Listen to the students of Irente Children's Home sing during their evening devotions.

We are visiting home at the present time, but miss the children, students and staff of the home very much.

A Year End (almost) Report

Greetings from Susan and Thomas MacPherson

Irente Children’s Home

   As our first year here at the home is coming to an end we wanted to share some of our experiences and plans for the year to come. The time here has sped by so fast.  In many ways we are still getting accustomed to the area and the culture.  We are blessed to have so many brothers and sisters helping us each and every day.

  At the present time we have 30 children at the home.  Some are orphans some are abandoned, and some are waiting till their families are capable to bring them home.  It’s a wonderful feeling to walk up to the home and have so many of them calling “Bibi, Babu”.  (Grandmother, Grandfather).  Nothing could ever feel so good. 

   September 28th was graduation for the second year students.  These women were here for two years leaning health care, midwifery, hospitality, horticultural, nursing, cooking, and many other skills to help them in their lives.  Many of the students will continue with their studies.  Past students have become teachers, nurses and even a doctor.  When we began here we didn’t realize our mission here was not only taking care of the children, but these young women also.  They are the most incredible, hard working and most respectful students you would ever meet.

    Our jobs here continue to bring us joy and happiness.  Susan is teaching English, computers skills, and bookkeeping.  I try to repair anything that is broken, cut fire wood, and provide transportation for the children to and from the hospital.  We both play with the children everyday.  Together we have a class teaching Conversational English to the girls. This is so much fun.  In January a class will begin with the employees to help them improve their English.

   We have said from the beginning that this is a joint mission with the ELCA, NED, SEPA, many friends and family.  Without all of you this companionship would not be taking place.  The relationship is growing each and every day. Your financial gifts and prayers have made this mission possible.  The ELCA’s support through our health insurance and transportation has been a wonderful gift.  Without the truck many things would not be accomplished. Here is a list of what the truck has been used for so far:

1. Taking the children to the hospital
2. Bringing firewood to the home
3. Transportation for the students
4. Carrying manure
5. Taking maize to market to be ground
6. Picking up supplies for home
7. Carrying cow grasses for feed
8. Transporting the brass band for a “Send Off” party

I am sorry to add that it was also used to carry the coffin of a child who died after only being here for one day.  I know we will never forget driving the truck with Hussein’s little coffin and many of the students in the back, singing hymns on the way to the gravesite.

    The North East Diocese has been gracious to provide us with our home.  All of you are always welcome here.  Their support has been amazing.  The staff at the diocese helps us in many ways.  We thank God each and every day for their gift.

     What can we say about SEPA?  We could go on forever saying all the things they have done for us. Bishop Burkat, Joanne Carlson, and the Tanzania Partnership team consisting of David Neal, Alice BellSon, Sharon Smith, Joanne Carlson, and Nancy Shaw have guided us from the beginning. This group was formed when the thought of having mission personnel was in the infant stages.  Their time and effort is Immeasurable.  We thank you all so much for your support, your vision, and most of all your love. 

   To our friends and family, we thank you for all your support, words of encouragement,  your gifts and your love.  We know its been hard on you not having us with you in your time of need.  You are always in our thought and prayers.

   One of the most fantastic experiences we have had is meeting people from around the world.  I bet we have met well over a hundred visitors.  Here are some of the countries they have come from:  England, Scotland, France, Italy, Iran, Israel, Poland, Spain, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, India, New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Norway, Sri Lanka, Canada, the United States, and many more.  When we meet them we talk about the mission of our church here in Tanzania and at home.  We have shared our experiences and also our slide presentations with them.   SEPA’s mission is now being shown all around the world, in universities, schools, churches, organizations and in homes.  You have planted the seed and now we all are watching it grow.  How marvelous is that?  Thanks be to God!

    One of our biggest support systems here has been the United States Peace Corps. We have developed close friendships and supported each others mission here. The Corps has eight volunteers doing projects around our location.  They have come to the Children's Home to work on projects and we have gone with them to work on theirs.  We support each other by listening and encouraging each other when times are difficult.  Did you know the idea for the Peace Corps was based on a church mission suggested to John Kennedy by Hubert Humphrey?

    So here we are about to start our second year. Where will we as a mission of the church and the people go from here? There are many projects here at the home and  surrounding areas in which we as a church can get involved. We will be meeting with the Tanzania Team when we visit Philadelphia in November to discuss what programs or projects that are of interest.  We will keep you updated.

