Brother and sister in village near Kisumu
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:38 PM
0 comments
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Okeko Wilberforce, our guide in Kakamega Forest
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:32 PM
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Black & White Colobus Monkey, Kakamega Forest
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:27 PM
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Blog 2 Kenya
Blog 2
Kisumu, Kenya
July 6, 2009
Hello everyone!
For those of you who are Americans, we hope you had a good Independence Day Holiday, and for those of you who are not, we hope you had a great 4th of July.
We are now in our “permanent” home here in Kisumu. It is called “Pabari’s Paradise” for good reason: It is like being in a beautiful botanical garden, complete with swimming pool. We have a very nice 2 bedroom cottage including a very comfortable screened in living room, so come on over. Like many places here, and elsewhere in Africa we are in a compound that is fenced and has a security gate with 24 hour guards, but we also have Maasai men who patrol the street at night, so we feel pretty safe. We would feel safe anyway, but why not have a Maasai warrior around.
Work is going very well, and Peter is immersed in a capital fundraising campaign to build a new center for the NGO we are with, and Hinda has taken on, once again, helping to develop HR and other policies, as well as mentoring the staff at the clinic that is a part of this group, and both of us are doing some computer mentoring. Peter has done a sample slide show, and will use it as a teaching tool. Our work colleagues are extremely friendly, and we feel very wanted and a part of the group.
Peter’s Kiswahili is expanding daily and he is impressing lots of people. So you see, a 71 year old dog can still learn new tricks. Right Sserunjogi?
This weekend we visited the Kakamega Forest, the only Kenyan vestige of the unique and once mighty “Guineo-Congolian Forest eco system – virgin tropical rain forest that once stretched from the Congo all the way to Uganda. It is quite beautiful and the trees reach to the sky. It is so wild that trees actually kill each other to survive. There are over 400 species of birds and 400 species of butterflies, and no less than 7 different primate species including the blue monkey and the black and white colobus. We hiked through the forest with a local guide who taught us much, and also brought us back safely. Were we alone, it would be pretty easy to get lost. We stayed in a beautiful retreat that at the turn of the 20th century was the home of the owner of a saw mill. It was pretty posh, but quite simple. When we arrived we were told that at 4 we would have tea or coffee and “delicious” cake, and it really was. Wow!! By the way, there are no malaria mosquitoes in Kakamega and it is only an hour or so out of Kisumu.
So Hinda asked the guide: “Why are they called blue monkeys?” And the guide said, (yes, you guessed it), “Because they look blue”, and Peter said: “Duuh”.
We now walk back and forth to work, but also use “tuk tuk’s” and “matatu’s” to go to the center of town or to the market, etc. What are tuk tuk’s and matatu’s. Those of you who have been to Thailand , India, and perhaps other places will recognize them as 3 wheeled covered motorbikes which sound like tuktuktuktuk………………………………… and have no springs, and here most of the roads aren’t paved. As for matatu’s, they are simply passenger vans that are supposed to hold up to 12 people, but can always squeeze in 20 or 21, or more, but they are cheap – usually 20 “bob” (shillings), about 25 cents. Each morning at about 5:30 the matatu’s on the main road near our home, are blowing their airhorn’s looking for passengers. Sounds like a herd of elephants moving through the jungle.
You know of course that near here is where President Barack Obama’s father’s family comes from, and so we were not surprised to see the “Obama Gate” as one of the entrances to the Provincial Hospital. Speaking of the hospitals, one of the students here who is assigned there part time took a video to show us one of the women’s wards: 2 women to a bed, rats, cockroaches, and then told us that the women’s ward is better than the men’s ward. You may remember our description last year of the big hospital in Kampala where we had to help our friend who without our help, or someone’s would not have had sheets, pillow, blanket, food, bedpan, X-rays, or not much of anything else. It is pretty severe for poor people. Here at the hospital, the doctor only comes once a week and “sees” – literally, 250 patients in a day. The daily care is by interns and nurses. There is a long way to go, and it could be better, but things like corruption and not caring certainly make the going rough and slow.
