Tz detective story

Well, what do you know? Most of my stuff has been recovered! Last Thursday one of the detectives assigned to the case found a 14 year old boy selling a laptop in the marketplace of Iringa town. There were two people involved, and both were taken to the police station. I was contacted next day by the Administrator of the school for deaf kids (SfD) where I was living, and we both went to the police station, where I identified it as my laptop. Then we all (2 detectives, 2 culprits, 2 victims) went together to my old house where the boy described how his small friend had climbed through the window to take the stuff! Then he took us to a house next to the SfD where we recovered some things (my speakers and a DVD with my name on it) .

The boy had an older brother who we then collected from school, and after a bit of reluctance, he took us back to the same house and dug out three bulging sacks from the garden. We made a circle of chairs and tipped out the contents to find the rest of my CD's and DVD's (including one with my picture on the front, made by my Redcliffe College friends, David and Grea) and lots more things, plus some sheets and curtains belonging to the SfD, taken after I moved out. The detectives listed everything, and now it's all at the police station, so I am no better off just yet, but at least there is a miracle of those kids being stopped in their tracks.

I hope that whatever happens, they have a change of life-style for the better. Thanks for your encouragement Vaiva and Susie!

struggling

Hey it's good to be back online again after a break - not because I wanted it but because I literally had a break-in around three weeks ago. The signs are (according to detective agent Lapage) that an adult taught a child how to get through a very small hole in the door where a pane of glass was broken. The hole was big enough to pass a laptop and a lot of what goes with it; speakers, headphones, DVD's. Very sad, as it's difficult now to do emails and blogs, but what makes me even sadder is that (if my theory is correct) the child now knows what to do and came in last Friday and again on Saturday, taking pens, notebooks, my store of cashewnuts and bombay mix! Aaaagh... how will I survive? But I'm more upset that the child is learning a way of life which might grow into something bigger later on.

On Saturday I left the house at 11am and cycled the half hour into town, left my bags with my friends' driver and cycled back to find the third break-in before 12.30. Unfortunately I fell off my bike while in town (silly me) and the bruise began to swell on the way back, making a mighty big bump. My friends were expecting me to come and stay, so I tied it up with a rope to stop the swelling and arrived in a heap and all tied up. They intied me and set me free, administered ibuprofen, icepack and bandages, lots of rest and good food; since then I have been feeling much better. I am staying on a local dairyfarm with Elizabeth Phillips who's husband died three weeks ago, peacefully in his sleep. I think she is glad of a companion now. It's half term break at the secondary school, and the bible school has a month out, so I am resting and recouperating. Wow, do I need it! I've moved my stuff there until we can sort out something more permanent.

School debate

Pictured is a debate for all the secondary students under the gums trees, in the afternoon sunshine!

The language is English, as it is for all lessons except the ones I teach, ie Religious education. A bit ironic, as most other teachers are Tanzanians. I think it's because RE deals with issues close to the heart, so it helps if it is in a 'heart language'. The syllabus is written in Kiswahili, and is very helpful.

In the background you can see the classrooms, a cylindrical rainwater harvesting tank, and the corners of a new classroom being built by a visiting team from a UK school in partnership with St Michael's, Kilolo.

Secondary Students

Here's class 1B of the Secondary School. I teach them for the second double period on a Wednesday morning, after 1A for the first two periods. When tea break is over I go to 2A and then 2B, all double periods. On Thursdays its the same for forms three and four, both with A and B streams. I thought it was going to be much harder then I am finding it so far - maybe I'm still in the honeymoon period. The classes enjoy reading passages from the Old Tesament like Moses and the burning bush, and sometimes I act it out to liven things up. Together with lots of laughter, I hope the amazing message of God's love and mercy is communicating itself.

Bible school students

This is me in full teaching mode - Riziki is standing next to me and she is head of the Bible School. I asked the students to write their names out in the same order as in the photo so I could try to learn them. I've been teaching them Old Testament, Theology and English - the last is not my favourite, but we muddle through.

I'm still doing my weekly commute to Kilolo for the teaching at both schools - two days at the Secondary, and a day at the BS. The rest of my time is spent travelling, lesson prep and having fun with friends!

Doors and windows

This is the latest view of the house in Kilolo. It has doors and windows, but no ceiling yet, or washing facilities. The Academic Dean is on the right in the picture, and another teacher has the keys in his hand. They will be my neighbours when I move into the new house. It may be a month or two yet.

I am happy where I am living outside Iringa. It means I can visit old friends more easily, and I also have electricity, access to the internet and other luxuries which won't be available so easily in Kilolo.

back on my bike again

I've been silent for a while because I had malaria or something! Was laid flat for a few days, so went to stay with my good friends David and Elizabeth Phillips on a nearby farm. They looked after me and got me back into working order. I managed to get to Kilolo to teach in the Bible School as usual, and met up with a visiting building team from Tearfund. They were fun to spend time with. Now they've gone, but more teams are on their way. I'm off to Kilolo today on the bus, but when I'm in town it's the bike I like...