Tales from Tanzania - O'Neil Family Blog

What I Will Miss

2008-07-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

There are many things I will miss about Tanzania, but these are the things that stick out in my mind:

I will miss the physical beauty - the palm trees, the banana trees, the jungliness of it all juxtaposed against the red soil ( I never thought I would say I would miss the African dirt!). The sky was generally always blue and you could count on knowing the weather every day - hot and humid. There is nothing quite as beautiful as the Indian Ocean. The white sand against the turquoise with the always present dhow boat fishing off shore, is a sight like no other. I can almost smell it still.

I will miss the African women. They, to me, sum up beauty. They are like queens and even the lowliest of African women seems to be able to walk like royalty. They hold their backs straight and heads held high and poised often balancing the most remarkable loads on their heads (I once saw a woman bend over to pick up laundry drying on the grass, fold it, and place it on the stack of already folded clothes on her head, and return for another piece). It never ceases to amaze me how carefully and beautifully they dress - even a cleaning lady will wear a matching skirt and top to work and change when she arrives. They walk gracefully through the dust and often mud in tiny high heels or dressy sandals. They spend hours on their hair and meticulously braid it into every imaginable pattern and design - works of art! In the West we seem to relish plain and even dull colors but the women in Africa wear only bright, beautiful colors with wild patterns and designs - I will greatly miss all this color! Tanzanian women are not thin or dainty, they are generally more large and strong looking, but they carry themselves with a grace and comfort that was infectious. I found myself more comfortable with my own looks (even though I really generally looked like a scraggly, sweaty mess) while around them. They will always be for me, the epitomy of beauty.

I will greatly miss HOPAC. I loved being at an international school - it was one of the greatest privileges of my life and my children’s life also. I loved that my children had teachers from Australia, Germany, and England. I loved that my kids friends had names like Aiden McFarlane, Gwamaka Mwamasika, and Mustafa along with the Davids, Micheals, and Matts. I loved watching the kids go into school in the morning. It was like a gathering of the nations and you could sit back in the parking lot and watch skin and hair of every imaginable color all joining together - arms flung around each other, holding hands, generally touching each other more often than we do here. It always brought tears to my eyes to see kids from all 32 nations dressed in their national dress on International Day - gathered under the roof of the gym. It was really a little like heaven. Mostly I will miss teaching these students from so many nations and cultures and even religions. It was an honor to know them, learn form them, and serve them. I will continue to pray and be in touch with these remarkable young men and women.

I will miss the Islamic call to prayer every morning. Although at first it is a little disconcerting to have a loudspeaker wake you up every morning with strange melodic tones in Arabic at 5:00am (for the first year we lived next to an Islamic boys school and they would let the boys do the call - believe me, it was anything but pretty. I would often hear my children out in the yard singing that call - they could imitate it perfectly!), but though I couldn’t understand what they were singing, I am missing that call each morning. It was a good reminder that God sustained us through the night. It was a reminder to thank God for the new morning and it reminded me how desperately we all need God and we need to pray - first thing in the day. I will miss that haunting melody and that loan voice calling out reminding me each morning of my great need for God’s sustenance.

In Tanzania we slept with every possible window open to get air circulation. It was similar to sleeping in a tent - where you could hear all movement and the sound of the breeze - and the dogs, and people, and insects, etc.. Our house was surrounded by puddles and they were full of frogs. These frogs would commence to serenading us at the top of their little croakers all night long - kind of like one of those white noise machines. These frogs were interesting little creatures. They were solid black with a bright orange stripe running down their sides. They looked and felt slimy and squishy. They could squish under the door jam and loved to come into our house during the night. They loved to get under my dishrag or in my sink (one lived in Anna’s bathroom sink in the overflow drain) and I would find them on the counter or in the kitchen sink early in the morning. They climbed with little suction cup feet and they didn’t hop but got up on all fours and walked. I am not too squeamish but I did watch where I was walking at night for fear of stepping on one and having it squish between my toes. And though I never thought I would say this, I am going to miss the sound of those frogs. They made for a serene way to sleep and wake up each morning - ok - so in reality the barking dogs usually woke me up in the morning but the background noise was still pleasant.

I’m going to miss bargaining for my food. As nice as it is to go into a store, see the price, and buy it - in and out - I am going to miss the walking down the street to the mama sitting on the side of the road with a pile of tomatoes and a few onions and carrots. It was nice to know the name of the person I was buying from and know that my business meant something to their family. And although it is a tedious process to bargain for every little carrot and tomato, (the longer you can stand their arguing, the better price you get), I secretly enjoyed the challenge of bargaining. I’m going to miss is.

I will miss the Tanzanian character. I will miss their music and their culture - their beautiful smiles and their expressive faces. I will miss how when the music started up, they simply could not keep still. I often would see very old ladies who could barely walk, dance and move when the music started. They seemed to be able to choreograph on the spot, without practice. I loved watching them dance. I am going to miss the joy that Tanzanians carry with them wherever they go. Benjamin, when asked what he thought of Tanzanians, said, “They are always smiling - even when they have nothing - they always seem happy.” Now I don’t think this is always true. Many Tanzanians have very hard lives and they do not always smile about their situations. But they are more joyful than we are in the West and I will miss living under the umbrella of their joy. It is a gift from God. Despite their plight with poverty, they are a blessed people. I will greatly miss friends that were made and families that influenced me.

Lastly, I will miss the many missionaries that we met being at HOPAC. I will miss the missionaries that lived in the city - remarkable people - who were so devoted to praying for and ministering to Tanzania. I will miss the bush missionaries that we met - many living with their families without electricity or access to food or medical supplies - often in malaria prone areas. They often stayed with us when they needed to come to town for food or supplies, shots after being bit by rabid dogs, a bed after their house was attacked by safari ants, or just for a rest and a swim in a pool. I will miss these brothers and sisters in Christ, all fairly regular people when you get to know them with the same issues that we all have, but remarkable people simply willing to listen to God. I have been honored to know them and spend even three years with them and their children!

I could probably write an equally long list of the things I will not miss in Tanzania but these things will quickly fade from my memory. Whereas these memories listed above will forever impact and remain with me. It has been a great privilege and an honor to live and work in Tanzania for the last three year. I am sad to say goodbye and the people we know we always hold a special place in the hearts of our family.

