tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17419079508455253012024-03-05T07:03:27.984+02:00Tim and Dora in AfricaDora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-18598817601189152002009-05-29T00:53:00.001+02:002009-05-29T00:58:20.318+02:00Currency conversion at 1:1<p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Have you ever had such a strange and vivid dream that while waking up, you’d need to concentrate on remembering where you were while blinking your weary eyes open? That only the wash of familiar surroundings would erode the action-packed emotions experienced in the dream? We experienced this every morning for the first week after April 18, the day we returned to <st1:city st="on">Vancouver</st1:city> after spending eight months on the continent of <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>. Our African memories were so vivid, yet so out of place with the comfort and familiarity of home. We’re no longer fresh off the boat, so I think our Ebola quarantine must’ve expired by now. Apologies to everyone whose hands we’ve already shaken.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Although everything in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Vancouver</st1:place></st1:city> is familiar, it seems strangely distant. It’s like 8 months of our Chinese-Canadian histories have been scooped out from our memories, and replaced with strange African experiences. Experiences such as coping with cold showers, walking in our carpeted homes with shoes on, depending on a schedule or others for transportation, 2 hour bus rides that cost only $4 and taxi rides costing only $0.30, sharing a living space with other people, and driving on the left side of the road. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Living in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> wasn’t a challenge, as many people would assume. It was more like walking through a museum to avoid tipping over ancient artifacts, in how we carefully controlled our social movements. At our schools and local community, we were always aware of the thin line between friend and tourist, limiting our actions and how that may affect our experiences within the community (I never took out my PDA in public, rarely used my laptop outside my office, used the cheapest-looking cell phone possible, and wouldn’t take out my camera in front of students until the final days). In public areas, we averted our eyes from street vendors working the major intersections so that our curiosity wouldn’t be construed as interest to buy, and said “no” countless times to hopeful vendors who wanted us to buy their souvenirs (“I give you special price”). When we did need to buy things, we’d constantly need to haggle over the unlisted prices for everything from oranges to cans of tuna while mentally converting currencies once a price had been agreed upon. In <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:city>, we’d casually glance over our shoulders every few minutes to be sure of the intentions of those watching us, even during the day. And although all the countries we visited were English speaking, slowing down our own speech and adopting the local accent helped others understand us. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We’ll miss the intimacy of living with the people that we worked with, pedestrians making eye contact and smiling or waving hello to each other, being able to instantly befriend someone you meet on the bus, and eons-old chiefdoms thriving in their spirit of community and family. For the locals, there are few things more honourable than having a white person (that’s what they called us) visit their home. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">They say that when a romantic relationship needs to go long-distance, it’s harder emotionally for the person who gets left behind. We can imagine that this truth applies to our departure as well. Our hearts fondly go out to all the full-time teachers and pastors who dedicate not just a few months, but their lives to the service of God’s kingdom and the children of <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>. Although we were happy to live in environments that were new and unique to us, we did it fully knowing that we had support from the local pastors and missions organizations, and our family, church and friends abroad. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">As teachers in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>, we faced many challenges. Africans have prioritized learning below that of knowing. They have little patience for the former, as evident in the teaching styles of the local teachers who focus on memorization as a means of knowledge, and the college-age computer students who would prefer getting a certificate stating they know Excel rather than actually knowing Excel. The children had exceptional memories when it came to stories, music, and dance, but teaching them analytical thinking was difficult. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Since they are not motivated for learning in itself being a goal, connecting with children emotionally was another technique for teaching them. However, this was challenging as well. In <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ghana</st1:place></st1:country-region>, the large Muslim family unit (a husband would marry multiple wives and have many children) would cause children to distance themselves from adults, forming a certain distrust of adults. Having to say goodbye to past short termers who became their friends never to return further diminishes any trust they have for foreigners. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">For most of the students, English was a second language, and it formed a barrier to their learning. Without any proper ESL classes, students had to translate for each other. Much like some ESL students in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, some would feign the lack of comprehension to get easier work. Dora formed a buddy mentoring program between the older students and younger students whose express purpose was to communicate only in English and build their confidence in the language.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">While in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>, we developed a stronger sense of our own culture. We met only two other westernized Asians in our 8 months. All other Chinese were from either mainland <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region>, running small businesses, or from Hong Kong as part of the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ghana</st1:place></st1:country-region> ministry. Everywhere we went, we’d be asked where we were from. The answer was never short, as “<st1:country-region st="on">Canada</st1:country-region>” was never a satisfactory response, so we had to explain our heritage (“our parents are from <st1:country-region st="on">China</st1:country-region>, but we were born in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>”). Old Chinese martial arts films were the basis of their Chinese education (we saw a group of kids watching such a film in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Tanzania</st1:place></st1:country-region>) so kids everywhere would show off the language they learned (“ching chong chang”) and their kung fu skills (kicking and punching through the air) as we’d walk through their villages. In <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Canada</st1:place></st1:country-region>, we fit in as nearly everybody is typically from somewhere else. Contrast this with <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> where the furthest that half the young adults in the computer school have travelled is a few hours drive outside the town where we taught school. Few have ever been outside their country. Those who have were usually from a different country (like Nigerians immigrating to <st1:country-region st="on">Ghana</st1:country-region>, or Zimbabweans escaping into <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>). Without much chance to experience another culture by travelling, the culture that comes to them instantly grabs their attention, and we embraced this, using it as an opportunity to talk to people and allow them to share their stories. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Spirituality, largely absence in the western world, is very much alive in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> where the spiritual world is recognized as having significant impacts on their everyday lives. This is true regardless of the religion. In <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Ghana</st1:place></st1:country-region>, we heard about a family that was broken up because of a curse by a fetish priest. We sat in church services where individuals proclaimed to be healed of pains in their legs or stomach. A “prosperity gospel” preached in many churches promised that prayer and faith would result in an easy and rich life. There were satanic churches in our community that introduced dangerous suffocation-inducing games to our school kids. This religiousness zeal underpinned society in rural <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What’s it like to be back? It’s as easy as putting on your shoes after a day in rental inline skates or skis. It’s always easy to return to comfort, to forget the small blisters and calluses while remembering the unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">On Sunday, May 31 at 10:45 (we start promptly at 11am), we will be giving a (1:30hr) presentation at our churchduring the English Sunday School (Vancouver Chinese Alliance, <st1:street st="on"><st1:address st="on">3330 Knight Street</st1:address></st1:street>). At or around 7:30pm on Thursday, June 4, we’ll also be sharing at the prayer meeting also at our church. We’ll be giving a slide show and sharing more about the culture of a continent few have experienced, and answering any questions about our experiences and how we can support <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>. </span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Many thanks to all our supporters over the last eight months, without whom this trip would have been impossible.</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; ">Tim & Dora</span><br /></p><p><o:p></o:p></p>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455752000373769998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-14139521160462842302009-04-17T15:51:00.002+02:002009-04-17T15:54:57.224+02:00101 photos of Africa<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/MemoriesOfAfrica">http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/MemoriesOfAfrica</a><br /><br />We're awaiting our flight home in the airport. We'll have memories of this continent and its people forever.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-85128135912249919722009-04-03T09:09:00.002+02:002009-04-03T09:14:43.724+02:00Kids just want to be loved<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufsetH7cBoAJj-BZS7XUa82qa7I7Qpv93B6HYog9nY9W-6mEi2fIh3ylv_uaJy4c0gLGt7FhKW76E6jncj4dcVeCrV54q0rfOlMDq3_XLVSM4W4wk649Cs55Lmmf0tsz-kifk8CGNdcQ/s1600-h/IMG_9221.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 261px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhufsetH7cBoAJj-BZS7XUa82qa7I7Qpv93B6HYog9nY9W-6mEi2fIh3ylv_uaJy4c0gLGt7FhKW76E6jncj4dcVeCrV54q0rfOlMDq3_XLVSM4W4wk649Cs55Lmmf0tsz-kifk8CGNdcQ/s320/IMG_9221.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320359582475560498" border="0" /></a><br />After 3 months of hanging out, giving countless detentions and puzzling over how these kids can learn math, I realize that the only lasting impact that I can leave is for them to feel loved.