    In closing we want to thank veryone for giving us the opportunity to represent the ELCA, SEPA, family and friends by serving here at Irente Children’s Home.  Our thanks go out to our home congregation, Pastor Lee Miller and Pastor Patricia Neale for their guidance and support.  We have faced  many challenges  and we couldn’t have gotten through them without the help from God and the people we represent.  We thank you for your support and prayers.

    

 With God’s peace and love,

    

Susan and Thomas MacPherson

Paulina's Send Off

On Saturday, September 22nd we were very happy to be a part of the Send Off for Paulina, the daughter of Bwana Stephen from Irente Church.  We have written before about the custom of a “Send Off” party for girls who will soon be married.  This is an old Tanzanian custom, which has grown over the years.  In the past, we were told, the custom was to bring together all of the bride’s family to bid her farewell and offer her advice of how to behave in her upcoming marriage.  The family would also present her with some gifts to start her married life.

Now, send off’s rival wedding receptions.  Where money permits, they are held in beautifully decorated halls with an MC and DJ.  The bride-to-be and her maid of honor are dressed in very fancy prom-style gowns with elaborate hair styles.  The community of the bride’s parents contribute to the cost of the party, which can be very expensive.  

Part of the celebration includes having a band escort the bride-to-be as she travels to the party.  Tom was asked if he would help with this part.  So, on Saturday morning we traveled with our friend Eric to Bwana Stephen’s house to be part of the procession.  

When we arrived at the house, many people were there, along with a six piece band.  Many women were dancing and singing along with the music.  Some were dressed in their colorful kangas and others in gowns. 

First, we were invited to have something to eat at Bwana Alfred’s home next door.  The sitting room was filled with many male guests (the women were eating together outside).  After the meal, we went back to join the rest of the guests.  When the call came that Paulina was ready at the beauty parlor, we got into our pick-up with Alfred, Eric and Mr Jackson.  The band got into the back of the truck and started to play.  There were two trumpets, a trombone, a baritone horn, a snare and a bass drum.  We drove down to the center of Lushoto with the band playing all the way.  As we passed, people came from their houses or fields to wave and dance.  

In Lushoto, we waited outside the beauty parlor with the car that would carry Paulina and her maid of honor.  The beauty parlor is right next to the bus station.  Many busses arrived and left as we waited.  When everyone was ready we left, escorting the car which was decorated with purple and gold ribbons.  We drove back to Stephen’s house with the band playing many hymns that we could recognize.  We heard “It Is Well With My Soul” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” along with others.

When back at Stephen’s house Bishop Munga arrived.  Stephen’s family including Paulina’s grandparents all joined the bishop on the sofas and chairs that had been brought out into the front yard.  The bishop offered prayer and blessed Paulina and her family.  Then it was back into the cars and truck to travel to the hall for the party.  First in the procession were two motorcycles (called piki piki’s here), then our truck with the band, followed by Paulina and then the rest of the family and guests.  

The hall was decorated beautifully and the music was wonderful.  Paulina received many gifts to start her married life.  A difference at this send off was the amount of gifts given to Paulina’s parents.  Gift giving here is done by dancing your present, unwrapped, to the front in a conga line.  We were told that the parents of the bride receive many gifts if they have done a good job raising their daughter.  Paulina must be a remarkable young woman, judging by the gifts given to her parents and grandparents.

We felt so blessed to be included in this celebration.  We have been welcomed and accepted as a part of this congregation and community.  

Irente Update 9/20/12

Everyone at Irente Children’s Home is very busy getting ready for graduation of the second year students, which will take place next Friday, September 28th.  The program for the day includes a tour of the facility and refreshments in the morning, followed by the graduation ceremony.  Afterward, lunch will be served.  The invitations say that the celebration will begin at 9:30 am and continue until 2:00 pm.

The second year students are so excited to complete their studies here.  They have already finished their written and practical exams.  These include working in the farm.  Each student had to demonstrate their knowledge of proper farming techniques.  Along with these, written exams were taken in First Aid, Childcare, Midwifery, Pharmacology, and English.  I was happy that all of the students passed the English exam.  The high score for the second year students was 97.  One of the first year students scored 100 in the exam.  For us, this was personally rewarding.

The last two weeks have seen some painting being done.  Several places in the stone walkways have been repaired.  Today several second year students were scrubbing all of the walkways.  Even the flower beds seem to know that next week they will need to look their best.  Many roses, calla lilies and some beautiful blue flowers that remind be of allium are blooming.  

