This is a great time of year here in Tanzania, school is starting up at all levels, nursery, primary (grade school) and secondary (high school).

There is much happiness here in the mission house, the Angel Secondary School is up and running. You wouldn’t believe how much time and work the volunteers have put in to start the school. It had to be built, furnished and licensed. Each phase was very difficult and time consuming as each phase also meant inspections and involvement of government officials. It’s amazing they got it all done in time to open it on time.

Here’s a recent example of what occurs here; we have arranged to have a grader come to work on the road going to the orphanage and school. This involved much planning, getting funds together and coordination of a lot of things. The use of the grader we got for free, we just have to pay fuel to get it here and while it’s grading. We finally got the grader here, the fuel arranged for, but then the operator of the grader wouldn’t do any grading without the permission of the landowners the road goes through. We were not informed this was needed, so now we’re talking to the village chairman (like our mayors) and some government officials that were involved in getting the grader here. Then there will be a meeting of everyone, village officials, village elders, landowners, a missionary and government representatives. Unfortunately, this is a common thing here. You think you’re already to move ahead, but then something comes up; they don’t like the building plans that they’ve already ok’d, a name can’t be whited out on a paper, but the paper has to be completely retyped and resubmitted, the official needs to sign the form, but is on vacation for a month and you need the form signed in two weeks, and on and on. TIA

I’m very happy to see the kids in school, but I’m also very sad. I drive a lot in the mornings, taking the Angel House nursery kids to school for one thing. I drive by other schools and see the kids there, but I also see all the kids in our neighborhood, other kids beside the road and by their houses who are not going to school because their family cannot afford it. You wish you could help them, but you know you can’t. We can only do what we can do for the orphans and others involved with the mission we’re on.

I want to share just one photo with you in this blog. It’s a photo I’ll be submitting to my photo club. It’s one of the orphans, I call it “Orphan Eyes.” I’ve printed if off and have it hanging with some of my other photos, but it really stands out. It’s a constant reminder of why Pam and I are here. TIA, Mark