Responding

2008-05-21T22:55:00.000-07:00

I remember being back in the States and seeing news reports or advertisements showing the desperate situations in Africa. I remember feeling helpless way over on the opposite side of the ocean to do anything remotely significant to help Africa. I also remember thinking, if I were there, then I would be able to do something. I thought that I would instinctively know how to respond.

But my response is so slow - so inhibited from just doing something. I often times freeze up unable to even process what I see. Or else, I analyze the situation looking for the perfect solution while the problem passes me by while I am lost in the mumbo jumbo of a developmentally and culturally appropriate response. The other day I was driving down the road in the pouring rain. The traffic was bumper to bumper and one could only move if the car in front of you moved. We surged forward and as we drove past, I saw out of the side window of my car, a boy - a teenager - sitting in the pouring rain on a heap of garbage eating what he had picked out - rotten ugali (traditional staple food) - most likely. Tanzania is very poor but the cultural value of community and sharing basically keeps everyone poor but very few starving. I'm sure it happens but I had not seen anyone sitting and eating garbage since we've been here - and certainly not in the pouring rain. I basically froze, barely registering what I had seen, and kept driving. Why didn't I turn around? Why didn't I stop and do something - I don't know what - but something?

I noticed this lack of response again later when I was walking down the street. A young boy walked by me and I greeted him. As he passed - he was walking much faster than I was as I had Tommy in one hand and a big bag of bread in the other - I noticed that one of his arms hung limp and useless by his side. As he moved further in front of me I clearly saw (although I could hardly believe this to be true) a bone about two inches long jutting out from his skin half-way down his forearm. It was completely healed but the bone still stuck out from his arm. I believe now that he had severely broken his arm at some point but it had never been set. Instead, somehow, he must have survived infection and the skin healed around the broken bone leaving the bone outside of the skin and his arm rendered useless. Yet this all barely registered in my mind until the boy was gone beyond my sight. Again, this lack of response concerns me. Why didn't I stop him and ask what had happened? Why didn't I give him my bag of bread?

Mary is a mother of HOPAC students. She has nine children and has lived in Tanzania for many, many years running orphanages. Her children attend HOPAC and I teach one of them. Mary does not have a slow response time. She sees something and begins doing something about it. Mary was travelling in southern Tanzania when she came across a tragedy. A village in Kyela had been struck by so much rain during the rainy season that they were barely surviving. Their homes are made out of mud and with so much rain, most had basically been washed away. The immense rains had damaged their corn crop which was about to be harvested so food was short. Their bridge was underwater and they needed to walk across the hand rails over crocodile infested waters to get to school and the center of the village. They were basically in trouble. Mary saw all this and immediately returned to Dar es Salaam and began a plea for help. She turned to HOPAC and the student council took over with a quick response and addressed the student body. They came up with a plan to all chip in oil, flour, sugar, beans and have it all shipped to Kyela . This is precisely what the students of HOPAC did. They gathered 1.3 tons of food, had it loaded into a truck, and delivered it to this remote part of Tanzania. There, it was distributed quickly and to grateful recipients. This all happened within the time span of about one week - a quick response. It most likely did nothing to solve the long term problem or even their lost crops, but it did do something for their next days and weeks.

I learned from Mary and the students of HOPAC. Thank God that He has put people on earth who see an injustice and respond with their hearts quickly and easily. I need to observe them more often and let their uninhibited love show me a better way. There is no joy in a lack of response - only haunting memories of the tragedies we see. I pray that I would learn to have a quick response to what happens around me - not slow, and thoughtful to the point of uselessness, but heartfelt and uninhibited and fast. But there is blessing in a quick response - there is not only joy and satisfaction in knowing that something is being done, but there is joy and satisfaction from the recipients of our responses - even if there is no lasting solution.

Timmy

2008-03-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

On a Monday morning while reading emails, I learned that Timmy’s grandfather had died over the weekend. Timmy and his extended family are expatriates from Kenya and the UK. Timmy is one of our 3rd grade students, and his grandparents live here in Dar es Salaam. I know Timmy better than some as I coached his basketball team this past season.

Later in the week, I attended an afternoon memorial service remembering the life of Timmy’s grandfather. While there, I was deeply moved as I observed HOPAC’s reach into the memorial service. More particularly, I observed the influence of a HOPAC 3rd grade teacher on the lives of her students and the ripple effect on parents and those who attended the service. Let me explain.

At the core of HOPAC’s mission is to see students understand and “live out” a biblical worldview. After all, we believe that Scripture is God’s word for today, so it makes perfect sense that we would want our students to know what God has to say and to apply it in their lives. Our 3rd grade students memorize and learn to understand Psalm 139. And guess what? Psalm 139 was the scripture reading for the memorial service. And guess who influenced that decision? Timmy did!

I also heard about the sympathy cards that Timmy received from his 3rd grade classmates and learned that Psalm 139 flowed through many of the words of encouragement and sympathy. So I asked Timmy if I could read the cards. Here are a few of my favorites:

· Timmy, I know it’s hard, but God has a plan. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
· I will be praying for you.
· God will be with you. He has a plan, Timmy.
· Timmy, here is a verse that might cheer you up-“Praise be to the God and Father; the father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”-2 Corinthians 1:3,4

Moments like these remind us why we’ve invested in Christian education half way around the world. Through a 3rd grade teacher, God’s word was implanted into the students’ hearts. And those 3rd grade students not only internalized Scripture, they “lived it out” in the complexities and challenges of life.

Saying Good-Bye

2008-01-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

Mama Rebeka has been my Tanzanian friend perhaps the longest of anyone here. She is the wife of our night gaurd, Molel. She used to come and visit me when I could speak no Swahili and we would just stand there smiling at each other. I have no idea what would bring her back time after time - except maybe a free soda. But she kept coming every so often and my Swahili got a little better over time and soon we were able to talk during her visits.

She is perhaps by best Tanzanian friend. We have been out to visit her home in the bush - she only comes to the city on occasion. We have met her mother and her four children. She has made many beaded gifts for us and we have invested a little bit in her business. We have seen her children sick and prayed for them as they battled fevers or the flu. We greet each other everyday via her husband. We have invested the way Tanzanians invest in friendships.

