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NEWS FROM TANZANIA
Latest News The Tanz team report that all is well at Bethany with just a few niggling problems - see below for quotes from their e-mails
Daniel and Eliada (proposed marriage): are overjoyed with everyone’s generosity and have started seriously planning their wedding. As of the 12th October peoples gifts had added up to £127 - it’s still not too late to make a gift! As always weddings are expensive - even in Tanzania. Many of the people who met Daniel and Eliada when they visited England had expressed a wish to help them financially towards the cost and so we therefore decided to set up a fund whereby people can send money (instead of a wedding present) which will help with the cost of the celebration and reception. Click here for details of how you can contribute
Children: We now have 66 children and our accommodation is even fuller . Our new boy is Dotto aged 13. Here is an unedited extract from Daniel’s e-mail “A new boy appeared at Bethany by a leading of good Samaritans he met in our village. The boy's name is Dotto William (13 years old) who came to Bethany on 19/9/2004. He is from Tabora region where he was born with two brothers whose names are Stanley and Kulwa- dead already. Both of his parents died while he was 5 years old” Later, he was taken by cows's men (men who have very big herds and move from place to a place looking for some good pastuires and water for their cows). They sometimes employ people to help with them to look after the cows as they can move very far from their own homes especially in summer season when they cannot find better grass for their cows. These kind of people tool Dotto to a very far place from his own home while he was about 8 years old. Later, these people wanted to move to a further place to get better pasture for their cows. Dotto was not willing this time to go further consequently they decided to abandon him in a strange area. Dotto did not know the way back at all! He decided to go from village to village and house to house asking people especially with cows if they would be interested in employing him to look after their cows as the only job he has learned in his life. By chance while in this mission, he appeared in Yitwimila village and met the Samaritans who led him to Bethany as they realised that he needed a help Bethany offers. We had no any other option when he came to us except to accept him temporary while doing more investigation about him.”
Water Supply: The level of the lake is too low to syphon so we are still pumping the water into the well. With the pipe fittings coming on the October trip we hope to lower the pipe and finish the underground tank.
Tanz staff changes: Eliada has now left for her placement arranged by her theological college. She hopes to return to Bethany when before she marries Daniel.
UK team changes: None
Proposed School: Still some way off!
Sponsorship - Finance: We have for some months now been asking people to consider giving regularly as our regular income via standing order was only about £300. We are pleased to tell you the figure has increased to nearly £500 per month. This helps meeting the monthly support we give to Bethany of approx. £1,600 for the monthly running costs
Sponsorship, Supporting Bethany.
New building work: Much of the new building work has come to a temporary halt as we ran short of money at Bethany (Tanz) and our attempts of sending money over to Tanzania was thwarted. An IMO posted on the 6th September failed to arrive (suspected stolen and has subsequently been canceled and we are awaiting a replacement). Another amount of money, £500 which was sent electronically from our UK bank to an account in Tanzania and took over 4 weeks to arrive. Eventually Fourways travel agents in Mwanza Tanzania kindly gave the team
$2,000 to buy essentials on the undertaking that we had would send the money on to them. This we have done (although they have not received it as of toady’s date). We wish to thank them publicly for their kindness in helping us.
Future Trips: Sadly, Rachel Bacon is unable to accompany is on the trip planned for October due to the unexpected death of her Father. Please pray for her and her family. We hope she will make a trip sometime in the future. The October trip now consists of Matthew and Rachel Schofield and me (Graham Pountain). We have managed to get 40 kilos luggage allowance each totaling 120 kilos of which approx. 90 kilos will be taken up with all the new pipe fittings and tools including a plastic welder to repair pipe for the water supply. Matthew and Rachel (both Geography teachers) hope to visit several schools both secondary and primary to observe and perhaps teach some Geography whilst there. They are interested in exploring the possibility of coming longer term to help with the education at Bethany. Please pray for them that they are encouraged by the experience. click here to see their photo
November trip The trip is now booked and consists of a party of young people, all from OCC (Oswaldtwistle Community Church). They have been busy preparing for the trip and are learning the language and have even learnt two Swahili songs, Alipo Bwana and Mungu yu mwema (God is good). Sadly we have only managed to get 20 kilos of luggage allowance each but even so they be using most of this for carrying all the plumbing equipment (taps, pipes, fittings etc.) which will be needed for the new girls dormitory. The team will get involved with the teaching of English to the different age groups as well as helping prepare for the new building. The team consist of the following members: Nicola, Chris, Stevie, Sushila, Anya, Kimberley, Vicky, Catherine and me (Graham). Click here to see their picture.
Trips planned for 2005:
We hope for two trips early in the new year. The first will be the last two weeks in January and another the first two weeks in March. The first will consist of a team of men who will build the dormitory up to roof level. The second team hope to put the roof on and fit out the electrics and plumbing work.
New vehicle grant: Daniel is in Dar trying to obtain permission from the Customs Office to buy the Landrover without paying tax. We hope to have more news about how he went on in our November report.
New Songs recorded: We will eventually put these on the web site for download.
Monthly meeting: Our next meeting will be Saturday 6th November. Click here for more details
PHOTOS from Graham and Sheila’s trip August - September
Tooth camp (19pics), At night (13pics), building work (43pics), Staff (14pics),
Football (26pics), Netball (41pics), Recording studio (33pics), Singing (16pics),
Play time (12pics), Study & School (13pics), Pre-school (3pics),
Cleaning-washing-cooking (20pics), Time to eat (25pics),
Children in groups (52pics), Children individually (91pics),
Sunrise-sunsets (189pics)
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