We woz robbed!

As a long time follower of Crystal Palace FC Malcolm is used to disappointment.

This week there was a home match for the deaf football team from Neema Crafts. The supporters turned up with great expectation. Some of them even brought their own football, made to a local specification – from plastic bags!

Unfortunately, after a thrilling match, we lost 2-0. The unbiased view of Ally, the teams organiser, is that the loss was the referee’s fault – we woz robbed!

 

However, the fans seemed excited.

One of the attractions in Iringa for both tourists and local people is the Neema Crafts café which serves a range of meals, snacks and drinks. Ally is one of the waiters and, like all the waiters is deaf. Customers write their orders on a pad, or can try Swahili sign language.

Unfortunately  Ally ‘woz robbed’ for a second time this week. Mobile phones are probably one of the most valuable items that most Tanzanians own, where even a modest one costs about a month's salary (£60). They are even more highly prized than in the UK, not only for their cost but also because in East African culture communications and relationships are most important.

One day, during a tea break, a thief stole Ally’s phone from the ceramics workshop where it had been left to charge. However, the thief did not realise we have CCTV. Enquiries continue to see if the phone can be recovered. Although the thief is recognised he may have moved away.

There are a team of people in the Admin office helping prevent Neema Crafts being robbed. One of these is Mariam. Though of stunted growth she is not someone to cross!

Fortunately we are not ‘robbed’ by the scenery here. The Sunset Hotel has a spectacular view over Iringa, and Irene enjoyed sharing this with Zachi, the son of Ben and Katy, the Directors of Neema Crafts.

Just Football Crazy

‘Cry Liverpool’.

That was almost what was displayed on the big screen when Malcolm went to watch Crystal Palace play Liverpool live at our local cinema this week. 

Premier League football is very popular here, though most seem to support recent league champions such as Man City, Man United and Chelsea rather than Liverpool and ‘Crystal who?’.

 Two of the other UK mission  workers here support Liverpool so Malcolm, a Palace follower since a boy, went with them on Monday to see Liverpool try to get closer to becoming Premier League Champions. Liverpool were 3:0 up with just over 10 minutes to play, and then............

Cry 3 : 3 Liv

It’s sad seeing grown men cry.

At the end of the week Malcolm was asked to attend another football match as ‘Guest of Honour’. 

Dan, who is Laboratory manager at the hospital, had set up a football tournament as a way of encouraging boys and girls to take up a worth-while pastime rather than get into trouble through boredom. A team of professional coaches are visiting later in the year to teach the youngsters, and in preparation Dan and his friends arranged a local competition.

The ladies match ended in a 2:2 draw, with the girls beating the women 4:3 on penalties.

Seven teams took part in the boys’ competition with the finalists ‘The Bakers’ losing to ‘Trouble’ 4:0.

This week’s proverb from the BBC Africa web-site is from Zambia: “When your luck is out, even yesterday’s meal can burn you”