The interest in this project spawned from a friend who had visited the Bethany Family in the recent past and became infatuated with the ethos. The Orphanage, which we helped to complete, was to be used as a girl’s dormitory. I was very impressed initially with the way in which this project was run, I attended an initial fact finding meeting and discovered that every volunteer that makes this trip would have to pay their own fees for accommodation, flights etc, This to me was a good indication of the validity of this Charity, I have to admit that my Cynicism in relation to just where the money goes, when one throws money into a bucket on a Saturday afternoon.
We built a team from Salford College, comprising of Myself, Ian Kelly and Bobby Skarrat (Student of S.C.)
This trip has taught me many things, these meandering thoughts, I will share with you.
I have seen recently many images of third world countries, Children who are under nourished or land ravaged by storms etc, Just before our departure to Bethany, we seemed to be bombarded with these images on TV and also fund raising events seemed to be in vogue, if only for a short time.
Shortly after meeting these children in Tanzania, I became aware of an ethos of overwhelming support and brotherhood that exists between them, during my stay with the Bethany Family and I use the word family in the purest sense of the word,
The lack of basic possessions amazed me, I had seen many videos of the village before leaving for Africa but still, I was not prepared for the level of poverty which unfolded before me, This was and always will be the biggest closest family that I will ever meet, and further to that, I can proudly say that during my stay, they made me feel like I was as much a part of this family as anyone.
These children are the happiest, most energetic and loving that you could hope to meet, they also put complete trust in anyone who shows an interest in them. The Christian faith is a very large part of their lives and this is evident in the amount of time that is devoted to worship and song. This in time I believe has instilled a set of core values that our modern society seems to have lost.
This experience has humbled me and taught me much, I traveled out to Africa feeling sorry for these poor children, but I returned having shared their lives feeling jealous of the way of life and the bond that these children share. They lead a very simple life without any of the possessions that other children seem to take for granted.
The average day
The children awake to the sound of the village cockerel (6 am). Then they get washed and dressed in the one and only set of school clothes that they own. Ironed the night before (using a flat Iron with Charcoal in the base to heat it up). We watched them at sunrise all walking to school looking happy and singing as they passed our door. They attend school until around 2pm (some schooling involves manual labour to help pay for the running of the school). On returning from school, they get themselves changed (if they have another set of clothes) and head off to do their chores, this could be hand washing cloths, cooking, sweeping or cleaning, Then it’s off to the dinning room for a choir practice, The sound that comes from the hall in the afternoon, can only be described as angelic gospel is. This sound was heard every afternoon whilst we worked. The sound, reverberating, through the open doors of the new building. The children then tend to get ready for dinner; they eat everything in front of them off course and then share the duties for washing, drying etc. There is a little time after dinner to play or mingle before they return to the Dining room / Hall for prayers /lesson and singing hymns. This period is when the holistic aspects of this village come together. The children will take turns at standing at the front of the group retelling a story from the bible or just re-enforcing values that are core to the Bethany ethos. This is a site to behold when a seven-year-old child has the confidence to stand up and speak out to the rest of the group. They are lead by the choir who dance to a sense of timing that is split second perfect.
This routine is changed at weekend when the numbers of children swell, as some of the children’s schools are so far away from the village that they have to board during the week and only come home for the weekend.
My enduring memories
Watching Ian Kelly cutting a piece of timber with a toddler trying to help him, holding the timber.
Visiting a local church, which was built, from mud bricks with a tin roof and joining in with an African dance on the stage during the service.
Seeing a goat, tied up in the morning and then having goat stew for dinner
Working in the mid day sun on the roof
Sitting every evening in the Dining room listening to the choir with at least one and sometimes, two small children on your knee.
The look on the children’s face when they saw working showers in the new dormitory
Seeing very young children sorting through a skip in the early hours whilst driving through Mwanza village.
Seeing the entire possessions of one boy, laid out at the foot of his bed in a cupboard 1mtr square.
Visiting a young Bethany aids victim in hospital, being humble and curtsying even though you could see the discomfort that this caused.
Seeing villagers riding along, what seemed like an endless road with tin roof sheets tied onto their bicycles.
Seeing local villagers walking for coming from miles around to pick up a supply of clean drinking water. This water not only supplies the village but also is accessible, via stand pies situated around Bethany.
This will have a direct impact on the life expectancy of anyone living in and around this region.
