The post that Bonnie added included some of the details about the loss of one of our young students in a bus accident on Monday when he was returning to school. So tragic. A busload of students and staff, including some AU choir members, went to Harare today to participate in his funeral. This has given students reason to pause and pay a bit more attention to the many blessings that are theirs.
Indeed, life is so fragile. Let us live each moment to the fullest.
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Recently I've been working with a few of our students who struggle every day ~~ they come from a U.N. refugee camp about four hours from here. Though their stories are different, they carry the same heartache and pain, for they have left behind their country, their family members, and all they knew before war disrupted their lives. From a very young age they experienced and carry the memories and scars of the horrible things human beings can do to each other. All of them suffer from some form of PTSD, feel very lonely and fearful, and carry a heavy weight inside. They are reluctant to share because being tagged "a refugee" carries very bad connotations in people's minds.
These students DO have scholarships and meal cards, but no provisions have been made for them to have any spending money for personal care items, notebooks, pens, etc. Our office is trying to work out a system for them to be identified and then given more compassion, attention, and caring. They have organized themselves into a small group or "family," and give each other encouragement to achieve their very best. These are very intelligent young adults who have some huge obstacles to overcome. Please pray especially for them as they try to reconstruct their lives.
It's heartbreaking to hear them say, "It's just me ~~ that's all I've got. No one else is around to care for me or show me the way. Life was very dark before we got to AU campus, but gradually we are able to see the light." More than one of them arrived here with only the clothes they were wearing, but were afraid to say anything to anyone for fear of being criticized and looked down upon. Fortunately, other students became aware of their plight and offered a clean t-shirt, a pair of pants, etc. I cannot even fathom them risking their lives, running away from all that was familiar, trying to live off the land, and not knowing anyone whom they could trust. And yet still having this thirst for education and a better life for themselves.
All of these students are so grateful for Facebook. They make numerous attempts to find parents, siblings, and other friends from their former lives, but rarely have any success. I just want to adopt them as my sons and daughters so they can once again feel a sense of family and security, love and caring.
Thanks for your prayers for them, and for us as we try to establish a safety net for them.
Gratefully,
Mary Beth
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
This and That! (cont.)
3) The dining hall seems quite empty at times, even with most all of the students back on campus. It is the practice of some students to bring a plastic container with them to the dining hall, and then take their food back to their dorm room. It seems that more and more of them are doing that this semester! The problem is that what they don't eat they dump in the garbage (without a lid!), and it is an open invitation to the many feral cats to come and dine. At one point last semester I looked out my door and saw about 18 cats on the ground, on my porch, and in the nearby tree!! Most recently I've seen many little grey and black kittens, so the population is growing.
4) Fortunately, students now seem more settled, and there is much less chasing around among the boys and girls, who first semester were squealing and shouting, and getting to know each other!! Some have now paired up, and others are still "exploring," but in a more disciplined way!!! They all enjoy "happy hour," from 5:30 - 10:00 pm, when they can be in each other's dorms and rooms. But like everything else, this tends to get abused!!
5) I've greeted and made peace with the numerous huge spiders that inhabit my walls and ceilings! I was told early on that none of them bite, so I just let them enjoy their quiet life from their perch on my yellow walls!! Just a part of the intriguing environment here!! Fortunately, I haven't seen any pythons or cobras, but they DO hang out near the chicken houses on the farm!!
6) Dr. Machinga and I spent most of last week meeting with students in all the dorms, and presenting power point information on alcoholism and drugs, and interpersonal communication. During the Christmas break when mostly only the international students were on campus, apparently there was much discussion and name calling among the groups from different parts of the continent. In addition, because of those students who left and those returning, they experienced "fruit basket upset," so that almost everyone got at least one new roommate. Remember that most of the dorm rooms now house three students, not just two!!
7) There are also new faces among the faculty: Dr. Ed Dodge, son of the late Bishop Dodge, comes each second semester from TX. He is teaching two classes on ways to control non-communicable diseases ~~ often a difficult feat in this part of the world. He is very gentle and soft spoken, and his presence is very much appreciated.
Dr. Marion and Robert Bell have come from Las Vegas. She is teaching in the Faculty of Education; and he is working hard to get some things fixed and working at the Guest House. Dr. Marion also has had experience as a public school administrator and counselor, so will be helping us some in the area of career planning, resume writing, interview skills, etc.
Dr. Mike Reed from the Uni. of KY is here for six weeks on a Fulbright Scholarship, consulting with the Faculty of Ag. and helping to evaluate curriculum. It is so good to get acquainted with such wonderful folks who value highly keeping the dream of Africa University students alive!!
8) Some of the students who did not do well academically first semester are now coming for more help with study skills, time management, etc. It's hard for some of them to learn the disciple of studying, and to make it a priority!
9) I sympathize with all of you who continue to experience the snow and extremely cold weather that Mother Nature has brought you recently. It is the rainy season here, so temps range from the mid-80's to the mid-60's at night, with a shower or thunderstorm almost every afternoon. Humidity is always very high, so it is hard to get clothes to dry, even with the sun shining! The frogs are plentiful, and I noticed just today a wasps' nest on the ceiling outside the door of my flat!! Have not seen any wasp spray in the stores, so may just try to knock it down with a broom tonight. They DO sting!
Enough details for now! Thanks for checking in!!
4) Fortunately, students now seem more settled, and there is much less chasing around among the boys and girls, who first semester were squealing and shouting, and getting to know each other!! Some have now paired up, and others are still "exploring," but in a more disciplined way!!! They all enjoy "happy hour," from 5:30 - 10:00 pm, when they can be in each other's dorms and rooms. But like everything else, this tends to get abused!!
