Picking up from my update on Tembari Troubles...first no teacher has had to leave...computer which was being help as a form of protest by teachers was returned without the charger...and finally charger was located in the original box. Miracles do happen...just takes a couple weeks. Next day, I spent from 10 - 3 teaching word processing to some pretty excited teaches. Only 2 of the 9 had ever even typed. Joe, the youngest, obviously had experience...he too was thrilled & teased others saying lessons would only cost $2. For the 3rd time, we asked Hayward if the locked area to store the computer & printer where teachers could access it was ready...I'll ask Penny...same answer. Next day, after I'd covered for the K teacher & Rog taught another science lesson, we started working with teachers whose students leave at 10, on the computer. Then an assembly was called for all students so they could elect a student leader...something they told the kids about last week & kids were selected as candidates. I continued teaching word processing & Rog went to the assembly. Teachers used the clapping technique we'd taught them to quiet the group, had the list of candidates on a large paper & a box for votes...that's when Hayward interrupted the assembly...told the kids the teachers had misbehaved & sent kids home. Guess he had not approved the assembly...though he is seldom around. Rog said watching the shock & humiliation on the teachers' faces was painful. I joined him and we went to get the printer from Hayward's office as we'd lost confidence in him & Penny. The security guard...who has been with Tembari for many years...said he'd store both at his house & allow teachers to use there. When Hayward heard--he exploded. Accused us of trying to take over, alternative motives for coming, white people not understanding PNG, trying to rush, rush, rush him...etc. It was rude & ugly. Rog actually got mad & told him we had only come to help & walked away. Hayward continue to shout at me as I sat silent. Finally I said we'd seen many donations end up not in the hands they were meant to be & we wanted the comp & printer in the teachers' hands. He left saying we'd discuss in a meeting the next morning after the kids left at 10. The teachers kept apologizing to us....like teaching in such horrid conditions isn't bad enough they have to put u with a control nut!! We showed up at 8:30 the next morning...big sign on classroom doors...NO SCHOOL FOR 2 WEEKS. We sat with the teachers...still apologizing. They said the fight had happened before we got there...Gordon (5 yr teacher, cousin of Penny) had walked away after Penny threaten to call police. Rog went to find & talk to him. He was so ashamed, anger, frustrated...of how we & the other teachers were treated. He said he was going to quit & return to his village. I sat with the other teachers & passed out our teaching supplies that we'd been using...books, playing cards, tablets ...since we won't need them Mon, which was to be our last day...& gave the cooks a bag of M & M's. Finally around 11, H & P served us a delicious picnic lunch of potato salad, coleslaw, sausage, rolls, fruit, chocolate bars & Coke. All sat around telling jokes & enjoying the meal. H & P gave us three ORO fabric bags & a photo of the kids. No meeting was held. Mindex & Jr arrived and we had a tearful goodbye with the female teachers & cooks, hugged the males & shook hands with H & P--who said, "Thank you for coming. Understand in PNG no one likes to see another have more money...if they do, they will kill them." Heavy words! So we're bringing the computer home (can't take it back) and giving the printer to Jr. So ends the saga of the computer & printer.
Sent from my iPad
Sent from my iPad
