Kajiado Project

Shallow lake formed by a sub-surface dam.

To give you an example of the type of work Church World Service does, I've decided to highlight a project in Kajiado. Kajiado is in Maasai land, between Nairobi and Kilimanjaro. (Kilimanjaro means "shining mountain" in Swahili. "Kili" actually meants "mount", so one should not say "Mount Kilimanjaro.") There was a drought here in 2000-01 that killed much of the livestock. To prevent this from happening again, CWS has sponsored building and rehabilitating numerous sub-surface dams in the area. Essentially, these dams are built by digging into dry riverbeds to serve as water catchments for when it rains. These dams are built large enough so that water is there year-round.

Maasai Herder: Livestock is their Livelihood.

The dams must be managed properly, however, or else they will erode away. Cattle must not walk on the dam itself. A fence is built around some of the dams to prevent contamination by animals, but this restricted access frustrates herders. Also, the waters from each rain wash silt into the dam, necessitating desilting with heavy machinery every 5-7 years. If there is an effective water managing committee, they can charge user fees and spend this money to maintain and improve the dam structure.

Joseph, the pump attendant, draws water with this diesel generator.

TD Jakes came to this area in September, supplying money for a water tank, borehole, troughs, pump and generator. Oftentimes, animals bathing in the dam water make it unsuitable for human drinking. With a borehole and generator to pump water from aquifers below, the Maasai now have ready access to safe water. They will collect user fees for humans and animals, using this money to pay for diesel to run the generator and for needed maintenance repairs .

Noah, who donated the land for the borehole, watches his wife draw water.

CWS also encourages communities like this one to use this project as an asset for investing in their own future. For instance, the group has expressed its desire to pipe water to nearby schools. Instead of asking CWS for more money, they will use the excess water pumped from the ground to grow and sell vegetables. In this way, we hope to partner with the community, empowering them to help themselves and others.

Donkeys lounge around after drinking.

"Let's go to church"

I was sitting at a matatu stop this morning, when a woman passing by looked me directly in the eye and said, "Let's go to church." Taken aback, I half-chuckled and mananged to mutter "nnmh," a Kenyan sound for agreement. Yet before I could say or do anything else, she was gone. I wanted to call after her, saying that -in fact- I am a Christian, I am going to church, and I am a volunteer missionary here in Kenya for one year. Regardless, I admired her audacity to just blurt out that statement.

And she got me thinking... what does it mean to "go to church"? If church is a community of believers, must everyone that comes first be a Christian? If church is simply a place where the presense of God is felt, then walls, fancy doors, stained-glass windows, a new organ, a steeple or cross aren't necessary. Or is it what Mother Teresa said, "You and I, we are the church, no?" Where do we find church?

I wonder if I'd already been to church. I live in a fairly well-to-do neighborhood, but that doesn't mean I don't see poverty each day. The beggars and street boys are attracted to this area exactly because there are people with money who live here. This morning, I was approached for money by a street kid. He wanted the money for hot tea. I asked if he would like crackers instead. As I reached into my bag, I saw the frisbee I was carrying. An idea popped into my head: Why not toss the frisbee this boy? I asked him if he'd ever thrown one before. He hadn't, but it didn't take him long to learn.

Almost immediately two other boys appeared, one with a bottle of glue in hand, which he'd been sniffing to stave-off the pains of hunger. They eagerly joined our game. And there we were, a well-to-do American tossing frisbee with three street boys in a parking lot that looked like it'd just been shelled. After a short while, I had to be on my way, and so I bid them good-bye, giving each a small packet of Ritz crackers.

I was on my way to church, but I couldn't help thinking: Wasn't this a picture of church?

Field Hockey Tourney

This weekend I watched two friends battle it out on the field hockey field. "Field" is a loose term in Kenya, this time meaning a level, hard-packed dirt square with chalked lines. My friends' team, the Eaglets, won their semi-final game 3-1. (Right: Cathy jukes past someone, a-gain.) In the finals they lost a heart-breaker in overtime 2-1 when a girl on the opposing side kicked the ball in (it's illegal to touch the ball with anything but your stick). I think the referees were tired and just wanted the game to end. I've never been one to watch field hockey, but I enjoyed watching my friends play and even got riled up with the poor officiating. But maybe that's just me when I watch sports. I also brought my frisbee along and made a few friends teaching them how to throw. I'm beginning to feel more 'at home' here in Kenya, as I make friends and get involved in daily Kenyan life.

