Adventures in Life

WAWA!

2009-09-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

I have been in Chad for a month now and I have to tell you the honeymoon is over. Reality has definitely set in and I have to tell you at this moment it is not so fun. I am in the capital city of Ndjamena and I have been here a week now and it is definitely testing my patience. It is not all bad but at the moment as I continue getting settled and discovering how to function here I would say this motto WAWA – West Africa Wins Again!- says it all. I believe very strongly that it is important to celebrate every victory, big or small but I have to be honest. Lately there have been very few victories for me to celebrate. But let me get there in a bit.

The first thing I need to explain is that even though Chad is geographically in Central Africa, it is culturally French West African. What this means is a petty bureaucratic approach to education and administration where it is more about giving people position and power than getting things done. So, things are done over and over, and over in triplicate with stamps and signatures- all from different people in different offices and buildings in different parts of the city. There is often a form to get a form that you have to fill out to get signatures which you need to actually start the process you actually want to get done. Often the forms need to be accompanied by a letter which needs high level authority and if one word, sentence or phrase is not completely correct it will be refused and you must start again. White out is NOT an option! This is what Jonas, our logistics officer in Ndjamena has been doing all week for my work visa- bless him!

Now, imagine trying to work in this system (which is hard enough already) and now add that fact that the city is literally flooded from all the rains (note photo) and the power is out for days at a time and almost always off during the day. Now to make things even more fun, now imagine you can’t speak the language so the little things like negotiating a taxi or ordering food or asking directions all become monumental challenges. Even the computer keyboard in the internet café is French/Arabic so the keys are all funny and in funny places! This is where I am living at the moment. WAWA! My colleague and I both agree Kenya is aggressively more efficient; I never thought I would be saying that!

So, I have been in Goz Bëida the past 3 weeks and things have been going very well. There have been challenges and things that have been wearing on me but overall I have been getting settled in Goz Bëida and life there has had a sense of comfort even though I am out in the bush 70 km from the conflict that rids the Sudan-Chad border. The major challenge in Goz Bëida has been the rains. Our work is being delayed as we are often unable to travel to the communities/camps we serve. In the office and now in our home we have discovered the hard reality that our roofs are not made to hold out the rain. We suffer major leaks when the rain falls and sadly that was much of August and should also be most of September – the rainy season here means rain almost every day and heavy downpours. I literally have a small river that runs in my office (check out the pic- wish you could see the video!) and there is a significant leak the falls right over my bed in the residence so I have set up a plastic sheet over my bug net so I am literally harvesting the rain water in my room!

Apart from the rain, what makes Goz Bëida more workable for me is that we have a couple of vehicles and even without that it is safe to walk in the daytime and things are relatively close as the town is pretty small. Here in the capital of Ndjamena we have such small operations we can’t justify having a car so we depend on taxis which have proven to be ridiculously expensive and even more unreliable. We have had a little luck with the moto taxis but nothing too exciting yet. Another plus with being in Goz is we have recently installed a solar power system and we have generators in our house and office so we have pretty reliable power. In Ndjamena we have been suffering from major power outages- days on end. Then when the power does come on, it is usually on for a few hours and then off for many more, usually it is off the better part of the day making work a challenge and frustration. My computer battery is good but not that good!

So, needless to say, my patience is being tested, my spirit feels like it is under constant attack but I am holding my head high and refusing to give up. I continue to look to Christ for strength and for the right perspective. I also continue my French lessons and I find great joy in the little (very little things) that I am able to accomplish each day. I have found great solace in my colleague Jane who is fluent in French and has grown up in West Africa. She has been here in Ndjamena since I got here last week. She has been a gift and I am truly thankful to God for her presence – here in this difficult season and overall. She adds great depth, personality and experience to our team.

I could go on but this is already too long and you get the point. Your prayers are valued as well as your sense of humor- goodness knows, it is needed at this point!

I KNOW THIS SOUNDS GRIM, PLEASE KNOW I AM OK AND I KNOW THINGS WILL IMPROVE - THIS IS PART OF THE ADJUSTMENT PHASE AND DARE I SAY… CULTURE SHOCK- NOTHING TOO UNEXPECTED!

‘I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.’ -Psalm 34:1-3

Blessings from all sides! Home Assignment: April – July 09

2009-08-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

Many people have told me they could never do what I do or they recognize the sacrifices I make to live and serve in Africa- some point out the fact that I have left behind dear family and friends others seem more humbled by the comforts and conveniences I have chosen to go without. To those people I say there may be great sacrifice from your perspective but from my perspective I have simply been doing what I believe I have been equipped and called by God to do and in doing so I am gaining so much (not losing). Also, I try to share the incredible benefits gained from my time in Africa. There are many!

Certainly there are challenges and struggles I face in Africa that I would not typically face in the US but it is worth it for the many lessons learned, the deep relationships formed and the incredible memories made. Some day I hope to share more about this as I believe much of who I am today is thanks to the time spent here in Africa. But for now, know it is these relationships and rich lessons that inspire me when I get to go home for my furlough or home assignment.

Every two years I make the official trek back home. During this time it is my task but more my joy to connect with people and to share how God has been working in and around me through my work and life in Africa through World Concern.

What an incredible honor and joy! For 3 solid months I get to meet up with and build relationship with people I truly enjoy and respect. I spend a portion of my time with family which is always a treat and it requires me to move around a bit. My sister Deanna and her family live in Maui so I ‘have’ to go to Hawaii. My brother Vanoy and his family live in Baltimore so they get me to the opposite side of the country and also allows for a base to make a few east coast visits. The rest of my immediate family is in the Northwest so I am able to see them throughout my time in the Seattle area.

Along with spending time with family I love connecting with my closest friends. Many live in the Northwest but some are scattered in other parts of the country such as Colorado, Tennessee and New York which means more moving about! I always cherish this time with friends- sometimes I only get to share a meal with them but if I am lucky I may get more. However, due to this short time we are good about diving in and being intentional. I feel blessed to have such sweet time with so many amazing people.

When I am not with family or connecting with people on an individual basis I am often doing presentations with churches or groups or I am at our HQ in Seattle working with our staff there. One way or another my home assignment is generally very busy and far from restful but it is a change of pace and change of scenery which is always healthy. I am totally filled up after spending time with people that I so enjoy and yet by the end I am also starting to miss those I left in Africa! Ah, the challenge and joy of having a big heart and many homes!

