Spending the Sabbath in town so a good time for some observations

Well it seems I get to town more often than I thought I would. But a lot of times I have to print some documents for a meeting that is coming up. The other day when I was coming to town Maurice (one of my KASOW members) asked if I would type up this 9 page survey. I said well I wish you would have told me a day or 2 ago. I could have typed it up on the computer at the Computer Resource Center. Then put it on my Flash Disk and took it town to print. In this way I wouldn't be spending valuable internet time typing a 9 page document. Also that day I had a long morning meeting and didn't how much time I'd have in town. So I told him I'd do it another day. Well I called him this morning and asked if he had the pages he wanted me to type at home (he lives like 5 mins away) as I was just leaving for town. He said yes he does but could I wait 30 mins. So I waited for 30 mins as I thought he was getting ready for church first or something. Then I called him and he said I'll be right there as there's something he didn't tell me was tell me " he had to get it at Johns home." I wasnt pleased to hear this and told him. I was just heading for town. But Angus would bring it to me in town. I will type it up tomorrow at the school and get it printed the next day. They want the survey done by Thur as Adrienne (UBC student) is coming to start doing some food nutrients surveys. So we do have a couple days to get it done. Anyway it was a mess and I feel bad for what happened but internet time is slow and costly to be typing up a 9 page document.
I find that people have to give us a little more warning to get things done. Plus they have to learn to share and not hog it for them selves. I guess it s partly due to their culture of struggling to get things. But this concept has to be changed or they won t grow as a community or country. People are so unwilling to share what they own or know.
There s a teacher at the Secondary School who is taking his Masters at the local university. He s sort of taking ownership of the laptop which was donated by KASOW. He told me that some of the keys get stuck (actually some of the keys on this keyboard are also acting up as the apostrophe and backspace don t work). He asked if I could take it into town to have it looked at (like get it repaired). I said well I could have them give me a rough idea what it would cost. But when I checked all the keys they seemed to work OK. So I said there s no point in taking it in. Then the next couple days I m looking for the laptop but he has it and hasn t come to school. So when I saw him I told him. It s odd that u want me to take the laptop into get fixed but then you monopolize the laptop when it works. I bought a Flash Disk for the Computer Resource Center so they could take their documents to town to print. He told me don t let the principal (Idi Amin) have it as he ll he lock it away. So what does this guy do but put it in his pocket for his own use even though he has his own Flash Disk (his is only 128 Kb while this one is 512). Anyway diplomatic me told him what I thought of these actions.
We ve also noticed that we have to watch what we own as there seems to be a few kleptomaniacs around. Last Sun we were sitting around reading when these 3 guys walked into the house. They shook Katy and my hand as we were the only 2 in the living room. Well they commenced to sit down and we didn t know them at all. So I asked them were they here for a meeting? There was an older man who appeared drunk and 2 younger guys. They said they were next door for a burial and the older man was a brother of the owner of the house we were staying in. That was OK but this older guy was really drunk and wanted me to take a pic of us and them. Well Katy had just gotten up and didn t want one. So I didn t take one but started talking to the young guys. So the older drunk guy goes over to Angus s guitar and starts strumming it. So Angus came by concerned. Suddently they said they d come back again and left. Well Angus noticed his guitar tuner was missing and it s always there as he always uses it.
So he checks around and then goes to ask them if they had seen it. No they hadn t but Angus is convinced that they had taken it. So Angus, the cook Mildred and Ben the assistant cook go over next door. They come back with it. As they got the lady next door to get it from the older man. The guys weren t to just walk in without knocking and take whatever they saw.
Then yesterday morning I was washing off my running shoes which were caked in mud from a run I did a couple days before. Well we were off to see the Kakamegi Forest so I didn t have time to finish it so I was going to leave the shoes in the sun to dry. Well since we were all going out and no one would be home so Mildred put my shoes in the house. I just hung the cloth I was using to wash it on the cast iron railing locking the back porch. When we got back later I went to finish cleaning my shoes. I couldn t find my cloth and told the others. It was only a cloth so it wasn t super important and can be replaced with another rag but it showed us that we can t leave anything out or not watched or someone will steal it.
