James at Ngorongoro - Part 3 - The Lions

On the crater floor near a creek we encountered a pride of lions. Here is a lioness walking alongside of the road.

Later on this same lioness was sitting in the tall grass. Notice how hard it is to see her in the second picture.

This lioness is asleep on her back. Apparently they had a good hunt before the dawn and ate well.

There was also a male lion.

Mtakuja Secondary School

About an hour outside of Moshi is Mtakuja Secondary School. This school is under the authority of the Northern Diocese of the Kanisa la Kiinjili la Kilutheri ya Tanzania (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania). Currently there are 196 students (43 day students, and the rest are boarding) in Forms I, II, III, and IV.

This is the main road leading from the gate to the classrooms and offices.

The school was started by Marianne Von Zastrow. She was married to a German, and together they owned a large coffee farm. In 1973 Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere nationalized all foreign-owned businesses and ordered all foreigners to leave Tanzania within 48 hours. Marianne and her husband went to America, where he passed away in 1991. After the death of her husband Marianne returned to Tanzania, where she started the school. She died in 2012.

This is Marianne Von Zastrow's house. It now serves as housing for some of Mtakuja's single male teachers.

The Headmaster is Mr. Immanuel Lyatuu. This is his office.

The area for the school's secretary just outside the Headmaster's office.

The Form III and IV classrooms, alost with one of the water storage tanks.

Inside the Form III and IV classrooms. From the pictures it can be seen that the floor is deteriorating.

A view of the school's soccer field.

The school's bell, which is rung by hitting it with a metal pipe.

The staff room at Mtakuja.

The girls' dormitories. The unfinished brick building in the first picture on the right is the chemistry lab

The planned site for toilets and baths near the girls' dormitories.

The Headmaster's daughter Debora, who is a student at Mtakuja.

To reduces expenses schools in Tanzania usually grow some of their own food. Here is one place where Mtakuja cultivates some vegetables.

These containers can be used to store mahindi (white corn) and beans grown on the school grounds.

Mtakuja is on a large plot of land. The road leading from the classrooms and girls' dormitories to the boys' dormitories.

The boys' dormitory and bathroom/shower. These are outside the dormitory.

Inside one of the dorm rooms.

The school kitchen, which cooks food for students and staff. Currently there is no dining hall - students must eat outside when the weather permits, and inside the classrooms when it rains. Any food left in the classrooms almost always attracts ants - either the chungu (large black army ants) and the smaller yet fierce siafu (red ants).

Home in Monduli

Before leaving Monduli we stopped by our old house. It is now occupied by the head Lutheran pastor of the Monduli district.

The water tank just above our old house. In Tanzania water is often hard to obtain, so we were truly blessed.

We got to see our neighbor Nicholas, who is now in Form II at Engutoto Secondary School in Monduli. Nicholas was seven years old when we left Tanzania nine years ago.

Return to Moringe-Sokoine Secondary School

After we were married we lived and worked in Monduli, a town near Arusha. Moringe-Sokoine Secondary School is named after the late Prime Minister of Tanzania, Edward Moringe-Sokoine. Here is the archway to the main administration building.

The present Headmaster of the school is Mwalimu Kwayu, who was Second Headmaster while were were there nine years ago.

This is the old administration building, which is now Form 6 classrooms.

The building for Form 6 is in somewhat rundown shape. Some of the students can be seen studying in the classrooms.

The library at Moringe-Sokoine.

The computer lab at Moringe-Sokoine. There have been a lot of changes since we were there. For one thing, the school has a lot more computers. For another, there is internet access (at least part-time).

Since we left the school has constructed a new dining hall. The previous dining hall could only accommodate a fraction of the student population. Now, in addition to being able to feed the students in a better environment, the school can also use the hall for school assemblies and graduation ceremonies. In fact, students were able to gather together to watch the recent World Cup!

Behind the dining hall is the cooking facilities. There is also a water purification system that makes the water safe for drinking (in Tanzania you *never* drink straight from the tap!).

The Forms I-IV classroom building have been renovated. This is the front of the classrooms.

This is part of the water system Peach Lutheran Church helped the school build.

James playing with a bucket of the now-abundant water.

The Headmaster of Moringe-Sokoine while we were there was Dr. Seth Msinjili. He was called out of retirement to become the head of Maasae Girls School.