By George Kegley
The story of Faraja Primary School, a unique school for children with disabilities near the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania is the story of Don and Joann Tolmie, a Virginia couple, and their three sons and eight grandchildren (shown in picture). The story is told in a handsomely illustrated, privately published book, Miracles by the Mountain, the work of two Chicago writers, Mike Conklin and Mitch Engel.
The school, started with 15 students, was named Faraja, “comfort” and “consolation” in Swahili. The Northern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania saw a need for education of a substantial number of physically handicapped children, many victims at birth. Public schools were not equipped to help them and they were often treated as unwanted curses hidden in a hut. The school is in a remote area of Northern Tanzania, 20 miles from the famed mountain called “the roof of Africa.”
As a matter of serendipity, Pastor Dwayne Westermann of College Lutheran, Salem, while on sabbatical visited Tanzania and eventually started a scholarship program, Godparents for Tanzania. He found the Lutheran church there to be one of the largest and fastest growing arms of the Lutheran church in the world. On his third trip there in 1999, he invited Don and Joann Tolmie, friends from Roanoke and Norfolk, to join him.
The Tolmies recognized the need and they soon were engaged with the overwhelming number of physically handicapped people, especially children. An estimated 4 million Tanzanians have disabilities. Bishop Erasto N. Kweka of the Northern Diocese had plans, including blueprints, but no money for a school..
The Tolmies, then retired in their early 70s, considered the need with their families. The sons—David, John and Paul, all successful professionals—joined in a commitment to support a specialized school. As it grew, dormitories, a chapel, classrooms and a computer center were added.
Who were the Tolmies? Don and Joann grew up in Rock Island, Ill., and both were graduates of Augustana, a Lutheran college. Don’s mother helped children of Mexican immigrants and Joann’s mother taught disabled children. They married in 1953 after Don graduated from the University of Illinois Law School and began a career as a railroad lawyer. They moved to Roanoke where Don worked for the Norfolk & Western Railway law department for eight years before his position was moved to Norfolk with the formation of Norfolk Southern Railway. Joann worked with refugees as social ministry chair at Christ, Roanoke, and the boys were growing up.
At First Lutheran, Norfolk, the Tolmies were leading members for 38 years before moving to Charlotte, NC in retirement. David Tolmie, the oldest son, is chair of the family foundation and a partner in a Chicago private firm. He has enlisted much support for the school from friends and such business people as the head of Caterpillar Corp. and
he found a contribution from Brunswick Corp. John Tolmie, a healthcare executive and former hospital administrator in Baltimore, has helped the people of Tanzania with malaria treatment, healthcare and water projects Paul Tolmie, a Charlotte dentist, said his first visit to the school was “transformational” leading his family and fellow church members to look for ways to support the school.
Instead of an image of downtrodden people, Paul Tolmie wrote that he saw “happy and thankful young people” with “wheelchairs, crutches, withered limbs, missing limbs” who “possessed such a joy for life. They had been given a chance to excel, regardless of their handicaps and their gratitude was immense.” Paul’s son, Christopher, with three fellow students at the University of Maryland Dental school conducted oral exams for the students and a Baltimore hospital team worked on a health plan.
The Tolmies committed support for the first two years of the school with a plan for local support to continue but that did not happen so the Faraja Fund Foundation was formed to carry on the work. This requires raising $350,000 annually to cover most of the operating expenses. Dave Tolmie is chair and Kristin Westermann, daughter of Dwayne Westermann, is program director for the foundation. Donors may go to the website,
www.farajaschool.org. The book sells for $49.
As the school has grown to more than 100 students receiving instruction in many fields, Kristin Westermann wrote. “To me, success is when a handicapped child becomes a blessing instead of a burden to his or her family.” The book tells of a ripple effect from the Tolmies and the school. Donors from individuals, congregations, Sunday School classes and friends across the Synod have supported the school. In the 20+ years of its operation members of the Tolmie family have made over 100 trips to Tanzania. Tolmie grandchildren formed a youth board to collect support for special needs at the school.
Both Don and Joann Tolmie and their family have extended their compassion beyond the school as they have visited and helped other areas of Tanzania. John Tolmie said that on a visit with his parents, ‘you can anticipate putting in a lot more miles traveling through the surrounding communities.” Hundreds of villagers came to know Don and Joann, “to recognize the love and care they carried.”
As a sad ending, both Don Tolmie and Dwayne Westermann finished long, compassionate careers and died last year.
