Things Tumaini . . .
EBOLA – There are, to date, no reported cases of Ebola outbreak in Tanzania and we ask for your prayers to ensure the continued, healthy protection of our Tumaini family. I will return to Tanania in a couple of weeks FOR a couple of weeks to see what might be done in the event Ebola does invade us. CNN has a video answering many of the questions we are asking. Link to CNN
Enormous thanks to Bobi Kwarciany and the Grand Erie Soroptimists for inviting us to speak at their meeting last Tuesday and even more thanks for your generous gifts of futbol (soccer) jerseys and gently used clothing! Asante Sana! Raymond, between 2nd and 3rd year university studying Public Administration is in Australia (thank you Isabelle, Tom and Christine Fitzgerald!) interning with Izzy’s father and very obviously enjoying his experiences! He will return to Tanzania in early November to return for his final year in his undergraduate studies and just a reminder that this would have been an impossible dream had Raymond not come together with Tumaini!! Thank you Mama Heidi and Tumaini Belgium for reaching out to help us help this young man realize his dreams!!
What a wonderful success our Tumaini Fashion Show was last Thursday night in Tillsonburg, Ontario! Everyone had a wonderful time and we need to thank Mamas Dianne Deloose, and Cynthia Smith for organizing the event and a special thanks to Adele Armstrong who has embraced Tumaini and goes beyond the call of duty to support us! Thanks to Bennett’s Men’s and Ladies Clothier, (Tillsonburg) and Anastasia’s Salon and Spa (Tillsonburg) and Debbie of Debbie’s Basic Black of Paris, Ontario for supporting us yet again with beautiful clothes, makeup and hair! I shared a short update on things Tumaini and you might remember that last year Lohai, Mary and Reward modeled for us! (Photos will follow!)
Congratulations to Baba Kris and brothers in law (Wil van der Linden, Cees Schellens, Henri Rijkers and Hein Schellens) from the Netherlands a successful summit of Mount Kilimanjaro! Their efforts raised more than 9,000 EU to help us help our children and those euros will be spent directly for the care and support of our little ones!!
Congratulations l/r Cees Schellens, Henri Rijkers, Wil van der Linden and Hein Schellens successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro!! Nelson began university today! He is in Morogoro (south Tanzania) attending the Sokoine University of Agriculture, studying Engineering in Bio-Processing! Good, good luck to you Nelson with love and thanks to Father Dikran, Mama Terry (U.S.) for helping him to realize his dream! Junior (pictured with Esther and Raymond) is thriving at Tumaini. Talking, walking and enjoying healthy food he has stabilized and grows and thrives just like any other toddler.
Young Neema, still struggling behaviorally after five years with us has decided it better she return to the care of her mother, with our support, and Teacher Oddo has registered her at Marangu School where she passed her entrance exam with flying colors. We wish her the best of luck and pray that ALL of our children will recognize the incredible opportunities they have with us at Tumaini and make the right choices! Good luck Neema!And what about Christina, Neema Big and Francis?? Well our struggling student Christina has advanced from 47th position in her class to 37th, a result of her own choice to concentrate harder on her studies!
And not to have anything taken away from our Francis being #1 in his class . . . AGAIN!, but Neema is chasing him! Most improved, she just earned 41/50 in math closing in on Francis at 43/50! Bring it on!! As you know, it is the vision of Tumaini to take each of our children as far as they can possibly go academically, and then prepare them to “let go” and begin their new lives! Dada Tine of Belgium has sponsored and worked very closely for several years Anna, who has just graduated from hairdressing school, been outfitted with equipment needed to start working and moved (and furnished) into her new home! A happy girl just beginning her adult life! Congratulations to Anna and thank you so very much to Dada Tine!
We are well for the most part. A skype date with my partner Oddo confirms three cases of the flu (Said, Pendo and Liadi) and a sporadic struggle with water (which is normal) but this is nothing out of the ordinary for us in Tanzania. I will leave for Tanzania at the beginning of November so sponsors please get me your Christmas cards, letters and gifts if possible before then. This will be a short trip to build an Ebola plan, to finalize some decisions on our land acquisition and to negotiate school fees for 2015. We are incredibly grateful to each of you for your continued love and support . . . be well!!
Angela, Glory and young brother Elisha adjust to the loss of their mother.
Hello from our Amani students!!
