Be the Best Version of Yourself – Tuesday Oct 8, 2019

Mass was at 6:30 am, and after breakfast and prayer with our team, we then leave for Pangawe Sub-Site, and again we have four working groups. 

We are greeted by 400 primary school students dancing, singing, drumming, teachers and mothers.  They stand in lines and sing their national anthem.  We responded with our anthem.  The children are very respectful. 

Four groups: one group was teaching hygiene.  They brushed 100 sets of teeth and each returned home with their brush.  200 hands were scrubbed, washed, and taught proper washing. 

The second group worked in the vegetable garden, which is surrounded by a beautiful, sturdy fence.  Tomatoes, spinach and amaranth are growing.  There are fruit trees in the garden.  Several indigenous trees were planted also, for shade.  The students gave the trees their name.

The third group worked with a group of 18 students (ages 12-13) to help them write a letter to students at St. Michael’s School in Toronto in the hope of exchanging letters to form relationships.  The handwriting is very impressive. 

The fourth group was helping in the kitchen to cook lunch for the students.  The meal program is very important at this school.  Since its introduction, there is evidence of better grades, more attention, better results.  Today was tough because students wanted more to eat, and we scraped the bottom of the pot in order for everyone to be fed.

Part of group one was playing with the children in the yard, teaching dodge ball, duck-duck-goose (slightly different version is played in Tanzania!), parachute games, and Simon says.

After lunch part of our group spent time at an orphanage holding babies, and colouring and playing games with young children.

We had an early supper because we are leaving the next morning for an “eleven” hour bus ride to the next site, Mjimwema.  (“Eleven” because 15.5 in reality!)