The modern world is still mind boggling for those of us who grew up before TV, jet planes, and of course, mobile and satellite phones. So there we were in the middle of the Kakamega rain forest Saturday night and we called our son Adam from our mobile to his satellite phone where he was at our summer family cabin in the middle of the Cascade Mountains in the State of Washington in a deep valley surrounded by 9,000’ peaks, and we were able to talk to each other – we felt like the astronauts on the moon. It was great.
Well, after all those movies about Africa when we were kids, Peter is finally being called “bwana” the Kiswahili word for man or sir. For a women it is “bibi” – no relation to Bibi Netanyahu! More often for Peter he is referred to as Mzee, a polite term for an elder, and Hinda once again is Mama or Mommy.
OK for now. Hope you are all well. Stay in touch and we will also. We love to hear from you.
Love and hugs,
Mzee and Mama
Kisumu, Kenya
July 6, 2009
Hello everyone!
For those of you who are Americans, we hope you had a good Independence Day Holiday, and for those of you who are not, we hope you had a great 4th of July.
We are now in our “permanent” home here in Kisumu. It is called “Pabari’s Paradise” for good reason: It is like being in a beautiful botanical garden, complete with swimming pool. We have a very nice 2 bedroom cottage including a very comfortable screened in living room, so come on over. Like many places here, and elsewhere in Africa we are in a compound that is fenced and has a security gate with 24 hour guards, but we also have Maasai men who patrol the street at night, so we feel pretty safe. We would feel safe anyway, but why not have a Maasai warrior around.
Work is going very well, and Peter is immersed in a capital fundraising campaign to build a new center for the NGO we are with, and Hinda has taken on, once again, helping to develop HR and other policies, as well as mentoring the staff at the clinic that is a part of this group, and both of us are doing some computer mentoring. Peter has done a sample slide show, and will use it as a teaching tool. Our work colleagues are extremely friendly, and we feel very wanted and a part of the group.
Peter’s Kiswahili is expanding daily and he is impressing lots of people. So you see, a 71 year old dog can still learn new tricks. Right Sserunjogi?
This weekend we visited the Kakamega Forest, the only Kenyan vestige of the unique and once mighty “Guineo-Congolian Forest eco system – virgin tropical rain forest that once stretched from the Congo all the way to Uganda. It is quite beautiful and the trees reach to the sky. It is so wild that trees actually kill each other to survive. There are over 400 species of birds and 400 species of butterflies, and no less than 7 different primate species including the blue monkey and the black and white colobus. We hiked through the forest with a local guide who taught us much, and also brought us back safely. Were we alone, it would be pretty easy to get lost. We stayed in a beautiful retreat that at the turn of the 20th century was the home of the owner of a saw mill. It was pretty posh, but quite simple. When we arrived we were told that at 4 we would have tea or coffee and “delicious” cake, and it really was. Wow!! By the way, there are no malaria mosquitoes in Kakamega and it is only an hour or so out of Kisumu.
So Hinda asked the guide: “Why are they called blue monkeys?” And the guide said, (yes, you guessed it), “Because they look blue”, and Peter said: “Duuh”.
We now walk back and forth to work, but also use “tuk tuk’s” and “matatu’s” to go to the center of town or to the market, etc. What are tuk tuk’s and matatu’s. Those of you who have been to Thailand , India, and perhaps other places will recognize them as 3 wheeled covered motorbikes which sound like tuktuktuktuk………………………………… and have no springs, and here most of the roads aren’t paved. As for matatu’s, they are simply passenger vans that are supposed to hold up to 12 people, but can always squeeze in 20 or 21, or more, but they are cheap – usually 20 “bob” (shillings), about 25 cents. Each morning at about 5:30 the matatu’s on the main road near our home, are blowing their airhorn’s looking for passengers. Sounds like a herd of elephants moving through the jungle.
