When It Rains...

We are in the heart of the rainy season here in Dar, marked by twelve hours of incessant rainfall. We came home Wednesday evening and it began to rain at four. It did not stop raining through the night so that when we left to walk to school Thursday morning we anticipated a muddy commute. The route to school includes crossing a river over a cement bridge. The river bed is about three car lengths wide and about ten feet down. Usually there is little water flowing so that we can see the sandy river bed underneath. Thursday morning the river was filled so that water was lapping against the bridge threatening to come over. I could not believe the amount of water. We got to school and went about the morning routine until about eight o’clock when the parking lot began to fill with water. The drains that run in front of the school (carrying water to the river) were too full to efficiently move water. Once the parking lot was about half way under water, we moved students who were in the first floor class rooms to the second floor for fear of the water flooding the school. It continued to rain. After another half hour or so the drains that run around the courtyard overflowed and flooded the assembly grounds. The older kids were recruited to help carry things from the offices downstairs to the upstairs storage room. They looked like ants carrying things from the lower floor offices up to the second floor and back again. The kids, who were meant to be taking exams that morning, were pretty restless and you can imagine a classroom full of kids without any work to do would be. The manager of the school arrived after some time, his pants soaked above his knees and his rain boots filled with water. The river had flooded the bridge and the road on either side.

For two hours the school remained like that until the rain stopped and staff was able to begin clearing the courtyard of mud and water. It was decided that since more rain was predicted for the afternoon and through the weekend, school should be cancelled for the rest of the week until Tuesday of the following week. Students were given their morning porridge and released. On our way back home the river was low enough to be flowing under the bridge but had clearly flooded the bridge, bending the guard rail with the force of the water. We arrived home and it began to rain again. It rained the whole day Friday and on Saturday the sun finally came out. Sunday, Erin and I went to mass at the parish near the river and were able to survey the damage. The banks of the river were substantially wider. The banks had flooded the surrounding area up to a quarter mile from the river, leaving behind mud and trash and debris. A house along the river was missing a wall with the corner of the house falling into the river for lack of a bank. Prayers are appreciated for those families who live along the river, whose homes were flooded.

A week later the sun has come out. My mood has improved and laundry is drying. There are only three weeks remaining at school before a month long break. I have become a lot less anxious about school and classes. My kids are (finally) becoming used to me and I to them. I still have frustrating days, but overall I am beginning to enjoy being in class. I have discovered a secret weapon, stickers! One problem I was having in my classes was some kids did not want to do their homework. I was spending a lot of time and energy chasing them and trying to punish them for not doing their work. So, I devised a homework chart whereby they receive a sticker every time they turn in their homework. After receiving ten stickers, they get a piece of candy. It has worked like a charm! I am still spending a lot of time and energy, but now it is to reward my students when they do their work and let that motivation drive the slackers to do theirs! I am really happy with it and the kids get super excited when they see me coming with the chart. I count it as my first teaching success! Another success that belongs to my students in standard four is passing their first mock examination! In my subject there were six As and almost all the rest were Bs. No one failed. I am proud of them. They work really hard and I was happy to see that hard work pay off. I continue to appreciate prayers for serenity. Know that they are working. I am feeling much more peaceful and comfortable these days. Peace.