So, now that my 2009 furlough is officially over and I am back in Africa starting my next term, I would say this: It was amazing; it was more than I could have imagined and it was a gift! I could write pages and pages about the people, places and events that I experienced but I am sure that would get boring so I will just say surely I am blessed. Thank you to all of you that in one way or another invested in me during this time. I am richer for it and I thank God for you!

Touching Lives in Goz Beida through Cash for Work

2009-03-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

This past week I was so proud as our staff facilitated a couple of project fairs which are part of our Cash for Work and Food for Work Programs. This is something I have heard a lot about while in Kenya but I’d never actually attended one. My staff did a great job! They are seasoned veterans at this as we have done many. Let me explain (and show you through the pics which run in order of the process) how it works and why I love it so much.

To begin, together with the chiefs and community committee we identify those beneficiaries that will participate in the program. Most of the beneficiaries will then work in a variety of projects we select around their camp. Projects include digging water pans to collect rain water which is needed in such an arid area; planting trees and caring for them as part of our reforestation program; digging demi lunes or building contour lines which helps slow rain run off and thus slows erosion and environmental degradation. As workers clock a certain amount of time they are earning work hours which are then translated into vouchers. There are also a select group of vulnerables who for a number of reasons can't work, they are also given vouchers. These vouchers are then able to be used at a project fair to purchase household items or food for their family.

So, after the beneficiaries have worked 10-20 hours our staff set up a project fair outside their camp. This involves coordinating with approximately 100 merchants from the area who agree to put on a one day market in a particular community. They must agree on common and fair prices that will assist the beneficiaries while still allowing the merchants to make a profit. They also must agree to come set up their temporary shop on the agreed upon day of the fair and receive only vouchers from the beneficiaries, no cash. Then at a later designated day they will be able to trade in the vouchers for cash.

Now, the day of the fair is very exciting. The committee is there to start the whole process, guiding the merchants on where to set up and at the same time setting up the temporary ‘bank’ where people will register and receive their vouchers. Once everything is set we start the fair. The first step is our staff call names on a list in groups and they are given a small sheet of paper with their information on it such as their name and the number of hours worked translated into a voucher amount. The beneficiaries take this slip to our registration table where they are checked then ‘sign’ which in this case is their fingerprint. They then receive their vouchers, in the 2 fairs I just worked the average amount was 15,000 CFA or $30.

Once the beneficiaries receive their vouchers they then move on to the last staff member who recounts the vouchers to verify the correct amount was given while at the same time taking a moment to make sure the person is clear on the value of each voucher as this is an unfamiliar form of ‘money’. At that point the beneficiary is able to get into the fair which is really just a temporary market.

This is one of the things I love about this program. Usually these beneficiaries have to travel a number of kilometers to get to the nearest market in Goz Beida but with our project fair they are able to get all the necessities right in their own spending no extra time, energy or money for transport.

We held two fairs this week and were able to assist over 1,300 families. Due to the fact that these families are displaced or refugees and live in camps they already receive a specific ration of food from the World Food Program’s distributions. These distributions are crucial but they are not comprehensive as they lack items such as vegetables and sugar. Many families are forced to sell half their food rations in order to get cash so they can buy these and other items. As we employ people into our Cash for Work and Food for Work programs they are able to work and earn an income which can be used to purchase items they lack and more importantly it gives people the ability to purchase items such as meat, sugar or tea or even household items without having to sell their much needed food rations.

I love that we are improving the physical environment and actually developing and investing in the community. What makes this even more special is that the area that is being developed is not going to be home to most of these people in the long run. They are displaced or are refugees and will most likely return home or to a more permanent location in the near future. These projects which are improving the land is actually helping to keep ethnic and tribal tensions low as these 'visitors' areinvesting in the hosts’ land. Another great thing about this program is the simple fact that we are creating meaningful work. When given the chance most people would rather work vs being given handouts. People like to feel valued and useful and there is a certain dignity that comes from earning an income. I also love the fact that we are providing the families a chance to be empowered and to choose how they will provide for their family. Instead of just waiting in line and getting a pre determined set food ration, families are given the chance to go shopping for their family’s particular needs at the fair.

This program was first looked at by merchants, local leaders and community members
with skepticism but is now a very popular program by all. Everyone seems to benefit in one way or another. The merchants are practically guaranteed a good profit, the host community and leaders see their land being improved and the workers get the income which they earned themselves and which allows for food and goods to be purchased which will surely impact the family in many ways.

Who Knew Goz Beida Had Such Fun?!?!?

2009-02-23T08:41:00.000-08:00

It has been an interesting weekend and I mean that in all sincerity. I have been in Goz Bëida one month and so far and other than the party we hosted for our staff last weekend there has been very little ‘spontaneity’ and though I find many ‘creative’ ways to entertain and enjoy myself there is not a lot of what we would call traditional FUN. Considering where we are it makes sense and to be honest I never had any grand expectations when coming here. That is not why I am here. However, this weekend things changed a bit and now a whole new world is opening up to me in little Goz Bëida.

First, on Friday at the weekly coordination meeting we (our expat crew) were invited to a party. It seems each of the NGO’s and UN bodies take turns throwing a bash and
all are invited. This is the first one I have heard of since arriving but it seems they can be pretty frequent. As sun was setting we set off for the party hosted by Oxfam. Once the party got going there were about 30 or so people having lots of interesting conversations, eating good food, drinking sodas, water and beer and then there was dancing. Have you ever noticed how different we are all when it comes to the dance floor? Imagine, we had a mix of people from all over Africa, quite a few Brits and other Europeans, a few Americans and some from Latin America. Let’s just say the dancing was interesting and it was a fun night and for me a very resourceful one as well.

Since I am new and everyone knows it I have the freedom to ask a million questions and that’s what I did. I felt my way around and tried to learn more about this place and what people do for fun and for comfort. I was pleased with what I found. Some highlights for me include: Pringles and much more are available at the EUFOR base (I am working on making friends there); there are croissants in town at the little ‘french bakery’; I gained some tips on how to stay cooler at night so I may be able to avoid waking up in the middle of the night in my sweat; I got invited to the gym (can you imagine, a gym) at the base and found out there is a crew that goes running on weekends on the airstrip and best of all there is a group that goes hiking every Sunday afternoon in the nearby mountains (large hills)!

