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News from Tanzania Sunday June 1st:
NEW GIRL. On the 23rd May a new girl was brought to Bethany by the social welfare officer, her name is Mariam Christopher and we are told she is about 5 years old. We hope to tell you more about her background in our next update - all we know at present is that both her parents are dead and she was being looked after by her grandmother.
Children: All seem to be working hard at the moment and all looking forward to Daniel’s return waiting to hear of his adventures. Fabian has put together a powerpoint presentation and it’s worth seeing! -click here to download.
Gifts from the local MP: The team report that “On Saturday afternoon, we had more visitors, this time Mr Chegeni (local MP) and Manager and staff from Standard Chartered Bank and others, came. With them they brought gifts for Bethany. We were presented with about 35 mattresses, they brought blankets, sheets, mosquito nets, plates, cups, bowls, spoons, school books, pencils, pens, maths sets etc.” This is the first time we have received a gift from an organisation within Tanzania and we are overwhelmed. In some ways we are gratful that the MP sees and acknowledges that what we are doing is worth supporting with actions as well as words. This is so encouraging especially as we start to make progress in other areas as well.
Planting Crops and Road Building: The District commissioner is pleased with the progress we are making with the planting of crops etc since Tanzania in general is expecting a shortage of food in the coming months.
The team also report the following; “road repairs have begun, and some people from the village are helping. Brian has organized the moving of one container to the side of the other previously resited one. The two visiting Roman Catholic trainee Priests, (Noel & Gilles) helped. The move went very well. The bricks will be moved around so that the Land Rover can be parked in its container on the concreted area near the clothes-washing place. In our shamba’s we have sweet potatoes growing, and bean seeds were planted on Wednesday evening, and a few bananas are also growing (but these are old plants that are by the Lake). The Agro Forest person is helping and advising about trees (Nimrod Kajeri) we now have our own tree nursery and he advised us to plant them around Bethany’s boundary. This person is enthusiastic and very helpful.”
Clinic: “the clinic is busy on some days mostly with people who have malaria. Sometimes we have had to take patients to hospital for treatment, but this is usually after clinic has closed. The new lab technician has not been to work for a few days because his wife is ill, so Onesmo is covering for him. Mosquitoes are a problem at present.” In a later email the team report: “patients continue to come to the clinic with malaria, including some of our children. A few people, including babies have died recently. Brian took one to a hospital near by but unfortunately it was too sick to save.”
Future Trips:
Graham, Sheila and Paul Pountain visit in June.
Graham Pountain, Graham, Elaine and Anya Earnshaw visit July - August.
East Midlands Universities students trip: 21 members, 16 students and five others visit Bethany in August to build the new Kithchen and Dinning room (which has been on the drawing board for over 12months now). They are from the East Midlands Universities. Daniel visited Cranwell on the 28th May and was shown how to fly as well as having a chance to talk to members of the team about Bethany. Click here to see photos of Daniel flying!
DANIEL’s Visit: Daniel flew back to Bethany on Friday the 30th May flying from Manchester airport at 14:00 hours. He would arrive at Dubai at about midnight and then wait 7 hours until Saturday morning for his connecting flight to Dar-es-Salaam via Nairobi. Once in Dar he intends to catch the train to Mwanza the following day Sunday the 1st June. the train journey takes three days and he hopes to reach Bethany by Wednesday the 4th June. He says he is looking forward to meeting the children and telling them of his adventures and of his new friends in England.
We at Bethany want to thank all those who Daniel visited for making him feel most welcome. It was very much a culture shock for Daniel but we feel many people have been enriched from hearing about Bethany first hand from some one who ‘has lived the life’. I though it might be a good idea to mention some of the places Daniel visited, but please forgive me or email me if your name does not appear: People and places Daniel visited:- Bowley Scout camp, Derekand Jo Hartley’s, Preston Train station, Easter Eggs!, Whalley parish Church, Spring Harvest, Central Gosple Mission, Nelson, St. Anne’s Church Shevington, St. Mary’s Mellor, Whalley Methodist Church, Arndale Centre Accrington, Gawthorpe High School, Age Concern Blackburn, St. Paul’s Nelson, Glasgow, BBC Radio Lancashire, Christians in Sport - Lancaster University, Haslingden High School, Rhyddings School - Oswaldtwistle, Worden School - Leyland, Allertonshire School, New Life Baptist Church - North Allerton, Whalley Primary School, Oswaldtwistle Community Church, RAFC Cranwell, Towneley House Burnley, Sea World, Ice Skating, Boating, Bay Walk, Liverpool, Haggate Baptist Church, Manchester United ground.
To see all the pictures on the subjects listed above click here .
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