<br /><br />To recount, I've been teaching 2 math classes a day to the grade 4/5s and grade 6/7s, acted as the school's remedial teacher, and started a "buddie" program between the older kids and younger kids. During the weekdays, we've spent so much time together, during and after school (even when we were sleeping as I could hear all of them breath/sleep talk during the night) that I felt like I was breathing kids. Now that the term is over and they're all back at home for their 2 week break, I can't help but to wonder what their lives at home are like.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-8ag1NrwaDfsSFayBoGcMwSea9qgBsU_wi18Lu4_oI3ZK-V8sE1LFR7tF2eSx3p3luiNgtS3PWfuSiLSGUoJ1EAYa4SI4GW1mEdDvGnFzx1YpEJ31EnXTIAh-YEO5llLZdGCuQI0238/s1600-h/IMG_9395.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-8ag1NrwaDfsSFayBoGcMwSea9qgBsU_wi18Lu4_oI3ZK-V8sE1LFR7tF2eSx3p3luiNgtS3PWfuSiLSGUoJ1EAYa4SI4GW1mEdDvGnFzx1YpEJ31EnXTIAh-YEO5llLZdGCuQI0238/s320/IMG_9395.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320359591544961762" border="0" /></a>On the last day of school, the school principal brought us to the Bopsfontein squatter camp (an informal settlement where people live on someone else's land because they're not being kicked off) where about a quarter of our school kids come from. We saw sights that were similar to Ghana, shacks that were made of of sheet metal and any other scraps instead of mud, uneven dirt roads, stray dogs going wherever they please, garbage strewn around and small stalls selling bags of snacks and food. However, unlike Ghana, people seemed less happy, and in the air hung a feeling of purposelessness. I wondered how such poverty and destitutness could exist in the same country where just a few miles away, white folk could be living in large houses surrounded by manicured lawns. On the other hand, I wondered how I could contine with my luxurious lifestyle (in comparison to these people). The irony is that I can't see myself living any other life.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdr0pdh-r1CwGHhWDna5XrihbzRUQaAQ1IOfM0oEp9mVbWgbECaVOpZzjIh7ScH2Zgh1SWEnxP-O7_CJdXPJrSi3jQRjwzViQbyq7SYJUEfenm-SIIou3SEPF7t-vqeKaD9wZPjJpEGM/s1600-h/IMG_9392.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdr0pdh-r1CwGHhWDna5XrihbzRUQaAQ1IOfM0oEp9mVbWgbECaVOpZzjIh7ScH2Zgh1SWEnxP-O7_CJdXPJrSi3jQRjwzViQbyq7SYJUEfenm-SIIou3SEPF7t-vqeKaD9wZPjJpEGM/s320/IMG_9392.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320359593593503746" border="0" /></a>I asked many of the children what they would be doing during their break, but most answered (like most kids) with a general response that they would just play all the time. One child, Tshidiso answered that he'll probably help his friend cut hair. That was an odd reponse but I soon understood that he, at such a young age of 13, wanted to try to earn a few extra bucks. I knew he came from a home where neither father nor mother cared for him, and whether or not he would see either of them is unknown. Most other kids were given a bit of money to buy snacks and extra food from the school's shop. He never got any.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichdburfCETaGTwg3uVBt8RgwgNuberp_xpCMpoHhV65LzvD3NnbzU0d9QWEk-PUVfa9N1Ifd57Ys_wi1ek6zcYLwpunA-BSH_KUuBB4OOiIg8JiOCrU6VNAgnqR5EVWpDweQtudYX2II/s1600-h/IMG_9253.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEichdburfCETaGTwg3uVBt8RgwgNuberp_xpCMpoHhV65LzvD3NnbzU0d9QWEk-PUVfa9N1Ifd57Ys_wi1ek6zcYLwpunA-BSH_KUuBB4OOiIg8JiOCrU6VNAgnqR5EVWpDweQtudYX2II/s320/IMG_9253.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320359587266465218" border="0" /></a>On the last day of school, Tim and I tried to say good-bye to as many kids as we could by taking pictures and giving hugs. Even the naughty ones who fought and talked to others as much as they could get away with wanted a hug. It makes me feel that they only reason they got in trouble was to get a bit more attention, a bit more love. I'm not certain about what math concept will stick with them after 3 months of learning about place values, number patterns and multiplication, but I hope that whatever love God has given me to give to these children will stick.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-54044783819434551632009-03-26T22:28:00.002+02:002009-03-26T22:37:21.628+02:00No more teachers dirty looks (almost)<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYeBgcIHdxQSmiLjK5I-f-6rKcEd_esWI869jzZqVfsH8q-OVGIjCARXhn0WQEF94qPeD3A1tmq8KHX0M4TepD6suhflc68FUUAovvj_xx4HC4c59zITwHCp4DudsY7luL1jYwbhGpKA/s1600-h/IMG_9226-730876.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYeBgcIHdxQSmiLjK5I-f-6rKcEd_esWI869jzZqVfsH8q-OVGIjCARXhn0WQEF94qPeD3A1tmq8KHX0M4TepD6suhflc68FUUAovvj_xx4HC4c59zITwHCp4DudsY7luL1jYwbhGpKA/s320/IMG_9226-730876.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317596135068868466" border="0" /></a></p><!-- Converted from text/rtf format --> <p><span lang="en-us"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >Our final day at Aurora is tomorrow. It has been a jampacked three months here, bringing the school into the age of computers. Prior to our arrival, the school operated in a paper-only environment where student details were stored in binders in a filing cabinet, and monies brought in to the school were manually tallied each week and debited when items from the tuck shop were purchased. Attendance lists and mark tallies were hand written in books with ruler-created gridlines. Now, our student records are stored in a networked Access database system where the staff can look up monies stored in student accounts and quickly print out class lists or export them to Excel. We've issued students ID cards on which their student numbers are encoded as barcodes to make purchases from the tuck shop quick and relatively secure.</span></span></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKHzmjxv_ViYZa7Oc3PdhokSrNMvaQ2s6pxamutFmTXWcq14V17I3ma-ID1s5S7dVVnB8-nRnrhnftlQ2zIlHbVgYA4aRqbI6WRNkbBXlv_s_ryKBAGfnde34bqYKYv9TZ77npnHDQpg/s1600-h/IMG_8611-732565.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfKHzmjxv_ViYZa7Oc3PdhokSrNMvaQ2s6pxamutFmTXWcq14V17I3ma-ID1s5S7dVVnB8-nRnrhnftlQ2zIlHbVgYA4aRqbI6WRNkbBXlv_s_ryKBAGfnde34bqYKYv9TZ77npnHDQpg/s320/IMG_8611-732565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317596146342230882" border="0" />Two staff members, Agnes and Sipho, after being trained to use the tuck shop scanner<br /></a></p> <p><span lang="en-us"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >Previously, communally watched videotapes on a TV held seniority as teacher of mathematics (none of the human teachers here like teaching math), but now students can watch the videos at their own pace in a 9-computer Windows 98 computer lab through a web site which holds 60 hours (40gb) of mpeg video. The same videos have been backed up to VCD to allow for both conventional DVD players and the cd-rom equipped computers to still be able to play them in the event of a network outage/hard disk crash.</span></span></p> <p><span lang="en-us"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" >I've installed the "Tux" line of open source educational programs in the lab to help me teach mouse dexterity, math, and typing three times a week. Our school fees are very low, but extra-curricular activities, such as computer lessons, are fee-based, so student order is determined via a loose FIFO algorithm combining the date of their last payment and their latest computer lesson. It remains a very popular activity, as the waiting list is about 2 weeks long.</span></span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mUr2tWNxD2khBml7Kd5McOsHbCTHhQyg-PZUUCuWGoh-2h9y0D78CYMypYTY-H9tpJdMAzhIU-8TtTK8HEXaXdGDmL0HJy4N8_fObD9YegW177J0OQlCZD7ot1UsORVvQFXQnjLt9nE/s1600-h/IMG_8659-732287.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3mUr2tWNxD2khBml7Kd5McOsHbCTHhQyg-PZUUCuWGoh-2h9y0D78CYMypYTY-H9tpJdMAzhIU-8TtTK8HEXaXdGDmL0HJy4N8_fObD9YegW177J0OQlCZD7ot1UsORVvQFXQnjLt9nE/s320/IMG_8659-732287.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5317596142947499810" border="0" /></a><span lang="en-us"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;" ><br /><br />To celebrate the last day of school tomorrow, Dora and I will host a dance contest to show off rhythmic skills of the kids here (seriously, everybody has rhythm here).<br /><br />Dora's a little busy sleeping now, so she'll post her report "just now" (South African for "eventually").<br /></span></span>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-63119687946586242062009-03-22T16:28:00.000+02:002009-03-22T16:29:18.654+02:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5DdEUarBg_k8vB5lkp5NWcrpeCALAeNDRZCjNxbnfhsGijyk5D3Lmj_twXHUsk8ZXApYD7McF5V6YOsEmU0cDxZbQDZw6USjTThCjd1gEMAOUyktRn_RWkquE-pZj1HKbDTEMy3Sl-I/s1600-h/IMG_8730.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5DdEUarBg_k8vB5lkp5NWcrpeCALAeNDRZCjNxbnfhsGijyk5D3Lmj_twXHUsk8ZXApYD7McF5V6YOsEmU0cDxZbQDZw6USjTThCjd1gEMAOUyktRn_RWkquE-pZj1HKbDTEMy3Sl-I/s320/IMG_8730.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqAEzQ7kbBH30eHJBDjRkbhYERX93XuKCy-9eNax6QPn6Mxn-2lguhhSkt8p1tIUL1At5-wmtFlPWH5zV2aXec88yjSuF0er33hsUpvtnLXuqXSmjcJI5dRVftZxYs7mYKJlz_U2uCX8/s1600-h/IMG_8758.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqAEzQ7kbBH30eHJBDjRkbhYERX93XuKCy-9eNax6QPn6Mxn-2lguhhSkt8p1tIUL1At5-wmtFlPWH5zV2aXec88yjSuF0er33hsUpvtnLXuqXSmjcJI5dRVftZxYs7mYKJlz_U2uCX8/s320/IMG_8758.JPG" border="0" /></a> On Friday, a thunderstorm released buckets of water upon our school. The first photo is just minutes after the storm began and some of Dora's students were navigating the newly formed river back to their classroom. Later on our way home, we saw piles of snow! (well, hail).<div style='clear:both; text-align:LEFT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-40679966335222596682009-03-14T23:15:00.002+02:002009-03-14T23:22:21.190+02:00Not SpringfieldWhen we first arrived in Johannesburg, it seemed strangely familiar...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr_eN59d2pZVYz_7qEcDE8Vdx78Y9gkTRhJDyeRISTcw8jXyfbFCXgH38DwdxXPrbDMbzr6YUJ3W_Qx36mm5gjcpAHcRIiMUJIoIEOrpcHBAra50ZtR-_GWZW9ulD2PI9kxI_oOmd0_s/s1600-h/IMG_8479.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUr_eN59d2pZVYz_7qEcDE8Vdx78Y9gkTRhJDyeRISTcw8jXyfbFCXgH38DwdxXPrbDMbzr6YUJ3W_Qx36mm5gjcpAHcRIiMUJIoIEOrpcHBAra50ZtR-_GWZW9ulD2PI9kxI_oOmd0_s/s320/IMG_8479.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Cooling towers resembling a nuclear power plant...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y5VqT8q6Imqgr68UpEinnzM2zuYPvUudEasbhwiulY43m522TOBp_PlX8w_ZdmJDk0ejv09rwGvrcDmrxynQuL5CwHJlpdupc1rEcuxxtHVKnCWMy_l3628M6bL5cddpOK420KaXGdY/s1600-h/IMG_8623-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9y5VqT8q6Imqgr68UpEinnzM2zuYPvUudEasbhwiulY43m522TOBp_PlX8w_ZdmJDk0ejv09rwGvrcDmrxynQuL5CwHJlpdupc1rEcuxxtHVKnCWMy_l3628M6bL5cddpOK420KaXGdY/s320/IMG_8623-1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Jebediah Springfield<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhjZ3xnnC2IC1rMgYFmTA83e-6aCZEk41XF1SRZGuBhY39EFmRDlditREn2kLz7rsD1n6A_X6gkkxlms1prOsxOvQT3w-OSIy7Qz9OJC8arKDIjxmvBRibEbw1vYzID2kDnpob4TRCgI/s1600-h/IMG_8948.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhjZ3xnnC2IC1rMgYFmTA83e-6aCZEk41XF1SRZGuBhY39EFmRDlditREn2kLz7rsD1n6A_X6gkkxlms1prOsxOvQT3w-OSIy7Qz9OJC8arKDIjxmvBRibEbw1vYzID2kDnpob4TRCgI/s320/IMG_8948.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />But then we find this in our bathroom sink to remind us we're not in Springfield anymore.