Bambu Market Day

The morning after a heavy rainfall is the most beautiful scene one can experience in Bambu. Sunshine reflects brilliantly off of the moist grass and foliage in the rain forest, almost glimmering in my eyes. The feeling is so calming that even my persistent alarm clock halts his crowing for awhile. I have to squint when I step out of the back door as the sunlight pours down the hill behind the house, drying the muddy shirts...

Entrenched in Bambu

No need for alarms in Bambu. At 5 o’ clock sharp I am awoken by the crow of a very persistent rooster, keen on making sure I can’t fall back asleep before the sun comes up. Luckily, everyone else in the family is already up and getting breakfast together, so within 15 minutes of my rude awakening I am enjoying a substantial breakfast of fried Juka, a type of root, eggs and of course, rice and beans. After...

Bambu, Continued

The engine groans to a halt, signaling for people to begin filing down the aisle and out onto the gravel road. As the bus surges forward again to make its 5:30 stop in Suretka, you can look down a hill on the opposite side of the road and see the elementary school of Bambu. It is a wide, single-story building with green cement walls and a tin roof. Extending out from the main structure is an awning of sorts to cover the...

Provide Relief for Children in East Africa

Children in Kenya and Ethiopia are struggling because of the drought ravaging their homeland. So far, 2011 has been the driest year in the region since 1951. As a result, families have virtually run out of food and water. Crops have failed and water holes are drying up. Below is a letter from one of the children on our program in Kenya, who “hopes it is different in your country.”  Help these children today by...