Obviously, that leads me to my Sunday afternoon. After church I was off to the market with one of our staff to find some tennis shoes as I packed light and only brought my sandals. Younuss is happy teaching me Arabic while I teach him a little English. I had some success and found some used sneakers for 6000 CFA (about $12). I had some lunch, caught up on some reading and was finally off for my first hike in Chad!

There were four of us, 2 Americans, a Brit and a Congolese. The fun of being around so many people from Congo is I get to use my Swahili which is quite fun, especially when I often feel so inadequate with my lack of French. We headed out around 3 and had a big task ahead of us, climbing one mountain, going down, through the valley a bit and back up another mountain and back down towards home.

On the way there we passed a number of camels and kids. Kinda cool! The air was hot
as it was the end of the afternoon, there was sand under our feet early on but it quickly changed to rocks. We took about an hour for the first big hill, pretty steep and pretty quick but I didn’t notice much as I was so excited about being
outside and enjoying the ever expanding view of town. This was my first hike and major physical activity since breaking my leg last year. It felt so good to be active again and feel no pain or weakness in my leg.

We then walked in the valley between the two hills for a while passing women and children collecting firewood and a very exotic man on a camel rode by. Then we started working on the second hill which was more of a challenge, partly due to the fact that the trail was a bit overgrown with tall, golden grass but also as we were starting to get a bit fatigued from the first climb but mostly it was the slope. This was by far the steepest hill I had been on since I was on Mt Kilimanjaro. We were actually scrambling at some points, on all fours to keep our balance and to gain more traction. We eventually made it to the top but I had struggled the last 10 yards or so, much more than the others and was not sure why until I looked down at my foot. My shoe was losing its soul! My shoes that I had just a few hours earlier bought in the market were falling apart on the mountain! What could I do, I just kept going, hoping they would stay together just a bit longer. Luckily they made it
(barely) and I managed to make it down without going barefoot, I can’t say the shoe was that helpful. But, by six we were all home and pretty tired not to mention covered in a pretty good layer of dirt/dust/sand. Not a bad way to end a pretty eventful weekend in Goz Bëida.

Valentine’s Day and President’s Day -Goz Bëida Style!

2009-02-16T08:54:00.000-08:00

No red hearts, no chocolate, no cards, no gushy commercials or pressure to do anything really. Valentines Day as an event was not at all on the radar for most residents of Goz Bëida, however our staff were sure not to let it go unnoticed. A few weeks ago when I proposed we do a staff day of fun to bond as a team they picked the date- February 14th! One of the guys mentioned it was Valentine’s Day some American holiday he had heard about. I took the time to briefly explain what it was about and said it was a great idea, we would have our own Day Of Love – a day to just be together outside the office, playing games, enjoying music, eating a meal and just lovin’ on each other. So, our Day of Love finally came and it was a great day!
Around lunch time people started showing up. First the committee that was in charge of the day and then the rest of the staff. A few of us were playing UNO, a favorite

card game of mine from my youth, and college, and Narok…. Little did I know that the game of UNO would become the centerpiece of the whole day. Did you know you could have 10 people playing at once? Just about everyone joined in at some point and they caught on pretty quick, dishing out bombs like the Draw 4 Wild card and dishing them the Skip card at just the right time making sure someone didn’t win in that round, etc. There was a lot of laughter and tons of fun. Other games were being played; some were dancing, talking, playing with baby Octav and just enjoying the music. Chad actually has some great music, it must be the West/Central African influence, I will try to get some of my own.

Around 4:30 the main course was ready- BBQ! We had a large sheep purchased and prepared in a traditional way which means it is roasted with couscous, onions, potatoes and all the spices inside- kind of how we do traditional turkey with stuffing in it- but this was a sheep and so tasty! We all enjoyed the traditional dish and all that went with it.

Now, to add in the President’s Day part you need to know the President of Chad doesn’t come to places like Goz Bëida very often- our staff seem to remember him coming only once before so the fact that he was coming through and spending the night was a big deal and people were coming out of the wood work- in fact, it wasn’t just the people but the ‘equipment’ that was also coming out of no where, passing right by our gate as we are on one of the main roads. Loaded pick up trucks, army, armored vehicles, tanks and more bazookas and automatic weapons than I have ever seen in person. The ‘parade’ passed by for hours so we found sneaky ways to capture bits on film.
Greg climbed up our wall and peaked over and Derreck and I peeked through the little holes in our gate and I found that my little camera would actually capture pretty good images through there while remaining undetected. We saw too many ‘loaded’ pick ups to count and with each one passing the people would cheer and wave their flags. All very interesting and so extremely different from what a Kenyan or US Presidential convoy looks like and I have seen both. Needless to say with all the additional ‘activity’ in town we decided to cut our day short to make sure our staff left the house before dark but no one seemed to mind, it had been a GREAT day and all had experienced a bit more love thanks to the festivities we had enjoyed together.

I hope your Valentine’s Day was special!

A Typical Monday in Goz Bëida, Chad

2009-02-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

6:00 Wake up, it’s still a bit dark, there is no power so I turn on my headlamp for light

6:05 Go check to see if the ‘city’ water is on yet- not yet-

6:10 Go boil water for morning tea for me and the guys

6:15 Check again to see if water is on – not yet….

6:15 Breakfast! Tea + bread and jam or cereal with powdered milk or perhaps an omelet!

6:25 Read My Upmost for His Highest my favorite devotional book and from Bible

6:40 Water is on! Wash up and get ready for the day

6:55 Pack up and leave for the office in one of the land cruisers, 2 blocks away

7:05 Arrive at office hearing the sound of our staff singing French choruses for devotions

7:35 Devotions end and short staff meeting starts

8:00 Meeting ends, greet staff with my poor French, they laugh and I keep trying

8:05 The generator goes on, office is buzzing as field staff prep to go to the field

9:00 Field staff leaves, office gets a bit quiet, managers and admin remain at office

9-12 Work on reports, reply to emails (offline), review budgets, deal with HR issues…

12:00 start getting restless as the heat is starting to get to me and my hunger is growing

12:35 Generator off, walk towards home, greeted by school kids learning basic English

12:40 We arrive at home, peek to see what ‘surprise’ has been prepared -chicken or beef?

12:45 Wash up, eat lunch and fill up water bottle, 1 liter already taken in during morning

1:05 Time to rest and read a chapter in my book, listen to music, try to stay cool

1:45 Start prepping to return to work, walk in the heat of the day through the sand to office

1:55 Back to work on those budgets, reports, work plans, meetings with managers, etc.