You know of course that near here is where President Barack Obama’s father’s family comes from, and so we were not surprised to see the “Obama Gate” as one of the entrances to the Provincial Hospital. Speaking of the hospitals, one of the students here who is assigned there part time took a video to show us one of the women’s wards: 2 women to a bed, rats, cockroaches, and then told us that the women’s ward is better than the men’s ward. You may remember our description last year of the big hospital in Kampala where we had to help our friend who without our help, or someone’s would not have had sheets, pillow, blanket, food, bedpan, X-rays, or not much of anything else. It is pretty severe for poor people. Here at the hospital, the doctor only comes once a week and “sees” – literally, 250 patients in a day. The daily care is by interns and nurses. There is a long way to go, and it could be better, but things like corruption and not caring certainly make the going rough and slow.
The modern world is still mind boggling for those of us who grew up before TV, jet planes, and of course, mobile and satellite phones. So there we were in the middle of the Kakamega rain forest Saturday night and we called our son Adam from our mobile to his satellite phone where he was at our summer family cabin in the middle of the Cascade Mountains in the State of Washington in a deep valley surrounded by 9,000’ peaks, and we were able to talk to each other – we felt like the astronauts on the moon. It was great.
Well, after all those movies about Africa when we were kids, Peter is finally being called “bwana” the Kiswahili word for man or sir. For a women it is “bibi” – no relation to Bibi Netanyahu! More often for Peter he is referred to as Mzee, a polite term for an elder, and Hinda once again is Mama or Mommy.
OK for now. Hope you are all well. Stay in touch and we will also. We love to hear from you.
Love and hugs,
Mzee and Mama
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:24 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A New Person: Peter and NJ After 1 Year of ARV's
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:34 PM
1 comments
Blog 1 Kenya
June 24, 2009
Kisumu, Kenya
Dear Family and Friends,
We are now in Kisumu, Kenya where we will be volunteering for the next 3 1/2 months. Before arriving here, we spent a week in Kampala with friends and African family where Peter celebrated his 71st birthday with an RSVP Birthday Bash. Peter can still dance, although he had a difficult time keeping up with his granddaughter Maggie and daughter Atyero and all his friends. Hinda is still a great dancer but also had a hard time keeping up with the young folks. At the party a few people were asked to say a few words which were very special and meaningful to the both of us, and we were both deeply moved and honored.
In August we have been invited to a wedding in Uganda, and it is another honor for us so we will attend. In September we have been invited to an introduction ceremony where the couple to be wedded are formally introduced, and gifts are given to the brides family from the groom and his family. We will wear traditional clothing and will share photos with you. Once again we are honored to be invited. We were given parts of these clothes when we went to the home of daughter Atyero to visit and where when parents visit it is customary for them to receive a gift. Peter will wear a kansu,and Hinda a gomesa.
As we were waiting at the airport in Nairobi to board the flight to Kisumu, we watched 7 men sitting on the ground under a jet liner. They were jacking up the plane by hand - do you know much one of those baby's weigh? -and then it took them several hours to change one of the tires. We hope they screwed the lugs on good and tight. Glad it wasn't our plane. Happy Landings whoever you are!
Kisumu is the 3rd largest city in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa. It sits on the shores of Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world. Actually, we are right across the lake from Kampala and at the same latitude, just about at the equator.
Kisumu town is small compared to Kampala and Nairobi, but seems to have all we will need and will be easy to get around.
We just rented a very nice cottage within a 10 minute walk or so from the office. Two bedrooms - so you are welcome - and a swimming pool. It won't be available until July 1, so until then we will stay at another beautiful brand new apartment owned by the same landlord. We will be the first tenant, and there is a pool there also.
Peter has already picked up a few Kiswahili words, and by the time we leave should be able to get along with the basics.
The weather so far has been clear and quite warm, although the locals don't agree that it is hot yet. Uh oh! Lots of green all over, and very pretty hills. It is exciting to be here in the Great Rift Valley. This is where humans first evolved, and we shall soon be doing some exploring and sending you photos and blogs. So we have come back home to Africa and actually where it all began for us humans.
