Zac's Here

My son made it to Nairobi via London. It was great to see him once again. I think he put on a couple pounds and I lost 27. He looks great - I don't. But I feel good. Today is Obama day in Kenya. The President of the country made today a National Holiday. Everyone was celebrating the night before so doubtful that many would make it into work on time! It was a great election to witness in Kenya. This is my second election, the first being the Kenyan election that turned so violent last December. For Kenyans to witness one of their own take part in such a peaceful transition, well run voting polls etc. . . the guys at work just look at me and say 'ah America, what a great country you have!' They were amazed that I could vote absentee ballot and that the results were so fast. Even McCain's gracious speech came quickly. "ah America!' Erin and I watch some of the pre-results television coverage from a little 30-seat bar in Kwa Vonza. We watched the TV by generator but the lighting in the place was by kerosene lamp. It was a bit surreal, although beautiful as well. All these black faces fixed on the TV, anticipating a son of Kenya winning the highest office in the land. It was a great night.

I left for Nairobi the next morning. The town was buzzing about Obama and locals would yell to me on the street = Obama (and give a thumbs up)

So Zac is here. We go tomorrow to the coast and sail to a remote island. We are still a little concerned about the Somali pirates so close. This will be fun!

Lamu - on no money per day

Some pics from Lamu - click to enlarge



I have had some exciting weeks at the Village. Things are going well and lots of work accomplished. I have continued to work on some PR presentations and some other database things as well as doing the normal Volunteer Coordinating. This weekend 16 girls from an American University come to the Village to see and experience some of the life there. 16 girls - wondering how they will like the Village an I am hoping they have sleeping bags and good water!

I have come once again to Nairobi, bringing one of the volunteers to the hospital for some testing. He will be fine. I also brought with me a third year high school student to see the Doctor in Nairobi. He will also be fine and we should be heading back to the Village tomorrow with a new volunteer from Norway.

I was able to go to Lamu - an island off the Kenyan coast. It was my first trip to the coast and it was amazing and very beautiful. We flew from Nairobi to Malindi and then on to Lamu. Once there we took a small sailboat out, went fishing and then anchored off the beach, cooked the fish and swam. What a beautiful day, so unlike anything I have seen in Africa. The island is predominately Muslim, having close to 32 mosques. I am also reminded that it is close to Somalia and probably home to some more radicals. But . . .a great place and I am planning to return with my son in about a month.

Zac is coming back to Kenya! I am so excited to know he is planning another visit. We will go to the Village for a while and also to Lamu, although this time we plan to sail for 6 and a half hours to a remote island for some snorkeling etc. I can't wait to see him. I am also looking forward to seeing Rachel and Jonah in mid December - mom too!

I always wanted to live simply - but having my wallet and credit cards stolen in a matatu in Kitui was not my plan. I had some decent cash in my wallet, hoping to purchase chairs for the library. Someone obviously watched me from the bank. I was sick about it for about a day. I couldn't believe it. I stopped my cards and am in the process of having them replaced. But for a while, I had no money, no phone credit, no way to leave the village, unable to pay for transport. All the other volunteers were out of town and my good friend George was in Machakos. I was stuck and panicking. It was a strange feeling, felt daily by so many in in Kenya and the U.S. for that matter. Rachel was so helpful, wiring me money to have in Lamu.

One of the problems with no credit card, we could no buy food for the relief effort in Athi River. They remain in desperate shape; bad water, illnesses, dead cattle, disease and the kids are not going to school due to hunger. The replacement card should come soon and we will begin once again. Thanks for your donations. See www.mwep.blogspot.com

Enough for now - know that I think of my family and friends daily and remain grateful to the many donations and prayers.

Back From Uganda Break

I returned from Uganda for a couple days relaxation (but for the thirteen hour plus bus ride each way!) I had a good time, met some good people and stayed in a resort-like setting. Uganda has no tourist business (other than searching for the giant gorillas!) So the rates at this place were amazing - about $28.00 US and this included a BIG breakfast brought to the door in the morning. The location was in the hills outside Kampala - beautiful with a distant view of Lake Victoria. The people are amazing, if you know any of the bloody Ugandan history.

Now I am back after the long overnite ride to Nairobi and head in a few minutes to the Village. Very Nice. Here is a pic of the place.