3:30 I always know when this time of the day comes, it is the hottest and I always feel it!

4:15 Field staff return bringing much needed energy to keep me going as its too hot for tea

5:00 Start packing up, generator goes off, within minutes the office is nearly empty

5:10 Expats head across town (a few blocks away) to UNHCR to try our luck with email

5:15 Tap on HCR gate, show ID, head in for internet, search for a seat but I find the ground

5:20 Download new mail, cut and paste emails from Outlook outbox to send via Gmail

5:50 Hop on Facebook and check things there, change my status if anything inspired me

6:10 UNHCR guard comes and politely kicks us out of the internet ‘café’(just HCR’s yard)

6:15 Leave compound, finish more email if wireless is strong as laptops rest on car hood

6:25 We finish up, hang on tight as Ayamba is driving faster than usual through the sand

6:30 Arrival at our compound, guards check if it’s us & delay entry if seatbelts aren’t on!

6:31 Home for the night, I note the stars are out, the air is cooling, the night is quiet

6:32 Ayamba yells, “Groupe” and the guards turn generator on, no longer quiet

6:33 As we enter, pass the dining table, we curiously check what’s been prepared for us

6:35 The water is on- we each fill our buckets in case water doesn’t come tomorrow

6:45 Shower if enough pressure otherwise bucket bath- oh so fun! Put on shorts, cooling…

7:00 Catch up on news if CNN’s on or try to guess what’s going on if its news in French

7:30 We sit to eat dinner together- chicken or beef with rice, pasta, cous cous or chips

8:00 Finish dinner, what remains we give to the guard and lock ourselves in for the night

8:10 Down time to talk, read, work out, catch up on work, watch tv, etc.

8:30 Water stops coming in, off again until next morning

9:30 Get ready for bed, wash face with bucket water

9:45 Generator off, quiet again… other than the random donkey in the background!

10:00 In bed, hoping to get a restful night of sleep if not woken by the heat

Special Sunday

2009-01-25T08:09:00.000-08:00

I left Nairobi exactly a week ago and today I had the honor of going to church for the first time in Chad. My options were few as there is only one Protestant and one Catholic church in Goz Beida -but in some ways that is already more than I expected. I went to the Protestant service which was to start at 8 and there was an added perk in that my colleague was to be the speaker. Due to this he went on before me. I was dropped by our driver just after 8 and saw that no one was going in the building so I just waiting for the appropriate cues to know when to enter (as I don’t speak French and couldn’t ask what was going on). As the service started there were only about 10 or 15 of us but it didn’t take long for the church to fill up. By the time we finished 2 hours later more than 200 people had come to worship.

Though I didn’t understand the words I was able to follow much of the service as it was familiar enough. I could read from my neighbors’ hymn book and struggle through the French pronunciations. I was able to figure out what scriptures were being read and follow in my own Bible, imagining what the message could be about. Today we read text from 1 Kings 11:1-9, then Deuteronomy 8:11-14,17 and finally Ecclesiastes 12:1. Near the end of the service there seemed to be announcement and then people started introducing themselves randomly. I gathered they were the visitors so I stood up as well and introduced myself, partly in French and partly in English – it worked, I communicated, even if very poorly.

There were 2 highlights for me that were very inspirational. First, the worship was amazing, there were a few basic drums and some other basic sound making devices but mostly it was acapella. Their voices rang out in joy and confidence and I knew even though we didn’t share the same language we shared the same great and loving God, the same Christ that I believe in with all my heart.

What was really special is in the middle of the service a group of people from all around the church came to the front and sang a few songs. I could not tell what was going on or why this was different but clearly the dynamics changed when this group started singing. They were more energetic (both in their song and in their dance) and the congregation responded to them much more. I quickly recognized one of the singers was from our staff and enjoyed all the more. Later I found out this was a special part of every service where people from one of the many tribes are asked each week to share a few songs in their local language. This week it was people from the tribe of Kim and it was extraordinary. I only regret that I didn’t have my camera so I can’t share it with you any other way.

The other highlight for me was at the end of the service when we left the building.
Starting with the one that shared the main message (also from our staff) each person walked out of the church and lined up outside, creating a large circle. Each of us walked around the circle shaking the hands of each and every person that was ahead of them. When we had greeted everyone in front of us we joined the circle to then shake the hands of those that were coming behind us. I literally got to greet each of the 200+ people who had been in the service which means I was able to shake their hand, say a simple greeting and look into their eyes. I can’t explain well why this was so special but somehow I felt I was finally seeing Chad as I looked into the eyes and the faces of each consecutive person.

I guess after living the past week in compounds (first in N’djamena, then Abéché and now here in Goz Beida) which are pretty fortified and seemingly ‘cut off’ from the rest of the world and community it was refreshing and meaningful to finally interact with and see at close range the people of Chad. The people I have come to serve. I know as I get more time here and have opportunities to go visit our projects I will have more interaction with our beneficiaries but for the time being this was a nice change and made for a special Sunday.

N’djamena to Abéché : birthdays, early meetings and global events…

2009-01-25T07:57:00.000-08:00

My alarm went off after just a few hours sleep and I found my way around my bags and managed to get ready for my meeting. We (John, a consultant hired by WC and I) met with the Project’s Supervisor for French Development in Tchad as well as a representative of the local government’s Agriculture Department. The meeting was all in French and lasted about 2 hours. It went well and we gained a much better idea of what would be expected of us if we collaborated in future projects. As we left the office building John offered to take me out for breakfast, an offer that was sweeter than usual since I had not been organized enough in the morning to get breakfast and had since worked up a big appetite. He took me to a little café where I enjoyed a pot of tea, fresh juice, some fresh yoghurt and my favorite - a nice French croissant.

While there I had the chance to see something I had heard about in Kenya- the French military. What makes them interesting is what they wear or don’t wear. Part of their standard uniform is a pair of extremely short shorts. So, they tend to stand out as they are white in a mostly African context and are exposing significant amounts of skin in a heavily Muslim, conservative context. Not quite sure what they were thinking when designing the uniforms but they seem perfectly happy running around the city in their little short shorts.