Our trip to the Kakamegi Forest was good but we didn t see that many wild life. We saw monkeys but they were quite high in the trees. It was nice to see a tropical jungle as where we are it s like a savannah type with trees landscape. We also got a chance to see some of the country side north of Kisumu. It was in the hills so it was a bit cooler and it rained a bit. But it was nice to see.
Anyway I have to get going because I want to attend the KASOW Youth Group meeting. I want to check if they started any projects this week or came up with any new ideas to help the community or raise funding to do so. I want to press them a bit to make sure they have some initiative.
Also this Wed pm I plan to hold a meeting or forum "Taking the Next Step" for the community to better understand what is meant by Self Sustainablity. Also to reinforce to them that new ideas to take that step have to sometimes come from them so they take ownership of completing them.
Catch u maybe on Thur!

Not very organized but added a couple more pics and things about myself and my family (in case ur interested)

I guess as compared to other people's blog mine is a mess. But it doesn't take as much time to jot down words but takes a lot of time to make it pretty. The internet in this place I've been using is working a little faster for uploading resized pics (but I still have to resize the pics). However I'm not into pretty I guess so I just try to get my observations and thoughts on this blog. Maybe one day I'll clean it up.
Just to let those that know me. I got a hold of Darren (my son) by phone Fri nite (Sat here). He was totally wasted and couldn't communicate so I called him this morning. The reason I'm calling him is he's off in early Nov to train for the Special Operations/Forces. The first month they rake the newbies over the coals both mentally and physically. They want to weed out the ones that won't cut it for the training. So by Christmas we'll know whether he is fit to be trained. I wanted to wish him luck as he's had his heart on this for a long time. I've never seen him so focused on something so if he doesn't make it it won't be for lack of effort. Then he'll be able to come home for Christmas which is why I've planned to leave Kenya before Christmas or I'd stay in Africa for a few more months and travel. But I have higher priorities.
Also I communicate with Jolene (my daughter) who seems to be doing well in her job in HR. She was happy to get a raise after 4 months. She just got home to Vancouver in the middle of May after spending 1 1/2 years teaching English in Japan and travelling for another 6 months or so.
So it's nice to see she's settled into her life as she's got her own apartment a block off Sunset beach in downtown Vancouver. It's a good location for her to walk to work and hang out with her friends and go to the fitness club. She hardly needs the car she's got but it comes in handy to visit her mother in North Vancouver. Irene bought herself a real nice bright 2 bedroom condo in North Vancouver. It's right next to Parkgate Village towards Deep Cove. She can walk across the street to a Rec Center, library, Safeway's supermarket, liquor store, ATM, veg and bakery plus places for coffee or to eat. She seems to be settling in good and has her a secure job in MRI at the Cancer Hospital. Plus she has a number of places wanting her to do casual MRI work at any time she wants. So she doesn't need me around to spend her money and mess up her beautiful condo. If she needs a messy guy around she can find one any where!
So as you can see with the above doing well. Heck I can just volunteer and travel her in Kenya and Africa without too much worry! I don't really worry because I did I'd be back home still building up my IT career what little I had. But life is too short to play the corporate game to buy a nice car, house, giant tv, a rec home in the mtns, etc. That's not me as I like the non pretentious things and people. So there that's a bit about me on this Sun in Kisumu!

Enjoy the pics of
People at Pago Beach on Lake Victoria by the village where I am. They're selling talapia fish in the morning when i was out for a run. They tried to sell me a talapia fish for 300KS (about $50) that the locals can pay 100 or 150. I decided not to buy as they laugh when they said the price was 300. It's kind of ironic as they want to shaft me when they sell something to Mazungu's (whites yes I'm considered one here, but like I care as I'd rather they referred to me as Japan they don't say Japanese!) but then they turn around and want a handout. I realize its a cultural thing but it does get frustrating at times. Heck I kind of enjoy bartering for price as I low ball them right away as there's nothing I barter for that I really really want so if they say no to my price than that's fine with me.