She told me she was going back to the bush recently and it finally hit that I probably would not ever see her or her children again on this earth - I do plan on seeing her later in heaven! I, of course, began to think of what I could give her as a gift - a going away present. As we were talking somehow it came up that she had never seen the ocean before. I was at first shocked that someone who has travelled all the way from the savanah bush to Dar es Salaam and stayed here for six months had yet to actually see the ocean but when money is tight why would someone spend it on transportatin to get down to the ocean - there is no practical need. So there it was - my going away present would be to take Mama Rebeka and her kids and who ever else might be around to the beach.

I picked her up where they stay and after some initial screaming by her youngest, Rebeka, who was frightened to death of a vehicle, we were off. They oooed and awed when they first saw the ocean. I think they had no idea of how big something could be. We all just stood for a while on the beach, gaping at the size and smell. They asked about a boat in the distance and although they knew about fisherman (Masaai hate fish) but had no idea what a fishing boat looked like. After awhile I drew her down into the water and we all tasted it and put our feet in. The kids, of course, screamed and retreated to playing in the sand.

My pictures of this event are wonderful, I think, because they express Mama Rebeka. The ocean was new to her, vast, big, something she knew nothing about. I imagine having grown up in the savanah bush that she had rarely even seen a body of water besides the watering holes for cattle. I know she had never had a body of water large enough to have completely immersed herself in. But with a smile on her face, and giggles of delight, she ripped off her robe and dove in relishing in it all.

I wish I could be more like Mama Rebeka, ripping off my old robes and giggling with glee while I dive into something new and unknown - even something as big as the ocean - very little fear but just joy and relishing in the glory of it all. We went home and though Mama Rebeka doesn't know I will be leaving Tanzania yet, I felt good about giving her this one little thing even if it has no practical value and even though it is only a memory. I also walk away with a gift, a lesson learned from Mama Rebeka.

It turned out Mama Rebeka has not left yet and there have been many more days of coming to say goodbye to me and I have given many more good-bye gifts. The trip home for her has been cancelled many times but I am ok with that - am still learning it is just the Tanzanian way.

A Double Blessing

2007-12-04T04:56:00.000-08:00

International Day at HOPAC is an annual November tradition. It’s an opportunity to celebrate all of the nationalities (this year 30) represented in our student body. This year one-third of our students are Tanzanian. What attracted us to HOPAC three years ago and continues to motivate us is our deep desire for HOPAC to invest in the lives of Tanzanian students who come from highly influential families. We know that these students will play a role one day in shaping their nation. We pray that during these formative years, a HOPAC education will prepare them to impact Tanzania for Jesus Christ.

We often say that much of this impact will be seen 20 or 30 years from today when these students are in their prime adult years. But even though we may not be able to see the total fruit of our work at HOPAC, we firmly believe that Tanzania will be different because of the biblical worldview our students receive. Our mission states that we want our students to understand and live out a biblical worldview in all areas of life to the glory of God. So how does this relate to International Day?

We invited Imani Kaduma, a recent HOPAC graduate to give the keynote address. Imani’s faither, Ibrahim, also serves on our Board of Governors. Imani is a recent graduate of a Tanzanian university where he studied law. He’s now preparing for law school. Before the ceremony, I had the opportunity to talk with Imani. I asked him about HOPAC’s impact on him. Without hesitation, Imani gave me an answer that made my jaw drop and made the last 2 ½ years worth everything. Imani said something like this, “Mr. O’Neil, HOPAC prepared me to understand the world from a biblical perspective. While I studied at university, I was able to bring my Christian faith to bear on law. In fact, I now plan to teach law rather than practice law, as I want to integrate the Christian worldview to the legal profession to address the problems with the practice of law in Tanzania today.”

A few minutes later, Imani went on to give the opening speech. Although he never used his notes during his arousing speech, he let me see a copy of what he prepared. This is the opening:

“My name is Imani Kaduma, son of Ibrahim and Happiness Kaduma, a Christian, believer in Father, Son and Holy Ghost, son of HOPAC and son of Tanzania. By God’s grace I was among the first HOPAC students when Haven of Peace Academy opened its doors in 1994. I say God’s grace because ever since I left HOPAC in 2002, what I learned here at HOPAC has remained in my heart and I have never gone wrong. The strongest memory and mark that HOPAC has given me is the integration of faith and learning. Knowing and believing that God is with you in whatever you do or say, gives you strength, courage and hope…”

So International Day was a double blessing. It was a reminder of God’s creativity and diversity with nations, cultures, and languages. But most importantly, it was a reminder and an encouragement to see a product of HOPAC who is making a difference, even today, for Christ and His Kingdom.

Nations represented at HOPAC
2007-2008

Australia
Canada
Denmark
Ethiopia
Finland
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guatemala
India
Ireland
Japan
Kenya
Korea
Lebanese
Madagascar
Malaysia
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tanzania
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uzbekistan
Zimbabwe

My Chemistry Class

2007-11-03T00:11:00.000-07:00

I think I should introduce you to my chemistry class this year. We have grown from last year and I have seven students in A-Level Chemistry. They are from a variety of backgrounds - two are Malagasi (from Madacascar) missionary kids. They are new to the school and their father is working as a dentist in Dodoma - the capital of Tanzania. I also have two Muslem students who are both Tanzanian. One has been at HOPAC for many years and the other is new. I have one international students from Korea. And lastly I have two new Tanzanian students who are both on scholarships. HOPAC began a new scholarship program offering two full ride scholarships for two eleventh grade students based on need and merit. I happen to have both of them in my class. So, in all, two of my students have been at HOPAC and five are new to the school. This has brought many challenges but also many joys. Most of the new students have had very little if any experience in the laboratory even though this is an advanced chemistry course. We've had a lot of catching up to do. But what is the biggest joy, is that they are all so excited and eager to learn - even taking extra articles home to read beyond what is required. There are no rolling eyes or moans or bored looks from these kids. I think they are utterly aware of the priviledge that is theirs for being able to be taught like this! We should all be so completely aware of the great honor we have of being educated. It is such a joy to be able to teach these students from their variety of home countries and religions. I get up every morning and just can't wait to serve them by teaching them! It is an honor and priviledge for me also!

PS - These are great students, desperate for a chemistry teacher for next year. They cannot enter university in the UK without this advanced chemistry class (it is a two year course and they will have finished year one this year). They are great students, hard workers with great attitudes, the curriculum is challenging, the laboratory is brand new. Would any of you who are qualified consider coming for a year or two to teach? Please pass the word on to anyone you know who God might be prodding!