Breakfast was great and I took a sandwich from the café to enjoy later for lunch. The bread is so nice. The day itself was pretty quiet. I just rested and lounged around the guest house and tried to stay hydrated as the heat was pretty intense. Around 7 we headed to a restaurant to celebrate my birthday which was a nice surprise. (see previous blog) One notable difference here is the lizards. I am not sure why but they seem to be climbing all the walls and they are pretty big. My guess is they are pretty welcome as they eat bugs so I don’t mind but it takes a bit to get used to them.

The next day was a day in waiting as I just needed to get permission to travel out of the capital and then get booked on a UN flight to Abéché and then later to Goz Beida. While waiting I read up on some of the reports I had brought, spent some time with our staff and just sorted my luggage as there is a strict weight allowance on the UN flights of 15 kg. I had about 35 kg from Nairobi so I had some decision making about what I would actually carry to Goz Beida, what could stay in the capital and what I would hope to get later via a cargo flight. However, that night we got to take part in or at least witness a global event- the inauguration of President Obama! (again, see previous blog for details)

Wednesday morning the alarm woke me early. I needed to be at the airport by 6am so a taxi was coming around 5:45. I had put a lot of thought into what I was taking on the plane and when my stuff was weighed they allowed me to proceed. However, my colleague who had just spent 2 months in the capital and was now returning home was unlucky. He had to ‘lighten his load’ three different times, taking out 3 pairs of shoes, a thermos, 2 French to English dictionaries, etc before finally being allowed on.

Once we were past security it was clear the environment had changed. We were no longer in Chad proper but in Chad the humanitarian zone. All of the sudden there were more white faces and internationals than Chadians. I was now part of the group where each person wears an ID around their necks showing our affiliation with the UN or some other agency doing humanitarian work in Chad. From now on the dynamics will be different.

In order to get going on our flight we were asked to get on a bus which literally took us less than 75 meters so we could board the flight – a Beech 1900 Raythen which had capacity for 19 passengers. We each identified our bag, it was tossed in the back of the plane and off we went. Minutes after taking off I was able to see from the air the extent of the capital city. It really is more of a large town than a city. You could count on one hand the number of paved roads that were visible just minutes after takeoff. The infrastructure was very basic and just got leaner as we moved away from town. Finally I was on my way to the field and would be one step closer, about half way, in just 1.5 hours.

(sorry for the lack of interesting photos- there is a pretty strong sense that photography is not very welcome so I was lean on picture taking)

Nairobi to N’djamena plus friendly chaos in Ethiopia

2009-01-25T07:52:00.000-08:00

Around 3:30 in the afternoon on Sunday the 18th a taxi came to pick me up to begin my long journey to Goz Beida, Tchad- my home for the next 2 months. My first flight was to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I had a brief layover and then continued to the capital city of N’djamena. Two things to note from my time in the Addis airport- first, I have never seen such a rush for the Duty Free zone- people were excited and literally buying out the place. These shoppers were skilled and strategic and they meant business! Second, there was a strange behavior among those that were on my flight to Chad. There was a noticeable difference in how they responded to the airline staff and to each other. Chaos is the only way to explain it. People were in a frenzy and not really following any rules but somehow it worked.

With the two flights, the layover and crossing a few time zones I finally arrived just after 1am on the 19th of January- which happened to be my birthday. I was pretty beat but was all alone and now in a French speaking country so I needed to be alert and try my best to catch all necessary cues as I attempted to get through immigration and then customs. I managed pretty well and was happy to see one of our staff holding a World Concern sign after I passed successfully through customs. We gathered my 2 bags and headed to a taxi, which incidentally did not start. After many tries the guys finally caught the attention of someone else and the three men pushed the car until it started and off we went.

I was tired but still trying to notice as many things as possible as I was in a new country. I noted right away how quickly we lost the tarmac, just a couple of minutes from the airport the roads became like those in the back roads of Narok- uneven, full of garbage piles and animals and made of dirt and in this context also sand. The other thing that was hard to miss was the dust and sand which made the night sky have a bit of an ominous glow to it. On our way from the airport Jonas let me know that he had noticed from my passport that it was my birthday. I was surprised by this and pleased, not only to be remembered, even in Tchad, but more by the fact that it showed his attention to detail.

About 10 minutes from the airport we arrived at the gate of our guest house/office. By this time it was well after 2 in the morning and I had just received the news that I had an appointment booked at 8am with the French Development Agency. Not the best of news this hour of the night but I am here to work so I might as well hit the ground running. So, without any further delay I located my pj’s, got a glass of water and went to bed. It made me laugh actually as I found a heavy blanket on my bed but I promise you with the heat that still remained from the day, there wasn’t even the need for a single sheet.

Patriotic Day Away

2009-01-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

“It is nearly 6pm here in Chad. I am sitting here in the bar of a hotel in the capital city, N’djamena because our guest house has no TV. Many of us, from many nations have gathered together, watching the inauguration of President Obama. It is fitting that I am sitting here with a Kenyan, our accountant working in Goz Beida (our field site) as well as a fellow American, Mary from our HQ in Seattle. The broadcast is live but since I am in French speaking Chad it is via France24, a broadcast originating in France, and therefore it is in French! Not my best language! I am thousands of miles away from US soil and listening in an unknown language, yet through the distance and language barrier I still feel greatly tied to what is happening. I feel a sense of hope, excitement and pride as Aretha sings and Biden and Obama take their oaths, as Obama gives his first presidential address and the choir sings the National Anthem. This is a special time. I am struck by the actual mass of those who have come, waiting patiently in the deep cold for their opportunity to witness history. I am struck even more by the facts that, in every corner of the world people are currently fixed to their tele screens or their ears are closely listening to their radios to witness in their own way this historical event.” - written during the inauguration

Photo taken moments after the inauguration of myself and Mary from HQ doing some work on our computer before heading into dinner for 'the last supper' before heading to the field.

It has been a few days since President Obama took office and already there is a sense of change in terms of our Nation's perception overseas. Maybe it is just me or maybe there is a change. What I know is that a decades ago when I first travelled overseas there was a certain sense of pride that I felt as an American and people often responded in a positive way. I will never forget the elderly German woman I met in the Hartz Mountains in 1991 who asked me where I was from. When I said I was from America she literally thru her arms around me and embraced me and started to tear up. In her broken English she managed to say in such a sincere way, 'Thank you, thank you so much!' Not everyone had that kind of response but generally I felt the US had a good name out there.