Also included pics of progress of the building of the class rooms. If you check back on previous postings you may have noticed work on a building. Well this is how it has progressed.
Pics around the village of cattle coming down to water at a pond or dam (as they refer to it) which was dug to collect the rain during the rainy season. Cattle and women use it to wash their clothes and some even use it to cook when the well they normally use is too busy!
I've added a pic of the infamous Principal of the Obambo Secondary School (Idi Amin) where the Computer Resource Center resides. He's not a mean guy but is just strict. Everyone is intimidated by him and his teachers are scared of him. I just treat him like a guy doing his job. Oh by the way the pic is in front of the security tight lab/class room we use as the Computer Resource Center. Also the sheets covering the computers are not for security so no one knows what they are. But to keep the dust off the computers. We have to wait until the new budget in Jan to get glass for the windows. yes they have the same budget problems in the schools here as back home. What do u think any resemblance to Idi?

Posted a couple more pics - sorry not much documentation at this time but read the following postings for other info on happenings

Sorry that there isn't much documentation with my pics however it always takes so long to post pics. I hope to change all that and add a notation when time permits but please be patient with the pics and whatever I write. I was told that I seem to ramble with no set paragraphs which makes it confusing. Sorry about that as I'll work to change that in the future and with previous postings. So check back occassionally to see if I changed old postings.
Most of these pics I borrowed from Angus. I posted the pics of this poor boy's foot which we believe was broken and not set at all. I didn't post it to show a side show person but what happens here due mostly to the lack of money or maybe the parent's neglect. i think it's probably the lack of money to take him to the hospital to set. Angus works with people with foot problems and fitting them with the proper footwear. So when the head teacher found this out he brought this poor boy and asked if he could help him. The only thing that probably could be done is to have the foot re-broken and then reset. It's sad that a boy about 12 is faced with a life with a deformed foot and can't do a lot of things a normal boy should be able to do. On the bright side this boy doesn't complain but just carries on with a pole to help him walk. There is a lot of beauty and happiness in Kenya but there are also a lot of sights that make you wish you could change things.

Visited Millennium Village very impressive the work that’s been done… but

A bunch of us volunteers from the poor side of the track got to visit the Millennium Village Project (http://www.millenniumpromise.org/site/PageServer?pagename=mv_1sauri) the other day. I've heard the amount of 2.7 Million being spent on this village>
They have pumped a lot of money into their projects so it is a bit of a showcase.
In their agriculture project they have tested the soil to determine what is missing and then make sure it’s added. The farmers in the pilot project have been able to increase their yields by 10 fold. They have converted a large government building into a storage warehouse. Then they pay a bit of money to store their grains. Then the Millinium Village lets them know when the price is right to sell. I can see this being self sustaining when they leave. But I wonder about some others.
They have added a Lunch program to one school which works great. The kids now have a hot meat at lunch time they don't run home have a drink of water and return to school. I never did find out how they hope to have this self sustaining as there has to be funding to keep this a float. Also they have a regional hospital which the Millennium Village has helped with the faclitites. They have cleaned up the buildings themselves. Added a dental clinic but with no x-ray so therefore there is only extractions no fillings but one can't have everything. A operating theater has been added this year but haven't figured out who funded it as the President's name is on a plaque as opening it. But I smell politics here as the government doesn't support much except in an election year (of which one is coming up in Dec but more on that at another time). They have 2 X-ray machines but one has been broken for I believe 5 years. The guy from NY was telling us the bathrooms don't work because of a backed up sewers so we had to use the latrines in the back. However someone went into the bathrooms by mistake and were in for a bit of a shock. They were using it as a morgue as there were a couple of corpses being stored there! The guy from NY said "Looks like I'll have to bring the need for an actual morgue as a higher priority to the hospital. They say that the hospital should be self sustaining. But I find that hard to believe as most hospitals aren't self sustaining unless they're private hospitals in the US which charge exrobiant fees to visit.