HOPAC Newsletter

2007-09-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Thought you might be interested in reading Steve's beginning of school year letter to the parent community...

Welcome back to a new school year, and for many of you, a new school year to Haven of Peace Academy. We’ve had an excellent start, and there’s much to celebrate. I’m particularly thankful that we are able to offer our excellent education to a greater number of students. During this, our 14th school year, we now enrol 288 students and extend from Kindergarten all the way up to Grade 12. We’ve also added 53 new students to the roll.

Over the long holiday, there were several noteworthy things that took place. We received news in late June that HOPAC was granted membership into the Council of International Schools which will help us in the areas of staff development, higher education consulting, and staff recruitment. The computer lab was updated and equipped with 25 new state of the art computers. And finally, we received news in early August about the excellent IGCSE and AS Level examinations results. The IGCSE marks, in particular, exceeded all previous HOPAC results and are internationally recognizable.

Our strategic plan, VISION 2010, continues to provide a framework for our focus and growth. Let me draw your attention to a few outcomes. There have been several positive changes recently to the overall curriculum and program. HOPAC now offers the Cambridge International Programme from Kindergarten through Grade 12 with the Primary Programme (CIPP), IGCSE, and AS/A Levels. The new focus at the primary level will strengthen the curriculum and instruction at each grade level, and the new AS/A Level curriculum and examinations will provide an excellent preparation and opportunities for university admission. Additionally, I’m pleased that for this new school year, art and Kiswahili have expanded into the secondary school and that French is now being offered for the first time. Finally, the service emphasis week at the end of last school year was very successful and will happen again this school year. This is one way, from many that we provide, in which our students can live out HOPAC’s motto emblazoned on the new school uniforms-“Leadership, Service, Stewardship”.

The need to expand our campus infrastructure to address all of this growth continues to be a matter of high priority. We opened the secondary science building in September 2006. Very soon, the swimming pool will be opened. Plans at the Board of Governors and management level are now being discussed for the next construction project which will be an administration building at the front of campus. The building will not only provide necessary offices for staff and for a new health services/infirmary, but it will provide greater security and customer service with a location at the front entry way near the car park. Also, moving from the present administration building will free up necessary instructional space for the upper secondary grades.

The curriculum, programs, and buildings are certainly important, but even more important are the staff. I’m excited to have 15 new staff members join us. These are individuals who are dedicated Christians, high quality educators, and passionate about educating your students. That’s the real recipe for success at an excellent Christ-centred school!

Please make a point to hear more about the great things happening at HOPAC by marking your calendars for the Open Houses taking place on 13 September (Primary) and 20 September (Secondary). These are great evenings for you to connect with other parents, see your student’s teachers, and learn more about what’s happening at HOPAC.

We look forward to serving your children this school year as we count this both a real privilege and blessing.

Warm regards,

Steve O’Neil
Director

Back from Break

2007-09-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

We are finally back from a long summer holiday in the States. We will have to take some time even on our blog to say thank-you to all of our supporters - whether we saw you or not - for a wonderful trip back home. Much of our time was filled with dentist appointments and shopping for new underwear and shoes, but by far, the best of our time was spent with you all!

We spent the first month in Minnesota, visiting supporters, our churches, family and friends. Highlights were feeling right back at home at our home church, Plymouth Covenant, meeting some new, prospective teachers, a trip to Valleyfair with our old neighborhood, t-ball for Thomas (nothing like that out here), time with cousins, and of course, amazing memories with Grandma and Grandpa who graciously let the five of us invade their quiet domicile for six weeks. We are so grateful to all of you for your warm welcome and encouragement. We truly felt blessed and ministered to by you all!

We then headed to the East Coast for some time with the other side of the family, Grandma and Grandpa, more cousins, uncles and aunts. Highlights were getting to see Philadelphia, New York City, Benjamin went to a great Christian all boys camp (Deerfoot), and Anna and Thomas also had a week at camps through Camp-of-the-Woods nearby. Meanwhile, Steve and I got a much needed five day trip (all alone!) to Boston area. We enjoyed the history and especially enjoyed hearing the Boston Symphony play at their outdoor theatre in the Berkshires under the stars - something we do not get to hear much of in Africa! We had a great time.

We arrived back home and had just a little adjusting to do. Plumbing wasn't working, electricity went out upon our arrival, and things were a little dirty but we settled in ok. School has since started and it is exciting to see students (many of whom are new this year in the upper grades ) back on campus and ready for a new year. Anna, Benjamin, and Thomas all headed off to school looking smart (as they would say in UK - meaning sharp) with new uniforms. Both Thomas and Benjamin have teachers from Australia this year so we will see how much of an accent they pick up.

All in all, we had a great time at home in the States and are so grateful to all of you for your encouragement and support. We can't wait to see you all again. Keep looking at our blog for updates on new students and what it going on at HOPAC!

A Little Bit of Lake

2007-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Over Easter we had a two week break from school. Of course, Steve, being the adventurer, had to plan on exploring some distant crevice of Tanzania. We decided to go to Matema - on the west side of Tanzania - and why not take a train and explore two things at once - train and terrain. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any other unsuspecting families to travel with (I think they had already heard rumours of the train and kept their distance) so off we went, the five of us. The train was really quite fun - after we sprayed a bottle of DOOM in the carriage and the roaches moved out - we moved in for the next twenty four hours. The train is in its untouched state from the 1930's but it was a wonderful way to see the landscape, read, sleep and travel across the country. None of our kids had ever been on a train and we loved it as compared to being squished in a car over harrowing roads and always with many near misses.

The train ended in Mbeya, where we donned out fleece jackets and long pants - we are complete wimps now. It is a beautiful agricultural town with carrots so orange and huge I could almost not keep myself from making the taxi stop to buy some. We then had a three hour taxi ride down to Matema - complete with an overheating engine, a door that wouldn't stay shut, and a stop for some welding work before we could plant our feet in the middle of nowhere - where the most amazing site greeted our Minnesotan eyes.

After two years of the hot searing tropical sun, salty water, and white sand, we beheld the most gorgeous, cool, freshwater lake a Minnesotan could imagine. From the beach we could see Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique. We spent the next few days swimming, canoeing, swimming, laying in the sand, scrounging for food (no comment), snorkeling, and swimming. It was a wonderful Easter break.

