Testing ...

...to see if we can successfully insert a picture ...















...from the computer.

This is hopefully the only picture of snow you will see on this blog!

Packing, pricing, and preparing

We want to keep you updated on our adventure (if anyone reads this :-)), let you know about an upcoming event, and answer a frequently asked question ("what are you doing with your stuff?") ... we are having a huge yard sale!

It is amazing how much work this is, having never had a yard sale before, and to be selling a large portion of our belongings. We've spent a few days just deciding what to sell, what to store, and what to take. Selling: furniture, winter clothes, various home decor items, and close to 200 books (yes, if you know me, that is a big sacrifice). Storing: wedding presents, kitchen stuff, rest of clothes, work-related books. Taking: hopefully just the essentials!

It's been a hard but good process ... bit by bit we are starting to mentally prepare for living with (significantly) less. Even though we've moved 4 times in the last 2 years, this is obviously the biggest transition by far. It occurred to me that it would probably make more sense in general to get house-warming presents than wedding presents ... just because you're married doesn't mean you're settled down!! Anyway, Kenya living, here we come.

Here are the yard sale details, in case you are local:
Saturday, June 6
8 am - 4 pm
324 W. College Ave.
Waukesha, WI 53186

All proceeds go to our work in Kenya. And specifically, books will be priced so that each book sold will (hopefully) purchase a book for the new library in Ribe. Now we just need to sell 200 books!!

If you are local, please come by! We will also have a potluck dinner at 5, since we'll have folks in town and would like an excuse to hang out with friends anyway :-). See you next Saturday!


ps. If you read this, feel free to comment ... we don't really know who sees this (and Google analytics confused me).

“The world does not have to feel sorry for Africa to care about it."

Lately we have been reflecting on money, international aid, charity, and the like. On Sunday the sermon at church was on trusting God with finances and there was also a presentation about Compassion International. Chris and I also recently became familiar with another organization, called Kenya’s Kids Project run through a friend’s church in Denver. This all sparked a conversation about the pros and cons of sponsorship and alternative methods for helping children and communities.

Then I read a book review in the NYTimes for Africa - Altered States, Ordinary Miracles. This quote in particular made me nod vigorously and read it out loud to Chris:
"I agree more with Dowden's point that Africans must be more central to the narrative. As he writes: 'Aid agencies, Western celebrities, rock stars and politicians cannot save Africa. Only Africans can develop Africa. Outsiders can help, but only is they understand it, work with it.' It's true that the most successful and cost-effective interventions are typically not those started by a grand conference in a capital; rather, they are the grass-roots efforts started by local people with local knowledge addressing local needs. We could do much more to support such efforts, with us Westerners serving as aides and financiers to African social entrepreneurs."

Reading this was encouraging, and it is disappointing (though not entirely surprising) that this view is not more widespread. There is certainly not as much awareness of these grass-roots efforts, and we are very excited to be working with the RYDA because of this. I think we'll try to read this and some other recent publications about models for international development work and in Africa specifically … it’s amazing how little we knew about this before and how important it is to us now.

Approved to teach

We found out this week that we are both officially approved to be teachers in Kenya. Chris is approved for math and science, Lesley for English and social studies. This is very exciting, since we weren't sure until now if we would be teachers or just helping out in the schools. We still need to explore whether we will have our own classes or start off as teaching assistants, but whatever the arrangement we are very much looking forward to working with students on a daily basis :-) (as well as doing other projects, we are reminded ;-)) Now, time to start learning about the Kenyan curriculum ... !