folks just charge on. As a friend in Morogoro once told me, "Sickness is a big part of our life here." One of the few parts I'm not ready to embrace.

Mwanzo ni Mgumu II

The Start is Difficult II. Almost all our students have arrived -- some stragglers, however. The start this year is smoother than last, but there have been some small difficulties to contend with. It was an unnecessary rush to get things completed at the last minute. Thank God for Kizito, SJ, who really pushed the contractor's workers to get the job done.

Our new faculty members have arrived -- I think we'll have some stellar teachers among them.
The laboratories are almost complete -- I think they'll be the envy of many schools.
Our chapel is not any further along than it was 3 months ago -- I think its' unfortunate that a chapel that was originally to be dedicated June 2011 and then September 2011 will probably not be completed for Easter 2012.

What are the bright lights these days? First have to be our extraordinary volunteers (and I'm not writing that just because their parents read this blog!). I can always depend on Sean and Laura, and sometimes I take their generosity for granted. They've been so helpful. Cristina, the other American volunteer from the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, is digging right in. And Roland, our Jesuit Missionary Volunteer from England, provided a great service by setting up a scheduling program. In fact I downloaded the same program from the Internet but didn't have a clue what to do with it -- he managed to make it work for us.

Another light is the rain -- if that isn't a contradiction. The rain has come right on time each time things begin to dry out. Last night's started with a huge downpour and moved to a gentle, soaking rain. Keep it coming, God -- and the nighttime storms suit us just fine, too. As we say here, mvua ni baraka. Rain is a blessing. As we are wont to say here: Mungu ni mwema: Kila wakati! God is good: All the time!

It was the Tuesday of the first week of class last year that I came down with malaria. Let's hope I stay healthy during these coming weeks.

Pictures later, I hope. (Laura's camera broke, so I'm letting her use my not-used-enough camera with the understanding that she shares snaps with me). Among the pictures I hope to share is one of a dead cobra -- a huge one has been seen around (I tried unsuccessfully to run over it with the car at night last week) and Victor, SJ, killed a small one (in our courtyard!) last weekend.

That's the news that's fit to print.