Njeri inbounds the ball.

Constitutional Referendum

This week Kenyans went to the polls to vote on a proposed constitution. Currently they use the one left over from independence in 1963. The main flaw in the old one is an imbalance of power between the executive and other branches of government. The proposed constitution fails to address this issue, although it does promote women's and land rights- two important issues that should be addressed as proposed bills in the legislature.

On Monday the 21st, Kenyans rejected the proposed constitution, 57-43%, with 55% of registered voters casting their ballot. The President and his administration had backed the proposed constitution, so its defeat did not bode well for the remaining two years of office. On Wednesday, the President sacked his entire cabinet, promising to reinstate a new one within two weeks. The opposition parties are pushing for him to dissolve Parliament as well, forcing elections much sooner than the present date in 2007.

So far things have been relatively peaceful. Life goes on, and for most people nothing has changed. As the politicians bicker and banter back and forth, the everyday person struggles to survive.

UPDATE: The President has dissolved parliament until further notice, and the opposition party is making demands for elections while holding outlawed rallies around the nation. As my coworker Mary remarked, "We no longer have a government." Still, life goes on and I see little change in people's lives. Please pray that all works out for the better.

American Traditions: MNF, Chinese & Tgiving Dinners

Today I went over to a friend's house, a Disciples of Christ missionary, to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings in Monday Night Football... at 5 PM our time, Tuesday. An exciting game ended 20-17 when the Vikings kicked a game-winning field-goal. The satellite feed was interrupted numerous times, perhaps since it was a taped show on European ESPN broadcast through South Africa. Afterwards we went out for Chinese.

The day before we had Thanksgiving Dinner at our site coordinator's house: complete with pumpkin souflet, apple pie, string beans, stuffing and a huge turkey. There were no sweet or mashed potatoes; however, with any luck we'll have them in our SECOND T-GIVING DINNER on Friday... at another missionary's house.

So, family & friends partaking in a Thanksgiving Holiday weekend: Know that I am in good hands as we American missionaries take the week to celebrate many an American Tradition.

Birthday Celebration

Today I hosted a birthday party for David, a friend of mine. I had wanted to make something American for all my guests, but with only a basic gas stove I decided to stick with something easy: stew, chapati & ugali. A friend of his, Nightingale, came over early to help me cook. I really enjoyed talking to her, especially when I discovered she was in a long-distance relationship herself. We exchanged dreams, hopes & concerns, and I found it very therapeutic to find commonalities.

The guests trickled in. The other volunteers came over first, including my roommate Will, as well as Andrea, Rachel, Brian & Katie. My two friends who played field hockey came over, Cathy & Njeri. Then finally David's friends came over: Sara, his girlfriend, Ken and James. Surprisingly, we had more than enough food to share with the guards! People mingled and ate, before we shut out the lights and I announced David as if he were a Chicago Bulls player. We made him dance for us for quite some time before we served dessert: coke floats. So at least they got something American.

Later we moved the party to the Klub House, or K1; a nice, two-level bar nearby made of large wooden beams. I split my time talking with my friends, playing pool with James, dancing with da ladies (sorry, no pics) and watching my favorite team, Barcelona, kick the tar out of Real Madrid, 3-0. And to top it all off, the bar tab was just over $20 for nine people! I must say, it was a fabulous night.

Apparently, Kenyans don't make a big deal out of birthdays. Marriages and funerals are a much bigger deal, as they are in the States, but birthdays not at all. It was David's 23rd birthday, and his first birthday celebration. I was more than happy to share it with him and our friends.