5) I've greeted and made peace with the numerous huge spiders that inhabit my walls and ceilings! I was told early on that none of them bite, so I just let them enjoy their quiet life from their perch on my yellow walls!! Just a part of the intriguing environment here!! Fortunately, I haven't seen any pythons or cobras, but they DO hang out near the chicken houses on the farm!!
6) Dr. Machinga and I spent most of last week meeting with students in all the dorms, and presenting power point information on alcoholism and drugs, and interpersonal communication. During the Christmas break when mostly only the international students were on campus, apparently there was much discussion and name calling among the groups from different parts of the continent. In addition, because of those students who left and those returning, they experienced "fruit basket upset," so that almost everyone got at least one new roommate. Remember that most of the dorm rooms now house three students, not just two!!
7) There are also new faces among the faculty: Dr. Ed Dodge, son of the late Bishop Dodge, comes each second semester from TX. He is teaching two classes on ways to control non-communicable diseases ~~ often a difficult feat in this part of the world. He is very gentle and soft spoken, and his presence is very much appreciated.
Dr. Marion and Robert Bell have come from Las Vegas. She is teaching in the Faculty of Education; and he is working hard to get some things fixed and working at the Guest House. Dr. Marion also has had experience as a public school administrator and counselor, so will be helping us some in the area of career planning, resume writing, interview skills, etc.
Dr. Mike Reed from the Uni. of KY is here for six weeks on a Fulbright Scholarship, consulting with the Faculty of Ag. and helping to evaluate curriculum. It is so good to get acquainted with such wonderful folks who value highly keeping the dream of Africa University students alive!!
8) Some of the students who did not do well academically first semester are now coming for more help with study skills, time management, etc. It's hard for some of them to learn the disciple of studying, and to make it a priority!
9) I sympathize with all of you who continue to experience the snow and extremely cold weather that Mother Nature has brought you recently. It is the rainy season here, so temps range from the mid-80's to the mid-60's at night, with a shower or thunderstorm almost every afternoon. Humidity is always very high, so it is hard to get clothes to dry, even with the sun shining! The frogs are plentiful, and I noticed just today a wasps' nest on the ceiling outside the door of my flat!! Have not seen any wasp spray in the stores, so may just try to knock it down with a broom tonight. They DO sting!
Enough details for now! Thanks for checking in!!
This and That!
Greetings once again from Africa University!! I have been on campus almost two weeks, and have been super busy with students. I think I must SAVE after each paragraph so as not to lose everything. Wrote two blogs last night, but I think the system was too slow to save them long enough to Publish!
1) The sights, sounds, and rhythm of AU has changed since first semester. Many of the faces and friends I made have left the campus to spend this year (Jan. - Dec.) on their internship assignments. There are still a few who haven't found anything in their field, so please pray that they will be successful.
2) The exciting thing is that there are about 200 NEW faces on campus ~~ those final year students who have returned for their final semester, having completed their internships in Dec. So, I never know who I might meet over the lunch or dinner table!!! Having met many of them during our visits last week to all of the dorms, it is clear that they are now more settled and serious about doing everything possible so they can graduate this June. Since many of them are the first in their family to receive a college education, many family members will come for this great celebration!!
1) The sights, sounds, and rhythm of AU has changed since first semester. Many of the faces and friends I made have left the campus to spend this year (Jan. - Dec.) on their internship assignments. There are still a few who haven't found anything in their field, so please pray that they will be successful.
2) The exciting thing is that there are about 200 NEW faces on campus ~~ those final year students who have returned for their final semester, having completed their internships in Dec. So, I never know who I might meet over the lunch or dinner table!!! Having met many of them during our visits last week to all of the dorms, it is clear that they are now more settled and serious about doing everything possible so they can graduate this June. Since many of them are the first in their family to receive a college education, many family members will come for this great celebration!!
Trying to get her back to the blog-again
Once again, Mary Beth is in Zimbabwe and on the campus of Africa University. And once again she and "blogger" are having difficulties. These two just don't get along.
I'll share a few things from recent emails from her.
Since her arrival around the 17th of January, she has been nice and warm while most of her readers in the US would be "FREEZING". She has accomplished one of the tasks which was to connect with 5 students and deliver notes. First mission accomplished.
From a recent note:
Panashe Gondo died in a bus accident on his way back to school from Harare. The bus he was riding in careened off the highway and then tipped over. He suffered severe head injuries, which made it hard for the mortuary to prepare his body quickly for a short service here on campus yesterday afternoon. Very sad! Only 20, and in his 2nd yr. in Humanities. His parents said this was the first time they did not bring him back to school, and now this happened. Heartbreaking for everyone. Very somber tone on campus. A busload of students and staff will leave this morning for his regular funeral service in Harare this afternoon.
From an earlier note:
I've met and seen all the students you sent notes for, except for Yahuda Fallani. If you have an email address for him, I will get this to her. All the others were most grateful, so hope they said thank you! The rest of the money I may use for soap, lotion, washing soap, etc. for the students who are refugees. There are about 8 of them ~~ 6 boys and 2 girls ~~ all on scholarship but with nothing extra for personal care items, etc. I'm trying to work on a way to identify these students and see how we can fix this hole in the safety net for them. A touring group of 32 from So. Carolina was here last weekend, and left some toiletry items plus some cash for meals, etc., so hope it goes a long way.
Finding ways to assist the Scholarship students living on campus is a challenge. Many students are at the University on full scholarship but have not one dime to purchase personal items. There is a fund that helps for every student that gets support another 10 need funds but there is nothing left. Mary Beth is trying to address the needs.
Now I will see if she and I can't find a way to get "Blogger" to work with her a little so she can make her own posts.
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