They also showed us the many fish ponds they's set up using water from springs in the hills. They've also installed filtration systems in some springs so the water is purified to be drank. This was all very imprssive and we left thinking boy are we on the wrong side of the tracks. Also when the Millennium funding ends how will things operate?
There was an Irish guy on our tour who is riding his 650 motorcycle around Africa for the past 10 months. He has a website http://www.LAPofAFRICA.com/ which is interesting. He is also supporting a charity organization in Ireland. According to him they believe that the volunteers shouldn't come up with ideas. However the kenyans (and others) should come up with the ideas themselves and then the charity will help them. I haven't read enough of the website to form much of an opinion. However Hugh Bergin left his home in Kilkenny Ireland the beginning of December 2006, on a solo motorcyle ride through the continent of Africa.
He is raising awareness of, and funds for Self Help
Development International (www.SELFHELP.ie).
However I do have an opinion as I'm coming to the conclusion that a lot of Kenya has been bombarded with donations and freebies. It helps them without a doubt but it has to come to an end. As the saying goes 'Give a man a fish and feeds him for a day but teach him to fish and he is self sustaining". Yes with the donations have come some teaching. However they need new ideas, education on basic things about being self sustaining. They need to understand that a change in their ideas may be useful in arriving at a new life style and being self sufficient.
I spent 4 hrs this morning at a Parent meeting at the Obambo Primary School to win them over to get the Woman's sewing group a tender. The meeting was set at 9 am and after African time the meeting started at 11 am. Then it went on till 1 pm. I have no problem with the times as that is the culture. I was only interested in hearing the result of the parents thoughts. I don't know what was being said but I did get a chance to say my piece. I believe that we won them over in trying a prepayment method to pay for school uniforms but in what format is the next question. However I'll wait for the fall out from what is said afterward a day or 2. I was quite surprised that Binta who is their spokesman didn't say much and I had to get her to come up and show them the sample uniforms they made. The parents like the quality of material and work man ship. She brought this guy Simon who is quite articulate and is suppose to help them sew! So after this meeting and a previous one with the Parent committee it makes me feel that new ideas and concepts may be accepted if presented correctly. It's a small step but one that was forward (I think) not in neutral.
I also find that after visiting the Millinium Project and other things that I've encountered along the way it seems to mean that throwing money in projects is not always the only solution. I'm planning to have a "Taking the Next Step" meeting on Wed, Oct 31 at 2 pm (African time)/ 3 pm Mazungu (white man) time. I've posted notices around at schools, health clinic, Obambo Market and hope to get a few people to attend. My goal is to make people aware that they have to think of ideas and change their concepts. They have to come up with ideas on being self sustaining so they will take ownership of the ideas or they will never complete them. Kenyan are smart and want to learn it's just getting them motivated! This old concept that muzungu's are going to donate or sponsor things for them has to change. I was speaking to the Head teacher of Sabako Primary school about the computers they have there. I wanted to know if the KASOW Youth group was teaching anyone there at his school. He claims they are but then he told me why don't you put electricity in the KASOW office and do it there? I said who would pay for it? He laughed as he must have thought that we have unlimited money!!!! Wow is he mistaken.
So we have the Computer Resource Center set up and I'm training. However there are other people that know basic computer skills however it seems most people in the community don't share and would rather learn more rather than train others! I can't blame them as this might be due to their hard lives of just putting food on the table. But there are teachers who have the basic knowledge of computers but they want to learn more themselves not teach others. So I find they only want to practice so it's the story about sharing knowledge and ideas. What I mean when I say learning basic computer skills is I spend all my time just teaching people to use a mouse. Move the mouse here or there, click the left button. No don't drag and press the button at the same time or whatever you pointed to will be moved. They want to use the internet but hey we barely have electricity nevermind getting an ISP provider to link to the internet. I tell them they have to go to town.