<div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-68144513069850228952009-03-14T23:06:00.000+02:002009-03-14T23:08:35.044+02:00You Canadians have it luckyIt was under a full moon that we experienced one of the most physically grueling trials of our lives—summiting Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. And it was under a full moon that I prepared for the most emotionally testing trial in South Africa—applying for an extension to our 90 day visa (we’re in the country 100 days). In Canada, the most stressful part of the ordeal might be finding parking downtown prior to waiting in line at the passport office. Here, a combination of factors makes it much more eventful here.<br /><br />The Department of Home Affairs takes care of all things related to passports and visas. When I asked where that was, nobody was able to give me an address. The locals remember locations by directions rather than maps and addresses, so I needed to be taken to the office in the nearby town of Germinston at 9pm Wednesday night. I had read about not stopping at red lights (locally referred to as red robots) at night, but in the Edenvale area of Joburg where we stay, it’s not an issue. In Germinston, it is. There is virtually no traffic at 9pm (it’s like Vancouver at 2am), and the route to Germinston was straightforward, but my guide and I kept our eyes open as we cautiously rolled through intersections. Stories of smash-and-grabs (glass of car smashed as purses and etc. are grabbed in the commotion) ran through my head as I readied myself to take off at the first sign of somebody running towards our car.<br /><br />Eventually we reached the office, where my guide explained the strategies involved in seeing somebody the same day that I arrive. The queue would be filled with refugees, mostly from Zimbabwe, and I would have to get there early. There are two other teachers at the school who’ve had to also line up, and they got to the office at 4am, and didn’t leave until noon.<br /><br />At 5am Thursday morning, a mere 6 hours after I got home, I returned to the office. I found I was already number 23 in the queue, as I added my name to a sign-up sheet. Not so bad, until you consider that many of the names belong to agents who represent 20 or more clients whose applications need to be processed individually. I returned to my car to get a bit of rest before returning to the queue at 6am to add my name to a second official list taken by a security guard. A few people hadn’t returned, and I became number 20. At 7:30, the office opened, and the queue became a mass clogging up the front door while the security allowed those in who had registered properly to proceed upstairs to the office where we once again queued up. We were split into two lines—one for applying, and one for collecting. I then became number 4 in line as those collecting would only be served after those applying. The line for applying moved one every 30 minutes, and by 9am I was served. 25 minutes later, I was out. Yes, it took 25 minutes to make sure the forms I brought were properly filled out, that I had brought the correct documentation, and to print out a receipt (which alone was 10 minutes).<br /><br />At least I got to leave before lunch time. But that doesn’t console me for my return to the office in two weeks when I need to pick up the visas.Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455752000373769998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-58402681454189169032009-02-26T23:54:00.002+02:002009-02-27T18:57:40.991+02:00our financial situation<div class="Section1"> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">When we left <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Vancouver</st1:city></st1:place> in August, the Canadian dollar was nearly on par with the USD, gas prices were touching $1.50 a litre, and the Olympics seemed to be cheaper. When we return to <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Vancouver</st1:city></st1:place> in April, Tim will be looking for a job during a time of economic uncertainty so please also pray that God will provide in a time of economic crisis.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">We also would like to share with you our financial situation. When we were budgeting for our eight-month volunteer/missions trip to <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place>, we estimated our costs as the following:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 6.75pt; margin-right: 6.75pt;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Travel expenses (airfare)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: solid solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$5400<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Preparation expenses<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$2985<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Daily expenses<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 53.85pt; margin-left: 11.35pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">SIM<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$3800<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 53.85pt; margin-left: 11.35pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">CIM<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$2700<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 17.45pt;" height="23"> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt; height: 17.45pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283" height="23"> <h1 style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:10;">Approx. TOTAL Requirements<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></b></h1> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt; height: 17.45pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142" height="23"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$14,885<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">We did in fact raise just over $9000, for which we were grateful. However, our expected expenditure of the trip has escalated to over $19,000 due to the following reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><span style="">·<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:78%;"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Cost of flights was higher than expected<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><span style="">·<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:78%;"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Most of our costs are in US dollars, so the rising US dollar has increased our Cdn costs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family:Symbol;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Symbol;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><span style="">·<span style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:78%;"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Our estimate of CIM daily expenses didn’t include health insurance, groceries or other miscellaneous items like internet and visa renewal<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; margin-left: 6.75pt; margin-right: 6.75pt;" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td style="border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Travel expenses (airfare)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: solid solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$7706<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Preparation expenses<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$4059<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Daily expenses<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 53.85pt; margin-left: 11.35pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">SIM<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$3476<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 53.85pt; margin-left: 11.35pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">CIM<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$4265<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 17.45pt;" height="23"> <td style="border-style: none solid solid; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 212.4pt; height: 17.45pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext;" valign="top" width="283" height="23"> <h1 style="margin-right: 54pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:10;">Approx. TOTAL Requirements<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></b></h1> </td> <td style="border-style: none solid solid none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 106.55pt; height: 17.45pt;color:-moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color;" valign="top" width="142" height="23"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: 54pt; text-align: right;" align="right"><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">$19,507<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">*Note that these costs exclude the recreational travel which we did in between teaching assignments<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">We are hoping to raise an additional $5000 to cover this increase, and are asking you for your support. We chose to stay longer in <st1:place st="on">Africa</st1:place> to provide a lasting impact to the young people here, but also because the fixed costs are so high. We made our effectiveness the top priority, and then tried to find the most cost-effective way to do it. For those who have been reading with us since the beginning, we hope that our experiences have opened up a part of the world that would otherwise be unfamiliar to you</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" >, and would be grateful for any additional support.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"> For those who have just started to read, you may not have had the chance to contribute before, so we give you that opportunity now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">There are two ways you can contribute financially, and both will grant you a tax receipt. For the online-savvy, you may use your credit card to contribute at the SIM website: <a href="http://www.sim.ca/givingc20.php" title="http://www.sim.ca/givingc20.php">http://www.sim.ca/givingc20.php</a> . You can also provide your credit card information over the phone if you prefer. Make sure you specify our names in the <span style="color:green;"><span style="color:green;">“Missionary Name” </span></span>section of the online form.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Alternatively, you may also mail a cheque to CIM. Make the cheque out to “Chinese International Missions”. Make sure you write our names on the Memo field of the cheque.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Their mailing address is:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:address st="on"><st1:street st="on"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">PO Box</span></span></st1:street><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"> 97190</span></span></st1:address><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Richmond</span></span></st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"> Main Post Office<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Richmond</span></span></st1:city><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">, <st1:state st="on">BC</st1:state>, <st1:country-region st="on">Canada</st1:country-region></span></span></st1:place><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">V6X 8H3<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Either way, let us know so that we can confirm with the organization that they’ve received your contribution (we do prefer you donate through SIM as we are more in need with that account). You can find out more about each organization in our blog entry here: <a href="http://td-in-africa.blogspot.com/2008/06/intro.html" title="http://td-in-africa.blogspot.com/2008/06/intro.html">http://td-in-africa.blogspot.com/2008/06/intro.