Dedication of 3
rd Floor of the College to John,
MEPI team party, Night of Inspiration
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| Plaque Veiled |
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| Plaque unveiled |
I could write a long blog here, but instead will mostly post
pictures. Yesterday was a full and
amazing day. My heart is full yet again
for the friendships that John and I have developed here in Moshi over the past
10 years (for John 13). We have a marvelous
team in the Collaboration with the leadership of Dr. Blandina, we have the best
accountants in Frank, Francis & Vera, and team of researchers and lab
research team, students and staff are skilled in handling the Standards of
Practice that are required by the National Institutes of Health. It is not easy to handle dollars converted to
Tshillings when the conversion rate changes daily. It is not easy to provide excellent quality
control quality assurance when the research protocols add amendments, require
drugs that come in the milligram sizes not available anywhere in this country,
lab results when the power surges fry even the best surge protectors, the
browser corrupts and looses data for months, the toilets break, the mud is
thick, the best vehicles have a hard time getting to the field sites, the
babies are born at midnight, and some staff are injured in motor vehicle
accidents. This group laughs
hysterically and then puts the hard work of figuring out the way around. What a blessing.
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| John with collaboration and MEPI Team |
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| John with Plaque |
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| Black dots are Nairobi Fly |
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At the presentation, there were so many of these horrible Nairobi Flies that they were falling from the ceiling and like a moving carpet on the floor. In my sandals, I had to walk on my toes to try to avoid any of them crawling across my feet and wash my sandals when I got home!
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| The Bishop gives a short word of thanks to John |
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| Ahaz and others in the dedication |
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| The young MEPI gang |
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| Something funny at the end keeps us laughing |
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| Just what is going on?????Sijui (I don't know) |
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| Carol our fab driver takes the MEPI Bus for students to go to the field |
Then the MEPI (medical education partnership initiative)
team, led by Ahaz Kukulanga the DeputyVice Provost is just amazing. Most are
young and energetic. They grew up in the
age of the internet,and that gives them something the rest of us could only
dream of. The older folks had to learn after years of hand-writing or if lucky,
typing. Raised during or just after
colonialism, they were forced to work harder, prove themselves more, and know
what it was to deal with struggles every single day. I am quite sure that
thoughts entered their heads of giving up, but they did not. To see them celebrating again, and to be in
some way the focal part of it was really incredible, and humbling.
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| A Toast to the MEPI team members who are missing |
Because some team members are studying abroad, or busy winning the "best poster award" (AKA Charles) the team toasted them saying "Mitwara" for the best beef sausage around!
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| Each department in MEPI described John in relation to their speciality |
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| Ahaz notes he bought penny loafers to look like John |
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| The cane award |
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| John and I had a happy day |
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| Our lovely MEPI team |
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| I even got a Kitenga and toast! |
The changes at KCMC College are equally astounding. It is true that the MEPI NIH grant supplied
the cash for much of the infrastructure development, but it was the vision of
the Provost Kessy in particular and Professor Shao in the early stages that
allowed the dream for the college to become a reality. Their sometimes brutal honesty is actually a
huge relief in a world that often puts roadblocks in place for more transparent
people.
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| Ha--It is time to start + 30 min. The platform is not yet built! |
As usual timing is everything in Tanzania. It all started 2.5 hours late!
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| The MC's were great--even though they broke the steps to the platform |
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| John, Kessy & Shao discussing. Note Sprite bottle |
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| Dr. Mallya, Blandina and William will debate specialities soon! |
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| Rose and Dean Deo sharing a word |
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| Prof Lavina shares life as she studies in Russia! |
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| Prof Shao shares life as he studies in Cuba |
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| Provost Kessy's Chagga Name "Kazi Ngumu" Work Hard! |
The first speaker Provost Kessy, shared his life as boy in Mamba in a one room hut with 8 brothers and sisters, school barefoot and being caned for nearly everything, but his passion for Math and Medicine. The second speaker Prof Dr. Msuya spoke of her growing up and her training in Russia where she had to learn the language, and cope with the cold and her passion as one of the first female MD's in Tanzania. The third, the Honored Guest Professor Shao, spoke of many challenges from boyhood to adult, but each with a message of hope and determination. "What I learned, What message can you take?" I am so eager for someone to write a book about the life of Professor Shao. His experiences are incredible, unique and ground breaking. Life in Castro's Cuba, life in Uganda, experiences with Apartheid Africa and Steve Biko. Just incredible.
The medical students and the
faculty who spoke at the Night of Inspiration were both hysterical and
seriously amazing.
The Rappers, also
medical students were creative and funny.
Whether you like rap or not, you would have to be impressed by their
ability (even while secretly thinking that their parents are so glad that they
finished medicine and have a great career ahead of them). And the MC’s were perfect,
playing off each others’ strengths and providing just the right amount of
humor.
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| The MED Boys Dream of the Night of Inspiration |
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| The MED girls describe the first autopsy |
Faculty Prof Mallya, Prof William and Prof Blandina nearly took the house down describing why they deserved the one parachute as their theoretical Indian AirLines plane crashed. Their ability to think fast is legend, but we were all astounded!
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| Children will lead tomorow |
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| You have to walk to run (fix the broken bones) |
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| I am the one up here who took care of the Pope |
My John gave an equally inspiring talk, using parallels from
his parents and us, and as well the love of Global Health and seeing the
changes that have occurred despite the challenges.
I agree with Ahaz, that his ability to put
the perfect “spin” on something that seems impossible is unique.
And, if he promises something, he will
deliver, and if it is bad news, he will give it honestly but kindly.
So the day of the plaque, and the night of inspiration were
an event that even as I become more forgetful, I know will be with me forever.
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