We are building a house

I have already written that much of Fran's good medical care when she was taken ill was the result of our friend and former landlord, and doctor at the Sciacca hospital, Gaspere 'Rino' Marinello. I am not sure if I have mentioned his committment to improve the lives of the poor people living in Tanzania. He has spent months there, volunteering his time, to provide medical care in a land bereft of doctors. He does not take the easy assignments there, but rather goes into the villages that perhaps have not seen rain for years (not months, years), and does what he can to bring better health there. He has overseen the building of clinics, and works hard even here in Sciacca trying to raise money for a relief effort.

For Christmas, Fran would give a healthy contribution to the work that was going on in Tanzania, specifically a town name Usalonga, in the Iringa area. I did not look it up, but my brother told me that he did, and that Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. With this in mind, I had asked people to contribute to the effort in memory of Fran, and in lieu of flowers.

When I got back to Sciacca, I talked to Gasperi about the contributions, and added some more money of my own, and we were able to build a house in Usalonga, that will be dedicated in Fran's memory. Independent of all of this, my nephew Jacob decided to take a semester abroad in his studies at Earlham College, and that his semester abroad would be in Tanzania. We are trying to work out the logistics for him to visit Usalonga, and for there to be a dedication ceremony at the house, that is to be used by a widow and her children.

At any rate, my friend Emilio made a plaque to be placed on the house. It is made out of the same Turkish marble that Fran liked, and that we have here in the shape of an ashtray, but that is used to hold a flower vase.

I would like to thank all of the people who contributed to this effort, and below you will see a photo of the plaque that Emilio made to be put on the house. May the house bring some measure of tranquility and peace to those who live there.