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Thanks again for your support, we look forward to seeing all of you again when we return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA">Tim and Dora<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:10;" lang="EN-CA"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> </div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-77192128197116853372009-02-22T00:42:00.002+02:002009-02-22T00:50:59.083+02:00hectic in South African means intenseThank you all for your prayers and emails of encouragement. We sometimes have such hectic days that it is impossible to get through the day without your prayers of strength and wisdom of how to reach out to these children. Knowing that there’s a whole team of people praying for us really is encouraging.<br /><br />Thank you for praying for the children, especially for the spiritual battles going on at the school. It seems that Satan is trying to discourage the teachers and children from God’s love Just this past Wednesday Dora had a really tough time with my grade 4/5 math class. The kids were misbehaving by talking, stealing books from each other, and beating each other. This lead to a three-hour detention because they still wouldn’t calm down. In fact, during that time, one of the boys, Tshitiso, who Dora has struggled with from the beginning of the year, bit another child. It truly was chaos. An American missionary who was visiting the school was also helping me in the room, as he stood by the door as a doorman and caught kids who tried to run away. The next day Dora talked to the class about behaviour in the classroom, respecting the teacher, and obedience/fearing God. One boy, Leofric mentioned something that has been disturbing me. He said that he doesn’t care because Satan already has him. Now this boy comes from a background where his parents worship their ancestors, and whose parents have told him that he is the chosen one, to be a king according to what the ancestors have told them. He’s a little spoiled and his younger brother is completely ignored and has no self confidence. Please pray especially for God to open the way to their heart, and to free them from Satan’s grasp.<br /><br />The principal has also informed us that the local pastor has contacted her about Satanic worship activity in the Bopsfontain area where the kids come from. Please pray for God’s spiritual protection over the people in the community and school. We have heard that families are torn apart by family members being involved in this activity.<br /><br />Tim is in the midst of converting math VHS tapes into video files for use on the Win98 computers. It’s a bit of a tedious job, splitting about fifteen 2.5 hour long videos into logical 30-minute segments. The children will eventually use these videos to follow along with a workbook. On Monday, he’ll begin teaching some of the children educational programs that he’s installed on the computers. He’s so far been patient with the computers...pray for that patience to extend to fidgety kids who are better at talking than listening.<br /><br />We have also formed a friendship with one of the teachers at the school. Emilia has left her tattered country of Zimbabwe with her 5 year old daughter in hopes of finding a better life in South Africa. She came with no possessions, and hopes to get a work visa so that she can legally sponsor her 18 year old son over. She has already applied for the visa once, but was rejected. We’ve been praying regularly in the evenings with her, but she still fears for her son’s future; when she can bring him over to SA and how she can get the money to further his education. Please join us in praying for her physical needs.<br /><br />Last week, on a rainy night, we got to see firsthand the thousands of Zimbabwean refugees who stayed at the Central Methodist Church in downtown Johannesburg. It was shoulder to shoulder with people, some laying on the ground trying to sleep, others sitting on the stairs keeping themselves entertained with a small portable TV and a DVD player. They smiled at us, some shaking our hands as we walked through the crowded hallways to gather food to take to the homeless people who preferred sleeping on the streets. They told us that they have fled a country whose inflation rate is in the millions of percent, where unemployment is 90% and hospitals have been closed. Cholera has claimed the lives of over 3000 people. The infamous President Robert Mugabe has is driving the country into the ground while he himself lives in relative luxury. It was incredible to see how one man's neglect and selfishness could be responsible for so much despair and desperation for millions.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-90205370368986380952009-02-07T23:52:00.001+02:002009-02-07T23:54:50.824+02:00Children: the battle between flesh and spiritI feel definitely challenged in my teaching profession. After each day’s end, I’m not sure whether to celebrate the survival of another day or the small success of another child’s heightened understanding of mathematics, or rack my brains for what I’ve forgotten about best practice that I learned in university. I’ve been teaching two split 4/5 and 6/7 math classes, but it actually feels like I’m teaching three. The 4/5 class consists of students who can actually keep up with the BC grade 3 curriculum, and half who are new students into the school, who are either new to English, or went to a school that didn’t teach them anything (and I’m not exaggerating here…I heard that a public school in our area didn’t have enough teachers last year, so students simply sat and learned nothing). The 6/7 class is thankfully a bit more homogenous, so I can actually teach the same lesson and have most understand.<br /><br />The issue goes a bit deeper than the classroom, as I’m slowly learning. Many of the children come from a culture and families where the parents (most of whom are single parents) don’t value or care for their child. In the African cultures we’ve encountered so far (including in Ghana), once a couple gets married, it’s expected that the women will have a baby right away. It’s the norm, and it’s every woman’s desire –to have the ability to conceive. One of the first questions I got asked once any black woman found out I was married, was whether I had a child. When I answered no, and moreover, to their alarm, that I didn’t want a child yet, they couldn’t understand why. This belief has resulted in problems of premarital sex, and babies born out of wedlock, just so the women can prove to the man that she is able to conceive, and therefore has met the qualifications of a good woman.<br /><br />After the child is born, he/she may be treated like a commodity that would allow the parents to receive a monthly payment from the government. The families are poor, so he/she may get two meals a day if lucky, and left unsupervised most of the time, actually, he/she would either be supervising a younger sibling, or playing on the streets with other unsupervised children. What about love? “What does that feel like?” a child may wonder.<br /><br />A scarier discovery, that children are taught by their fathers that love is sex. Sexual abuse is not uncommon in black families of the townships and squatter camps. It stems from the belief that one of the father’s roles is to teach their child, or their child’s friend what and how to have sex.<br /><br />According to 2006 statistics, 30% of South Africa’s population has AIDS. A grade 5 child in my class has AIDS. She has to take pills twice a day, at exactly the same times, or her condition worsens until she is no more. I’m really not supposed to talk about it, as any terminal diseases are not spoken about in schools here. In fact, the governing board of education discourages that kind of talk.<br /><br />Because of the poor condition of life for black folk, the Aurora primary school is a little piece of heaven for the children. All the teachers are here on a voluntary basis, as any funds collected from school fees or donations go directly to benefit the children. Meals are provided three times a day, quality education from teachers who care, and a warm bed to sleep in during the week.<br /><br />However, there is never enough love to go around. I’ve started working with the most needy kids in the school, those who have failed a grade, those who don’t have much English, those who are struggling academically, and (I think) those who have learning disabilities. I’ve only seen some of them once or twice, but every time they spy me walking in their vicinity, eager eyes and open arms are usually result in hugs that leave them smiling.<br /><br />Sometimes at the end of the day, I wonder whether anything I’ve done has made any difference at all. Sometimes, I feel even being there to give a hug, and seeing their face brighten, has made it all worthwhile. I hang onto the thought that somehow, the love shown through my actions, and the words of encouragement may bring them one step closer to experiencing God.<br /><br />More recent and urgent news:<br /><br />Just this past week, the intermediate students (grade 4 -7) were caught playing a deadly game of strangling each other called “dreaming.” This involved about 20 students who thought it would be a challenge to strangle each other and see who could tolerate it the longest as a show of strength. The police were immediately called in to deal with the situation and to show the children the seriousness of their crime. We learned from the police that what this act is classified as an entry level initiative into Satanic worship, and is against the law in South Africa.<br /><br />The principal had warned us of spiritual attacks occurring on the school during our orientation, but I didn’t expect it to be this vigorous. The school is the only place where these children will ever hear about the word of God, and Satan is unhappy with what is happening.<br /><br />Please pray especially for the safety and salvation of the children of Aurora primary school, for the teachers to have the wisdom and patience to touch the hearts of these children so that they can be won over for God’s kingdom.Dorahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04634590158408223611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-79465376673823248942009-02-02T21:15:00.001+02:002009-02-02T21:25:45.387+02:00The computers that Tim is tasked with getting to work<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJEE5OmTEUS0phOOKJ2SfHyI-jQrKpYvUa7pf-ElOAWZbGEpBoTkfvlerohTJcD77bH7mOhh6X2iiylJ5zcTwsp9P2M7bX2xapk7h58dR-NC3yN7D6PpDa9bRmDVjXph-lcY-e6tjzvA/s1600-h/IMG_8211.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihJEE5OmTEUS0phOOKJ2SfHyI-jQrKpYvUa7pf-ElOAWZbGEpBoTkfvlerohTJcD77bH7mOhh6X2iiylJ5zcTwsp9P2M7bX2xapk7h58dR-NC3yN7D6PpDa9bRmDVjXph-lcY-e6tjzvA/s320/IMG_8211.JPG" border="0" /></a>. Mostly dusty Win98 machines. Hello again, Network Neighborhood. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6vOWmJRmtRQ1sTXG-mLYMwJNWLY_0i33empM6BXxy485-4wbDUh2qUxtrzlrn3G34mNySUT14COMw_bUry0mNFqsoC1qZ7-jhThhTmym0y2yYlrGhIiB6UjlsP8Rh8sIKIw8RqEpyhw/s1600-h/STB_8225.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf6vOWmJRmtRQ1sTXG-mLYMwJNWLY_0i33empM6BXxy485-4wbDUh2qUxtrzlrn3G34mNySUT14COMw_bUry0mNFqsoC1qZ7-jhThhTmym0y2yYlrGhIiB6UjlsP8Rh8sIKIw8RqEpyhw/s320/STB_8225.JPG" border="0" /></a>Monday morning, the boarding students return from their weekend at home, excited to see their classmates. The teacher struggles to maintain their attention.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz37Uj7h7M9mNlj3_kBfzo44-2sbMl3zACp-a6cz7tYQLClVfZ0hUIMuTUURZ02fCEjZCekaAJLhjGuLdVM0WHhUiKpoEMGxXlKZR0P9Yb_Sk2GbcL7WC0-rHWOL7k3R_hO2XDQcF68c/s1600-h/IMG_8252.