The students have been busy practicing the songs they will sing.  One song is in English with words of farewell to guardians, teachers, and “our sisters” (the first year students).  Some of the girls have already started crying.  It will be bittersweet.  

We are at 30 children now.  A new baby arrived named Falista. (Fa-lee-sta)  She is in the nursery with twin boys Issa and Hashimu.  One of our favorite little girls from Room 3, Amina, went home with her grandparents.  We miss her very much.  She is a very social little girl who loved when we got visitors. 

With anything in life, you have to take the good with the bad.  Lately, our connectivity has been a challenge.  It is one of the frustrations we are getting used to.  Our apologies for slow emails.  The electric also has been intermittent recently.  Fortunately the outages seem to run through the night when we are asleep.  We have gotten used to cooking and eating our dinner before dark, though, just in case the lights go out.  

Our biggest challenge lately was a problem with the car.  While driving to town on  Sunday the 9th, there was a loud sound near the front right tire.  Fortunately, we were able to continue to town, but Tom drove very slowly.  When we parked the car at Tumaini Hostel (owned by the ELCT) we could see that the front right side of the car was sitting lower than the left.  We went to do our shopping.  On the way back from the bakery, a driver pulled his car over to say hello.  He was a member of Irente Church who we see each week.  We never knew that he is a taxi driver.  Tom asked where we could find him when we finished so we could have him drive us back up the mountain.  We are so blessed to be well cared for here.

The next day Tom and Christian, the driver for the Home, went to town to take the pick up truck to the repair shop.  Now, we use the term “shop” very loosely.  Julius repairs cars and large trucks in a field just outside the center of town.  His only building is a storage area for tools.  Instead of a lift, he drives the vehicle up onto stones in order to work underneath.  Julius looked at the truck and diagnosed a broken tension rod, shocks, brackets and belts.  Tom, Christian, and Julius then went to several automotive parts stores in Lushoto.  The parts needed for the repair were not available in town.  Here the car owner must purchase the repair parts and take them to the shop.  Also, there is no such thing as calling for delivery of the parts.  It must all be done in person.  

So.....the next day, Christian and Julius took the bus to Tanga (3 hours away by car, up to 5 hours by bus) to buy the parts needed.  Tom gave Christian the money for the parts, the bus fare and their lunch.  They had to go to four shops to get all of the parts needed, then they returned to Lushoto by bus.  It was a full day’s journey.  The following day, Julius installed the new parts.  We got the car back on Thursday.  

This is just a small example of how complicated things are here that we take for granted at home.  We thank God that the car was drivable, since we were on a narrow road down the mountain.  With the condition of the roads here it was bound to happen somewhere.  We were very fortunate that it happened close to home.  

The Road to Tanga

About every six to eight weeks we make a trip to Tanga.  Our primary reason for this is to visit an ATM machine to stock up on shillings for the next month or two.  The closest ATM we can access is in the town of Korogwe two hours away.  Tanga, only one more hour of driving is also the closest place with a “supermarket”, about the size of a large Wawa.  So, at the end of July, we found ourselves in need of money and headed down the mountain from Lushoto to Mombo.

Mombo is a small town on the highway which connects Tanga in the east with Moshi and Arusha to the west.  The road is one lane each way, tarmac, and in some places so loaded with potholes that you can’t avoid them.  The speed limit is 80 kpm outside of towns and reduces to 50 or 30 kpm depending on the size of town or village you are going through.  One of the most noticeable things when entering a town or nearing a railroad crossing are the speed bumps.  First you bounce over two sets of three raised lines in the tarmac, maybe four or five inches high.  Then you come to the big speed bump, maybe a foot high.  So, if you are not paying attention all of the time, these can really rattle your teeth.

As the road continues to the east, the altitude gets lower and the temperature gets higher.  Leaving home we are usually in sweaters or jackets. We begin peeling off layers the further east we go.  Along the way, we pass through large sisal plantations.  Sisal used to be the main export of Tanzania.  It is used primarily in rope making.  With the advent of plastic ropes, sales dropped.  Now, with the emphasis on reducing petroleum based products, the exports are rising again.  

As we get closer to the coast, the road winds through miles and miles of orange and coconut groves.  In the wetter areas, there are rice paddies.  This trip we saw women working shoulder-high in the rice. 