Then there is the problem of the people in the community coming to train at the school. They are imtimidated by the Principal as he is very strict and I refer to him as Idi Amin (don't tell him I said that or I'll lose all credibility with him)! But he's really a nice man and does a good job as he is just trying to protect the young boys and girls under his supervision. I've been told that there are guys in the community who would sell drugs there or try to get after the young girls sounds like Canada or the US. This is why KASOW needs to insure that any people wanting to learn basic computer skills have to be screened and a list given to the school. If this doesn't work then it'll end up the School will be the only ones using the 2 computers.
That brings me to my next point as I've mentioned before! There are 3 laptops floating around but in each case people or groups want to keep them rather than share it with the community to teach people who computer illiterate learn. What I've noticed in Kanyawegi is there are too many people not willing to share assets, ideas, concepts. etc.
This has to change so I plan to try and educate them or at least bring it to their attention. I've the guy running the KASOW Community Bank to attend the meeting to address the audience and we could teach them the importance of setting aside a bit of their earnings for a rainy day. This maybe a stretch as some back home have trouble doing it. But I'm hoping we can land a couple new accounts for the bank as this is a new concept. Also I would like him to bring along that man who had 1000KS in his account when his wife died. This money was a big benefit for him for a burial and would like to see if he'd speak as an example. I don't to use an untimely event in his life so if this is too difficult for him then I can understand as we don't want to use his misfortune as a marketing tool but just to explain how it might help others.
I have spent my own money on computer parts, etc but what is need is computers (or the use of existing laptops) not monitors. So I won't use any more of my money until others learn to share and cooperate with things they horde.
It seems everyday is a new project or discussion on how the community can work to be self sustaining rather than expect handouts from volunteers.
Well tomorrow we are going on a trip to see the Kakamega Forest Reserve which is supposedly all that is left in Kenya of the once huge Guineo-Congolian rainforest.
I'll post any thing that is exciting about that trip.
In the next few weeks I plan to make a couple of trips on my own for 5 days to a week. i don't feel guilty of taking the time to do this as I've paid for my accmmodations and food. I'll also make sure that the projects I've been working on are on it's own footings. ie computer resource center, woman's group sewing/tailoring project of winning tenders from the local primary schools and making sure they keep good records, making an initial "Taking the Next Step" to being Self Sustaining Forum/meeting to make the community aware of using new ideas and concepts not donations to move in the new Millennium, helping the KASOW Youth Group get on track and carrying through on ideas.
I also hope to make a trip to the Rift Valley which is hope to gigantic shift in the earth's crust which stretches from Ethopia to Tanzania. It's centered around Nakuru and the lakes and valleys around there. I also hope to see some of the wild life there.
Then when we leave Kanyawegi we've paid for a 4 day trip to the Masa Mara game reserve. In Tanzania the game reserve is called Seregeti which is a bit bigger but the same game can be found on both. There is the big 5 animals on both. I believe the big 5 are: lions, elephants, leopard, rhino and buffalo. The migration of the widebeast is a magnificent sight where thousands and thousands of them migrate.
I also plan to go to the coast and see Mombasa (a lot of Indian and Arab influence) and beaches to the north in Kenya. Then I plan to go to the island of Zanzibar which is off the coast of Tanzania which has a lot of Arab influence.
So maybe a trip to South Africa may not happen this trip. But stay tuned.

Well I did it - I ran into town today and it was like a 1/2 marathon!

