The Mother Cathy asked if it was ok to give the kids a bit of a checkup. She said there was not much she could do, as generally to diagnose nowadays relies on tests and results which she would not have access to. Still, she could do a general general. A few of the kids suffered from basic malnutrition, and anemia. Things like lack of protein and iron. There is not a lot of meat going around. Writing this from the end, I didn't eat any meat while at the centre. Cathy went along with her family to the medical centre as she had bought a couple of general drugs that she wanted to hand over to someone that was medically inclined in return for some checkups for the centre. It sounded like there were no ... read more

Well that crappy mosquito net. Im basically living on prayers against Malaria as the net is only minimal help and as its the dry season and their are less Mosquitos almost too much of a pain to even bother using. I have a couple ichy bites... Outside of planting the trees which I only do during the morning and evening, I spend most of my time reading. I should get involved with the kids, but I can't, by principle it feels like men in NZ have been demonised in their involvement with kids, so although I could probably do some good, I have refused to get involved with them. On principle I would rather read.... read more

The girls, the girls being the teachers and tailors so the 20-26ish yearolds who work at the centre, play netball... with a soccer ball... and wooden posts that arnt straight... on a court with stones and thorns and dying grass. But now at least they know that Mizongus can jump! Mizongu is what they call white people, not sure what it really means, maybe best I didn't ask. Netball was way fun though, course with my natural resistance to cardiovascular activities I was now to be stiff and sore for the next two days. I met Pauline who was the main teacher there. She like Eddy was a lovely person, makes me a bit sad thinking back now about them. They and a number of others were all wonderful people, but their lives were hard. You ... read more

WoW. Talk about being sent out in the whops! I am slightly panicey with regards to what have I gotten myself iinto. Now I didnt realise this when I signed up but Bondo is like an all day bus trip out of Nairobi leaving at about 9am. The road seems to remain tar seal for most of the trip, that being the 7 hours from Nairobi to Kisumu. The final couple hours, maybe 2 from Kisumu to Bondo is tar seal, then it kind of disappears to dirt road, for the last half hour-ish. All I was thinking was if this guy Eddy was not waiting for me in Bondo like he was supposed to, I would be stuffed. I usually feel a bit uneasy, being the only white person even in major cities, you kind ... read more

Well as I have explained to my friend Larry, unlike him I am not big on traveling. To be honest traveling to me is like looking at and appreciating different shades of grass. Its like looking at the grass on either side of the fence. Anyway, thus I went off to arrange a visit to Kampala, the capital city in Uganda. Now there was actually some cool things to see, but not what you might go all the way to Uganda to see. On our way to Kampala I heard these sirens blaring and this little black SUV come racing past going the other way. The cab driver tells me the president is coming, and he pulls over to the side of the road. Then this convoy of black SUVs come racing past! Along with an ... read more