A Woman's Experience

I arrived today at a school on the outskirts of Nairobi. The school, Mutuini, is part of our School Safe Zones (SSZ) initiative. The idea is to make schools safer for children, in hopes parents will feel confident leaving their children there for the day. So far we have provided money for a new gate and fence around the school, as well as some toilet and water catchment repairs. Our hope is that these improvements would not only improve the school's facilities, but also inspire students, teachers and parents alike to further support the school in whatever way they can.Accompanied by some local leaders, we had a meeting with the parents in the school. About 90% of those present were women, many carrying children. I was told that many - if not most - of the homes in this area were female, single-headed househoulds. There are many reasons for this, and traditionally the African man works outside of the house, going into the city, while the woman stays at home to do important housework. These women had walked many miles to arrive for this meeting; to sit in the hot sun, listen to various people talk, and have some white guy take their picture.
Many people gave speeches, and many more listened. My coworker Sarah thanked the parents for coming, saying how they were an integral part to the initiative. A representative from the government stressed the importance of education in poverty reduction. Two counselours spoke about alcoholism, one treating it as a disease and the other as lack of affection in the home. I had known that alcoholism was a problem, but was surprised at how matter-of-factly the community admitted women were routinely beaten by their husbands.

Who knows what awaits the return of these women: countless tasks when she is already exhausted from walking so far, a husband who is angry that dinner isn't ready yet, a child whimpering on the floor from the pain of a water-borne disease. The time spent going to this meeting might have prevented one woman from drawing water that day, another from selling a few pastries to pay for school supplies, and one more from preparing a meal.


I hope it was worthwhile.

A Typical Day in the Office

I've decided to do a 'bland' entry today, simplying writing about what my day looks like when I'm not traveling around to our various project sites. The purpose of this email is two-fold: to give some point of reference to those of you interested in what I do on a daily basis, and to hold myself accountable to whatever is I should be doing.

I arrive at work around 8:30 AM. After greeting the few co-workers already there, I turn on my computer. I then spend the next 10 to 15 minutes readying my daily devotionals - Daily Light and My Utmost for His Highest - as well as a few bible passages, occassionally writing in my journal. I then say a short prayer, sharing my thoughts, goals and worries for the day with God.

For the next hour or so I will read email, write a few of my own, and browse some websites (including this one). I then will begin working on numerous projects: articles for a newsletter, emails to a project partner, human interest stories, typing up notes from project visits, organizing photos from trips, downloading useful programs (like converting files to .pdf), ETC - end of thought capacity. I like to multi-task, and unfortunately my desktop computer doesn't like it when I have open AOL IM, MS Word, MS Publisher, Picasa, and Internet Explorer; not to mention how many windows of each. So some of my time is spent waiting on ol' slug-butt here to get on with it.

Often I am easily distracted by a co-worker, who tends to ask one of three questions (or all three):
- Habari yako? (How are you?)
- Would you like to come with me to [place] to do [action]?
- I want to do [this] on my computer. Can you show me how?

For example, yesterday I was invited to a school to take pictures at a parents' meeting. Invariably, we'll pick up some other people involved in our work and take longer than expected. I enjoy this, however, as I get to meet new people and get out of the office. Today I helped Sammy, my co-worker in the Emergency Response Program department, find some photos from last year and insert them into Word. Usually I pack a lunch, but today I was invited to each lunch with some partners at our office for a meeting. Luckily, I haven't had to attend too many meetings thus far.

All of my co-workers are very hard-working, competent Kenyans and I thoroughly enjoy working with them. Since I don't make direct decisions about the projects themselves, I play a more observer role rather than participant. Even so, I enjoy listening and helping out where I can.

Aerobics

Today I went to Kikuyu, a small town outside of Nairobi. When my family comes over Christmas, we will be volunteering at an orphanage here, building a puppet theater, playing games and enjoying time with the children. I had only been there once before, yet the Kenyans warmly welcomed me to their home. I'm very excited about working with them and spending a week in a close Kikuyu community.

My friend and fellow volunteer, Rachel (or Lachel, as her students say her name), invited me to Aerobics class... at an all-girls academy. All I can say is, doing aerobics in boots and jeans is awkward enough. Afterwards we stumbled upon a high school girls function. I thought it was a dance party, but apparently they were just pre-partying before a movie screening. I showed 'em a few of my mzungu moves before piecin' out, straight thug-struttin'.

David, our aerobics instructor and the only other male in the class, walked home with us and mentioned that it was his birthday in a few days. Being pumped-up from the dancing, I suggested he come to Nairobi Saturday and take us to the bumpin' clubs; my treat. As we parted, he exclaimed he had never celebrated his birthday before. I hope everything works out and we can have a lil' shindig for him.

Lake Nakuru Game Park

After completing our safari (literally "journey" in Kiswahili) across Kenya, we ended at Lake Nakuru Game Park for what we Americans traditionally call a safari. The game reserve is one of the most accessible, surrounding a shallow lake. I was told its deepest point was only 10 feet. Enjoy.