But the real reason I wrote about this excursion on our blog is not because of the treat it was to visit a new place in Tanzania but because of who we met there. We heard a group doing a Seder meal our first night there and later learned that it was several families who live nearby and have a child at HOPAC. We, of course, recognized their daughter right away. They live in Mbeya and work for Wycliff and are working on translating the Bible into ten of the local languages right there in the area. It was so amazing to get to hear about their work and how soon, ten people groups will have the Bible translated into their own languages. They encouraged us by letting us know how important it was that they could send their older children to HOPAC. She boards at a nearby boarding house. The younger children attend public school and are home schooled. They gratefully spoke of how their whole group would have had to pack up shop and head home to Finland would they not have been able to send their children to school at HOPAC. We have found over and over again how critical education is for enabling missionaries to stay on the field as their children reach high school age.

Sometimes, in the big city where we don't see as much field work being done with the Tanzanians, it is easy to get lost and wonder if we are doing any good or having any impact. But, among our swimming and enjoying the sun and sand and beautiful scenery, God was able to show us a taste of the far reaching effects of our work. Way over on the other side of the country, in the middle of nowhere, HOPAC was playing a role in the sharing of the gospel of Jesus with people. That encouragement, perhaps, made the trip extra special for me and worth the long trip home complete with a twenty six hour train delay and night on the train station floor!

Step Out: Service, Leadership, Stewardship

2007-03-27T21:46:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the school year, a new school logo and annual theme were launched. STEP OUT is the theme with focus on Service, Leadership, and Stewardship. During last year’s strategic planning process, those involved identified “outwardly focused HOPAC students” as a top priority for the strategic plan. Service, Leadership, and Stewardship were identified as character traits that the HOPAC community desires to see developed in its students. To that end, this year has been filled with activities to realize that vision. In the area of service-learning, our Service-Learning Coordinator recently shared an update.

Primary school students recently read books to raise money for Heifer International's "Read to Feed" Program. This Program enables students to raise money for livestock through reading books. Livestock were then selected by the students depending on the amount of money raised in each grade and the money sent to Heifer's US office. The total amount raised was $4800.

5th Grade is taking leadership with campus waste reduction, reuse and recycling. They recently taught the whole primary school through an assembly about waste management. They are preparing composting areas, labeling bins and will begin making paper from our paper waste.

Middle school students are brimming with information about global trade and what makes trade fair. They've been visited by a fair trade group here in Tanzania called Mama Maasai who makes household items from beads, leather and mats. In addition they traveled to the Wonder Welders workshop to see the benefits of ethical trading for physically disabled welders, carpenters and craftsmen, and women. We are about to launch our own fair trade company at school. Some middle school students are learning about TB, malaria or HIV and they will be able to tell you all about these diseases. They've designed posters for a local hospital and raised awareness of health issues through a school competition. Other middle school students are involved in a literacy program either at Jangwani Primary School to a class of around 80 children or reading with other children at Cornerstone Christian Academy.

Taking the United Nation's advice, 9th Grade students are "Thinking Globally, Acting Locally" to address the problem of soil erosion. The students have assessed the school campus for evidence of soil erosion, selected one problem area each and written a management proposal to reduce and/or solve the problem. School administration selected the best management plan which the students will then put into action later in the term.

Water and Sanitation have been the focus for 10th Grade students. They are knowledgeable about water borne diseases, sanitation, pit latrine and well construction to mention a few. This knowledge is currently being put into practice at Sala Sala Primary School where our students are teaching the basics of the importance of clean water. This will be followed by the construction and installation of water filters at the school for the benefit of the staff and students.

Finally, 11th Grade students have been working on a major sports event for some students from Jangwani Primary School. This will take place at HOPAC over the next couple of weeks. They've planned everything from the equipment to the invitations, the transport to the games.

Please pray that God would be at work in our students’ hearts through the activities of the service-learning program. Pray that hearts would be changed to be “outwardly focused” and that our students would truly “love their neighbors as themselves”.

A Visit to the Masai

2007-03-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

Tanzania is such a rich and diverse country that I cannot but help to fill you in on some of the diversity here. Though we say Tanzania is a country, its borders were almost randomly drawn by early colonial powers. Tanzania is actually made up of over 120 different tribes– each with its own separate language and culture (We think America is a melting pot!). I want to draw your attention to one people group – the Masai. They don’t traditionally live in the Dar es Salaam region as they are from the northern plains of Tanzania and Kenya, but they are around the city for jobs. They are a fascinating people group. Some characteristics that stand out to me:
They are nomadic cattle herders and their life revolves around cattle.
They believe God ordained them as owners of all cattle on the face of the earth – this has resulted in many misunderstandings when they are accused of stealing when in their eyes, they are only taking what is rightfully theirs.
They can be seen all over Northern Tanzania, one or two lone Masai with huge herds of cattle moving slowly to find grazing.
They are very tall and very thin and very proud – the young, male warriors wear long hair that they braid into elaborate designs, the women shave their heads completely.
They dress completely in red, purple, and glittering silver and white beads. They are rarely seen without a red plaid robe – several wrapped around their waists and one or two wrapped over their shoulders. Women wear red and blue/purple. They love all that glitters and beadwork. They wear shoes made of old tires strapped to their feet.
One of their highest values is bravery and they are never seen without a long stick, a panga (thick sword), and a rungu (short stick with a knob on the end for walloping lions over the head with).
One of their other highest values is loyalty and they are highly social – always seen in groups with others of their age. They, if they can afford it, will often have a cell phone tucked somewhere in the folds of their robes. These are used primarily for socializing – not doing business.
Probably the most amazing characteristic about the Masai is their complete resiliency to modern life. Though the rest of Africa has dropped in outward appearance, at least, traditional dress and would strive for Western housing and lifestyle, the Masai seem completely untouched by choice. Though the rest of Tanzania looks down on them for their traditional ways, the Masai seem to spurn modernism almost saying, “Why would I want to adopt your inferior mode of dress?” This attitude can almost be seen in their walk and in their eyes.

