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Please click here to read a very interesting article from an African Newspaper ‘ The Standard’
‘We do not want money because our leaders will pocket it
Empower the masses instead. Put money directly into projects that can be supervised by people from your lands. Let it build schools for our children to get good education. Build hospitals and equip them to ensure our people get quality healthcare.’
NEWS FROM TANZANIA
Not much news and sadly no new photographs to show you with this update. No groups have been out to visit Bethany since May. The next visit will be at the end of the month (July 05) so should have many up to date pics for the next update in August.
Graham and Elaine have written a short report on their trip at Easter this year with Cathy Riley. (click here to view)
Fortunately Eliada is keeping us up to date with all the news (Daniel is still studying for his diploma at Nassa Theological College) which finishes on the 16th July. Much of the news below is copied directly from Eliada’s emails.
Before the news from Bethany Tanz here are some items of interest from the UK end of the operation.
Live Link: It is now possible for us to arrange a phone link (prearranged) whereby the children at Bethany could answer questions (in English) over the phone from children in the UK. The cost of the phone call using a special prefix number is 15p per minute. This may be suitable for all sorts of groups. Please remember that only the older children can speak English and we would need to have the questions beforehand. The day and time would have to be prearranged. (We can arrange this only because recently mobile phone coverage has been extended to cover our area and the Bethany team now have cheap mobile phones). We had applied for a ‘land line’ over ten years ago and now with the advent of mobile phone coverage it is unlikely that provision of land lines other than in the cities will be pursued.
New Children’s home: We have recently been in touch with an English couple (Ben and Amy Hathaway) who have been resident in Mwanza for over three years, have already adopted 2 orphaned Tanzanian children, worked at Starehe (Canadian orphanage in Mwanza) and also at Isamilo International School (Mwanza) . They have a vision to open a new orphanage for babies 'Forever Angels', please click here to visit their web site. I and Daniel together with some of the Bethany children visited them on our last visit and we spoke to them at length. We believe they are totally genuine in their proposals and we have no hesitation in recommending them to you. We believe that any finance you donate to their work will be well spent and they will be good stewards. This is the first time we have commended another organisation to you for your support even though there are many different orphanages and aid agencies we have come into contact with over the past 14 years
Volunteers: The next three trips are finalised (July, August and September) but there is still time to book for our November trip - We already have four wanting to go on this trip but we have room for more (the cost will probably be about £800). Please email for details or to apply.
Satellite Internet: We are aware that if we could possible afford satellite internet together with half a dozen computers together with volunteers to teach them then this would of great benefit and almost guarantee jobs for all our children. They would leave and go on to teach computer skills in the schools of Tanzania. Computers are cheap in Tanzania, it’s the teachers we need and the internet connection. Can you help!
Photo Album: In this update we have details of how to produce an A4 photo album. It is hoped that this album will be great to show people just what sort of thing Bethany does. Click here for details.
Possible bore hole: No further news. The company who did the survey have gone very quiet after being paid and although promised to contact us when they might be able to undertake the work we have heard nothing. They were perhaps aptly named ‘Poverty Africa’.
Mains Power: The posts have been erected, the transformers have arrived but their is no cable to connect the power too. The power company estimates up to three months (or did they mean 3 years)
Sponsorship - Finance: We are grateful to our faithful supporters who continue to support us. We are pleased to tell you that our monthly income has recently risen to over £700 per month. (about a third of the amount we need to maintain the work). We are grateful that other moneys come from individuals, schools, churches etc.
Sponsorship, Supporting Bethany.
Money boxes: The good news is all the boxes (over 170) have been given out and the even better news is that some have started to come back (total so far shown on index page). The bad news is the shop we bought the boxes from (Poundworld, Accrington) no longer stock them. If you have seen anything similar that we can just wrap our Bethany label round please let us know.
Monthly meeting: Our next meeting will be Saturday 6th August 2005. Click here for more details
Tanz staff changes: None
UK team changes: None
News from Darwen Moorlands High School: News expected shortly
(click here for Rafikizetu website)
CHILDREN
From Eliada’s emails: ‘All the children are well this week so we praise God for that. It is just
little Elizabeth who had malaria for the last three days but she is ok at the moment.’
We were having some discipline problems with the two of the older boys one of whom was Phabian, so it gives me great pleasure to enclose the following from Eliada’s email:
‘We are delighted and very pleased to tell you that Fabian's behaviour has changed thus we have cancelled the plan to send him away. The changes have been happening from time to time basing particularly on the two things that Bethany expects every body who joins the family to comply with: GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND HARD WORK. As I told you previously that the children are having extra education here at home, Fabian has been very useful in helping the little ones on education like teaching them mathematics, science and geography. He has been available every time of classes that means not diverging any class. He has also helped a lot to cook especially on weekends. He has been cooking every Saturday and Sunday which was not happening in the past. Fabian was blamed of misbehaving especially if told to do something by a female care worker. We have not had such cases from the care workers any more. He is respecting and helping them with most of issues as an older boy. Every body at Bethany has noticed these changes and we feel that we should not take him away at the moment. We have every reason to thank God for changing Fabian's behaviour because we believe that God has done a lot to Him as we talked to and prayed for him as a family and individuals.’ Sadly the same cannot be said for Lufuta - he needs our prayers.
New children None
Village Primary School: All the children are doing well and working hard
Secondary Education: Again the children are working hard but have a few weeks holiday just at the moment
Proposed New School: No further developments (no funds!)
Health:
Nyangeta: Nyangeta’s wound where she had her leg amputated is now healed so she is ready to have an artificial limb fitted if and when the opportunity arises.
(see links at top of page to see pics of the children)
Bethany Choir: The children are as keen as ever and practice for hours with new songs and dances.
BUILDING WORK
The new girl’s dormitory: Work is still going on and we hope that after the July visit the dorm will be completed and ready for the girls to move in (photos next update!)
Septic Tank: Now complete
Water Tank: Completed
Roof repair dining room extension: Completed
Clothes Washing Area: This has now been completed providing 6 taps, a concrete base and a roof so that washing can be done even when it rains (click here to see the pics).
Crop growing: No news
Dining room and Kitchen: The new windows have been fitted and the doors turned so that they now open outwards.
New Dining Tables and Benches: Now have had two coats of varnish and are in full service. Christopher (who made them) will be pleased that no legs have fallen off so far.
OTHER NEWS
Trips planned for 2005:
July- Our next trip is from 19th July to 4th August - those going are:Graham Pountain , Gary Nolan (joinery teacher), Ian Kelly (joinery teacher), Robert Skarratt (joinery student) and David Borland. We are hoping that this team will be able to finish the building work on the new dorm and it will be open by the time they return
August- Graham and Elaine Earnshaw are booked to visit the first two weeks in August and will be there to help organise the use of the new dorm as well as to continue helping the Tanz team with education and health issues
September: A trip by Graham Pountain, Paul Pountain, Rebecca Bell, Stanley and Rhona Burns, David Hitch and Timothy Coles. Still time to join this group if you are considering the possibility of going. The group hope to construct some form of adventure playground and to interact with the children and encourage the use of spoken English.
November trip: Nothing yet planned - please email if you would like to be considered.
Children’s trip to the UK: We are now considering the possibility of a return trip by a group of the children (possibly up to 24) to once again raise the awareness of what is happening at Bethany. We need people who would be prepared to sponsor the visit as the total cost would be approx £27,000. We would not use money donated in the normal way as this is used for the day to day running of Bethany and for specific purposes (e.g. new dorm). If you would like to donate money specifically for the trip please contact me by email for more information.
(click here to email)
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