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXz37Uj7h7M9mNlj3_kBfzo44-2sbMl3zACp-a6cz7tYQLClVfZ0hUIMuTUURZ02fCEjZCekaAJLhjGuLdVM0WHhUiKpoEMGxXlKZR0P9Yb_Sk2GbcL7WC0-rHWOL7k3R_hO2XDQcF68c/s320/IMG_8252.JPG" border="0" /></a> Here, Dora is teaching Math to her students. You're a lucky bunch to see this rare moment when everyone is actually looking down at their desks rather than talking to each other.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AWSSWToIQPYMPqmibG29jQKJD93m98ZQOix9wB5GzcNzp8uJvkCR7o85qFoLcGPZ5H3lAyLQwtvw4-UVMqUn-u3s74e_3rzVJhHh-oW2_FSgu56jzweFRvvTFnro_kAkMg-frAmQlJI/s1600-h/IMG_8214.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7AWSSWToIQPYMPqmibG29jQKJD93m98ZQOix9wB5GzcNzp8uJvkCR7o85qFoLcGPZ5H3lAyLQwtvw4-UVMqUn-u3s74e_3rzVJhHh-oW2_FSgu56jzweFRvvTFnro_kAkMg-frAmQlJI/s320/IMG_8214.JPG" border="0" /></a> Many students require extra help. Dora's going over ABCs with some of the Grade 2s.<div style='clear:both; text-align:RIGHT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-82084175970388687832009-02-02T20:43:00.000+02:002009-02-02T20:44:07.565+02:00<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: left">You can almost see Mufasa coming out of the clouds. And the observant among you would be able to pause your VCR (yes, when Lion King was released, it was with VHS) to find <a href="http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/lionking.asp">a certain word </a>that Disney's animators hid in one frame of the clouds. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVErBAPcwkMgAvrucEW-vhW12dP-Zkh0VW9xDt_sBZ1ZPr3MDT3uqdK1XC_QlZjVhb_OnagjORUp5qVzIn8lQn_SLjGQ5GH9dT52zth5C59XYgM6wnZ1yMEyfdUCln0P5B0uxB_OnewJ8/s1600-h/IMG_8197.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVErBAPcwkMgAvrucEW-vhW12dP-Zkh0VW9xDt_sBZ1ZPr3MDT3uqdK1XC_QlZjVhb_OnagjORUp5qVzIn8lQn_SLjGQ5GH9dT52zth5C59XYgM6wnZ1yMEyfdUCln0P5B0uxB_OnewJ8/s320/IMG_8197.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />The nice thing about the rain in Africa is that it usually comes in the form of dramatic thunder and lightning storms. None of that weak drizzle like we get in YVR. Africa announces wetness with big violent sneezes. Vancouver's rain is like the drippy three year old who wants to hold your hand.<br /><br />T<a href="http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.last.fm%2Fmusic%2FEnya%2F_%2FStorms%2Bin%2BAfrica&ei=3jqHSZGHGOCGjAfcjaDNAw&usg=AFQjCNFUVVrpDdcku3h0nAVGEZJwvcpIpA&sig2=sEGbu-6YpOS0Kq2G3T77HQ">he Enya song </a>isn't the first song that comes to mind, mainly because it's a little too uplifting. <br /><br />Songs that do come to mind:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mp3lyrics.org%2Fm%2Fmilli-vanilli%2Fblame-it-on-the-rain%2F&ei=HTyHSczBFJC0jAf92o3VAw&usg=AFQjCNGnh40M5ErrFab7suCEwmU356ab-Q&sig2=jqEWYNGY1dzsUhzNV9XXrA">Blame it on the Rain</a>: In Ghana, people stay at home as if they were afraid of melting in the downpour. Rain was a common reason our classrooms were empty.<br /><a href="http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sing365.com%2Fmusic%2Flyric.nsf%2FRain-lyrics-Madonna%2FCD153989CDE666EA4825688C000A292A&ei=6DuHScHvIeLBjAfBvLXNAw&usg=AFQjCNHon2bXeu__CpKYkVlD5OnPlfRMHg&sig2=15ed22Eh7wxY3Tzqk2uiAA">Rain, Feel It On my Fingertips</a>: One doesn't need to put one's hand outside to know about the humidity in Africa. The titter tatter on the tin roofs produces enough volume to drown out the teacher, and our bedroom at the school is equipped with a natural sprinkler system (a leak).<br /><a href="http://www.lyrics007.com/Belinda%20Carlisle%20Lyrics/Summer%20Rain%20Lyrics.html">Summer Rain</a>: Yup, it's summer here, and the wetness does evaporate as quickly as the wind pushes the clouds away. Makes the rain tolerable as a "dry rain".<div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455752000373769998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-73514145420091648162009-01-25T17:35:00.001+02:002009-01-25T17:41:29.356+02:00Due South<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJ63l0GsXyo2l6fQkkojSSaLL0geMtcye1aU56JQalmtKjczktFjCj2-0ITjfF5vNsh1ut_QJByFj9D3GrX6f1suAfPJeZZ0OIPZFASl_wS4NE8BUwVyrgqfg-VA4MUdOI9C_4hL6-7U/s1600-h/IMG_7190-796455.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTJ63l0GsXyo2l6fQkkojSSaLL0geMtcye1aU56JQalmtKjczktFjCj2-0ITjfF5vNsh1ut_QJByFj9D3GrX6f1suAfPJeZZ0OIPZFASl_wS4NE8BUwVyrgqfg-VA4MUdOI9C_4hL6-7U/s320/IMG_7190-796455.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295255716836916706" /></a></p><div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>We’ve been in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">South Africa</st1:country-region></st1:place> since the end of December now, and there is plenty to write about, but let’s first start with where we are.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Our school is in the outskirts of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Johannesburg</st1:place></st1:City> (Jo’burg for short). It was started about 9 years ago by teachers from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Edenvale</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Baptist</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Church</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> (Edenvale is the suburb of Joburg). We have six teachers teaching grades “naught” (or zero - kindergarden) to seven. Class sizes are about 30 children, and about half of them are boarding here during the week, returning home only during weekends. During the week, we stay at the school. Our kitchen is the staff kitchen, our washroom the staff washroom, and our bedroom is adjacent to the boys’ dorm where a set of bars and a thin curtain provides a modicum of privacy. Periodically, kids will ask if they can fetch their ball back from the cow’s field (which also belongs to the school). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>What we’re doing here:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Dora: School commenced last Wednesday. It wasn’t until Monday that most of the students arrived. As we are in a boarding school, many students extend their holiday by skipping the first week of school. She has been teaching the grade 4/5 and grade 6/7 math classes. This week, she’ll start applying all the theory of helping kids with special needs back from university and start assessing students in different classrooms.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Tim: There are a few projects that I will be doing here:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>- computer resurrection. I tested and networked together dust covered Windows 98 machines to enable students to be able to do some computer based learning.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>- teacher training on Word and Excel. There is an amazing amount of unnecessary paperwork and photocopying here. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>- there is a “tuck” shop (“tuck” is an a South African word for odds and ends) we have for students to buy odds and ends (pencils, snacks) but we are tracking it manually. I am evaluating POS software to help automate this.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Differences between our experience in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ghana</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South Africa</st1:place></st1:country-region>:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <table class=MsoTableGrid border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold'>Ghana</span></font></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight: bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold'>South Africa</span></font></b></st1:place></st1:country-region><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight: bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Greeting<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>A wave<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Thumbs up<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Season<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>dry season<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Summer<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>School<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Computer school and kindergarden<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Grade 0 – 7<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Power outages<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>weekly<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Monthly (though we had only an hour of power on the second day of school)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Water<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Weekly, then needs to be delivered by truck to school<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>A pump and well<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Food<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Public markets with individual vendors selling their wares<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Shopping malls/grocery stores similar to <st1:place w:st="on">North America</st1:place><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Animals<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Goats, chickens, sheep roaming regularly through our school<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Bats that come out at dusk<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Insect bites<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Invisible mites and fleas biting our legs and feet<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Mosquitoes keeping us awake with their high pitched buzzing<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Living with<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Home of Pastor and his wife<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>At the school during the week, in the city during the weekends.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Cars<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Beat up left wheel taxis are the most abundant vehicles. 1/30 of vehicles are newer than 5 years old. Most cars are actually imported from overseas and sold on the second hand market. I saw a car driving with <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Colorado</st1:place></st1:State> plates once.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Right wheel BMWs and Mercs are more popular than Hondas. About a quarter of the cars appear to be newer than 5 years old<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Church<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Black church, the only “whites” were the Korean missionaries, our Chinese Pastor and his wife, and us.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>White church in the city. No blacks.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Name<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Football<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Soccer<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Temperature<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>35 degrees<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>25 degrees<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Internet<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>10 minute walk to internet cafe served by a combination of ADSL and a satellite receiver<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>In the SIM office in the city, and also through a 3G modem elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width=107 valign=top style='width:80.6pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=286 valign=top style='width:214.