However, in the past decade or so things have changed, so much. No longer do I respond with pride when I am asked where I am from. No longer do I get the sense that we are in good books with the rest of the world. But in a very short time I have already seen a difference. I am currently in Chad, a country that is widely Muslim and is challenged with a history of war and insecure borders. I have had to meet a number of officials in the last few days and get their permission to travel around the country and each of them smiles so big when I tell them I am from America. Obama comes into the conversation every time and it is like a new image is already in their minds of what our nation stands for. I am encouraged and grateful and recognize nothing is forever but we should appreciate what we have while we have it.

Birthday Memories from Chad

2009-01-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Last year I celebrated my birthday in a special way. I was working with World Concern's Kenya team in Narok and due to the Post Election Violence from earlier in the year there were many displaced people living in camps which we were managing. Together with my staff I was able to do a late night distribution of blankets and other basic household goods to a few hundred families in one of the camps we were serving. It was great being in a position where I was able to give gifts on my birthday. For me, giving is always better than receiving.

This year made for yet another interesting birthday in Africa as I was in the country of Chad which will be my home for the next 2 months. Chad is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world ranked by the UN as the 5th poorest country in the world, with 80% of the population living below the poverty line. Recently, the Darfur crisis in Sudan has spilt over the border and destabilized the nation, with hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees living in and around camps in eastern Chad. However, while in the capital city of N'djamena it is easy to forget these realities- especially on your birthday.

I arrived in country on the morning of my birthday (1:30am) but after getting a few hours sleep and having an 8am meeting with the French Development Agency I was able to go out to enjoy a nice dinner with a few new friends- John, a consultant we have hired to do an assessment in Chad and Greg who is Kenyan and is our Goz Beida (field) Finanace Manager who happened to be in the capital. I indulged with a delicious t-bone steak, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables and ended with a nice ice cream sundae. I suspect this is the last nice meal I will have in the coming months and definitely the last ice cream I will see in a few months. Where I am going fresh milk is not seen, nothing really stays cold as there is no power and it is usually very hot. Today it is 36 Celsius or 95 Fahrenheit! With that in mind I promise I enjoyed every bite! Here's to another year of adventure and learning and loving life!

Starting the New Year in Style

2009-01-21T09:09:00.000-08:00

On the 2nd of January I joined a party that was memorable. My housemate, friend and colleague Diane invited me to join her family for a safari. They were tired upon arrival from jet lag but after their 2 weeks of adventure in Kenya they will be tired from too much fun and adventure! I was honored to be able to join in their adventure for the first week and what a week it was. We started by heading towards Narok. As we dipped deeper into the Rift Valley giraffes were spotted as well as zebras and antelopes. Once arriving in Narok town we checked into the Chambai Hotel (basic but cozy and familiar) and got some much needed rest. The next day we went to our office to greet the staff, introduce the visitors, participate in their devotions, hold a staff meeting and Diane held a separate baraza (an opportunity to share and listen to issues that are not necessarily attached to an agenda) which is always a great time for the leadership to gain a feeling or pulse from the staff. After the meeting we started our long journey towards the Maasai Mara for our 3 day safari.

I won’t go into all the details but just know that before we got to our final destination we had switched vehicles 3 times and then on the way out of the Mara we had 6 different tire punctures! It was an adventure! In between all that ‘fun’ we were able to stay in 2 different tented camps and go on a number of game rides spotting lions, elephants, buffalo and much, much more! Usually I wouldn’t talk much about the camps but I must in this case as I have discovered my new favorite, Mara Timbo! This luxurious camp is situated just next to a river which hosts 2 families of hippos! We loved our time there, especially the free 10-minutes massage and delicious meals, snacking on popcorn under the stars next to a camp fire - not to mention the huge and luxurious tents with a classy outside private bathtub!

After our safari we were ready to visit some projects and spent a good portion of the day in 2 of the communities we serve in Kenya with our Nehemiah Program and Economic Development Program. I loved seeing the library we built, finally finished and it is the first of its kind in the district. We also spent some time visiting a few water projects and I got the satisfaction of seeing the newly finished bore hole (deep drilled well) which is powered by a windmill. Finally we visited the village bank we built last year and saw it is doing well and is giving out loans and has a 100% repayment rate!

We ended the day again by checking in at the Chambai Hotel and then headed the next morning towards our next stop of Naivasha but stopped on the way to visit a pastor and to do a home visit with a family that is part of our Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) program. The mama we visited is being supported by the local church OVC committee who we trained and equipped. Also, she and her family are enjoying the shelter of the house we build for her. It was an honor to be in her home and to meet her beautiful son Bernard.

Following our OVC visit in the Suswa area we headed to Malu, a new place for all of us. This place is great but far, far from the main road. I think the road seemed worse since we had been in a car on rough roads for nearly a week. Malu provided for us a quiet and peaceful place to rest in our own ‘tree house’. It is situated in a forest and we were entertained in the evenings and mornings by two families of monkeys- Colobus (the big black and white ones that look like skunks) and Sykes. We enjoyed amazing meals (some at their restaurant and some we prepared in our place. Also we went horseback riding and found Bob the local zebra who joined the herd of horses many years ago and has never left.
On our last day on the way back to Nairobi we took a detour to Lake Naivasha, where the group took a boat over to Crescent Island and enjoyed more hippos (but this time from the water) and many species of birds. We also took a moment to visit a different part of the lake that hosts many gorgeous pink flamingos.

We traveled hundreds of kilometers, took thousands of photos and took in many tasty calories while at the same time we learned more about each other, created many new memories and witnessed more of the great work World Concern is doing in the communities we serve. All in all, not a bad way to start the year!

Check out the pics- I have uploaded 50 on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=78760&l=ca334&id=544908254

Kenya Says- Yes He Can!

2008-11-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I woke with the dawn (even a bit earlier) and travelled across Nairobi with collegue Bethany to attend the Ambassador's U.S. Presidential Election Party which started at 5am. This was to catch the election results live. Thousands joined in the celebrations at US Ambassador Michael Rannaberger's house. Red, white and blue colored the place as large screen TV's were in every corner bringing in the news as it happened. While waiting for the results non American's had the chance to vote in a mock election (over 400 voted for Obama and 17 for McCain). People were also able to ask political questions from experts. Meanwhile I munched on pasteries and fruit, sipped my hot morning drink and rubbed shoulders with a variety of people- most of which were pro Obama. 900 Kenyan school children were invited, as well as scores of Kenya's Ministers of Parliment and other national leaders. Here I am with Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Of course there were also many like me, common Americans looking to savor this historical moment together while living in a far off land. As each state was called the excitment grew and then around 7am they called it and the screams, cheers and tears began. It was unlike anything I have been a part of. Politics never used to interest me but my time overseas has taught me many lessons of how important politics should be. For the first time in a very long time I felt a true and deep sense of pride as an American and I felt inspired and yes full of hope! Clearly I am among the majority, espeically here in Kenya. They say 98% of Kenya would vote for Obama if they could, so it is a great place to be a supporter and at the moment a great place to be an American.

