The Beat Goes On.

Today I am especially grateful that we had 117 of our students come to our orientation meeting on August 1. We knew we had to make contact with the 3 students (all girls) and their families to find out why they did not come and give them the necessary information. Two of the girls live close in to Arusha, so the process should be pretty quick. Theoretically.

Sadly, we also needed to find another male student. While we were camping, one of the students we had selected died suddenly. Mark spent all day Friday attending the funeral (yes, all day) then worked through our student list with our teachers to identify another student that would take that place. So off we went this morning.

Student #1: Now doesn't want to come to school. At 17, she wants to get married. When we arrived the mother said she had run away. A quick-witted older sister ran over and said "no" and ran to get the student. When we were all together (and all of these discussions take place in the yard with anyone who wants to drop by to listen shows up), the mother then said yes, she did want the girl to go to school. The girl did not want really to talk to us, so we put her and her sister in the car and drove her back to our house to talk to Theo, our headmistress. Theo had a strong talk about the importance of education and waiting to be married until she can be independent and can take care of herself and a family. The girl agreed to come--however, we will have to go back this week to the house to get the signed documents and will probably have to go back to the house several times between now and the opening to keep her focused on attending school. Hopefully, we can get her to school and she will see how great it is once she's there and realize that she needs to stay. Much will depend upon the access and influence of the "finance."

Student #2: Said she wanted to come to the meeting but her "mother" (actually an aunt) didn't want to come. The headmaster at the school confirmed information we had gotten during the student interview, that the student was quite difficult and not honest about many things. The girl said her mother was not available to talk today, so we told her to tell her mother that we would come to see her at 9:00 Thursday morning. And we'll be showing up at 7:30 in case she is going to try to dodge us.

Student #3: Wants to come to school, but the grandmother and other relatives want her to get married. This weekend. It is illegal to prevent a child from attending school, a law that is obviously rarely enforced unless someone from the outside takes action. In this case, the ward leader and the pastor helped the girl pack and, as I write, Mark and the teachers are bringing her back to Arusha. We'll find a place for her to stay until school opens.

It's very easy to look at these instances and shake your head at the short sightedness of the decisions. But decisions are made all the time everywhere like this. There's actually something called a "culture of poverty" that heavily influences a person's decision-making skills. I once did a simulation for several hours where we had to try to get our lives organized with family, work, and children at the poverty level. Here I was, an educated person from a solid background, but I just couldn't get ahead. Every time I tried to make a good decision, something would happen and I'd get knocked back. I just never had enough resources to get ahead or get a cushion in case of trouble. By the end of the simulation, I was making poorer choices about my money and resources because I couldn't count on what might happen in the future. I think the same ideas are at play. We are offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance at an education at virtually no cost to these students. But maybe we aren't, in their minds. Maybe it's here today, but it won't be tomorrow. But a potential husband is here today. True, he maybe not be here tomorrow, either, but they can't afford to worry about that right now. Right now, he is here and familiar and concrete. The idea that a better educated girl can provide more resources to the family in just a few years is not something that carries as much weight.

I was sharing these stories with a friend at lunch who wondered why we are bothering. After all, with so many children who need an education, why not just go get someone who does want to come? Two reasons. One, because some of these students do want to come, but family members, tradition, etc. are impeding that opportunity. Second, PHF's mission is to help orphans and vulnerable children and here, just as in the States, it's those that are in the greatest need that also come with the most problems. It would be a pretty small selection pool if they have to be orphans and highly intelligent and academically high-achieving, and well-balanced! These are the children that have suffered the most, that have lost so much, and it stands to reason they will bring problems and conflicts to the table. They are also those that may turn out to be the most resiliant and in the end the true leaders. That's the mission of PHF. And the Hillmans. And the teachers. And that's why we do it.