Their culture is far more complex and interesting than my short-sighted observations but it is just to give you a small glimpse. When we first moved here, we met a Masai man named Molel (around 40 years old). He often came to visit us and would sit outside our door waiting patiently for a visit – at the time we knew very little Swahili so conversations were incredibly limited. I now wonder how he could wait so long for a few words of greeting. As our relationship progressed, we met his wife and youngest baby girl. They live far out in the bush but came down for a visit. When we moved into our present home, we asked him to work for us as a guard and we now see him and chat on a nightly basis.

This past summer we went to visit Molel’s family. It was a long drive through the plains on a road – Benjamin is skeptical that it was a road because the Masai boys that saw our car would dive behind bushes like they had never seen one before! We drove for hours and hours into bush which all looked the same until Molel suddenly said, “Here!” We turned off the road and suddenly people appeared and cut a way through the bush for our car to get through. We spent the night and next day with Molel and his extended family. We were treated to a feast of goat, a tour of the neighborhood, many smiles (most rural Masai don’t speak Swahili but only their traditional language), and of course, the formal picture taking that occurs whenever a camera is revealed. Upon leaving, we were presented with a live goat. Not wanting to offend, we strapped it to the roof of our car and were off. Within the next half hour, we had picked up several Masai walking to the road and the goat was moved from the roof to the inside of the car. For the next four hours, our car was made up of our five family members, three Masai and a goat. My children have never been so silent for four hours in their life (who is going to whine next to a man with a rungu)! It was an experience to remember.

We are still in contact with Molel’s extended family by cell phone. I think we have loyalty with his family and we are definitely honored to know them and have a chance to learn about Masai and continue our relationship with them. It is amazing to think that this is only one example of the many different people groups in just this one little section of Africa. They are all so rich in culture and music and language and ritual. I know God is waiting patiently for a church to be established in each of these groups. You will get to meet Molel and his family in heaven. He can tell you there all about his lion scars, cattle, and life in the plains of Tanzania. No need for cell phones then!

Hope

2007-02-10T12:09:00.000-08:00

They recently grated the road to our house (this is truly a miracle). But what it did was turn up loads of garbage all of which had been buried under the dirt. Somehow, now when I turn off of the main road and head towards home I am overcome with feelings of hopelessness and despair. Perhaps it is the dirt road laden with plastic bags, garbage heaped up on the side, broken pipes sometimes spurting water wastefully into the drainage ditches already full of sewage. Perhaps it is the little girl who came knocking on my door last week. She really just wanted some money to go to school. Though school is supposed to be free here, one still needs a uniform, shoes, and 100shillings a day to give to the teacher. Where on earth is a little girl with only enough food to eat to get this much money each day? Perhaps it is news we just heard from our old guard, Felix. He just graduated from university where he was studying to be an accountant. We had encouraged him (and even helped pay for) a computer class. He stopped by to ask for work as a gardener or anything as there is still no work even for someone like him who is educated and speaks good English and worked hard to take all the right classes. Perhaps it is the Malawian woman, illegally here in Tanzania. I had to send her away with no hope of ever getting a job with any of my fellow Westerners as she is illegal. She went home with tears to a baby. I am sometimes just overwhelmed with the hopelessness of it all. I know each and everyone of these people not only want to survive, but also have dreams – dreams to drive a car, be a business owner, travel – but dreams that will never be fulfilled on this earth.

But Jesus reminded me this week that He is our hope. He not only gives us hope for heaven – this for sure we all hope for – but also hope for right now on this earth. He reminded me of William. William is a gardener at HOPAC and he works a hard nine hour day raking, planting, and mowing on campus. But William has been given Jesus’ hope. He does not have a hopeless life filled only with physical labor. When the day is done, William uses his spiritual gifts to minister to children in his neighborhood. He runs an after school tutoring program from his home. He also teaches the kids Bible and sports. The hope that God has purposed in him right now is being lived out. Jesus also reminded me of Zena. She has worked for me helping clean my house – and a million other things – since we’ve moved in. It is not a very exciting job. But God has gifted her with faith and at least two nights a week she spends in prayer – all night. I still don’t know how anyone can pull this off but I am watching her in action day after day. She has hope that God has put in her life right now and she is able to bless with this hope right in the position she is in. It does not matter whether one healthy or unhealthy, educated or not, legal or illegal, or weather one has 100shillings and a uniform – God dishes out his hope and free gifts from the Holy Spirit to all who believe. Hope to be used, lived out and lived in the moment we meet Him.

I think that driving down my road will still bring over me a sigh of despair and I know living here will certainly result in more desperate feelings. But Jesus has and will keep reminding me that there is in Him neither rich nor poor, male nor female, Jew nor Gentile. We are rescued from this worldly type of hopelessness. He replaces it with His hope and lavishes us with gifts to and riches to use right now no matter what our place or position. Praise God!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

How does one celebrate Christmas in tropical Tanzania? Well, we do many of the same activities and preparations you probably do to get ready for Christ's birthday, but perhaps with a little twist on things. First, instead of getting out our woolies and hats and mittens, we are gearing up - or already in - the hot season. Temperatures are daily in the 90's with humidity in the 90%-100%. So while, you are beginning to shiver, we are sweating!

We attempt to prepare by celebrating advent. We are reading an advent story each night and daily hanging up an ornament that represents one of the names of Christ (like "Living Water" or "Alpha and Omega") You can see some of the ornaments hanging on the railing in the picture. My old neighbors will remember one year we all spent advent making these white ornaments and our homes were filled with sequence and beads. It was one of the things I transported from the States to our home here. Funny what items we deam important when left to really think about it! We even have a tree that we planted in a pot last year and has grown to look sort of like a tropical version of a Christmas tree. We sweated profusely as we attempted to decorate it with whatever we could find - decorations for the tree I did not bring from the States!

As many of you are busy packing up those shoe boxes to send out with Samaritan's Purse to those who don't receive presents very often, we are also involved in the project - just on the other end of things. Benjamin and Thomas's classes at HOPAC were involved with passing out the boxes to kids at a local orphanage. They each delivered a shoe box personally and then were even able to spend some time with the kids just hanging out - Benj even played soccer with the kids. It was an amazing experience for the boys to not only be the ones putting the gifts into the boxes, but also delivering them and getting to see first hand the reaction to their gifts.