The organization we are volunteering with is quite impressive with most programs focusing on reproductive health. The Executive Director is a visionary "par excellence" and referred to as Mama "K". We expect to work closely with her and learn a lot as well as teach as much as we can. When we arrived at "K" we were welcomed with "Welcome to the 4 K's: Kenya, Kisuma, "K", and Kogelo, the ancestral home of Obama. Kenyans and all Africans, and we too are very very proud of this man. One of the most exciting programs is a nutrition program. The organization which we shall call "K", has developed a nutritional cereal or porridge for children and adults which are being distributed and/or sold to the clients on a sliding fee basis, but very soon will be marketed in retail shops.
We understand that this part of Kenya has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infections and a considerable amount of child malnutrition. One of the reasons explained to us is because in this part of Kenya, there has been a lot of opposition to the political party in power and has thus not received important resources to fight and alleviate these scourges. Perhaps with the new power sharing agreement things will get better.
As we drove around Kisumu for the past couple of days, we saw burned out buildings as the aftermath of the election violence last year. Many people had to flee to here from their villages, and of course it put a strain on resources and services. "K" helped to provide emergency food and other support.
We will tell you lots more, but just wanted to start off with this. More later.
Hope you are well and happy. We already miss you. Come to visit!
Love,
Peter and Hinda
Kisumu, Kenya
Dear Family and Friends,
We are now in Kisumu, Kenya where we will be volunteering for the next 3 1/2 months. Before arriving here, we spent a week in Kampala with friends and African family where Peter celebrated his 71st birthday with an RSVP Birthday Bash. Peter can still dance, although he had a difficult time keeping up with his granddaughter Maggie and daughter Atyero and all his friends. Hinda is still a great dancer but also had a hard time keeping up with the young folks. At the party a few people were asked to say a few words which were very special and meaningful to the both of us, and we were both deeply moved and honored.
In August we have been invited to a wedding in Uganda, and it is another honor for us so we will attend. In September we have been invited to an introduction ceremony where the couple to be wedded are formally introduced, and gifts are given to the brides family from the groom and his family. We will wear traditional clothing and will share photos with you. Once again we are honored to be invited. We were given parts of these clothes when we went to the home of daughter Atyero to visit and where when parents visit it is customary for them to receive a gift. Peter will wear a kansu,and Hinda a gomesa.
As we were waiting at the airport in Nairobi to board the flight to Kisumu, we watched 7 men sitting on the ground under a jet liner. They were jacking up the plane by hand - do you know much one of those baby's weigh? -and then it took them several hours to change one of the tires. We hope they screwed the lugs on good and tight. Glad it wasn't our plane. Happy Landings whoever you are!
Kisumu is the 3rd largest city in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa. It sits on the shores of Lake Victoria, the second largest fresh water lake in the world. Actually, we are right across the lake from Kampala and at the same latitude, just about at the equator.
Kisumu town is small compared to Kampala and Nairobi, but seems to have all we will need and will be easy to get around.
We just rented a very nice cottage within a 10 minute walk or so from the office. Two bedrooms - so you are welcome - and a swimming pool. It won't be available until July 1, so until then we will stay at another beautiful brand new apartment owned by the same landlord. We will be the first tenant, and there is a pool there also.
Peter has already picked up a few Kiswahili words, and by the time we leave should be able to get along with the basics.
The weather so far has been clear and quite warm, although the locals don't agree that it is hot yet. Uh oh! Lots of green all over, and very pretty hills. It is exciting to be here in the Great Rift Valley. This is where humans first evolved, and we shall soon be doing some exploring and sending you photos and blogs. So we have come back home to Africa and actually where it all began for us humans.
