It has been a week of sadness.
On Monday our house worker, Mama Asante, told us that her young niece had died from Malaria with the funeral on Tuesday. Last year her brother was killed in a road accident in Dar es Salaam.
On Thursday, Dr Corrie took us on a walk to a lake on Marsh land on the outskirts of Mvumi. Unfortunately on the way back she had a phone call to say a close Dutch VSO friend, Saskia, had been seriously hurt when a lorry knocked her off her bike in Dodoma. Although Corrie tried to get to Dodoma as quickly as possible, a distance of only 25 miles, it took over an hour to arrange a lift and Saskia had died by the time she had arrived.
Such is the fragility of life whoever we are and wherever we live.
And from what we can understand there is a growing problem of hunger for some people in the area.
Perversely, although the rains have been poor, last Sunday we did feel our first drops of rain ever in Mvumi on the walk back from church. It was very fine and didn’t even make the ground look damp. Last year there was no lake near the village, so it is ironic that one had formed, even if for only a short time. Already the farmers are sowing crops on the margins of the lake as the waters recede. However, on our walk we passed many examples of Maize and Millet which appeared stunted or dead (see photo above). The test will be in a few months time when the villagers hope to harvest the crops. We understand that the rains have been patchy - although some fields in the area seem alright, others have been badly affected.
Last Friday we visited Dodoma for a piano recital by Simon an English teacher who had visited Mvumi Secondary school for 3 weeks. Although on a simple upright piano, the outdoor concert was atmospheric in the sunny evening surrounded by blossoming trees Even Malcolm, not known to relish this type of culture, enjoyed the event
On Sunday we were welcomed back by St Andrews church. Having brushed up on our limited Swahili, when it came to introduce ourselves to the congregation we managed to say who we are, where we are from and to bring them greetings from Emmanuel Church, Chesham and the Waltons. Malcolm was then asked to come to the front of the church to tell them about our journeys over the previous 6 months – fortunately a visiting chaplain was able to translate
In the past week the Hospital was told that the ambulance has to be taken back to the same dealership in Dar for its initial 1000km service, again requiring staff to stay away for 2 or more days. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the only journeys the Ambulance will have been is to be delivered to Mvumi, and taken back to Dar. Presumably similar journeys will be carried out by other hospitals, before a single patient has been picked up by any ambulance! Such is Africa.
Last week I noticed the Hospital Chaplain, Meshak, walking across the Hospital with a blue bowl – I asked him why as it was a strange time of day to shave!!!! He told me he was just returning from the hostel where pregnant women stay. Many walk to the Hospital from miles around, and because of poor pre-natal care they are not really sure when their baby is due. If they are too early they stay in a hospital hostel until they go into labour rather than having to make the long journey home. Apparently the chaplain had just baptised three of the woman. Some of the villagers still follow the traditional ways of black magic and witch-craft, so it is good to know that the Hospital is still able to carry out its original purpose of teaching about Christianity.
As we look forward to the coming week we ask you to pray for the family and friends of Saskia and Mama Asante.
On Monday our house worker, Mama Asante, told us that her young niece had died from Malaria with the funeral on Tuesday. Last year her brother was killed in a road accident in Dar es Salaam.
On Thursday, Dr Corrie took us on a walk to a lake on Marsh land on the outskirts of Mvumi. Unfortunately on the way back she had a phone call to say a close Dutch VSO friend, Saskia, had been seriously hurt when a lorry knocked her off her bike in Dodoma. Although Corrie tried to get to Dodoma as quickly as possible, a distance of only 25 miles, it took over an hour to arrange a lift and Saskia had died by the time she had arrived.
Such is the fragility of life whoever we are and wherever we live.
And from what we can understand there is a growing problem of hunger for some people in the area.
Perversely, although the rains have been poor, last Sunday we did feel our first drops of rain ever in Mvumi on the walk back from church. It was very fine and didn’t even make the ground look damp. Last year there was no lake near the village, so it is ironic that one had formed, even if for only a short time. Already the farmers are sowing crops on the margins of the lake as the waters recede. However, on our walk we passed many examples of Maize and Millet which appeared stunted or dead (see photo above). The test will be in a few months time when the villagers hope to harvest the crops. We understand that the rains have been patchy - although some fields in the area seem alright, others have been badly affected.
Last Friday we visited Dodoma for a piano recital by Simon an English teacher who had visited Mvumi Secondary school for 3 weeks. Although on a simple upright piano, the outdoor concert was atmospheric in the sunny evening surrounded by blossoming trees Even Malcolm, not known to relish this type of culture, enjoyed the event
On Sunday we were welcomed back by St Andrews church. Having brushed up on our limited Swahili, when it came to introduce ourselves to the congregation we managed to say who we are, where we are from and to bring them greetings from Emmanuel Church, Chesham and the Waltons. Malcolm was then asked to come to the front of the church to tell them about our journeys over the previous 6 months – fortunately a visiting chaplain was able to translate
In the past week the Hospital was told that the ambulance has to be taken back to the same dealership in Dar for its initial 1000km service, again requiring staff to stay away for 2 or more days. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the only journeys the Ambulance will have been is to be delivered to Mvumi, and taken back to Dar. Presumably similar journeys will be carried out by other hospitals, before a single patient has been picked up by any ambulance! Such is Africa.
Last week I noticed the Hospital Chaplain, Meshak, walking across the Hospital with a blue bowl – I asked him why as it was a strange time of day to shave!!!! He told me he was just returning from the hostel where pregnant women stay. Many walk to the Hospital from miles around, and because of poor pre-natal care they are not really sure when their baby is due. If they are too early they stay in a hospital hostel until they go into labour rather than having to make the long journey home. Apparently the chaplain had just baptised three of the woman. Some of the villagers still follow the traditional ways of black magic and witch-craft, so it is good to know that the Hospital is still able to carry out its original purpose of teaching about Christianity.
As we look forward to the coming week we ask you to pray for the family and friends of Saskia and Mama Asante.
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