There is also the traditional Christmas program at Haven of Peace Academy. Tommy played the cutest little sheep you ever have seen - even with missing teeth! Benjamin was an angel and they all sang while we watched - sweating. Anna was of course far too cool to sing in a traditional choir but she did a modern dance with a group of girls to a modern Christmas song. We've also enjoyed watching the movie "Nativity Story" - great movie that really caused us to stop and reflect on the reality of Christ's birth and God's amazing plan - we also marvelled at the response of Mary and Joseph and so many others involved in that snippet of time that changed everthing for us.

As you will be spending Christmas Eve and Day with family, we are having to adjust living so far from home. We will be attending a Christmas Eve carol service overlooking the Indian Ocean as the sun sets. There will be a few gifts to open but not nearly what we would have in the States - there simply is not very much to buy here. Perhaps the biggest adjustment is to spend the day with friends instead of family. We will have a British family, a German single, and two other American families over for dinner - quite an international mix. While we are sad to be away from family, we are grateful for the great opportunity to be with such a diverse array of friends.

All in all, our Christmas is still what it should be, celebrating the birth of Christ and being grateful for God's amazing plan for mankind. Merry Christmas from Tanzania!

Elaine

2006-11-16T02:36:00.000-08:00

HOPAC is a school filled with great teachers but today I want you to meet one - Elaine Shenk. Not only is she a great teacher, (she teaches biology and psychology) but she is a great mom, (mother of four), and a great friend (she shares an office with me - we try to work more than talk).

One of the educational goals of HOPAC is to integrate faith and learning in all areas and subjects. As we learn about biology, literature, and math there are so many ways that God expresses Himself and the Christian teacher's task is to direct the student's attention to what God is telling us through these aspects of life. As we learn about a subject, we ultimately learn about God. Elaine has such a heart for this type of learning. Just recently I was walking by her small college level Psychology class and I had to stop and listen because the material was so ineresting. They were looking at a psychological study of how people respond to being put in prinoner/gaurd type roles and then allowed to follow these roles only being observed. Elaine was able to capture the students attention at how the people responded to these roles but also move into a thoughtful discussion about the sinful nature of man and how we all have a desperate need for His rescuing. Amazing Biblical insight being taught in Psychology!

Elaine also took the most of her opportunity with parents during conferences to boldly encourage those of different faiths. She has worked at the school for several years and her family is here for the long haul. She has invested in the lives of these students. She asked each family who came to conferences how they felt about their child being at a Christian school though they were of differing faiths. So interesting and varied were the answers, but many expressed some interest in understanding Christianity better as their children were reading the Bible in school and often had questions they could not answer. She took this opportunity to encourage the parents to read the Bible with their children at home. What a great chance for God to speak not only in the lives of these kids, but also their families at home.

Elaine is just one example of all the teachers here - each with hearts to make the most of the time they have with these kids. They are great educators and desire to see the students do well academically, but they also have a stong burden to see these children and their families grow in faith. Pray for the wonderful teachers here at HOPAC and the amazing ministry each of them has with their students.

Ramadan

2006-10-19T00:42:00.000-07:00

This month is Ramadan. This is the month that all Muslims around the world fast from sun up until sundown. It is part of the five pillars of their faith and a requirement to get to heaven. Here in Dar es Salaam, the prayer call goes off earlier than normal - about 4:30am instead of 5:30am. Muslim households will rise for a breakfast before sunrise. They will fast from all food and drink until sundown when they will gather to partake of another meal. Many of the older students at HOPAC (and even some as young as Benjamin)are fasting during Ramadan. They will abstain from eating lunch and playing in sports due to the heat and need for water, but otherwise attend school as usual.

Some of the missionaries that have been here for long say that Ramadan is a time of increased spiritual tension and struggles for the Christians here. As I began to think about why this is so, I realized that Satan is in his glory during this month. He has reared his ugly head and accomplished his goal. He has managed to get a large portion of mankind (more than one billion people) concentrating on pleasing God through their own attempts - doing it their way. The same coniving lie that he told in the garden. It has been a problem for mankind throughout time and across religions - including the Christian religion - trying to win God’s favor and approval through our own attempts at making ourselves good. We really cannot point the condemning finger at Muslims for their outward piety for though most of us have never fasted for an entire month, we must all admit that we have made our own attempts at one time or another to look good in God’s eyes - to do something to put us in a better standing with God. Perhaps it was teaching that Sunday School class, or joining along with some church function, or some other religious act. We have all done it. The difference hopefully is that when it is all said and done, there is a gnawing feeling inside which just knows that we are really no better off - still just as covered with sin and darkness as before. As Christians, this is exactly when the Holy Spirit continually moves in and reminds that we cannot do anything about this dilema on our own. Only Christ provides the out, the washing, and the forgiveness we need. We are, thankfully, pointed right back to Christ and his mercy without merit.

Pray for Muslims around the world this month as they fast. Pray that there would be acknowledgement of the futility of religious acts to save. And mostly, pray that Christ’s mercy would be revealed.

New Website For HOPAC

2006-09-25T10:55:00.000-07:00

Check out HOPAC's new website at
http://www.hopac.net

We are thankful to Kurt Wilson from Compass Outreach Media for his work in producing a new website and 3 films which you can stream from the website. The new website and films capture HOPAC's exciting work and serve as a tool to communicate our message to prospective teachers and donors. The website continues to be tweaked and adjusted, but we thought you might want to see it now.

We'd particularly like to draw your attention to the "opportunities" section so that you can network and pray on our behalf to fill these positions for the 2007-2008 school year.

Enjoy!

Back to School

2006-09-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, school has started back up at HOPAC as I am sure it has started back up in the States. It is nice to have the campus full of children again and they all arrived excited about the new year. It is always nice to see some of the same faces that have been here for long but there are also many new faces.

The entire reception (kindergarden) class is of course new and includes our own Tommy. They are an energetic bunch of kids with an exceptionally large portion of them being missionary kids. No way to power my camera batteries at the moment but he lost his tooth one of the first days of school. Luckily, someone found it for him under the jungle gym! Is there anything cuter than a kidergardener without any front teeth?

We also have quite a few new teachers this year. There are new teachers from the US, UK, and even other parts of Africa. New teachers always bring in freshness and new ideas and are just great to have around! Please pray for our new teachers as they adjust to Tanzania. It has been made more difficult with power cuts (we are without power during the day and only have it at night). Our new single teachers all live on a compound and just had their transformer robbed. I know this is a foreign concept to us but what it means for them is no electricity for several months while the electric company tries to replace it. It also means no running water in their houses since water pressure must be made by pumping water with electricity. Pray for them as they adjust to new classes, new school, new country, new language, and now, new lifestyle.

