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I am going back in time due to the fact I have not had the opportunity to blog. So, here we go. After we completed the first teacher training class, we had a headmaster class. We were blown away by the attendance of the headmaster class. We did not have great expectations for this class because usually the headmasters are too busy or they just don’t want to show up. It was obvious that the teachers had talked to their headmasters and told them the importance of this class.
The class was unbelievable. They were all so excited. We created email accounts for them. We taught them excel, word and powerpoint. We showed them the presentations that their teachers had created. All this made it come alive to them. In some aspects, they were more excited than their teachers. One headmaster really made an impression on me – Reverend Ngogo. He was so full of life and vitality, always a smile on his face. He just made you smile by looking at him.
This is where it leads into the Image reception. Rev. Ngogo is the headmaster at Image, which is a village area around 35 km from Iringa. It is surrounded by beautiful majestic mountains as you can see in the picture. Just as in Lugalo, we had a regal reception. Students everywhere were singing and dancing. Rev Ngogo was in the center dancing and we joined him. Several students put on skits, did acrobatics, blew fire and lots more. Each American was paired with a teacher from Image and we had lunch together. My partner was Muhammed and he was a delightful fellow. He had just started teaching at Image a week earlier and was thoroughly enjoying his time there.
After lunch, we toured the school which is a boarding school of about 800 students. It was a magnificent campus. I was so impressed by this school, its headmaster and its teachers. We walked into the computer lab where lo and behold was Kaiza, one of our teachers who had graduated our class. We saw the students grouped together around computers creating powerpoints with pie charts. They were creating word documents with clip art and wordart. He was teaching them everything that he had learned. It was a gratifying moment. The students stood up and talked about the importance of their computers.
And guys, they were doing it without the internet and without electricity. Those computers were running on solar power. They want internet access, but they understand it is not possible at this moment so they must be patient and plan to travel to Kinchangani once and awhile to use the internet.
That experience at Image was wonderful. It is beautiful area with an equally beautiful campus. The teachers are dedicated and Rev Ngogo was such a delight! I am eager to return to Image next year and see the progess.
So, everyone, keep up the prayers for communities like this!
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Sbuckles30's Blog 
Okay, 3 huge blogs, and enthralling to say the least. I can understand why you are bemoaning the near end of the journey. What incredible experiences you are having and influencing and being influenced by a people who are a little different, but so much the same. “One world, one love, let’s get together and feel alright.” I’m thinking we can go without silverware at home.
Comment by Rayzor July 24, 2009 @ 1:54 amAnd yes, I would too be amazed to be walking over ancient tools left behind and seemingly being respected. You’d think people would snatch em’ up to use or sell.
I love the solar powered computers as well.
I’m so glad you got the blogs going again an dlook forward to a personal blog.