Some of the traffic we see on the road can make the trip amusing.  Here there are very large busses, which is the main means of travel for people.  A bus from Lushoto to Tanga can take about six hours instead of three hours by car.  Another form of travel is the dala dala.  These are vans outfitted with seats for sixteen people.  Often, they carry twenty or more, along with the occasional chicken.  Our friend Ezra came to visit us in a dala dala and held someone’s baby for the trip.  

Dala dalas are usually brightly painted and have slogans painted on them.  Some of the ones we have seen are:  In God We Trust, 007 - The Man with the Golden Gun,  Bob Marley’s name and picture,  Rayban, and my all time favorite “Home Sweat Home”, no, this is not a typo.  Many have Bible quotes like “Whatever is excellent” or or express love and thanks to Mungu (God) and Allah.  

Some of the other things we have seen are:

A flock of small yellow birds flying along side us for about a half a mile.

Three baboons on the side of the road before Mombo.

Children playing soccer with a ball made of many tightly wound plastic bags.

A cart full of coconuts pulled by three donkeys.

A woman driving a motorcycle just outside Tanga, with her skirt flying around her.

A beautiful bird called a Black-winged Red Bishop (look it up on line...it is amazing)

Women washing laundry in a small stream by the road.

Women collecting water at the town pump and carrying 5 gallon buckets home on their heads.

Every trip is an adventure.

To Have and To Have Not

     A few months ago I woke up on a Sunday morning not feeling well.  My discomfort had been going on for a few days, but Sundays was more uncomfortable. I said to Susan I think I need to see a doctor. I called our friend in Arusha, Dr. Mark Jacobson head of Arusha Lutheran Medical Center who has here for 27 years as a missionary with the ELCA.  I said we would drive there to see him, but he said with my symptoms we should go directly to Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

      Dr. Jacobson said to give him 15 minutes and he would make all the arrangements. He told us to arrange for a driver to take us down the mountain and meet the plane at the Mombo air strip. We called Pastor Kibonga, our boss here and asked if we could have someone drive us to meet the plane. Within 30 minutes Godfrey came to take us down the mountain. 

       We arrived at the airstrip which was just a field of tall grass. In about 30 minutes the plane circled and landed to pick us up. On board was a doctor and equipment in case of an emergency. The flight lasted about 2 hours. When we arrived in Nairobi, there was an ambulance waiting to take us to the hospital.  After 4 days of testing as an outpatient my problem was diagnosed and treated.

       As we traveled back to are home in Lushoto, I started thinking how fortunate we are. Here we are eight thousand miles from our home and can still receive amazing healthcare. Because we have. Our journey home consisted of a plane ride for forty minutes and a 5 hour bus trip. 

      We passed many villages as we traveled giving us the opportunity to see first hand the lifestyle of the people. There before us was the true picture of the way it would be for them if they had a medical need or emergency. When our bus stopped in a village  to pick up more passengers, I saw a person laying by the side of the road needing medical attention. I know for a fact they would not receive any care. Miles from any hospital or clinic most people have no where to go. They may suffer in pain and go on about their life as best they can. Until they meet their fate. If you look around your neighborhoods and cities the picture of the need for medical care is also reflected.

        We as Americans are very fortunate having the best medical care available in the world, but just like in the poverty stricken third world countries, it is not available to every person in the United States.

        Why is that? I’ve been trying to think about this ever since we got back home here. So many thoughts have crossed my mind and I would like to share them with you.

         As Americans we elect our leaders and give them the best medical care available, but do we insist on receiving the same? 

         We allow lobbyist to promote an idea or product to our elected officials  that will have some benefit for them or their party. In turn the lobbyist and the company they represent end up with more power than the politician. We have laws that prisoners in our jails are entitled to health care. Why haven’t we created laws requiring everyone to receive proper health care?  

     We are also responsible for the cost of our health care. We are encouraged by our legal system and our own personal greed to sue everyone involved when things may go wrong.

     Every night in America millions of children go to bed sick or in pain because no medical treatment was available to them.

     Every night millions of seniors suffer in pain doing without their proper medicine because they had to make a choice of which bill to pay, their electric bill or medicine. 

     Everyday many families face being denied health care due to a catastrophic medical condition.

     Everyday the men and women who served our country to protect our freedom are left on our streets forgotten and alone facing physical and mental sickness.

     This is just not right.

