The Tarlings’ Newsletter Nº 46 ~ May 2007

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians12-13 (NIV)

Tragedies, Mishaps & Anguish

If Progress can be measured in terms of enduring under a steady onslaught of unfortunate circumstances then the first few months of this year have been very successful, but it has felt far from that, far too often, and your prayers and support have been to the forefront of our minds on numerous occasions and for this we give thanks.

Most of the difficulties have been of a minor nature, such as the theft of Godfrey’s mobile, several bouts of a very virulent ‘flu; some have resulted in a surge in workloads, with two major computer crashes within a month; and others have led us to grieve deeply – first Nelson Katiti (1992 – 2007), the 15 year old uncle of Christopher’s best friend here in Mpwapwa, was killed when he was swept away in an unusually heavy storm in February; then Edward Kibanho (1967 – 2007), Godfrey’s Driver, died after a short illness leaving a huge hole in our lives.  After several abortive attempts to find a replacement driver, we have now settled on Elikana Katamwa who is quickly settling into his work, though to do so is having to live away from his family who are based the other side of the mountain in Kongwa.

Food Shortages Averted

Floods apart, this year’s rains have for the most part been excellent and there is excellent promise of a very good harvest – that is for those whose crops weren’t planted in the path of the floods!  After 8 or 9 years without a really good harvest this has given much encouragement and relief to the people

St. Luke’s Health Centre

St Luke’s remains busy as ever in the Out Patient department, and continues to provide a valued service for many.  The Maternity Wing remains a little underutilised, but numbers are picking up with the opening of the maternity waiting ward, which allows mothers to wait on site, rather than either go into labour in their distant villages, and then struggle to find transport, or lodge with relatives here in town.   Meanwhile, one of our nurse midwives has gone on unpaid leave to sort out some health problems, another goes on Maternity leave in July, and two seem to be always off sick, so planning the rota is fun!  It’s not just us - there is a national shortage of trained staff to fill the needs.

Meanwhile, the wife of our Clinical Officer (who is away for two years upgrading his qualifications), last month delivered a still born baby.  It has been a difficult time for them both, with him away studying, and she having had a nasty infection after the delivery (not under our care).  We were away in Dar es Salaam when it all happened, but have been able to look after them since..

HIV Home Based Care

The Home Based care project under CARF provided much needed food aid for people living with HIV and orphan children, though dealing with sacks of maize, and distributing them fairly before the weevils get them too badly is a branch of medicine I had not experienced before!  We are now waiting for the second instalment of this money so we can continue, though the worst of the food crisis is now over for this year.

Meanwhile Geneva Global has funded us for a project on HIV we designed in 2005, and which has been partially fulfilled from other sources in the meantime, so we are discussing with them how to best use the grant.  Family Health International are also about to give us a grant for supervising volunteers in Home Based Care in all the villages in Mpwapwa District, which will be a mammoth task – with a dedicated team as a project under the Health Department called TUNAJALI (We Care).  HIV is really rife here these days.  Around 30% of the people we tested last month were positive (a mixture of voluntary testing of people off the street, and as part of doctor-advised wider investigations of our out patients)   Antiretroviral drugs are available in Mpwapwa District, but only for those who have had a CD4 count in Dodoma (which is 3 hours away by bus, and 2 weeks wages to cover costs).  We long for the day when a CD4 counter will be available in Mpwapwa (They cost rather a lot of money, so would be outside the scope of St Luke’s!) so that many more could be treated in good time, and not only when their health is so bad that it is too late.          

Anæsthetic Suite

The construction of the fourth phase of the maternity wing is now completed and it is currently being decorated in-between a host of external works that also needed to be undertaken, such as erecting the new entrance gates, laying footpaths and building a laundry!  The cookhouse for the mothers-to-be in the Waiting Ward has had its start date put off and so in the meantime they are making do with a tin shack that we have put up as a temporary measure.

St. Paul’s Church Extension

The work on the Church building at St Paul’s has moved on slowly but steadily under Godfrey’s active rôle in supervising.  It is the firm policy of the Diocese that in order for the local congregations to ‘own’ their Church that all Parish work be locally funded, which means that a major extension such as this one goes forward only when locally raised funds permit.

The new style 10 a.m. service continues in fits and starts.  St Paul’s is now under the leadership of Rev Lazaro Ndgala, the fourth minister in less than two years.  Without Tanzanian Youth Leaders who really have a vision of what the service could be, it has reverted to a plain prayer book service, and as the choir has somewhat collapsed, the drama / quiz / modern songs efforts have presently ground to a halt.

The Tarling Tribe

Esther is coming to the end of year 7 at Dean Close, and is flourishing, working hard at her studies, and with a good group of friends to encourage her.  Chris is enjoying the cricket season at school, and all the outdoor opportunities that the summer weather brings.  We look forward to having them around for the summer holidays. 

Meanwhile, Tim is also doing well with Home School, improving his writing and reading, learning to tell the time, and general number dexterity.  We have enjoyed planting beans in jam jars lined with blotting paper, and sunflower seeds in flower pots and watching them develop by the day.

Visitors

We have been blessed with several visitors over the last little while, both old friends and new ones, and we have a number of medical students and other visitors expected over the next few months.  Each bring their blessings, and we are thankful for them all. 

as ever for your prayers love and financial support, which enable our (and therefore your) partnership in the Gospel in Mpwapwa.

Pointers for Prayer

Give Praise for: -

P    That we are here to tell the tale and have come through a very difficult patch much encouraged and strengthened.

P    The progress made on various building works that will enable local Christians to take the Word of God to their neighbours.

P    The reasonable harvest which will give many families food security for this year.

Please pray for: -

^     Esther and Christopher at Dean Close, and Timothy here in Mpwapwa, in Home School Year 1.

^     A good team of Nurse Midwives to be found for St. Luke’s, and wisdom for the future of the Maternity services.

^     Wisdom in balancing time and priorities, and managing staff well.  A good start to the TUNAJALI project, which has been fraught with poor communication over the run-up period.

^     The families of Nelson and Edward (who left three orphaned children) as they adjust

^     The new Bishop-in-Waiting, Jacob Chimeledya and his wife Mwezwa. Jacob will take over from +Simon on 16^th September 2007, following a 2-year handover – all in time for the next Lambeth Conference.

^     For a replacement Doctor to be found to head up the work at St. Luke’s as we prepare to hand the work on.

^     For Godfrey’s new driver, Elikana, for his family as they miss his presence and for safety on the roads when out and about.

^     All at Crosslinks HQ as they continue to work in the background supporting the work all around the world, taking God’s Word to God’s World.

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