After the results came in we waited for the McCain speech which was done with a lot of grace and spoke volumes to Kenyans about how to lose an election and still keep the peace. Next the electrified crowd awaited the Obama speech. Needless to say the energy and emotion shared among the crowd was high and very inspirational. It was a great moment. Later the Ambassador gave a speech as well as a few well known Kenyans. This is when we learned that President Kibaki had named the 5th of November a naitional holiday in honor of President Elect Obama. Only in Kenya can they name spontaneous days as Public Holidays!

Finally, to top off a great celebration we had the chance to listen to 5 high school students who had won an essay contest writing letters to the US candidates. Each of them read their winning letters and continued to inspire us as they challenged their politicians, shared their dreams for their country of Kenya and spoke reverantly about Obama. These students blew me away with their articulate, wise beyond their years and bold messages of hope.

The rest of the day was great as people every where were congratulating me and even thanking me, as an American, for putting Obama in the White House. I got huge hugs at work and enjoyed hearing people's stories of how they celebrated when they heard the news.
That afternoon the rain started and it poured all night long. Here in Africa we say that the one that brings the rain is a blessing. I find it quite fitting as Barak means 'blessing' in Swahili. Truely we have been blessed.

Speak Your Voice

2008-10-27T06:57:00.000-07:00

Two weeks before the US elections and Obama Mania has hit Kenya! Remember, half of Obama’s genes come from Kenya so people here feel a special connection and pride with him. T-shirts, signs, bumper stickers, skirts and pins are showing up in the least expected places. The local news reels never miss an election update. Newspapers have more news on the elections than any other event. The pic shows our two main papers and this is only some of the articles featured that day! Then there is the 'Obama Musical' which is playing at our National Theatre- they say it is a story of a Kenyan America told in dance, music, narrative and song by George Orido. Local commercials are appearing more and more- my favorite one is from a local paint company called Duracoat and the spokesman is talking to Obama, standing in front of the White House reminding him that when he moves into that big house they can provide any one of 4000 paint options to ‘freshen up the color’ of that white house. He is the topic of discussion everywhere I go and now the international press have come here to Kenya to cover this angle. They are camped out at Obama’s paternal grandmothers’ home right now and are moving all around the country getting opinions about the upcoming elections.
To be honest, this interest goes far beyond the borders of Kenya. Even in Swaziland my friend (pictured below) came to the office wearing a normal shirt and tie and I could see what was behind his shirt so I made him open his shirt so I could get a snap!

So, it seems it is not just Kenya but the whole world watching closely, waiting to see if America will vote as they would, if only they would be given the chance. I am not saying people outside the US should have the right to vote for our President but I only wish those who won’t use their voting privileges would realize just how coveted we are for having the opportunity to speak on this important election. I have had many conversations in the last few months with people from all over Africa, from many European nations and even Asia. It seems other than that half of the US, the rest of the world is in favor of Obama becoming the next US President.

I know many people back home don’t think it matters much to the rest of the world who sits in that seat. Many Americans don’t understand why a poor woman in Swaziland, a farmer in Kenya or business owner in Switzerland should care who wins, but they do. They have to. They feel the reality that much of America is unaware- we truly are all connected to one another. Yes, much of what is done in the White House is directly impacting Americans and rightly so, but there are so many global initiatives, policies and activities that either directly or indirectly impacts the rest of the world. The current financial crisis is the most recent example of this inter-dependence we have with one another globally. Even though it is only the Americans who get to vote, don’t think for a minute that the upcoming elections are only interesting to people overseas for entertainment value. It truly is going to have a global impact and people worldwide have spoken. Now it is time for us to speak- for us and for the rest of the world.

I let my voice be known through my vote last week. I arrived back from my recent trips to find my absentee ballot had arrived. I had one day to vote in order for the Embassy to guarantee it made it back in time to be counted. With the memories of Kenya’s recent rigged elections and all the chaos and pain that came after it I still remember listening to one of my staff members who said, “I will never vote again. Look what it did!” The feeling I had after hearing her statement saddened me so much because I believe so much in the democratic system where we all get an equal voice and yet she and many others had lost that belief in the system and were now threatening to never vote again. I felt by sharing my voting experience with some of my Kenyan colleagues it could -at the least- remind them that voting is an honor and it is meant to be a positive and empowering experience. So, along with many other of my staff around me I ticked the various boxes and let my voice be heard. Today I voted for my candidate for the next president of the United States!

The Great Kingdom Of Swaziland!

2008-10-17T01:22:00.000-07:00

Swaziland. It just sounds cool, don't you think? I have always wanted to visit and finally the time was right. As Carmen and I entered the country we were suffering a bit of exhaustion from our long journey but still the excitement and curiosity of a new country kept us going. Immediately we could see why this country is renowned for its hiking and outdoor activities - mountains, woodlands, streams, plunging ravines and waterfalls cover this highly untouched landscape. It really would be wonderful to spend a week or two hiking in this stunning region but this particular trip didn't allow for such lengthy adventures.

However, even with just a few days we were not disappointed. We were able to get introduced to the culture and beautifully rich traditions. One highlight was
accidentally finding Maladela’s Homestead with the unique venue House of Fire. While there we toured the base for a community women’s cooperative for basket weaving called Gone Rural and saw the women dying the grass and weaving stunning stuff basket, mats and more! http://www.goneruralswazi.com/ We spent an afternoon at a cultural village where we were able to walk through a Swazi homestead, taste some traditional food and enjoy Swazi singing and dancing- a favorite for sure! One morning we strolled through the Manzini market where we bought some jewelry, played an instrument or two, marveled at the beautiful handicrafts and even learned how to wrap our heads the way the local Swazi women do. This was so fun as we were able to connect with the women and clearly they enjoyed showing us a part of their life and appreciated that we were willing to learn about them. We also stumbled upon a couple of nice coffee/pastry shops and indulged ourselves.

