St Cyprian’s Theological College at the Rondo

The Rondo is a plateau, some 12 miles north of the main Mtwara-Masasi road and the site and the original buildings were owned by a South African timber felling company. Several buildings are of European type, built on prime sites round the plateau with views over the incredibly beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
 
When he became Bishop in 1960, Trevor Huddleston bought the site from the timber felling company because he had been instructed, by the then Archbishop of York, Michael Ramsey, “to do something” about the state of training for the priesthood, which was in a parlous condition at the time. Bishop Trevor raised money to buy the site on fund-raising trips to the USA.
A range of good buildings existed, including houses for manager, staff and labourers, and initially the College only had to supplement additional housing for students. Bishop Trevor also built the College Chapel, which is used four times a day, providing an inspiration for worship and accustoming students to develop a regular prayer life.

The remoteness of the Rondo has its advantages for a theological training centre. It is a place where uninterrupted study and spiritual development can occur in a rural setting and village environment appropriate to the great majority of parishes in the Diocese.

St Cyprian’s College is surrounded by almost eight villages, which contain a population of 14,000 people. The number of residents in the College is about 200, including teaching staff, students and station hand workers. The students at the College (the ordinands) live in traditional Tanzanian houses on site and have a shamba where they grow much of their own food. Those who are married have their wives and children with them. The students at the Junior Seminary live separately in dormitories.

One of the big problems of the Rondo is the difficult access. To reach the plateau one turns off the main Masasi-Mtwara Road at Nyengedi, and from there it is 19 km to the Rondo. But the plateau is 911 metres above sea level, resulting in a climb of 800 metres and the road is a sandy, muddy, rocky track.  In the rainy season it suffers because it runs between raised banks and cannot be drained, so the rainwater rushes down the track, gouging out deep gullies. In the dry season the mud turns to sand, which is very deep in some places.  Drivers must always be on the look out – there are rocks big enough to touch the differential and it can take more than an hour to travel the 19 km from the main road.

The College has over the years built many rainwater catchment tanks, above and below ground. When this supply fails water must be brought up from the valley by tractor and bowser on a steep and rough 7 km track.
A generator supplies electricity when there is enough money for fuel. This is usually about once a week and a diesel-powered maize grinding mill, which is much used by the local villagers and helps support the College community.

There is also a Dispensary, which is currently in urgent need of refurbishment. At present the only member of staff is an unqualified nurse, and the support of a qualified doctor is desperately needed. There is also a shortage of drugs and medical equipment. In addition to the College, the Dispensary serves the local community as well as people from the surrounding villages. Emergency cases have to go 19 km down the rough track to the excellent Roman Catholic Mission Hospital at Nyangao, along the Masasi-Lindi Road.

The College has one Land Rover, which is literally the only means of contact between the College, the Diocesan Headquarters and the outside world.  Any villager or student needing more medical help than can be obtained at the Dispensary has to walk the 19 km down the track to the main road.  Women in labour and sick children and elderly people all depend on the one College vehicle to get them to the hospital.