How many monkeys in the photo?

Waterbucks: Postcard, anyone?

Flamigo Party, Lake Nakuru

White Rhino
(name not based on skin color but something to do with mouth)

Pelicans do a fly-over

Takin' it to the Market

Tea is the largest industry in Kenya, followed by tourism. Even so, most Kenyans (somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 percent) make their livelihood in agriculture. Maize and wheat are the dominant crops- perhaps due to the encouragement of cash crops during the colonial era that has continued into today's globalized economy. The intense focus on maize, however, hasn't transferred into a strong export economy, locally due to poor road infrastructure and low productivity. With nearly everyone producing corn, families are unable to sell all of their crop, and thus provide their children with a nutritious diet. Many families use "middlemen" to transport their goods to other markets or even government surplus silos, further decreasing their profit.

A middleman using his capital (bike) to transport neighbors' bags of corn to local market.

CWS is working with Farming Systems Kenya, based out of Nakuru, to increase farmers' crop variety, yield and access to markets. Introducing alternative crops will create new markets, and farmers can diversify their diet for better nutrition. Using affordable irrigation and organic farming techniques, families can improve crop production per acre. When farmers organize into groups, they can pool their resources together, making access to local markets cheaper and at the same time setting fairer prices for their crops.

A Maasai Welcome

Today we visited a Maasai village. There are certain customs we had to follow as visitors. First, a meeting cannot be held until the guests have been fed. So after being briefly introduced to the male leaders, we were led through some brush to a tree. Some men appeared with buckets of goat meat and a large tin of goat soup, and the chow-down began.

Our stomachs more or less satisfied, we returned to the larger group. There, the women greeted us with singing and dancing. To receive their invitation to the meeting, we had to join them. All seriousness on their faces broke down when I began to emulate them (I’m hoping another group member will email me pictures.) Afterwards we sat down, the men sitting separately from the women. The roles of men and women are very clear in Maasai culture, and it’s the women who look after the children.

Unfortunately, there was some confusion over why we were there. A recent borehole had been drilled, and the community was now waiting on government testing of the water quality. The Maasai had brought all of their plastic water containers, expecting us to ‘turn on’ the water. We were sorry to disappoint them, trying to explain to them how we wanted to share with and learn from them. With no way of adequately apologizing, we were amazed at how gracious they were to receive us so well.

The men did a song and dance to send us off. After walking around in a line, they gathered together, uttering guttural sounds while taking turns to step into the middle and jump as high as they could. And boy did I join them! I’ll post the pictures when I receive them…

Driving on Edge

I was in charge of one of the vans in our caravan today. Fulfilling an important role, I confidently answered the group’s questions, pointed out places of interest and directed our driver towards our destination. We were five kilometers away when my boss called me. “Where are you?!” My ego deflated as rapidly as the air in my stomach as I realized my mistake: I had directed the group 30 minutes in the wrong direction on terrible roads. To make matters worse, we were running low on fuel.

We had no choice but to turn around. I felt terrible the whole way back, my embarrassment feasting on the carcass of my confidence, and the pit in my stomach sinking exponentially with the gas needle. Thanks to amazing providence, we managed to reach a small town and, despite the denizens’ ambiguous directions, finally found a "gas station": Yes, that’s the attendant hand-cranking the pump.


We spent the rest of the afternoon with a Maasai community (see next day’s entry), 45 km from the main road. By the time we had reached the main road, it was dark and we were low on fuel again. Thankfully, we now knew where the gas station was located. The funny thing was, they were out of fuel. With no other option, we drove down the road to the next unknown fuel stop, the empty fuel light glaring from the dashboard. At the edge of one small town I spotted a gas station, and a bunch of younth appeared from nowhere to crank our gas.

Back on the road once more, I thought I could catch a few winks before it got too late, as we had a three hour drive ahead of us. No sooner had I shut my eyelids when CRACK! BANG! Jolting up, I shot a glance at our driver. He was looking out his window, shaking his head. Apparently a matatu driver had come too close to our car and knocked off our side-view mirror. Needless to say, I stayed awake the rest of the night until we got to our hotel… only to find out our rooms on the sixth floor were “flooded.” We could only assume they were flooded with people from the UN conference being held, and not water. We were rebooked in a guesthouse. A blasting-hot shower never felt so blessed, massaging my cramps from the day’s heat and stress.