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> <td width=197 valign=top style='width:147.6pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </td> </tr> </table> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Don’t have pics of school yet, but here’s a picture of a township in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Durban</st1:place></st1:City>. On the other side of the street was a regular white neighbourhood. Probably the most obvious reminder of apartheid.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-47409687244326517702009-01-18T12:57:00.000+02:002009-01-18T13:36:56.081+02:00Leaving Ghana<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_FaBUtIejz-Dymz6Q2JjpLcFUBX8EkNuVFR0vswbdUj6eDCdfZeuTsJx7jCpSud_Pu2sDbt0cXCL70Kr39t3plEmNN4v5O6YmLHUugB6fo-MiihrutL1cgxYwtkhGkgVdnwHd9RO9ms/s1600-h/IMG_6686.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; clear: both; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_FaBUtIejz-Dymz6Q2JjpLcFUBX8EkNuVFR0vswbdUj6eDCdfZeuTsJx7jCpSud_Pu2sDbt0cXCL70Kr39t3plEmNN4v5O6YmLHUugB6fo-MiihrutL1cgxYwtkhGkgVdnwHd9RO9ms/s320/IMG_6686.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On Dec 20, we completed our term in Ghana. The computer school enjoyed a fun/sports day, part of which was a gift giving ceremony where one of the classes gave each of us a Ghanaian smock. The kindergarten also put on a Christmas program complete with a skit of the nativity. This would be the last time we would see most of our students.<br /><br />Before sunrise the next morning, we left Tamale, the town we called home for the last three months. During this short time, we discovered the generosity of the Ghanaian spirit. Ghanaians make friends quickly and easily. Through a brief encounter, they would exchange phone numbers or email addresses, and a friendship would develop from there. Most will never set foot outside their country so they take the opportunity to discover a cultural exchange. On "Salah" (literally, a Muslim festival) while observing a mass outdoor prayer, we were approached by a mother and her child. After mere minutes of meeting her, she invited us to her home to chat and to share a meal. Although it is common for the locals to ask us for the clothes off our backs, our laptop, and our phones, we realized that this was a way they complement us, and that the request is usually not a serious one. And we do get the occasional awkward request for cash from strangers. There is a certain "no shame in asking" attitude that we needed to get used to.<br /><br />There is a strong spirit of community that we observed many times in the classroom. In the computer school, our students would help each other in their schoolwork. Sometimes, their assistance would cross the border of cheating, and we had to be quick to correct it. The younger ones in the primary school would share food and water without a minute's hesitation, even if it was their only bottle of water (and this is in a town where there were constant water shortages). Even from a young age, they have embodied the spirit of sharing we are reminded of in the Bible of Elijah being fed by a widow in 1 Kings 17. Their mentality contrasts with the individualism and competitiveness of western culture.<br /><br />Faith and religion is a strong component of their lives. Evidence of religion is everywhere, from slogans painted on taxi windows to the names of stores. In Tamale, Muslims make up a larger part of the population mainly because children are by default Muslim if their parents are Muslim, while Christians require the more lengthy process of a conversion of the soul.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xilzUgQVrfAkuZLrXpqcpKqGRsHKnBTXDtQBqxKm9MFZsxAGu50pFqeXHERn2GaNXxFLPYm2qxNKr-LvevdgMqPHzoJJPtf_yXNqhSef835zWmpwRl1p090NlaiW08BwhR3H4ntS_co/s1600-h/IMG_5261.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; clear: both; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xilzUgQVrfAkuZLrXpqcpKqGRsHKnBTXDtQBqxKm9MFZsxAGu50pFqeXHERn2GaNXxFLPYm2qxNKr-LvevdgMqPHzoJJPtf_yXNqhSef835zWmpwRl1p090NlaiW08BwhR3H4ntS_co/s320/IMG_5261.JPG" border="0" /></a>Ghanaians love music. In school, the students begin the day by singing their local Christian songs. In the primary school, they have a song for everything from marching to their classrooms, to going to the toilet. In church, music would be accompanied by dancing. On cell phones, R&B songs would alert of an incoming call. Many of the dilapidated taxis we sat in were basically a metal hull with an engine, but there'd always be room for an after market deck and some kickin' speakers.<br /><br />Even though English is the official European language of Ghana, it is still the second language for most. We needed to speak more slowly, using shorter sentences. The vocabulary was different as well: we referred to plastic as rubber, called papayas pawpaw, said "go and come" instead of "return shortly", greeted people properly with "Good morning, how is it?" and responded with "I am fine" instead of "hey, how's it goin'?", "good".<br /><br />We will miss all these subtleties of African culture, and thank the Ghanaians for their welcoming spirit. We must also thank the staff at CIM (Pastor Philip, Donald, Cassandra, Flora, Teresa) in Vancouver for supporting us, from calling us regularly to make sure we are adjusting well, to bringing back some excess from our travels (particularly cold weather gear which serves no useful purpose in most of Africa), to taking us to see the other CIM projects in Kpandai, a town a day's drive away. And of course Pastor Joshua and Auntie Caterina for their 24hour advice and care for our entire duration in Tamale.<br /><br />After a few weeks of travel to wait out the Christmas break (photos with captions are here: <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/DecemberJanuaryTravel" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/DecemberJanuaryTravel#</a> ), we arrived in the outskirts of Johannesburg at a school for children from nearby squatters' camps and townships. We'll send a separate email update to talk about our experiences in South Africa.<div style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-24578838541881554482008-12-20T23:30:00.000+02:002008-12-20T23:51:34.885+02:00The end of the first term<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_3OGzlzlfMpGkLH6owMRXubc01AQDeopOz65eCj96GVoFT2mH7O4pGLO7_d-qLkOQsFEQIXytwYMPdHYxPhGBvEJnJcWmMQeMN6yG_MLLIyC1TDK3FKvfuojX3D-dXQWzq1wCRvUAg/s400/IMG_6634.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_3OGzlzlfMpGkLH6owMRXubc01AQDeopOz65eCj96GVoFT2mH7O4pGLO7_d-qLkOQsFEQIXytwYMPdHYxPhGBvEJnJcWmMQeMN6yG_MLLIyC1TDK3FKvfuojX3D-dXQWzq1wCRvUAg/s400/IMG_6634.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Today marks the first day of the last week of our first term in Africa. While we are here, the rest of the world seems to not matter.<br />A new US president, a Vancouver municipal election, and the Canadian election? How easy it is for us to not care while deprived of the advertising and news. In Ghana, we just endured a national election last week. Officially, it’s a multi party system, but in practice the top two parties take 95% of the vote. The two sides were so evenly divided that neither party earned the 50% needed to decide on a president, and a re-election will be held in two weeks.<br />What economic crisis? We hear about this being the worst global recession in years, but somehow I think the street vendors who make do on about $3 a day selling oranges aren’t too concerned about that.<br />Recorded Christmas music blaring out of shopping mall speakers? I’ll gladly take a pass on that this year. Although this is the first holiday since we’ve arrived that we will share with our mother country, it is celebrated quite differently here. No symbols of Christmas here to remind us of the upcoming holiday; only the students’ preparation to return back to their families in their home villages and a Christmas celebration at the school later this week. In one mathematically geeky way, we’re similar to you in temperature-- 37 degrees. Here, in Celcius, for you in Farenheit (which works out to be around 1 or 2 degrees C).<br />Time does seem to stand still here. At home, I’ll browse the news on a daily basis to see what’s going on. Here, our sporadic, slow and relatively expensive internet connection make browsing anything on the internet a distant memory. The topics of the discussion among the locals are relationships and personal experiences, and time is relative to that. Even the weather slows down time. There are two seasons here—the rainy season and the dry season, so the granularity of a year is down to two from our regular four.<br />Tamale has been really good to us, and far from the big city, people are quick to befriend us, shake our hand, and greet us in the local language (to which the correct response is a Dabani word that sounds like “naa”).<br />Pastor Joshua and Auntie Caterina, whose home we stay in, have graciously passed on some of their 20 years of African experience with incredible stories that we initially couldn’t believe, but we later too realized were the African Way. Through them, we’ve learned to understand the Africans different priorities from our own—how family and their status in society means much more to them than anything else. For example, it is perfectly acceptable for an African to leave his work because his father has asked him to buy something from a store for him. For example, firing somebody from a job is difficult because it would be a terrible insult for them in front of their coworkers.<br /><br />In the last four months, Tim has taught a three week computer introduction class, has taught about six weeks of Excel classes, taught the teachers some basic Java, has given a few DOS classes to interested students, has developed Access databases for storing student data, has created an Excel project for charting a teaching schedule, has disinfected probably 100 computers of viruses, including writing his own antivirus for one particularly persistent one, has resurrected numerous PC’s from a storeroom appropriately called the “graveyard” to restore them to operation, has installed a Windows Server 2003 domain controller to network 25 computers together, has installed some PHP web applications on the server to give the students a sense of what the internet is like (since we don’t have internet access at the school), and in this final week is teaching the teachers how to use the network with security in mind.<br /><br />He has lead discussions on the purpose of life with his class, has given a two day class to share about the differences between North American and African friendship, and has visited the homes of many students to get to know them better.<br /><br />For Dora, the time has gone quickly. She has spent time getting acquainted with the children and teachers of the school to write a suitable English curriculum for the primary school, made a number of resources to use for English and math, found, assembled and organized leveled readers from K-P6, made many classroom observations to help train a number of new teachers, taught some demo lessons, lead teacher training sessions on teaching phonics, improving the teacher’s English, teaching math and classroom management, gotten to know and visit a few teachers and students at home, and spent spare moments supervising children on the playground.