Tumaini University

We visited Tumaini University with the Augustana Lutheran Church from West Saint Paul.  This is Study Week and students are working hard to prepare for their examinations next week  (see picture above).  Lyn took pictures of first year Theology students and I was the photographer's assistant explaining that we would take a picture of their name tag and then a picture of their face.  Mostly I was trying to get them to smile which is not a natural pose for them.  Usually they will be very serious and then burst into a beautiful smile when the photograph is completed.

 While we were waiting outside the dean's office, Robert Muta,  Professor of Psychology, came to speak with us.  He recognized us from when we were at Day of Grace together and he was a guest speaker.  Day of Grace was a gathering of pastors and the wives for a two day retreat.  I will write more on Day of Grace in future blogs.   We spoke about our time here and he volunteered that he was a Baptist, giving unbiased credibility to his comments.  He said that he had come to Iringa in the late 1980s.  Iringa had been a hub of industry supporting a growing agricultural community, but the industry had gone and Iringa was economically depressed.  The growth of Tumaini since the early 1990s improved the economy.  Not only with increased number of students, but improving the living conditions for those in Iringa.  People with extra rooms provide room and board for those students who could not be housed on campus. The streets are busy with shops selling food, cell phone and computer access along with the usual college town attractions.  I haven't even mentioned all the buildings that have been built since our visit here ten years ago. The University has grown from an enrollment of 500 to 4,000,  77% men and 23% women.  There are 125 full time faculty members and 25 part time faculty members.  Enrollment was grown considerably by the introduction of government student loans.  Tuition varies by area of study and ranges from $2,500 to $3,000 per year.  The degree holder has a much brighter future.  There is definitely a collegiate atmosphere where I can  feel that these students are leaning toward serving others and improving the world around them.

                                  Outside the Administration building looking toward "Old Main"

     Outside the Dean's Office where we met Prof. Muta and took pictures of Theology Students.