Yeah, I had thought about doing it since I got here. So this morning something woke me up around 5:30 so I thought what heck today is the day. So by the time I got my shit together I left the house around 6:15. The sun was just coming up and it was still cool. I've run to this Kisian Exhange and back a couple times so that was easy. I always get a lot of people staring like they're thinking what is that crazy muzongu (white - yeah I'm considered white not that I care to be one) doing trying to run like a Kenyan. Most people know the Kenyans are Olympic gold metalists in the marathon and other track events. But they come from the Rift Valley area which is mountainous. The Kenyas around where I am do a lot of walking but I haven't seen another runner since I've been here. They like their football/soccer around here and live and die by the sport. Can't say I'm really into soccer/football but it's a good game! Anyway I had to run about 1 1/2 hrs east into the sun and that wasn't so great. I had only a 1/2 liter bottle of water so I ran out quite soon. But I had my trusty MP3 player to listen to music which I always take with me to run. It was getting a bit hot when I pulled into town. Since I was out of water I could feel my leg starting to cramp up. But no one said I'm too smart so I continued until I got to the golf course. Yeah they have one with hardly anyone on it. I did see one guy playing so I ran over to him. I was hoping this wasn't a country club place where the colonial Poms ( left over from the British Empire days) play. Thank god the guy was a Kenyan who had the time to say hi without a snobbish attitude. His name was Ralphill and he says I could come and place there too. But I figure my golf game needs some sprucing up or I'd set the game of golf back 100 years in Kenya. Also I doubt if I could probably rent a set of left handed golf clubs at the club plus it costs around 2000 KS ($35) to play and it's kind of hot to play. So I made it town around 8:15 so it took me about 2 hrs to run the distance. I'm not too sure how far it is but I know on a matatu it takes about 30 mins with all it stops, etc. So I'm going to say it may be about 22 km (13miles) which is 1/2 a marathon. It wasn't very tiring but it would have been nice to have a couple of water stations along the way like a marathon. But it was something I wanted to try. I got to town and found a lot of places still not open and I was dying for a drink of water. I finally got a 2 liter bottle and finished 1/2 of it. I then had a bite to eat and headed to the internet shop. However the internet connection went down soon after I got there. So I went to the park and slept on a bench/stone wall for 1 1/2 hrs to wake up not in the shade but in the hot sun. So since I was in town on Thur to print out some stuff I won't post too much here. Oh yeah, on Fri I had 3 interesting meetings. In the morning I went to the Secondary school and spoke to Idi Amin the principal. His name is actually Elisah and is a very nice man and we get along good. I was wanted to confirm that we were on the same page as far as the Computer Resource Center was concerned. By this I mean that he understood that the computer equipment was loaned to the school. The Computer Resource Center/Lab was to be used jointly by the staff & students plus the people of the community to learn computer skills. I had also got a book for the administrator of the room to schedule people to train there. I mentioned that it would probably be best to only have a maximum of 2 people train on a computer per hr. Plus a trainer or administrator to supervise or assist. Then the room wouldn't become conjested and noisy. if we don't set a number and the door is open I can envision all kinds of people walking in and crowding around the computers. I had also picked up some plastic name tag holders the other day. I wanted any people outside the school to pick up a name tag when they signed the register at the security gate. They supposedly have a guard at the gate 7/24 but doubt if we could get the key for the Computer Resource Center any time. Barrack the guy in charge of the key is not always going to be available so we are kind of restricted from 8 till 5 which is fair enough as who wants to be there all the time. I think the principal is very cooperative as I asked if we could get glass on the windows because there's a lot of dust coming in. However his budget is full until Jan but he would supply sheets or covers for the computers which will be OK. I've had a couple of teachers come in and they are quick and enthusastic learners. I was showing them some things in Excel which they weren't aware of and they picked it up quickly. I figure to use the basics in computers that they only need about a hr on 2 separate days. So I feel one of my goals for my stay has been partly achieved. Now I just have to make sure the training and process is followed for the next month. I also had a meeting with the principal/head teacher of the Obambo Primary school and the members of the parent committer (PTA). I attended to discuss the Uniform proposal that I had presented for the Woman's sewing group a week ago. I only got one member of the Woman's sewing group to attend but that was OK. The meeting was scheduled for 2 pm so I got there at 1:55. However the principal said everyone goes by African time. So