Sunday, September 21, 2008
Extending Visa in Nairobi
I am in Nairobi with three teachers from World Teach. Our aim is to extend our visas for an additional three months. My return date remains mid December. I spent some time at the Athi Rive site. As you may have heard, there is a severe food shortage, effecting the women and children at the Masai menyatta. We hope to deliver some food rations on Thursday is all goes well. The Masai are herders and eat meat, milk and blood. They are not traditionaslly farmers, so some of the things we will provide may be foreign. We will by maize flour, some uji or porridge for the little ones and other products to help stretch things until the December rains. The cattle that have been left by the men are sick and have many broken bones. The milk is not good. We made "home visits" ands there is much sickness and disease present these day. Eye problems and food poisoning from bad meat. We have suspended other projectwork until the food situation is taken care of. It is not only among the masai but all over this area. No rains, food prices, post election violence all play a part. It will probably get worse before better.
The village goes on well. The children are achieving and seem happy. We met with some and some Kenyan psychologists ran a survey of questions dealing with trama. Interesting work but no surprises.
Recently the generator went crazy. It surged causing my laptop power cord to be fried. We are searching for another - a difficult thing. All my new videos of the Masai and the village are on the computer but it cannot be recharged. We shall see.
That is about it for now. I am doing well, feeling good, a little lighter in weight; a little darker in skin color. I continue to do invoicing, database, touring visitors and making sure volunteers are healthy, happy and working hard. It's an easy job. The chicken biz is in full swing. We look forward to many chicks hatching in the ew incubator soon - kerosene powered. All the best to my friends and family. Thank you so much for you support through IHM Mission Fund. Here are a couple pics of village kids.