Happy New Year!

Hello all! I hope this message finds you all well! Happy New Year! I trust each of you had a good New Year celebration. I wanted to call many however I was in the middle of Somburu Africa on safari. It was amazing. I saw the coolest animals just out roaming! I spent it with 7 other women from the US, Canada and New Zealand. It felt like a great way to spend the new year…in the middle of a very secluded place, camping with women! I’m having a hard time keeping up with email. I apologize to all that have been sending me messages. It’s so slow here and getting to cyber is difficult. I’ll make it a new year’s resolution to try my best to communicate. Thank you for all of your notes and well wishes. I’m taking each day moment by moment. I’ve been here 3 weeks now (21 to go!). Some days are easy and others are very difficult. I’ve seen a lot and have experienced a lot. Some of my experiences have been pleasant…but others have been downright hard. With any place on earth, there are nice people and there are mean people. I try to keep a smile with every person I meet even when I get stares and what feels like shots with daggers. Today has been esp. difficult. From the moment I awoke, it’s been hard. I went running (something that has been relatively safe in my area). People point, laugh, mock me…and even run by my side laughing at me. It’s been humbling. I keep a smile and laugh with them I got on the matutu and people just laughed at me and stared. Before I left Madison, I got some interesting advice from a dear person telling me not to trust everyone. Although I know not everyone is to be trusted I have put much of my experiences here in stranger’s hands. Getting around is difficult and I have to trust that the public transportation keeps me safe. I have to trust that the directions I ask for get me to the place I am going, I have to trust that the food that others pick and cook for me is good for me and will keep me strong. It’s trust every moment. That in and of itself has been very humbling…very, very humbling. I’m taking good care of myself. I’ve been eating well and exercising. I love the place I’m living in more and more each day. The help that is there has kept me comfortable. To all my yogi, yogini and meditation friends, the word “space” has had a total new meaning for me. I’ve grasped on to any space I can find for practice. Sometimes it’s in the boys dorm. Sometimes it’s in the kitchen of the orphanage, sometimes it’s in a tiny, tiny room. I’ve learned to share space and ask for time for just me. I know I look weird but I don’t care. I need to stay strong while I’m here. We had two new volunteers come this weekend. Can you believe they are from CHICAGO! They are only here for 2 weeks. I’ve tried very hard to help them get accustomed to their new situation…even if it just for 2 weeks. My hope is that they’ll keep the orphanage strong in their hearts and perhaps help with fundraising efforts. One last thing I want people to know is that I have been able to follow the news (sort of). Please know that although there are some issues in parts of Africa, I’m safe. And thanks to Wanjira’s sister, I have the best guardian angel watching over me. Please don’t worry! My picture situation is a bit dim. I’m working it out and hope to have some pics up next week. Blessings to all! Namaste. P.S. I just read everyone’s postings about me taking my malaria pills. Mom please post what I wrote about it not being a guarantee that I won’t get malaria! Thanks! P.S.S. I just received word about how donations work if you choose to donate through GVN’s site or send checks directly to them. Your contribution can be tax deductible and I will get the money. I’m no math wiz so you’ll have to take my best explanation. I had donations come in by checks for $300 and of that $262 is said to go MY orphanage. I haven’t received it yet but I’ve been told that it will. Here’s all the info you need:

• Check made out to Global Volunteers Network with MY name on it (somewhere). Send to: 2538 Chamberlain Ave., Madison, WI 53705 (Jason will send to GVN)
• Cash or check made out to Jason Nyberg (he’ll sign it and put the money in my account). No tax deduction this way but easier for me.
• You can also go thru GVN’s website – check my blog link for details of that

My contact info. (I don’t know if I’ll get it but you can try…send something small!) Terry’s Child Support & Youth Resource Center c/o Leah and Renee Schuh PO Box 2422 90100 Machakos, Kenya Africa My cell phone: 011 254 728 218 202