The organization we are volunteering with is quite impressive with most programs focusing on reproductive health. The Executive Director is a visionary "par excellence" and referred to as Mama "K". We expect to work closely with her and learn a lot as well as teach as much as we can. When we arrived at "K" we were welcomed with "Welcome to the 4 K's: Kenya, Kisuma, "K", and Kogelo, the ancestral home of Obama. Kenyans and all Africans, and we too are very very proud of this man. One of the most exciting programs is a nutrition program. The organization which we shall call "K", has developed a nutritional cereal or porridge for children and adults which are being distributed and/or sold to the clients on a sliding fee basis, but very soon will be marketed in retail shops.
We understand that this part of Kenya has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS infections and a considerable amount of child malnutrition. One of the reasons explained to us is because in this part of Kenya, there has been a lot of opposition to the political party in power and has thus not received important resources to fight and alleviate these scourges. Perhaps with the new power sharing agreement things will get better.
As we drove around Kisumu for the past couple of days, we saw burned out buildings as the aftermath of the election violence last year. Many people had to flee to here from their villages, and of course it put a strain on resources and services. "K" helped to provide emergency food and other support.
We will tell you lots more, but just wanted to start off with this. More later.
Hope you are well and happy. We already miss you. Come to visit!
Love,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:48 AM
1 comments
Friday, June 19, 2009
A Good Story
Blog 1
Kampala, Uganda
June 19, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
We are here in Kampala, Uganda visiting friends before we go to Kisumu, Kenya where we will be for the next 3 ½ months volunteering. Some of you may remember that when we volunteered here a year or so ago, we helped a young woman who was dying of AIDS and TB become better. When we first met her she only weighed 32 kilos. Well this young woman, now 19 weighs over 45 kilos, and some even call her fat. It is remarkable how an organization like the one we were involved with coupled with modern life saving drugs and a good dose of compassion can not only save lives, but make them wholesome. So when we visited her a couple of days ago, she gave us this letter which we want to share with you. There are lots of feel bad stories here in this part of the world, but here is a feel good story.
Love and Hugs,
Peter and Hinda
P.S. Am having my 71st birthday here in Kampala with Ugandan friends and family.
“14 June 2009
Hullo Mr. Peter,
I’m very glad that your back and see how I am now. I’m relly very happy & my thanks goes to K*** as a whole, Mr. LK and more especially to you who gave me all the support while I was bed ridden. Your support, the care from the organization contributed a lot to my gaining back my life. Though I was down I was relly appreciating whatever you were doing & supporting. Dear Mr. Peter you were so kind, loving & caring for me. There’s nothing I can do as a reward but just to say thank you & may the almighty God add like 100 years to your life. As you left I remained still in the hands of the K*** organization & Uncle K continued to look after me up to where you’ve found me now. I’m now healthy & enjoying myself which I thought would not come. Dear Peter, how can I thank you!!! Even if I die now I will go with a clean heart because of the love, care & support you & the organization showed me. I will keep on praying for you day and knight because I take you & the K*** management as my savior. This is just a message of appreciation to you coz I’m very very happy for your coming back & finding me walking, doing everything as others.
Lots of Love from, JN”
Kampala, Uganda
June 19, 2009
Dear Family and Friends,
We are here in Kampala, Uganda visiting friends before we go to Kisumu, Kenya where we will be for the next 3 ½ months volunteering. Some of you may remember that when we volunteered here a year or so ago, we helped a young woman who was dying of AIDS and TB become better. When we first met her she only weighed 32 kilos. Well this young woman, now 19 weighs over 45 kilos, and some even call her fat. It is remarkable how an organization like the one we were involved with coupled with modern life saving drugs and a good dose of compassion can not only save lives, but make them wholesome. So when we visited her a couple of days ago, she gave us this letter which we want to share with you. There are lots of feel bad stories here in this part of the world, but here is a feel good story.
Love and Hugs,
Peter and Hinda
P.S. Am having my 71st birthday here in Kampala with Ugandan friends and family.
