Saturday, May 30, 2009

DODOMA OR BUST



GETTING READY TO LEAVE
THIS FALL
FROM EVERGREEN
COLORADO




Well this is my first time at BLOGGING, so here goes...
Finally it seems my husband and I may be traveling to Dodoma, TZ to teach at St. John's University.
What a relief and blessing it was to hear that the university still needed volunteers to teach who were from English speaking countries. Over the past two years we have been e-mailing across the Atlantic to various educational institutions mainly Msalato College, St. John's and CAMS located in Dodoma, Tanzania. All of which are sponsored and somewhat funded by the Episcopal Church here in the US, mainly through the Atlanta Diocese and the Tanzania Anglican Church. How did we hear about this out of the way place??


It was our pleasure a few years ago to meet up with two wonderful dedicated couples the Mccanns and the Matonyas. The Mccanns, Sandy and her husband Martin , were back in
in Columbus, Ga (where we had recently moved and become members of their home church, St. Thomas Episcopal.) Sandy gave a short talk one Sunday along with pictures of her mission work there in Dodoma and Msalato College. I was so impressed.

Over the next several months announcements began to appear in our church literature about hosting a Bishop and his wife from Dodoma. In the fall of 2006 Moses and Ruth appeared at our church doorstep. Moses was all smiles and very talkative. Ruth was shy and pleasant. I soon began to seek Moses and Ruth out to talk about their home country and the need for teachers. It was clear from the beginning that they shared a strong vibrant faith and a desire to improve the education in their country.

That Christmas our younger son Robin returned from Japan (teaches English there) for a short unemployment stay at our house. He soon was tapped by Father Doug to help teach Ruth English skills before she returned to Dodoma. What a treat for him. He enjoyed working each day with her. They went shopping, ate different foods, played games.. all in English. She wasn't the only one to learn. He came away from that experience knowing he wanted to return to Japan and continue his studies of Japanese and the culture. I lost a son again that year but gained the knowledge that Dodoma awaited our teaching skills.


In the fall of 2007, Moses and Ruth returned to Dodoma and he became principal of Msalato College. She became pregnant and delivered a wonderful baby girl named Grace in the fall of 2008. My husband and I both retired from teaching and moved back to Colorado where our oldest son Aaron was now living with his wife Beth.
To make a story not too very long, David suffered a very bad upper arm break on June 16, 2008. At that time we were not sure if he would ever be able to travel great distances. I put our plans on hold for Msalato and St. John's and began the long difficult recovery with my husband. (In February of 2008 he had also had ankle fusion which had not healed correctly.)

Summer came and went, Fall rushed in and left in Evergreen as it usually does at 7500 feet.



Winter was long but Spring, with its snows and sweat warm days, brought healing and a new determination to take the plunge to Dodoma!!
After many e-mails again and long waits I do believe we may be on our way. At present we are now waiting to hear about our work visas. St. John's would like us there for October, 2009.. but the wheels of government often go slow... as in this country.

If you read this blog and know of relevant past experiences in Dodoma , are currently living in or around Dodoma or are going to the area this fall, please post a comment.

Blessings,

Charlotte and David waiting in Colorado