Home Again

I've been away from Dodoma.

Last Tuesday afternoon I travelled by bus to Dar es Salaam and then took Kenyan Air to Nairobi on Wednesday morning for a Thursday meeting with Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, SJ, the provincial superior of the Eastern Africa Province of the Jesuits. I flew back to Dar es Salaam and took the s-l-o-w-e-s-t bus possible to Dodoma today (but here in TZ I'd rather be on a slow bus than an unsafe one).

My meeting in Nairobi with the provincial was a very good one, and I am happy I made the trip. It also gave me an opportunity to say farewell to some friends, especially Fathers Gabriel Mmassi, Bart Murphy, and Deo Mutayoba. Gabriel and I were at JSTB together in the early 90's; he is presently serving as the rector at Hekima College, the anglophone theologate for the Jesuits of Africa/Madagascar. I first met Bart when I was in language school in Morogoro, where he taught church history at the Salvatorian seminary; Bart is now involved in spiritual direction at our retreat house in Nairobi. I first met Deo when I travelled to Berkeley three years ago to meet Sossy about possibly helping out with a little project in a place called Dodoma.

I have fewer than two weeks before I leave this place -- so much to do!

Did I Not Make a Promise?

Here are even more pictures.

Kids, listen to what your elders tell you:
Picking at a pimple can lead to an abscess!

Our generator will ensure that even when the power goes out
our students can study!

Most of the members of the faculty.

OLQP Statue

Here are some pictures of the statue at our roundabout. So thankful to a friend in Santa Barbara who has a great devotion to Our Lady who helped us with this statue. It is a remarkable welcome to the campus.

Even More

I will miss my Pajero -- "Punda" -- Mule -- I call it.

The parents of Jackie and Dennis both work at SPCHS --
and the family lives in staff housing.

Just in case you didn't believe me: We have scorpions!

And they're big!

More Farewell Pictures

Kikwete, the day guard at the Jesuit Residence.

Sister Maria, scic, (director of boarding) and
Madam Lidya (assistan headmaster).

Professor Kalifunja Osaki, a friend.

The food was great -- you see why I'm fat!

Dotto is the night guard at my office.

A word about Kikwete and Dotto. There is an obvious age difference, but they are close friends. Kikwete was riffed by our contractor, but the supervisor said that for a small price he'd pass over him and rif someone else. Kikwete responded, "I'd rather go home proud than pay a bribe." We knew at that point that we wanted to hire him because of his integrity. Dotto works all night and goes to school at the city high school during the day -- I've been privileged to help him with his English. Will miss these two people immensely.

SPCHS Farewell

Here are some photos of the farewell party the employees threw for me.

There was a procession with gifts, including the popular gift of vitenge.

As per custom, I got wrapped in the vitenge.

That cane is a Maasai cane -- hiding a knife.

I couldn't ask for better Jesuit companions than Sossy and Kizito.

I Promise

I have a ton of recent pictures -- including many from the farewell party for the thrown by the school employees. I promise to post them in the next couple of days.