<br /><br />Although we can be confident that our presence here has made a difference in the lives of our students and teachers, there still seems to be so much more that could have been done if there was only more time. Four months in Ghana seemed long enough when we planned this trip half a year ago, but how long will our impact last? For this uncertainty, we must trust that God will continue His plan for Ghana through Pastor Joshua’s leadership at the school in bringing education and introducing a Christian perspective on hope, friendship, and family.<br /><br />In about 2 weeks, we will be in South Africa to begin the next part of our mission. The locals all assure us that the bark is bigger than the bite, but Johannesburg's reputation is not without merit. Please pray for safety and security during our vacation time as we do a little travelling before we begin teaching there in the second week of January.<br /><br />Merry Christmas to everyone. May your snow be cleaner and less grainy than the pervasive African dust.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-8140884712939117522008-12-12T22:20:00.000+02:002008-12-14T00:14:48.110+02:00Stepping back in timeWho remembers a time when gas was actually pumped by hand?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccxQhBY0j48D7ytfTT5ci99frNh4kpYioM7YSW4dKCNhf8MYbAS2YnJs-dPPNDmEaWDfL4ehaTnF4YYOdyEnK875_PVAted9SgCRBHhg4For-E1Y8An4cwBVZGt7aI8l26ds_hmxmB8M/s1600-h/IMG_5479.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; clear: both; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccxQhBY0j48D7ytfTT5ci99frNh4kpYioM7YSW4dKCNhf8MYbAS2YnJs-dPPNDmEaWDfL4ehaTnF4YYOdyEnK875_PVAted9SgCRBHhg4For-E1Y8An4cwBVZGt7aI8l26ds_hmxmB8M/s320/IMG_5479.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaGPe1B1TqMazHPsIMDpl6GkLtk1d9W1wa89VbZwy3Kpklqp8RBWaHI6neZQSqUf0QT5jKLIExI9LQnkQVyED2JKeckpWGjJsT7tTMKrxRi6WQqEhqAqv2PK59pNcnaGiqiaEjAtJ_jw/s1600-h/IMG_5794.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; clear: both; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaGPe1B1TqMazHPsIMDpl6GkLtk1d9W1wa89VbZwy3Kpklqp8RBWaHI6neZQSqUf0QT5jKLIExI9LQnkQVyED2JKeckpWGjJsT7tTMKrxRi6WQqEhqAqv2PK59pNcnaGiqiaEjAtJ_jw/s320/IMG_5794.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh8EK0g4T05BF_XRZFV9V6OU3E55AQ4_puFbqb0ADIJhv8ofpetdwDIGprcpgDEUyO9I3t7GTW1TGy9tLT6r909iAdJf2fxJd86uXlnLsAZu-Q-rYS4uKC0oaIVZIeb1ooIsFd7-ToXw/s1600-h/IMG_5793.JPG"><br /></a><div style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" />Or when grain and chaff was separated by wind?</a><br /><br />(if pictures are not appearing, go directly to our blogspot address)<br /></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-63080766221189838372008-12-08T13:05:00.000+02:002008-12-08T13:10:07.365+02:00Journaling my Reflections on GhanaTime is fleeting and there is only 2 weeks left before school holidays begin, and my work here ends.<br /><br />I'm going to miss the safari ride to school on the dust trodden road. Leaving the compound gates and the crazy dogs that nip at the car tire. Peering into the tick tree forest to catch anyone by surprise using the toilet. The fearless goats and sheep that see our truck as an invasion to their sweet slumber in the middle of the road. They inch slightly to the right or left to let our car can pass. Young kids with big bellies and worn shirts hollering “suluminga” or “China! China!” to get our attention. Adults turn and stare until the dust obstructs our view. We cautiously approach the intersection where a ménage of bicyclists, motorbikes, trucks and wild taxis crisscross following their own invisible traffic lines. I thank God every time we successfully complete the left turn in this intersection. I inspect the view out my window, of women carrying all sorts of oddities on their heads. A bucket of water, bucket of buckets, bucket of an assortment of lotions and creams on sale, a bag of rice, construction materials of all sorts, a sledgehammer. Though I’ve seen it many times, I still nervously examine how tightly the young kids are holding onto their mother or father, as they sit on the back seat of the motorcycle weaving between traffic. Sometimes there are 3 or 4, sometimes they look only 3 years old. We pass the campus of T-Poly (Tamale Polytechnic), dodging large tree trunks that are blocking most of the road. “They’re protesting the “construction” of the dirt road,” says Pastor Joshua. “The newspapers announced the completion of the road 4 years ago,” he likes to remind us. Just before we make the last turn towards the ECG school, I crane my neck towards a huge tree to look at the hundreds of some kind of yellow bird fluttering beneath their hanging basket nests. Finally, just as we pull through the gates, I hear the eager shouts of children “Teacher Dora! Teacher Dora!”Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455752000373769998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-88565126807261043232008-11-24T23:03:00.000+02:002008-11-24T23:03:43.704+02:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP30E6lG-gwLFzVO4HTgwGFT1VFCu7WMxc7TSHIm7bqPokPWWxERT8YFsW9r6-qK74-MmdjpH2BV5XL5uC1yCZ83wdmqKUWlw4QjlVItVPExhcKI1rs9nZZwK_5Hnwv8bSZkvTVlHP6U/s1600-h/IMG_5497.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQP30E6lG-gwLFzVO4HTgwGFT1VFCu7WMxc7TSHIm7bqPokPWWxERT8YFsW9r6-qK74-MmdjpH2BV5XL5uC1yCZ83wdmqKUWlw4QjlVItVPExhcKI1rs9nZZwK_5Hnwv8bSZkvTVlHP6U/s320/IMG_5497.JPG" border="0" /></a> What did we expect an African church service to be like before we came to Africa? The closest thing we could picture was a lively praise followed by a preacher soliciting Hallelujah’s and Amen’s from the crowd, Southern Baptist style. But that’s like expecting a Chinese church in China to behave like a Chinese church in Canada. We’ve now visited three different churches, each with their own style, but all quite different from what we may expect in North America.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwEZpiUhLQuM6mCFTtCdl_tLmydKof6aJkkW3PVrpJeV9VJO3RjdN22PSvPfmhy1ELJNbEzFP9HKdVnolEku9KxrWPpvWoutxWFVHGKfsoEHen6FHI3MIFXhAmuPYqjb-xd_kP9y8bzU/s1600-h/IMG_2958.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwEZpiUhLQuM6mCFTtCdl_tLmydKof6aJkkW3PVrpJeV9VJO3RjdN22PSvPfmhy1ELJNbEzFP9HKdVnolEku9KxrWPpvWoutxWFVHGKfsoEHen6FHI3MIFXhAmuPYqjb-xd_kP9y8bzU/s320/IMG_2958.JPG" border="0" /></a> The school that Dora and I teach at is supported by the ECG, or Evangelical Church of Ghana, and we consider that our home church in Ghana (second photo). A few main differences between that our home church in Vancouver:<br />- We start with some singing. Music is simple, but loud. Usually just percussion (drums and a pair of bongo drums) accompaniment.<br />- dancing in the aisles and at the front (men and women) is common. They will form a line, dancing to the front, waving their handkerchiefs to the beat<br />- no such thing as silent prayer. Instead, everybody vocalizes their thoughts to God in unison, a cacophony of voices delivering their prayers towards the heavens.<br />- giving offering is a joyous affair, with music guiding all attendees to dance towards an offering box at the front.<br />- no powerpoint. Everybody knows the words to the songs by heart. The worship team communicates the order of the songs by singing the first line, then everyone else joins in.<br />- They like repetition. Other than 1 or 2 songs new songs, they sing the same songs every week, and everybody loves it!<br />- service is in two languages – English and Dabani (the local dialect here). A translator is usually used<br />- they welcome each other like we do in Vancouver, and most people will circulate throughout the entire church to do so (not just the neighbouring rows)<br />- the church building is made of simple four walls of concrete blocks and a steel roof.<br />- nearly 100% participation in singing and clapping. I don’t see many shy people here.<br />- Men and women sit separately. It’s roughly a 3:5 ratio of men to women.<br />- about 100 people attending<br /><br />The second church we visited was in a small farming village (first photo). We drove for about 15 minutes off the main road through the bush to get there. The road was so seldom used that grass growing in the middle of the road was taller than the hood of our car. The church was a smaller building, and we had maybe 30 people in attendance. Again, percussion drove the praise, albeit on a very simple drum set. Small barefooted children danced during the music, then slept on the floor during the sermon.<br /><br />The third church was a baptist church with at least 200 people near our house. Their music included a synth, bass guitar, and drums. It was also amplified uncomfortably loudly, but nobody seemed to mind. The singing lasted at least 45 minutes, and engaged everybody with clapping and dancing, a little too enthusiastic for our tastes. We were told that this church encouraged tithing or fundraising in a more direct way, by calling people up and asking others to donate a certain amount to “free” that person.<div style='clear:both; text-align:RIGHT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-64398641671528047372008-11-03T23:16:00.000+02:002008-11-03T23:17:28.688+02:00Ghanaian government vs. private school<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjh-Rop5RY3TdNtFniyT0S9cp4btIQCOes7gRa5rjaOWlxf6xx442nR3SOqDaWsuQYIYcwRU55D-sZmRPz79JA-b-as5v3S-xlYhGHF8PEqNx4gs89tdpBt9FmB2sp9UOvxXv87fM7ic/s1600-h/IMG_5812.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjh-Rop5RY3TdNtFniyT0S9cp4btIQCOes7gRa5rjaOWlxf6xx442nR3SOqDaWsuQYIYcwRU55D-sZmRPz79JA-b-as5v3S-xlYhGHF8PEqNx4gs89tdpBt9FmB2sp9UOvxXv87fM7ic/s320/IMG_5812.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWw4tBS1iHkwg-6H30HmTN2g_U62fdc47W6NlJvE1xBkpfqpRNEaRJOfmJDI8qqZ02C0Du6QhabFRJ_eZlFvuVVN8nbeaIMWItAC5AGEp4ijZfu_HIRZIW6zbfH0nTzCQjVWRphyphenhyphenPkXvc/s1600-h/IMG_5770.JPG"><img style="CLEAR: both; FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWw4tBS1iHkwg-6H30HmTN2g_U62fdc47W6NlJvE1xBkpfqpRNEaRJOfmJDI8qqZ02C0Du6QhabFRJ_eZlFvuVVN8nbeaIMWItAC5AGEp4ijZfu_HIRZIW6zbfH0nTzCQjVWRphyphenhyphenPkXvc/s320/IMG_5770.JPG" border="0" /></a>A few weeks ago, we were given the opportunity to visit classrooms for kindergarten and P1 in a government school and a private school. This contrasts with our school, which still collects school fees, but costs about half that of the private school. See if you can guess which one is the government school and which is the private school. (I'd show more pics, but I think these ones are all you need to answer the question) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0BlfK62glWDCnllksIFpyyzZCTQofJMYGbdP3M6JkhjVFOQYHNAUNdwsoVlcMenA7uvA7x9R4CaWJ92ofVmXWBOrlsjKzIdNVbDnbi2utkMDnDUkBnSbk_HAkuCV-beSOhsBHgFBtwU/s1600-h/IMG_5770.JPG"></a>The private schools have about six teachers for a class of 35 kindergarten kids. The government schools have 4 teachers for a class of 70 kids. In the government school, the children were always talking or being subject to caning by the teachers. In the private schools, students were well behaved, without the need for caning. There are many factors that affect the quality of education, including the education level of the parents. The parents who send their students to the free education of the government school do not attend PTA meetings, while parents of the private school are actively involved in school meetings.<div style='clear:both; text-align:RIGHT'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-9650800978491734852008-10-24T00:57:00.000+02:002008-10-24T01:00:29.785+02:00Precious Abundant WaterIt's the rainy season in Tamale, Ghana, which means that every few days we have a huge downpour, usually accompanied by lightening. The rain is nothing like Vancouver. It's more like a Hollywood studio when the sky flashes continuously in rhythm with the thunder claps and rain pounding over our tin roof. It can last anywhere between 10 minutes to an hour. Last Friday, the storm came right after school and lasted for about an hour, so most teachers (including me) were stuck in our classrooms waiting the rain out. Some of us took naps on the tables. When the rain finally stopped, we were free to go home, dodging huge puddles and avoiding the splash from cars and motorbikes. Most roads are dirt roads with either no or poor drainage, so some who walk have to take off their sandles and tread through the water. Bikes and motorbikes have to be equally careful on the slippery mud roads. Luckily for us, we get a ride home in the pastor's truck.