Author Archive

Tom Davenport

October 1934-March 2012

It is with tears I write about our dear friend, Tom who died Sunday.  Tally and I drove out to Wyoming to say goodbye and spend four days with Tom, and are so thankful to have had that time with him.  I first met Tom 7 or 8 years ago, and spent time at his “place” meeting his friends, ranchers, and painting them at work.  We had a wonderful summer and our friendship grew and expanded to Tom’s becoming involved in our work in Tanzania.  Tally and I made a trip out there to speak with Tom’s church in Pinedale as well as another small church in Big Piney.  These churches and Tom’s work in obtaining a huge grant from the Diocese of Wyoming provided three years of enormous support for the people at Msalato Theological College, Bishop Stanway Primary School, and other individuals in need.  Tom came with us this past summer to Tanzania to meet the people he has helped and won the hearts of everyone he came into contact with, remembered everyone’s name, even children who called him “Mr. Tom”!  I would like to write more about Tom, but will do so later.  Tally and I arrived home last evening after driving almost 7,000 miles and need to get my scattered thoughts and emotions in order before writing more.  I would like to add that the people in Tanzania were with us in spirit through this entire journey, and will be having a Thanksgiving service for Tom there at Msalato Chapel this coming Friday.  There is an empty chair at our table of friends…we will miss him sorely.  Jessie and Tally

When Tally and I returned from our time in Tanzania the summer of 2010, we gave a Kanga, which had been given to us, to the congregation of St. Mary Magdalene’s Church.  We thought they would use it as a wall hanging or table cloth.  However, Jean Brown, the wife of Rev. Robert Brown, created this beautiful Chasuble for the Lenten Season.  Jean told us she is NOT a semstress and how difficult it was to “cut and paste” to transform the Kanga into this lovely clerical robe.  Father Bob commented that he saw a meaningul metaphor in the Zebra: “The stripes representing the black and white people who are working together in harmony”.  A scientific fact is that the stripes on the Zebra confuse flies, hence Zebras are not menaced by flies as are the other animals on the plains of Africa.

Perhaps some of the Tanzanian clergy will use Kangas in their clerical robes too.  Thank you, Jean, for creating such a lovely and eloquent garment!

ST. MICHAEL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH in Raleigh, will be hosting an art show of Jessie’s work March 18-25. This is to benefit  FOOTSTEPS IN FAITH, KARIMU as well as St. Michael’s outreach program. Tally, (The Rev.) will preach on Sunday the 18th and on Sunday the 25th we will have a presentation on Footsteps in Faith and Karimu.

St. Michael’s is a stunning church in a beautiful neighborhood. We had a lovely afternoon there yesterday, (hosted by the Rev. John Gibson) meeting clergy and staff as well as looking at the room where the art will be. If  you have friends in Raleigh, we hope you will direct them to St. Michael’s! Thanks, Jessie and Tally

“Hello Everyone!” (Alistair Cooke used to open his “Letters from America” radio program that way, I was a faithful listener when I lived in England, and loved that opening. So, again, “Hello Everyone”.

We are beginning the campaign for FOOTSTEPS IN FAITH, our goal is to raise one million dollars this year.

Year after year, Msalato Theological college has to find money to run the school. Salaries for teachers, food for students, scholarships for students (most cannot afford their tuition) You have heped with your donations, Wyoming has basically kept the school afloat for three years. A committee has been formed in conjunction with Virginia Theological Seminary, the Diocese of Atlanta, New York, as well as many other people and agencies who have been involved in helping Msalato over the years. Your generosity has a profound impact: you are creating opportunity and instilling confidence in the students you support, the women you are empowering. Your influence will have an enduring effect not only of the lives of deserving students, but the lives of the people in the villages where these where they will be called to help.

By establishing en endowment fund, the school would be able to move from chronic dependence on outside donations, to a fund which would be based, overseen and managed by The Long Term Investment Committee of the Diocese of Atlanta. They have agreed to manage a separate FOOTSTEPS in FAITH Fund. Our ultimate goal will be three million dollars, but for this year we are working towards the one million.

Do any of you know of foundations, dioceses, individuals, that Tally and I would be able to contact. We are going over lists, but are aware that sending letters “cold” rarely get read. However, if you know of a person that you could contact saying they will be receiving our letter and to keep an eye out for it, this would be a great help.

Thank you everyone! Jessie

This has been such a busy season, Thanksgiving, trip to Virginia to get info for the Endowment for Msalato, Art Show, Christmas, Wyoming then New York City! I hope now to have some time to THINK. Sandy sent this photo of happy memories from this past Autumn in Tanzania which now seems so long ago.

Tally and I will go to the Diocesian Convention this weekend and hope to interest more people in KARIMU, and the Endowment. We would love to have more churches involved, not only in their outreach, but even volunteers who would like to go and do some work there.

Times are still hard for most poeple, but inspite of that, our donations keep trickeling in and we thank you for that. With people who have not had to struggle in the past, this new experience of worry has also heightened awareness of what those who are barely surviving must be facing every day, year after year. It certainly has for Tally and me, and we grateful for your empathy.

We hope to expand the piglet project to a brand new village which will make four villages now. East Africa is finally getting much needed rain so draught conditions are abating at last. We will talk with some women about the possibility of gardens (where there is water available). We can help with seeds, fertilizer and perhaps some implements. Small solar lighting is also on our list ($22.00) a light. This would be a good project for children!!

Thanks – Jessie