6/29/11 From S. Virginia and S. Barbara

Dear Everyone Back home,

Yesterday Sister Elice left around 9:00 a.m. this morning and went to the next town, Ndanda, to do some business.  Ndanda is about a half hour away.  After that she was headed to Mtwara, which is like driving from Milwaukee to Wausau.  After doing her business there, she met the 5:00 p.m. plane on which Jeanette and Ellen arrived.

They arrived here in Masasi around 8:30 p.m.  After supper they were eager to get at their email and then head for their beds!  They did however have much to tell us during supper.  Seems like their experience in Encounter Tanzania has really been a wonderful experience.

This morning Sister Barbara began touring Sisters Jeanette and Ellen around our compound.  When she began her math class at 8:30, I took over the tour.  Sister Elice caught up with us and finished the tour of our compound as well as the Fathers' and Brothers'.  Sister Elice arranged a driver to take them to Lupaso at 11:00 a.m.; Sister Elice accompanied them.  Sister Barbara was fortunate enough to re-arrange her schedule to go with them.  I remained here to teach my class. Since I had been to Lupaso before, I really didn't mind.

As you know by now, every day I have a period of "English conversation" with my students.  So far we have done simple things like "Tell what kind of music you like and why, What kind of food you like and why, your favorite family memory and why, etc."  Since they are becoming more comfortable each day, I thought that I would get into some "meatier" topics.  Yesterday I asked them "What qualities do you think we should  be looking for in a young woman who applies to become a candidate in our congregation?"  I had them put their own ideas on paper silently, then they shared their ideas with their neighbor who sits with them in the classroom. That was as far as we got and it was time for lunch.

I told them that when they returned at 2:00 p.m., we would have something special.  At 2:00 p.m. when they arrived at the classroom,  I had a sign on the door which read:

                                          "Special SDS Meeting today, June 28, 2011,
                                                                   2:00 p.m."

When they entered the classroom they found their tables arranged in a square so that they were facing each other.

I told them that we were going to pretend that this was a Regional Chapter.  I had pretend "roles" printed on table tents, turned them upside down and had them choose a table tent.  They really laughed when they saw what they said.  One read "Regional Superior," "Director of Candidates," "Director of Novices," "Regional Counselor," etc. 

I had each sister print one of the qualities that she named on her small dry erase board.  We went around the table and each person said and showed the one quality she had written, while I wrote each quality on the big board.  If  a person's quality was already mentioned, she could choose another one of the qualities she had listed on her paper..  After all of the qualities were named, each person had to tell in English why she thought that particular quality was most important.  After that was done I asked each sister to go to the board and put a mark next to the quality that she thought was most important.  (There were two that were non-negotiable, namely, a person who applies to be a Candidate, Must be at least 18 years old and must have passed Form IV secondary school.)

Here are the qualities they named that received the most "votes:"

* Good behavior,  meaning their behavior should be an example for society

* Good relationships, meaning that she should be able to get alone with many kinds of people sop that she would be a good community person.

* Hard working - I guess that speaks for itself.  They said someone who helps in the house and doesn't leave things for the others.  (Guess human behavior is the same all over the world!)

* Polite and cooperative

* Mature spiritually

* Mature

Needless to say, I was thrilled.  I think that they did a great job.  Both Sister Barbara and I participated in this "role playing" experience.  They seemed interested to hear what qualities both of us wrote.  I did not use the word "role play."  We just "did it." I don't think that they ever did anything like this and I think they really liked it.

Today my students took  their first big practice test.  On some things they did very well and other areas they didn't do so well.  When it comes to vocabulary, it's really a guessing game.

That's all for now.

Love to all,

Sister Virginia