<br /><br />In spite of this apparant abundance of precipitation and Ghana's management of the world's largest man-made fresh water lake called Lake Volta, most homes (poor and rich alike) experience water shortages. Since arriving in Ghana, we’ve probably only enjoyed a handful of days with water served to our home through the city pipes, then into our tap. It’s a common occurance here, so most wealthier locals know to store their water in 250 gallon drums whenever the water is available. Tamale's water company has just one working pump, and one spare pump that has broken down years ago. The spare pump is too expensive to fix, so if there are any problems with the single working pump, water is cut off to the city. Another company was claimed that they have found a solution to the water shortage. They announced that they would solve all water shortages by August. August and September came and went, and we're nearly ending October still with water shortages.<br /><br />At the guest house where we and the pastor live, we have 4 drums. Two of the drums are elevated, feeding water into the house's pipes via gravity. The third tank is elevated just high enough to put a bucket under its faucet so we can fetch water. The fourth is a tank from which we fetch with buckets.<br /><br />The effect is that we have learned to conserve water tremendously. BC Hydro would be proud of us. Between taking showers, cooking, washing dishes, washing clothes, and flushing the toilet, we found that flushing the toilet uses the most most water. Every flush requires a full bucket of water, which we have to fetch from the drum outside, then manually pour into the back of the toilet. To conserve water, our toilet is usually only flushed twice a day (when someone goes #2). A phrase we learned from Caleb, "if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down", is taken very literally here. We've learned to take bucket showers, which surprisingly uses very little water! A shower usually uses 1/4 a bucket of water, and almost 1/2 if I wash my hair. Washing dishes requires multiple rinses in a very small tub, but only uses about 1/2 bucket of water.<br />Water usage may be a little inconvenient for us, but it is hardship and even life-threatening for most of the population. On the way to school and on Saturday mornings, we've seen huge groups of women and children washing their clothes by broken water pipes, and walking long distances with tubs of water balanced on their heads. As the fresh water from the broken pipes run out, the only source of water is from dams of stagnant water. The transmition of cholera is not uncommon during these times.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-22339311587324908782008-10-15T23:04:00.000+02:002008-10-15T23:09:24.090+02:00Thanks for all the comments...sorry we can't reply to them all individually, but we do read them all! As a gift for those of you slogging through Tim's long diatribes, here are some photos. We finished posting the kili photos, and also some other photos from Ghana/Africa.<br /><br />http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/KiliHike<br />http://picasaweb.google.com/bubblenest/AfricaMiscDora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-67496368660073140112008-10-13T20:21:00.000+02:002008-10-13T20:24:32.249+02:00Village ExperienceThis past Sunday, we had the chance to go to a church service in a village and visit a bit with the people.<br />The route there started off pretty normal with a mix of concrete and dirt roads, but then we turned off onto a hidden road between guinea corn towering over both sides of the car. We passed many fields of various vegetables like okra, maize and cassava. Finally we arrived to a cozy mud/concrete rectangular building with a tin roof. In fact, most of the modern houses in the city are constructed in this fashion, but for this village, the church building was the best building in the village. There were about 20 people in attendance, half of them chidren either sitting on the benches, lying on the floor or walking about. As expected, Pastor Joshua (our host in Ghana) was called to preach without any warning. Of course, he was prepared, as he has been living in Ghana long enough to expect these kinds of surprises. What caught my attention during worship was this little 4 year old boy drumming and dancing with the most interesting rhythm and he was on beat! It would put any attempt at dancing on my part to shame.<br />After service, we walked around the village nodding and shaking hands with people (as that was the best we could do to communicate with them). An interesting plant we saw growing was marajuana. Like home, it's illegal to grow them, but also like home, because it's a significant source of income and the police hardly check the villages, they continue to do so. With the money made, they were able to repair a wagon tire.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-54656862601547347222008-10-03T20:26:00.001+02:002008-10-03T20:27:10.232+02:00Islamic lifeToday (well, the day I write this, not the day I post) is the last day of Ramadan, the equivalent of Christmas in Islam. For the last few weeks, the Muslims have been fasting during the day, consuming neither food nor drink. They must not even swallow their saliva. Only at dusk are they permitted to eat and drink. At midnight, then again at 4AM they awake to pray. They end this regiment tomorrow morning at the celebration called Sala when they gather at the mosque or open field to pray, followed by a huge feast.<br /><br />As a result of the fasting and the tiresome sleeping schedules, some of our muslim students have fallen ill, while others come to class with bloodshot eyes.<br /><br />Update: We enjoyed Tuesday off from school as Sala was declared a holiday for the country. The following day, fewer than half our students came to class as many were still celebrating and feasting.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-44545651018040614052008-10-03T20:23:00.000+02:002008-10-03T20:25:22.976+02:00The price of softwareIn North America, there really isn't an excuse for most of us to pirate software. Much of the stuff we actually need is within the budget of the working class. And for those of us who can't afford it but are still technologically savvy, linux and other open source/free software is easily downloadable through our broadband connections. With the help of a quick internet, we are afforded ample opporttunity to research the software we are interested in before buying it, or finding a legally free alternative.<br /><br />In a third world country such as Ghana, software is free like air is free: It can be acquired cheaply or freely,but only long term usage will reveal whether it was healthy or filled with disease. As mentioned in a prior post, just about every computer, if lucky, is infected with only a couple of viruses. If unlucky, it will be crippled by over a dozen. Initially, the student body was suspect for bringing in their own infected USB keys and stacks of bootlegged CDs, but I soon realized our own archive of software was infected. On our Windows XP ISOs were "free tools" such as Partition Magic and license key crackers. A virus scan revealed no fewer than three viruses or trojans hidden away in these tools. Everyone endures these threats willingly, as the cost of going legal is impossible. For example, a teacher's monthly salary equals the cost of a Windows Vista license in Canada. I am not aware of any "third world" discount, nor have I seen any Future Shop or Best Buy where one might acquire the software legally. Not that we'd be able to run any currently selling version of windows on our 256mb of ram that most of our machines at school have anyway.Dora and Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17399770651347712963noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1741907950845525301.post-55154808195812129372008-09-17T20:03:00.000+02:002008-09-17T20:06:08.904+02:00wet and dustyYou'd think that one would be able to adjust to cold showers. With the heat here, sometimes the water is a welcome reprieve. But usually, it still takes a few seconds for the skin to cool enough to adjust. Since arriving in Africa, we've had only about 5 warm showers, and those were only in hotel rooms during the first weeks of travelling. In Ghana, hot running water is a rare luxury. Heck, even running water is scarce. Despite the frequent thunderstorms which pour buckets of water upon the city, indoor plumbing among the shacks and mud thatched homes doesn't exist, so many residents make a daily commute to a nearby dam or a local burst water pipe for their drinnking water, fill buckets with rainwater for showers, and make their local ditch their toilets.<br /><br />It is now rainy season, and the lush vegetation keeps the roaming goats and chickens constantly eating and the maize and rice fields growing (that is, for those fields protected from the goats). The rains here accelerate the deterioration of the dirt roads, etching rivers and softening potholes, leading to natural speedbumps that keeps traffic below 30km/h amongst the livestock and the children.<br /><br />Despite the moisture, dust permeates everything, from the inside of our home to the insides of the computer classrooms. Each day, the classrooms are swept, raising clouds of dust which are then sucked into the computers. It's amazing the machines don't overheat more often. However, it isn't the dust that is the greatest threat to our hardware, but our fluctuating power supply. The 230V is generally stable, but is known to spike and burn out electronics. When the power goes out, which has happened twice at home and a couple times at school, it is standard practice to turn off the power switches connected to the outlets to protect against the spike that will inevitably follow when the power returns. I watched a monitor blow up last week when its wall power was not turned off properly.<br /><br />I've now taught 5 classes, and with any class in any country, there those who are keenly learninng, and there are those who just want the certificate. It's quite easy to tell who from who by their attention in class as well as where they sit. But all are grateful for my teaching, and tell me so. As with Dora, I struggle with their trisyllabic local names, and their family name may not necessarily be the last name. Not only do I need to match the name of the student to their face, but also how to pronounce their name, and what name they would like to be called. Not that I actually need to know their names to teach, but in this relatinship driven<br />society, being able to call them by name would increase my effectiveness as a teacher.<br /><br /><br />Geek talk: there are two viruses here that propogate prolificly: one that abuses autoconf.inf to run viral code that is copied to pen drives (which in turn will execute automaticly when inserted in most Windows computers), and another that hides all folders and creates .exe files with the same name as the folders and an icon as a folder in the hopes that the hapless user would incorrectly doubleclick the .exe .Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06455752000373769998noreply@blogger.com1