Martin is thankful for Caitlin’s latest care package, which includes a tarp, buckets, and rain purification tablets. As it has been raining constantly, the family has tried their best to fill up the holes in their home with sticks and straws. Martin’s mother has resorted to using Caitlin’s letters to help patch up some of the leaking holes, which Martin is saddened by but understands.

At school, Martin hears the good news that he has received the highest score in his O-level exams in his entire school. He has received an A across all nine subjects. Mr. Samupindi tells Martin that his grades can get him into the Marist Brothers school in Nyanga, a private boarding school that will guarantee him a successful placement at a US university. However, the semester starts soon, and it will cost Martin a lot of money to attend, although his grades may earn him a scholarship.

Martin decides to find out for himself what it will take to get into Marist Brothers. He takes a bus to Nyanga, which is three hours away from Mutare. He manages to ride with a pickup truck that is already on its way to the Marist Brothers school to drop off food supplies.