Speaking of new, the campus is looking nice with new paint and some new grass. But what we are really excited about is a new science and art building that was opened this year. It is quite nice and the Minister of Education of Tanzania will be coming to campus to see its grand opening. We are also excited to have our first set of 11th graders and we are praying that God will continue to grow the secondary school. Last, but probably most exciting for the kids is that there is a huge pile of dirt on campus - as big as a house - because they have started digging for a new swimming pool. This is especially exciting as swimming is the number one sport in the heat here in Tanzania (besides of course soccer!).

There are a few issues this year that will need prayer and faith. Pray for one teacher who is yet sitting in Germany with bags packed waiting for some papers slowly making there way through the litany of signatures required to get here. It especially hits close to home as it is Benjamin's third grade teacher we are waiting for. Pray for miraculous speed. We also have two other teachers, myself included, who are waiting for paperwork to be processed. I am able to begin teaching as parent volunteer but we are hoping for approval from the Department of Education. We also have several unfilled position in the office where qualified people are desparately needed.

All in all, it is exciting to be back in school! Hope you are feeling the same way as the weather cools in the Sates. Keep us in your prayers as you send your own or see others heading off to school.

Plans

2006-08-26T09:52:00.000-07:00

We have them for ourselves, God has them for us and the world, others may even have them for us. Let me tell you about some plans we made to spend some time with my parents. We spent the month of July studying Swahili in Arusha in the northern part of Tanzania. After we finished our class, my parents flew out and met us in Arusha where we spent the next few days seeing the northern parks - Ngorongoro Crator, Lake Manyara, and Tarangire National Park - all near Serengeti. We had made many plans and they turned out great. Benjamin kept a tally of all the animals we saw: 49 lions, 56 hippos, 1 black rino, 47 giraffes, 102 elephants, and as he would say, infinity zebra, gazelle, water buffalo and baboons. All in all, we had a great time. It was great to see my parents and of course, the kids had a ball. We were completely pampered enjoying the amazing sites. Our plans were to travel by car back to Dar es Salaam to relax at home for a few weeks. Here is where our planning came to an end. The return trip is one straight shot from Arusha to Dar and we were more than half way back when we hit a standstill with traffic. As is the African way to utilize all unused resources, the road quickly became filled in with cars fitting into all available space. We were left unable to turn around or even move an inch. Steve walked up to the top of the hill to only see cars lined up as far as the eye could see. Rumor had that an accident had occured the day before and that cars were lined up for a hundred miles. As cars were packed in, rumor also had that we would be spending the night under or in our car. My mother first began looking for a place that would suit to go to the bathroom and I began to assess the food situation. A few hours later, the traffic began to move again but it was really only the beginning of unexpected plans. We had to take a detour to get back by sundown which involved 45 km on a bumpy road which left our car with a few less years and my parents with the desire to never travel by car in Africa again. We finally arrived home only to find the house completely covered in black soot (how do things get so dirty when they are closed up around here?), a flooded bathroom, a broken water main, and so little electricity that we would spend most of our evenings together squinting around in the dark searching for one outlet that had enough power to charge my father's camera batteries.

I would venture to guess that many Westerners leave Africa due to this issue: plans are foiled here. Try to make too many plans - either big overall plans or small daily plans and you will be exhausted or frustrated beyond what you can bear. But I would also see this as an amazing place to learn about God's plans. The Bible is full of God's plans - and He does have plans for each of us - but there is really not much written regarding our own plans. Africa is a great place to learn to set aside our own plans and watch for what God has planned.

We had a great time with my parents here. Some of our plans worked out. We got to go to Zanzibar and spend some time on the beach, they got to know some of our African and missionary friends here, they got to spend some good time with their grandkids, and they saw what life is like here. I wanted to post more pictures but I cannot figure out how to do more than one, so the one with my mother missing will have to suffice.

No matter what our plans - big, small - God's plans for us are always better than our own - and though maybe a little more bumpy than our own, always more exciting. Speaking of plans - I am planning to teach on Tuesday when school begins but my papers are still not approved so pray as we await God's plans on this matter and I will keep you posted!

A Great Big Thank-You

2006-07-24T07:59:00.000-07:00

We want to give all of you a very big thank you for all your support and prayers over the past year. It has been a great year. We are so grateful for all of the financial support that has enabled us to even be here. It is a privilege to be on the recieving end of your hard work. We are also blessed to be flooded with all the verbal encouragement and covering of prayer. Thanks to the internet we are able to truly feel a part of your lives in the States. A special thanks to those of you who have delivered or sent special gifts and packages. These have lifted our spirits in unexpected ways. Each of us has grown in so many ways and here are some quick responses to what we have learned and appreciated about being in Africa this first year:

Steve -I'm thankful for the privilege of providing a Christian education to students and families that would not have one if Haven of Peace Academy was not here. We are meeting a critical need. I'm also grateful for the ways in which God has blessed and refined my family through Africa and its people.

Benjamin - I love seeing all the big animals and getting to know Tanzanians and especially learning Swahili!

Denae - The Bible says to "pray without ceasing," but this year I have learned how to do this in a new way - at the moment of need and with the person who needs it. I have been humbled by how many times I have needed praying over this year. God has provided me with example after example of Spirit led people who have prayed over me as I needed: prayers in the car from behind the wheel for safe driving, prayers in my home for sick children, prayers on the sidewalk as I'm headed to untangle cultural controversies that I'm feeling unsure about, prayers in front of the pharmacy because I'm not sure which medicine to use for unknown illnesses, prayers outside my car in the hot sun for encouragement because I don't want to go home to piles of laundry and no electricity or running water. I have been prayed over at the moment of need and I hope I have begun to practice this type of "praying without ceasing." I hope I am learning to pray immediately for and with the woman who rings my gate asking for money, pray immediately for and with the friend looking for a place to rent, for and with the friend who just isn't having that great of a day, pray for and with the neighbor dying of AIDS. This has perhaps been my greatest blessing and greatest lesson this year.

Thomas - I like having different people stay at our house.

Anna - I am thankful for all the new friends I have met in Africa.