The 7:20 MAF Bus

Today, Esther and Ben returned to school after a long 6 week school holiday.

Going back to school for Ben this term means a few changes. I received an email from the school last week stating that Benjamin would be expected to attend his Nursery class from the earlier starting time of 07:45 instead of 9am. This seems a little too early for me when he has only just turned 4, but since Ben enjoys his Nursery class so much, we have decided to let him try out the earlier time. His Nursery sessions now run from 07:45 until midday. The biggest change for Ben is that he will no longer be going to school with Mum in the car, or with his friend Aleah's mum. Instead, Ben will join all the older school children on the early school mini-bus, including big sister Esther, with different MAF parents taking turns to drive the bus each day according to our "Driver's Rota".

Since today was the first time that Ben joined the early bus, I decided to drive the 07:20 bus run myself. Joel had to come along too, of course, as he cannot stay home alone! So we all set off bright and early on the 7:20 MAF Bus: a few photos follow, to prove how early our school days start here in Africa!!

Ben and his little friend Aleah are excited to choose their seats on the bus near Esther, as we prepare to leave the carpark at MAF Compound A- getting ready to go and collect the other children from MAF Compound B and three Tanzanian children who join us en-route:

 Second pick-up point at MAF Compound B- and I am happily smiling, despite the early hour! Driving a mini-bus so early must be good for me...

 ...and the children are all in good spirits too after their wonderful 6 week holidays!

 Time to drop Esther and the older children off at the "big school":

 Then we drive next door to the Early Years unit where the 2 Reception children, plus Nursery children Ben and Aleah seem quite happy to be getting off the bus to go into their playground:

 Within a few minutes, Ben and his buddy Aleah are busy at the sandpit...

 ...while Joel and I head home. Joel is still able to smile, despite having been dragged out the front door at 07:15 in his pyjamas, with a dirty nappy and no breakfast!!

We drove back through town and arrived at the end of the airfield around 8am, just in time to see Andrew lining up for take-off on his MAF flight to Iringa this morning. Daily life in Dodoma starts early- now I just need to make sure we all get to bed in good time each evening- there is a saying here that 9pm is "missionary midnight" -and since 6:30am is considered a bit late to be getting up, we definitely understand where that saying came from!