PICS and BLOG of Masai

Thanks for Contributing

Thanks to all who contributed to the Masai Women's Empowerment Prject. As you know, the project has been temporarily suspended while there is a tragic food shortage at the site. Becasue of your donation, Mwololo and I purchased maize flour, dried milk, uji (porridge) and rice for the Masai. Mwololo goes again to the largest section on Saturday, with your funds to purchase more. I'll try to put some pics online when I get a chance. The money comes at such a crucial time and I was so happy to be able to purchase the food, hand it out and visit with the women and children first hand. We believe we will have to support these women and children through December, until the rains come. Once the rains are here, the cows will drink, eat and give milk. I saw two cows dead, some with broken legs. There continues to be sicknesses from bad water ad poisoned meat.

I head to Uganda this evening. We will travel by bus overnite to Kampala and purhaps cross over into Rwanda. We shall see. I should be safe and sound back in the village by Tuesday at the latest. I haven't ventured far from Kenya and this is just a little exploration outside its borders. More soon. Thanks again for sending the aid for the Masai. www.mwep.blogspot.com

Some Pics from Spencer - Volunteer in the Village

SPENCE PICS

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.

Pics

Great Weekend

Last week I had a great weekend. I was able to travel with George to Kitengela, his home and then the next morning head to Lake Nakuru, his father's home. It was a long day of matatu riding from Nairobi to Nakuru, then on to his da's. There was a great welcome for us, great food and I've never been welcomed so warmly. We toured around the village meeting relatives and friends. The next morning we traveled on the back of a bicycle (non-motor) to a matatu and on to George's aunt's home about three hours away in Central Province. You'll remember that many of you suppported the purchase of property for George's aunt, after the post election violence and she was burned out of her home. She literally ran for her life and the lives of her children. She found little safety in a police post and then escaped to George's dad's in Nakuru. Well, the property we bought is about as beautiful as I could imagine, close to her sister's home at the foothills of the mountains, near a reserve with elephants etc. on the other sie of the mountains. If you kept traveling across the mountains you would eventually meet Mt. Kenya. The landscape is so different from Kitui and the Village. There is water and everything is green (and muddy). Auntie's house is so simple, wooden structure, dirt floor, three rooms and a cookshed outside. It is simple but I could live there easily - so silent and beautiful. It is a long walk from one sister's house to Aunties. Uphill, it is a struggle an you search for breath. Auntie has polio and a deformity which has turned her foot around. Still she makes the decent to her sister's. I took some great video footage of the place and them saying their "thank-yous" till I was in tears, especially when they prayed. From there we took a motorbike til we came to matatus back to Nairobi. It was an all-ay journey home and then to the Village. I look forward to your seeing the video.

Other than that - I have been teaching some, tutoring the secondary kids on break, leading tours, working with volunteers. I continue to work with the farm and sustainability department to organize their records and present data. I am in Nairobi with some Italian visitors. We are here tonight and will shop tomorrow for donated gifts for the families in the village. We will be buying pans, wheelbarrows, and other items for the houses. All goes well and the kids are great.

My best to all and please remember to donate when asked. It helps so much. I am struggling to get the Athi River project off the ground. That is the health and education project with the Masai Women. You can see more at www.mwep.blogspot.com I know it will work out in time. Thanks again for the prayers and concern. I am healthy, happy and smiling a lot. The worms are gone, ringworm almost all cleared and my malaria medication issues under control. God is good.

Some Truth

"God loves us so perfectly, God lets us be the heroes. God lets us wrestle with the angel of Yahweh, lets us struggle with God and win. When we try to let go and give our life to God, God gives it back to us. Should we be surprised? That’s what love does. That’s the only thing you can get excited about when you’re in love–giving your life to the other and seeing enjoyment in the other. That’s the union toward which God is calling us. The lover delighting in the beloved and the beloved delighting in the lover." Source: Job and the Mystery of Suffering - R Rohr ofm

And yet another time in NRB

I came to Nairobi this morning to pick up the WorldTeach teachers. I came via Matatu and bus with my friend Pascal. Tomrrow, Sunday morning, we leave for the Village. I am sure the teachers are excited and they have no idea of the adventures that await us in Kitui!

The trip I was hoping to take to the border of Tanzania didn't work out. Maybe we can go at another time.

Jeremy Hunt, Member of Parliament in the UK came to spend the night at the Village. He and his Foundation (Hotcourses) has paid for the school at the Village. He is a good guy and I enjoyed spending the day with him and the group he brought. That is the kind of work I have been doing lately, tour guide, answer man, Guest House master! It is fun and you get to meet interesting people. I also get a lot of excercise walking people all over the Village.

I was able to use Rachel's Fathers Day present (a video cam) to tape some songs and presentations of the kids in the school. What a great performance! The videotape will come soon, maybe to YouTube. We shall see.

Enough for now.