Another day in paradise! The skies were blue and the
temperatures were warm. Does it get better than this?
Today's distribution of 785 bedkits was at Kibamba Elementary School outside of Dar. The traffic was much better -- hence the travel
time was much better -- than what we experienced on the earlier distributions
which makes a big difference when every seat is filled in the van! The
school was built on a hillside so setup on level ground was a problem but not
insurmountable. When I wandered to the back school it was clear that
soccer wasn't the game of choice at recess!
As usual the children, moms and dads were elated to see us.
They listened attentively to the introductions and applauded in their own
inimitable fashion to our distribution. The children were well behaved
and smiled at the drop of a hat with little or no encouragement. It was a
pleasure to see happy faces!
There were two other things that struck me. First was the
number of "thanks you's" I heard in dispensing bedkits and
mattresses. When I inquired of a few children it appears that English is
taught -- which it was at previous schools -- but also emphasized especially in
circumstances as this. Maybe it was rehearsed but it was nice to see the
children taking risks with my language and encouraged me to continue taking
risks with theirs! Second was the friendships and camaraderie afforded
the disabled children. Their friends were excellent at guiding them
through the process at the pace required of the disability. I hope that
sense of friendship continues with them forever!
Despite the fact that the clouds were white and fluffy, being of
the cumulus kind, there were a couple of very short cloudbursts. Not only
did they not disturb the enthusiasm, they provided a welcome respite from the
heat of the day. With the slope of the hill, there weren't many trees and
hence no shade.
The day was wonderful, the children were wonderful and the impact
of our efforts were noticeable. Another beautiful day in paradise!
Lyle McLean for Team Tanzania 2017
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