Oh, and did I mention our driver was recovering from malaria?

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

We visited a farmer today who had taken advantage of a hay-baling program. CWS had implemented the initative with one of our local partners. Most places in Kenya have two seasons: a long dry season and a short wet one. During the wet season grasses grow very fast, only to completely die out during prolonged time without rain.

John, a US visitor, bales hay with two farmers.

This particular man, Patrick, had baled many bushels of hay to sell to other farmers and pastoralists in the area for livestock feed. He also had a small tree farm growing outside his house. While these were all good, income-generating activities, I found out later that the land was not his and was simply taking care of it for a friend. He wanted to go to hotel managing school, but the funds from selling hay wouldn’t be enough to cover the fees. He asked me to be his sponsor. I had just met the guy not five minutes ago, hoping to see how his life had improved. In some ways I suppose it had, but the situation was far from perfect. If we continue to water these seeds of hope, maybe gardens of economic security will grow.

Turning from Patrick without a concrete answer, I found our driver, James, waiting to speak with me. Evidently not a very experienced driver, he had been slowing us down all day. We had called in to request a new driver, and somehow he had already found out about it. I tried to explain to him that while we wanted to be safe, we also were on a timetable and needed him to keep up with the rest of the vehicles. He apologized profusely, assuring me he would do better tomorrow. Apparently he had been on the ropes for a while, and the loss of this contract could tank him completely. I didn’t know what to say, merely managing to mutter, “Work it out with your boss and maybe we’ll see you tomorrow.” We didn’t.

If you can’t keep up, then what? To fall behind means losing your livelihood.

I miss a good roll of TP

One thing I value – and that’s sorely missing here in Kenya – is some good toilet paper. This best Kenyan TP, although it’s probably imported from South Africa by the Asians, is called “Nice & Soft.” I think “Thin & Bumpy” would better describe this product. While it may lack in the suave department, only one side is bumpy, allowing a couple fold-overs to do the trick. Of course, if you’re looking for the extra “catch,” you should adjust accordingly. Maybe by the time I leave I’ll have a survival guide to Kenya written…

The irony of it all is that Kenyans really seem to value their TP: they sell it buy the roll here, each one individually wrapped, and I’ve seen most people buy it one roll at a time. You know you’re in a nice restaurant in Kenya when you don’t have to provide your own roll; not to mention paper towels for drying your hands (more likely there’s an electric dryer or your pants leg). Thankfully the air is dry, allowing for natural evaporation. Even so, I’ve shaken many a wet hand here.

All in all, we Americans have it luxurious when it comes to toilet paper. Maybe I should check out the Kleenex® in combo with Kenya’s finest… Add that one to the care package. But wait! Each person at work just received his/her own box of Kleenex®; was that not for our noses? And to think I had no problem sharing tissues in the States…!

This post is dedicated to my dear friend Andrew, who claimed one square was always enough… for him, at least.

All of Us Can Help TODAY

Today CWSEA welcomed a group of fundraisers and supporters of CWS in the United States. I enjoyed meeting all of our guests, including the regional head of my home area of Wilmington, Delaware. Their first day in Kenya reminded me of my experience two months ago. Fielding some of their questions made me realize just how much I had learned and grown accustomed to in just two months! For instance, I barely looked at the Maasai wares for sell or so much as bat and eyelid when being served crocodile.

I'm very thankful to meet the people working on the otherside of our program. It isn't every day that the donors get to meet with the people in the field. This week we will be extending the priviledge, taking this group to various project sites around Kenya. I look forward to updating you on our trip next week.

In the meantime, there is great need for earthquake relief as winter comes in the Kashmir region. Thousands more will die unless we provide desperately-needed supplies. I have been convicted lately of how much money I spend on myself versus others. I encourage all of you to follow this link for Earthquake Relief to find out more about how you can help. Please be praying for these people and the rescue efforts being made on their behalf.

To steal a motto of CWS:

Today we can help.
Today we can join others.
Today will make all the difference.

A New Bill of Rights

I was reflecting on this passage in Galatians (5:22-26) concerning the fruits of the Spirit:

By contrast [to works of the flesh], the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another.

