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Alison & Peter
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From Alison and Peter Roots:- Sunday 3rd November 2007
That was the week that was. Saturday. The week started badly with Alison in bed unable to sit or stand with out having to make a mad rush for the bathroom and Peter chasing round Dodoma trying to find an internet connection which worked so that he could download papers he needed to read to start on an essay. 4 pm still saw him without any papers although he had managed to mend a couple of computers when he put his head round the office door to see if the café connection was fast enough. It could only get better. The internet connection problem had come about as our main service provider had changed our contract and we could now not afford to buy internet for the whole month. While trying to solve this we found out that our contract with our back up provider was no longer valid. Up until this point we were unaware of the terms of this contract because try as we might we had not been able to obtain a copy of it and had not been given a copy when Alison took over the management. Trying to provide internet for about 70 computers without a connection was a challenge!! We failed!! However most of our customers have been very sympathetic and patient for which we are extremely grateful.
Tuesday saw Alison trying to register with the bank that she had dropped her purse and lost her bank card. Even though no crime had been committed she had to report it to the police station. She drew up at the station and parked in front where she usually does. Went inside and sat down with a policeman so that he could enter all the relevant details into the log. These details included the obvious such as her name and address, then came age, tribe and religion. We still haven't worked out why your religion is important when you have lost a purse. She then had to go upstairs and get the official report form. On arrival she was informed that 2 passport photos were required. We had these at home so 15 minutes later she returned with them and parked in the same place as before. A policeman came running up to ask her to move off. As she was reversing the policemen all stood to attention, drew their guns into a salute and a high ranking policemen exited the station and got in a car and left. Yes Alison had parked in the middle of this little ceremony. Back up stairs 2 passport photos were presented and a razor blade produced to cut them down to the required size. After three more trips to the bank we had finally managed to apply for a new card and register that the old one had been lost.
Wednesday. Having started work before 7am by 5 in the evening we were in need of a treat and so decided to call into the grocery store on our way home. A smartly dressed gentleman started talking with us and it turned out he knew the area in England where we come from, it also transpired that he was a high ranking member of parliament. During the course of the conversation we were invited to parliament on Friday morning. Does Tesco offer this service yet?
Thursday. was really quite a mundane day after that. Having had no formal teacher training Alison struggled at first with the classroom management side of the job. However as she is getting more used to the formal classroom setting the students are responding more positively to her. She is now 2 weeks into her second term and is finding the students are starting to realise that computing is now a real subject and hard work, not just time to use the computers. Working in a joint primary and secondary school has its advantages. For those students in secondary who are now immune to detentions being sent down to the second year primary to sharpen pencils really seems to bring them back into line. This has only been used twice but the response in the students has been amazing. One student (who had sharpened pencils and could not do PE) even went so far as to ask to join the computer class of the year below him and sit their test with them. May it continue. This was Peter's day for working at DCMC (Dodoma Christian Medical Centre). A relatively quiet day compared to 2 weeks ago. The electricity company sent 400v instead of 220v down the line to the offices in town so causing equipment to go up in smoke. Fortunately this was only equipment which had been installed to protect more expensive equipment against power surges and fluctuations in voltage. Even so about $900 worth of equipment was destroyed. Although at one point Peter was quite concerned that enough equipment was overheating to cause the building to catch fire no structural damage was done. Out of town the building of a mother and child health centre has now been completed. This contains a small lab which Peter has been involved in designing and equipping and will be using until the main lab is built. Although building is completed they are still waiting for the electricity to be connected, hopefully only 220v. Some staff have been employed and they are still looking for others. Early next year it is hoped that the building of the main hospital will be started, this will include a covered surface reservoir for water and wind turbines to provide electricity. A brick works has been set up as an income generating project designed to assist in the running of the hospital. It produces interlocking bricks to enable fast construction and provides standard plans to eliminate architects costs. Late last week the Accountant had died suddenly after going into hospital for a hernia operation. Peter had to go through his computer which the family very kindly loaned to DCMC to remove all the work related files.
Friday saw us at the gates of parliament waiting to be escorted inside. A new building has recently been built on the site of the old parliament. The old building remains but is now used for smaller meetings and administration. It is a truly magnificent building, circular, with a large gallery around the sides for visitors. While we struggled to understand much of the proceedings which were in Swahili we certainly felt very privileged to be able to be there. At the end of the session all of the visitors of the day were introduced. This was totally nerve racking as we were the only white people in the building and so our names would announce to all there who we were. However we were struggling with the mixture of swahili and acoustics and were scared stiff that we would miss our cue to stand up. It was fine in the end. Alison then had to leave to go back to school but Peter was able to have a tour of the complex and meet various ministers.
So while the week started badly it really did end on a high and Saturday saw the dreaded essay written. So for the future. In mid October our manager and personnel officer from the UK came to visit us and we were able to discus our future after our furlough in the UK. CMS are in favour of Peter returning full time to DCMC and Alison full time to Cannon Andrea Mwaka School (international school). So far Peter has made some initial assessments for the setting up of a quality assurance system for the clinics operated by DCMC. He will continue to develop this
plan,
to work with their computers and assist in design of the new
hospital's laboratories. Alison will continue to teach computers but
have more of a role in maintaining the system and will teach
Religious studies to lower secondary and upper primary. This is a job
which excites her greatly and one she never anticipated doing. The
work of the café will be handed over to Tanzanian staff with
assistance form the French Embassy in Dar.
We feel that at long last we have a future where we both have a role. We do wonder why we have taken so long to find it but are assured that what ever the reason, God was behind it. Alison has been talking with students who were really upset about her leaving. Not particularly because she was leaving but because they have had so many short term teachers they just wanted to settle down with one. Two terms with another teacher was just about acceptable to them so long as Alison comes back to take them through their final exams. Having worked with the students for a term now and assessed their abilities Alison feels that it will take at least 2 to 3 years to bring them up to the standard of expertise in the UK. While in the UK she is hoping to visit computer classes in primary and secondary schools and to write a practical syllabus to bring her children up to the same level. Long term missionaries with laboratory skills are quite rare in the country (one to our knowledge) and there is not yet the necessary expertise amongst locals for the work DCMC are aiming to do, so they are very keen for Peter to return.
We are planning to arrive in the UK on 1st Feb 2008 and start link visits on 23rd Feb. Our last visit will be on 29th June and we are hoping to fly out on about the 26th July.
Prayer Points For time and energy as we start to hand over the management of the café and prepare final reports of our work. For those who are taking over from us in the café that they will be given the skills required for the work to continue. For wisdom and discernment for DCMC as they continue to look for staff. For funds to be available that we may return to Tanzania next year.
Give thanks for The support we have received over the last few weeks as the internet has crashed. The chance for us to return to Tanzania The finishing of the clinic building at DCMC and those staff they have been able to employ. The students who are really starting to understand that computing is a lesson like any other.
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