SwaziCompanions of Iowa

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Thursday, 25February

The workshop for principals/headmasters of Anglican schools Wednesday started shortly after 9am and concluded about 4:30pm.  This is the second year for bringing the principals together in order to bring about some coordination/cooperation among the Anglican schools.  The workshop concentrated on the legal expectations of the headmaster under Swaziland law.  I feel a bit like the blind man in the gospel after Jesus has touched his eyes the first time, “I can see people, but they look like trees walking.” (Mk 8:24).  Education law and the working of the schools is much different from in Iowa.  In many ways the school is the principal in the eyes of the law.  I think that most legal problems in the past have involved disputes between teacher and principal or parents and a teacher.  So much of the day dealt with responsibilities and record-keeping.  The Principal is responsible for educating his/her teachers about their legal responsibilities.

We had a short break to get back to the apartment before returning for supper with the Cathedral leadership – clergy, wardens, other members of the P.C.C. (I think that is Parish Church Council).  Those present represented outposts of the Cathedral as well as the Cathedral congregation itself.
 
All Saints' P.C.C. diners

Today was a bit easier.  We worked awhile this morning with Thandi on the long-term plans for the Social Development Office and then took it easy this afternoon.  I developed a sinus cold last Friday – which is mostly gone now.  However, Mary Jane is dealing with similar symptoms.  We decided it was time to cut into that Paw Paw (papaya) that Dalcy gave us Monday – so have enjoyed some of that today.  I think that on Saturday we will be sitting in on some of the ministry training led by Fr. Charles – not sure if this is with lay ministers or with those who are working toward ordination.

Tuesday, 23February

Today we visited St Francis Primary and Secondary Schools in Mbabane – across the street (and up the “hill” from the Thokoza Centre).  This follows our visits last week to two more rural schools: St. Andrew’s-Malkerns, and Usuthu Mission.  There are lots of things to get one’s head around.  The idea that an “Anglican school” is also a “public school” is difficult enough coming from a system where the two terms would be incompatible.  However, “Anglican school” means that the church organizes the school, hires the teachers, and includes some religious education in the curriculum.  The teachers must still be certified by the government; they are paid with government funds; food for school lunches is provided by the government (maize,rice and beans – but deliveries are not always on time); buildings are often started with local work and finished with funds from government grants.  Hence, they are “public schools”.  A “private school” is one with enough money to not need any of those government funds.  (Disclaimer:  this is my current sense of affairs; subject to change as we continue to listen.)
 
St.Francis Primary Teachers
What we have seen as the very positive, forward-looking Millenium Development Goals are not necessarily seen the same way here.  We heard twice today that Swaziland “had to” accept free primary education by 2015, but that the country was not ready for that.  When parents were paying fees, they would also be more likely to help build new classrooms, teacher residences, etc.  Schools are required to take many more students without funding for new facilities to house the students, or to hire additional teachers.  And they cannot assess parents for “extras”.  That presents a dilemma that we will continue to hear about as we visit the remaining Anglican schools this next month.  It is certainly a plus to know that children are in school (which has not always been the case especially in rural areas), but to have one teacher and 67 students in a primary classroom built to accommodate up to 40 is not an unequivocally positive step forward.

I am sure that we will hear more on Wednesday when we attend the gathering of headmasters/principals of the Anglican Schools gathering at the Thokoza Centre.

Archdeacon Bheki Magongo heads the Diocesan Education Committee (essentially makes him Superintendent/School Board President of the Anglican Schools).  He would like us to think about ways of helping to build teacher housing at some of the schools.  It isn’t clear to us that there is space to do that at St. Francis, but certainly it would be possible at some school sites.  It is also clear that the schools need to find an additional stream of income—and ways to keep parents involved that will be deemed appropriate by schools, church and government.  It would appear that having more children in school – and being fed at school – decreases the demand at some of the Neighborhood Care Points.  However, the Care Point that we visited at Ekukhanyeni prepares enough food to also feed primary age children after school because the food at school “is not sufficient”.  Lots to sort out.

On another note: on Monday we had tea with the Rev. Dalcy Dlamini.  She was in Iowa for the 2006 Diocesan Convention (30 year celebration of the ordination of women), having just completed her seminary education.  After tea she took us to their farm where we also met their daughter, Lindo.  She sent us home with lots of ripe bananas, two heads of fresh-picked lettuce, some peppers, and a nearly-ripe paw paw (papaya).  Our refrigerator is too small to accommodate all of that so we shared some with the young woman who keeps us supplied with water, clean laundry, clean floors, etc.  This afternoon she and Gloria (the landlady) appeared with a plate of goodies.  Life is challenging; life is Good.
 
Dalcy, Mary Jane, Lindo
Faithfully,

Dave

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Some photos

Our sympathies to the Schlachter family and friends.  Rev. Barbara is remembered fondly by those who met her in 2004 when she preached at that first ordination of women priests in Swaziland.

Mostly photos this time. This is Revd. Orma Mavimbela at St. Matthias Church last Saturday, looking at some of the fabric we brought for her sewing group from an Ames parishoner.
Monday we were at Luve and Ekukhenyeni Care Points. The first two pictures are from Luve;
Luve children singing.

Luve garden in need of planting.


the next two from Ekukhenyeni.
 
Main building at Ekukhanyeni



Lunch time.
On Wednesday we made the long trip to the southeast (about 480 km round trip) to see the care points at Mpandesane:
Water carried from the river at the foot of the mountain.
The blocks are still there.  No building; no food.

and also Mantsanjeni:
She was a baby in arms in Nov. 2012.
Playground is recent; extremely dry.

This is the area that is hardest hit by the drought.  We have had rain both Wed and Thur in Mbabane; the area around Luve has had some rain in recent weeks.  However, the cattle in the south looked better than those in the middle of the country.  This was a hard day because of the distance, driving through rain part of the time and the emotional toll of the southeast.  However, it was probably hardest on Thandi who had never been to these two Care Points.

The new Social Development Board which will oversee the department had its first meeting on Wednesday.  It looks like an impressive group of mainly young professionals.  That gives us hope for meaningful programming.  But I forgot to take the camera!