In light of the recent constitutional debate here in Kenya, and reflecting on our own constitution, I wonder if we’ve actually consecrated rather than crucified the passion and desires of the flesh. Our own Bill of Rights certainly declares the rights we have to our own person, but what about our right to serve others?

I strongly believe in having principles to guide my life. Yesterday I wrote down my standards and goals and posted them up in my room. My objective: To stand firmly in what I believe and to grow resolutely into the man I desire to become.

These thoughts have led me to develop my own Bill of Rights, which I humbly share with you. While Paul writes that there are no laws against such things, I hope to shift our focus from the right to serve ourselves to the right to serve others.

All persons in the Kingdom of God have these certain, inalienable rights:
1. the right to love your neighbor.
2. the right to pursue joy in your community.
3. the right to find peace with your enemy.
4. the right to be patient with others.
5. the right to be kind to all.
6. the right to give generously to those in need.
7. the right to remain faithful to your family and friends.
8. the right to show gentleness in the face of hardship.
9. the right to control oneself against anger.

Perhaps this Bill of Rights will be taken on as a willful, pleasing Bill of Obligation for some of you. That is my prayer for me.

Day Off

Today was an amazing day in that I never got dressed. And no, Mom, I didn’t leave the apartment. I took the day off from work, travel and just plain interacting with others, in order to just give some time for myself. I refreshed myself physically by sleeping in, exercising, taking a long shower and finishing all the leftovers in the fridge. I refreshed myself mentally by writing, watching Matrix commentaries, and listening to music. And I refreshed myself spiritually by journaling, praying and playing praise songs on guitar. It was glorious. Although I must say I should be reprimanded if there’s another day like this too soon. I can only take so much of myself.

CWSEA Strategy Meeting

Today we had our strategy meeting for the next three years, which gave me a new perspective on CWS East Africa. They had never had a strategic meeting before, mainly since there were only three people in the office three years ago: Dan, the director, Andrew, for driving and logistics, and Ester, to handle all the office work. Now we have eleven full-time employees: Dan as director; Jane as assistant director; Ester for secretary work; Andrew for driving/logistics; Kiragu & Sammy for Emergency Response and Disaster Management Training; Sarah for School Safe Zones; Mary as Project Coordinator; Nancy as head Administrator; Beatrice as an Assistant Administrator; and Peter for finances. I can honestly say I’ve been impressed with all my coworkers in their capacity and devotion to their work. Praise God for an incredible expansion in our capacity to serve and empower the people in the East Africa region!

Our main thematic focus is Water, HIV/AIDS, Hunger & Poverty Alleviation, Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution, and Durable Solutions for the Displaced. I’m excited at the overall approach we’ve taken, although we may be somewhat over ambitious in our goals. Considering we’ll probably only receive half the funding we think we need to accomplish our proposed projects, however, and I think there will still be plenty of work to do.

May God’s Kingdom Come, and may we be a part of that process.

TD Jakes in... Kajiado?

TD Jakes, the evangelical preacher who could probably be placed in the Prosperity Gospel camp, was recently in Kenya and funded the construction of two boreholes in Kajiado, a Maasai community in a very dry area. A borehole essentially is a self-contained well that is dug deep into the earth and using a gasoline pump to extract the water from the ground. CWS is working to ensure these boreholes are properly managed so that they are sustainable and available for the whole community in which they’re supposed to serve.

Having people like TD Jakes come in for a borehole blitzkrieg is certainly appreciated, although we prefer to work in partnership with the communities. Anyone can build a borehole, frankly- all you need is money to buy labor and materials. It takes a special kind of prolonged work to empower the communities to use these new assets for the benefit of all. Too often the gift falls into disrepair because the community never fully accepts it as its own. Through relational training, we hope to build the capacity of these people to empower themselves in whatever direction they would like to go.

EA Review

It’s finished! The East African Review for July-Dec 2004 is complete! Granted, we are about a year behind in publication, but better late than never? Essentially, I’ve put together reports, stories and pictures of the various projects we’ve engaged in during this time. While I’m pleased with what I’ve done, and hope to provide a link soon for you to view it, there’s plenty of room for improvement. I hope that through visiting the other projects, and developing stronger relationships with our partners and the communities they serve, I will better be able to convey what’s happening here to our donors in the States.