We were hosted by a lovely woman named Hlovisle along with her co workers at the Mennonite Central Committee. They are running an HIV and AIDS program very similar to our OVC program in World Concern. The statistics here are overwhelming and hard to grasp as nearly 40% of the country is HIV positive. There are different explanations for such high rates- polygamy (you may have heard of their King who picks an additional wife each year) as well as cultural practices and beliefs. We learned there is no Swazi word for sex so it clearly hasn't been a topic of discussion, in fact it has been a taboo subject historically. Now sex ed is taught in school but according to what we heard it is not done well and starts too late. There are condoms available everywhere and billboards and posters teaching about the dangers of AIDS but clearly the government has a huge task ahead of them to see that this disease doesn't destroy this nation.

This country is beautiful. The scenery is breathtaking (especially this time of year when the jacaranda trees are in bloom and literally dotting the whole region in purple), the people are noticeably warm and friendly, it exhibits a unique culture and has a surprisingly strong infrastructure with its smooth roads and clean water- we could drink from the tap (something I haven’t been able to do anywhere else in Africa apart from South Africa). Though we only had a few days here it quickly jumped high on our list for favorite countries visited so far.

Early mornings in Mozambique

2008-10-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

I have been too quiet and I regret this as so much has been happening since I last posted. I am still not in the habit of blogging and I have been travelling a lot making it more of a challenge. Instead of dwelling on the silence I will try to share a bit of what has been filling my days of late. A week ago I boarded a plane from Nairobi, heading to Southern Africa for a true break- no laptops, no cell phone and no promise of email- just what I needed!

On the 7th I landed in South Africa long enough to marvel at all the options for shopping and food- and I never even left the airport! A few hours later I was off to Maputo, Mozambique where I met up with my good friend Carmen. She has been living in Zambia for the past year and has now been travelling around Southern Africa- most recently Lesotho (a place that has now been clearly added to my places to visit).

She met me at the airport and we spent the next day and a half checking out the capital city- we caught a tuk-tuk (little 3-wheel motorized vehicle) and saw some of the major sites plus we stumbled upon a rare find-a fantastic international photo exhibit.

Early, seriously- EARLY, 4:30am we were in a taxi to the bus station where we boarded a bus to Tofo, a lovely white sandy beach - the only down side it was 7 hours away. The time passed pretty fast but complications came in the last 30 minutes as most of the passengers had already disembarked and we were the remaining passengers. The driver did what any good businessman would do, he dropped us off (short of our paid destination point) and turned that bus around. We eventually found another smaller bus to take us within 2 km of our beach lodge but it was full of drama which I won't go into here. We walked to our beach lodge where our chalet was waiting and it all was worth it when we saw the beach. Ah, the beach....the beach was amazing and we were just a few hundred meters from it.

The next day was blustery and pouring with rain so we stayed in. All was well as we met some new Swiss friends- Diego and Martin. We spent the day playing games, chatting about all sorts of things and just enjoying the storm as it passed. That afternoon it cleared up so we headed to the market and found some fresh veg and prawns and they cooked us a lovely Thai meal in our kitchen! The next 2 days the weather was fantastic and so we did an Ocean Safari (just like a Kenya safari where you are looking for the creatures but no guarantees and instead of a 4x4 van we were in a pontoon speed boat). It was amazing- we swam with whale sharks (if you don't know you should learn- amazing) and spotted several kinds of dolphins- one with her baby! I unfortunately started feeling sea sick in the end but all turned out well. The evening was spent enjoying a delicious meal in Tofo town and crashing a birthday party where we danced the night away.

I could say so much more but know we savored the good food (I made sure to have seafood every day), enjoyed great company and found time to relax on the beach, in the hammock and in our chalet! Our final day there started again in the wee hours of the morning- yes, our alarm was set for 3:40am and off we were at 4 sharp on a bus back to Maputo and then another bus to Swaziland. More adventures to come...

I know I am a bit behind, but here I am!

2008-07-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

So, I am far from being the first but certainly not the last to get a blog up and running. It is Saturday, I am currently sitting in Java House (for those of you who have been to Kenya you know- it is a happy place), for those of you still waiting for your chance to visit beautiful Kenya, just know Java is a little piece of home. It's a coffee shop/American style restaurant in Nairobi. They offer great burgers, soups, huge variety of breakfasts, hot drinks that rival Starbucks and fabulous treats such as classic apple pie! The best thing is they have free wireless so I can sit here sipping my favorite drink, log onto my favorite Seattle radio station and send messages out to all of you. Nairobi has come a long way. Last night some friends and I headed to the local 'mall' and watched a new movie, Hancock. Not the greatest movie but it was entertaining and it was warm in the theatre which was a welcome change. You would never guess but it is cold here. Since we are below the equator we are enjoying our 'winter'. True, it may not freeze or snow, yet it does get chilly and I have put my few sweaters to good use the last few weeks as well as my hot water bottle. Crazy I know, but totally true! It reaches about 45 F which is fine in the States when you stay in a heated and insulated home but here there are no such luxuries so what you feel outside is what you get inside, almost.

Diane, my housemate is travelling in Chad this week, a trip I am hoping to make later in the year. In the mean time I am hosting 2 visitors and enjoying their company. Yesterday, to end the week on a personal note our Leadership Team went to visit Jackie, one of our colleagues who just had a baby, Ian. She is doing great. Enjoy the pics!

LEG update: Earlier on a beautiful April Sunday afternoon I broke my leg (fracture to the left tibia) while playing ultimate frisbee. 6 or 7 weeks later I got my cast off but was still completely dependant on my crutches. A few weeks ago my doc gave me a clean bill of health but asked I take it easy and highly recommended I still use one or both crutches as it strengthened. I have been moving around well with one crutch for a few weeks but I am finally (this weekend) moving on my own two feet and no crutch! I still have a limp and can't do anything quick but I can move and it feels great!

The BIG NEWS this week is that we have found a great candidate for the Kenya Country Director position (my current job) and we made an offer last week and this week he accepted! He is a Kenyan and is very qualified and is clearly a good fit for our team. I can't wait to start the handover process which will most likely begin in a month. I once again thank God for his provisions. Once the handover process is well on its way I can start focusing attention on my new regional role as Livelihood Coordinator.

There you go, my first blog. Take care!