Feeling guilty

Well, here we are a good couple of months since coming back from the challenge and I've still not found time to sit down and write up my journal of the trek. I think I will have to reserve the Christmas break for that pleasure. So, here I am feeling guilty and I thought I would just give a little update on things.

We've not quite collected in all the Mount Kenya challenge money yet, but we're almost there. If you're reading this blog and are one of the few folks outstanding to pay up - please, for the children, get your money in as soon as possible. We haven't quite decided what to do with the money yet, but some interesting opportunities are opening up and we are looking seriously at an area call Machakos for either a Children's home, or Seed of Hope project. I will keep you posted as things develop, but I think it will take several months to finalise plans.

On other matters, we had a really good Vision Africa Board meeting today. It was good to see John and Vera back from Kenya for the Christmas break and to catch up on all the great work that is going on out there. I hope to do a short news update on the VA web site some time in the next few days.

We also saw a terrific DVD of what life is like in Kibera slum in Nairobi. It is very moving and quite a challenge to see the reality of the poverty and the effects of HIV/AIDS on the people featured. It is called 'Slum Survivors' and made by IRIN (irinnews.org) if you want to try to get hold of a copy (IRIN is part of the United Nations). The last item on the DVD is of particular interest to Vision Africa, because it is a feature about the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, a Seconary School for girls in the slum that would otherwise have no educational opportunity. This is one of the Projects that Vision Africa has recently started supporting so a real opportunity to see the need that we are working to bring some relief to.

Anyway, sorry for the lack of updates. Hopefully there's still a few of you out there checking in on my blog. Please check back occasionally because I will write up the trip soon!