Adventures in Life

“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...

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 mee...