     We can afford to give all Americans health care in spite of what you hear. Our government spends billions of dollars in wasteful projects each and every year. Every time a bill is passed in Congress there are many, many extras added on to it. The general public has no idea of what was added. Wouldn't it be great if bills were published prior to passage so we could see all that is included?

      Its time for us to make a change that would be beneficial to all Americans.  Create a health care program that includes all Americans. I ask you to please pray for whoever is leading our country in the years to come, that they may have the wisdom, strength and courage to do what is right for all Americans.

An Irente Update

It has been a few weeks since our last blog post.  Things have been very busy at the Children’s Home and there have been some comings and goings.

During the month of June, we had the pleasure of getting to know Taylor Phillipi, a student from Kansas State University.  Taylor is a Pre-Occupational Therapy major in his Junior year.  He spent his mornings volunteering at the Rainbow School for autistic and mentally & physically challenged children.  In the afternoon, he played with the children at the home.  Many of the children and the child care workers became attached to Taylor in a very short time.  His stay went by very quickly and we were all sorry to see him leave.  

A second parting came four days later with the departure of Claudia Wallis, a German volunteer.  Claudia came last year, volunteering through a German organization for about six weeks at that time.  She felt drawn to return and came back on her own in February.  Her six week stay this year was flying by and so she contacted her family in Germany to see if she could stay longer.  She was able to postpone a semester of college and stayed on for five months!  Friday morning, July 6th, we drove her down to Lushoto to catch a bus to Dar es Salaam.  Many tears were shed by the students at the home.  Claudia had become an important member of the home.  She stayed at the hostel and ate her meals with the students.  She joined with them in evening devotions and sang with them in the choir at church.  Beside working with the children in the afternoons, Claudia taught math at the Irente School for the Blind every morning.  And she could bake wonderful cakes.  She taught the girls how to bake a cake on a charcoal fire.  She will be greatly missed.

This past week, two new babies arrived.  The first was Violet, a two month old who weighed in at 2.5 kilos (about 5 pounds).  Violet was born in her village and her mother died.  Her grandmother and some others in the village tried their best to feed her.  Since they had no formula, they were feeding her ugi porridge.  When they saw that she was not putting on any weight, her auntie brought her to the home.  She is beautiful, with huge dark eyes.

On Thursday, a second baby came to the home.  Her name is Marion and she was two days old when she arrived.  She and Violet share the nursery.  Marion is bigger and stronger than Violet, but both are eating well and already thriving.  

We have also been busy working on a project with our Peace Corps friends.  Last weekend, we traveled to Mambo View Point Eco-Lodge with four Peace Corps volunteers and a Tanzanian teacher named Frank.  Mambo is a village at a very high altitude on the western edge of the Usambara Mountains.  On a clear day, you can see Mt Kilimanjaro.  Unfortunately, it was too cloudy for us to see “Kili”, but the view was still spectacular.  The owners of the Eco-Lodge work with their local neighbors in many projects.  Glen, from Texas, had visited the lodge and arranged a return visit to teach perma-gardening with his counterpart Frank.  Brittany from Ohio, taught a group of local women how to make their own peanut butter.  Sarah from upstate New York, taught some people how to make a “light bulb” out of a 1.5 liter water bottle, water and bleach.  Many of the homes here have no windows.  Using a roof sealant, a plastic bottle filled with water and two capfuls of bleach is inserted half way into the corrugated metal roof.  

The sunlight illuminates the bottle providing light in a once dark room.  

This past weekend Glen, Frank, Brittany and another Peace Corps volunteer named Ezra came to Irente Children’s Home.  They brought fifteen of their students with them.  These kids ranging from 10 to 15 years old, along with students from the home, dug eight new terrace beds using the perma-garden method.  They also learned how to make peanut butter and played some HIV-Aids awareness games.  They also played soccer and Tom brought out his “American” football, which the kids enjoyed.

After the hard work of digging, we walked with the students to Irente View Point.  None of them had ever been there and were really amazed by the view of the Masai Plain from so high up.  They were very kind with us, worrying about how Bibi and Babu were doing, whether we were very tired.  Climbing up, two girls held my hands to be sure I was okay.  On the way down, one of the boys held my hand to help me.  It was quite touching to be cared for in such a way by teenagers we had only met the day before.

We enjoy our time with the Peace Corps volunteers, a touch of home.  They will return in September with a new group of students to dig more beds for the home.  We are greatly impressed with the work of the Peace Corps and ask you to keep them in your prayers.