sure enough I waited until 3 before the parents arrived. The meeting went good. The principal who's name is also Tom is a real great guy who is very forward thinking and likes to try ways to improve the community. He's a great assest to the community even though he lives in another community. I spoke to the parents and Tom kind of translated. I told them that the Kenyan government wants all school kids to wear uniforms. So the parents have to buy uniforms and the Woman's group is willing to sewing good quality uniforms and won't use cheap material that fades or falls apart after a couple washings. I then explained that our proposal may be kind of a new concept for them. There are 400 students of which 1/2 are orphans and can't pay for their uniforms. So what we proposed was that if a student buys a uniform that they prepay 150 KS ($2.25 a lot for these people). The woman's group would buy material and sew the uniform. They would then bring the uniform to them and the student would pay the balance of 300 KS. The figures could be any amount as the concept we set is what matters. Then the woman's group would spend 150 KS for material and make another uniform for an orphan. Then they would have 150 remaining which they would keep only 75KS for making 2 uniforms. Then the other 75KS would be put in the community bank for future material or upkeep of the machines. It took a bit of talking but I think we got the parent committee to understand and think it was a good idea. One parent even said we should do this at the other primary schools. I said we will try it but first we have to implement it at their school. Also we only got the parents committee to buy into the proposal. We still have to face all the parents of the school for their buy in. That will be a bigger challenge as I expect many will be hestitant. I also tell the parents that by buying it from the Woman's Group they'll save the 100 KS to take a matatu (bus) into town to buy a cheap quality uniform in the market. But we'll go ahead even if we get a portion of the parents to buy in. I've given 300 KS to the woman's group and told them to buy some good quality material and make a good quality girl's and boy's uniform. She says but a boy's uniform takes more material. I said great why didn't you tell me that before as I've been telling them 150. So I said you go and get the material and you pay the extra yourself. Also said that they repay me for the material later. I told her if she short changes the parents they won't get the tender plus she'll have to face the wrath of Tom!!! So hopefully we'll convince the parents at all next meeting. I also had setup a meeting after that with some members of the KASOW Committee. I wanted to clear the air on some misunderstandings we've had recently mainly about the laptop, etc. That meeting went OK and I think we're all on the same page. I also mentioned that I wanted to attend the KASOW Youth Group's weekly meeting on Sun afternoon. I wanted to push them to start some of the projects they talked about but haven't started. They need a kick start to get them going. We want to keep reinforcing the people of the community not to expect free handouts anymore. They have to understand that they have to be self sustaining and make it on new ideas and projects. Unfortantely many people here in Kenya and a lot of Africa have had donations given free to them from UN, NGO's and other people in the past. They maybe meant well but it spoiled them and they keep expecting it. It's like the tourists that come to Africa for a quick trip and give children free stuff. Now they have their hands out all the time but not as much in Western Kenya where there are few tourists. When someone puts their hand out to me on the street or fields I simply shake their hand. It may bother them but they have to learn the hard way that they have to make it on their own sooner or later. The people are hard working and are intelligent when they want but first they expect a free handout. I've met some real intelligent, caring and educated Kenyans who can match anyone back home. The Professor in Nairobi, Toby in Nairobi, Mke in Kisumu, Tom the principal, Elisha (Idi Amin) the principal of the Secondary school, Loyce a teacher and KASOW member and her husband Ken who is a retired College Economics instructer and now a sucessful farmer, Jennifer and her principal husband who own the house we're staying in. There are a lot more but you get the idea. The Kenyans are warm friendly people who are always smiling even if they face hard times and difficulties. This is the reason we try so hard to help them as we just have to advice them of new ideas or help them start their own. So we'll see how our efforts go. Oh by the way I hope to add some more pics in some of the previous postings. If you want to see what I've added u may have to scroll down to see some older postings as I seemed to have added a lot of stuff. Boy I have to get a life I guess, but then I think well I just want to tell people what Kenya and the people are about.

Messed up so adding a bunch of pics here too

Lordlick and Paul taking inventory of the pencils. erasors, etc that my sister Pat kindly donated. I gave them to 3 different Primary Schools and they were all excited about getting pencils. Some of the kids haven't got pencils to write with so these were a treat like Christmas