“14 June 2009
Hullo Mr. Peter,
I’m very glad that your back and see how I am now. I’m relly very happy & my thanks goes to K*** as a whole, Mr. LK and more especially to you who gave me all the support while I was bed ridden. Your support, the care from the organization contributed a lot to my gaining back my life. Though I was down I was relly appreciating whatever you were doing & supporting. Dear Mr. Peter you were so kind, loving & caring for me. There’s nothing I can do as a reward but just to say thank you & may the almighty God add like 100 years to your life. As you left I remained still in the hands of the K*** organization & Uncle K continued to look after me up to where you’ve found me now. I’m now healthy & enjoying myself which I thought would not come. Dear Peter, how can I thank you!!! Even if I die now I will go with a clean heart because of the love, care & support you & the organization showed me. I will keep on praying for you day and knight because I take you & the K*** management as my savior. This is just a message of appreciation to you coz I’m very very happy for your coming back & finding me walking, doing everything as others.
Lots of Love from, JN”
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 2:57 AM
0 comments
Monday, February 09, 2009
Reflections at En Avdet,, Negev Desert, Israel
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 9:02 AM
0 comments
Reciting Evening Prayers in Sde Boker, Israel
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 9:01 AM
0 comments
Member of African American Community in Dimona, Israel
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:59 AM
0 comments
Blog 2 Turkey, Blog 3 Israel
Blog 2 Turkey, Blog 3 Israel
February 9, 2009
Jerusalem, Israel
Dear Friends and Family,
Excuse us if we are writing too often, but we want to share our travels, experiences, and thoughts with you.
We just returned from a great week in Istanbul were we stayed with our old friends that we first met in 1960. By the way, their flat is on the 7th floor and it is 105 steps up – we only did it once a day. There are chairs to sit on and rest on each landing – thankfully, and Hinda needed to use them.
Istanbul is one of our favorite cities, and we have concluded that we could easily live there. It is a city of neighborhoods, and in each neighborhood there are all kinds of shops and restaurants. It is a city of 12 million people, and the traffic is horrendous, but there is a large bus system as well as a very nice subway and an above ground tramway. And many people walk.
A day or two before we left the weather turned very nice and warm and made the remainder of our stay quite pleasant. We took a ferry with our friend to the largest of the Princess Islands – Buyuk Ada (Large Island), and the return trip to Istanbul at night with the city all lit up was truly beautiful.
Because of the speech in Davos by the Turkish President, Israeli travel to Turkey from Israel has dried up. Usually there are lots of Israeli's going there because it is close and cheap. On the day we went, on a Boeing 737-400, there were only 40 passengers. We actually were told not to tell anyone we were Jewish or that we came from Israel. So, despite President Erdogan's tough talk, the Turkish travel industry is offering trips to Turkey for 4 days including air, hotels, and all meals for less than $200, but it doesn't seem that many Israeli's are taking up the offer. Hopefully things will calm down soon. In fact, Turkey is trying to get an Israeli prisoner who has been held by Hamas for a couple of years released. Politics is interesting isn't it? We should also remind you that Erdogan is running for re-election, and on Turkish TV we saw his party giving away large major appliances, (they said it was for poor people – but who do you think those poor people are going to vote for?
We left Turkey with a bit sad because we will miss it and we will miss our dear friends, as well as the best food and desserts in the world as far as we are concerned. To be sure, we will be back for we will need to return to where our married lives began more than 48 years ago.
Here in Israel, we have been bouncing around between one or another of our family, all of who are anxious to have us stay with them and all of them are very gracious hosts. It is very nice of them and we are very thankful.
We spent a couple of days in the north, in the Galilee, and just this afternoon returned to Jerusalem where we spent the last day and a half in the Negev. This is a small, but very beautiful and diverse country – deserts; oceans, including the Dead Sea which is 400 feet below sea level and is the lowest place on earth; forests; rivers; fertile agricultural sections; and of course everywhere you step, you go back into history millennia.
One of the highlights of being an AJWS volunteer is meeting people from all over the world. One of these people we met in Uganda in 2004 and she was also volunteering there. We met up with her here, and tomorrow she is talking us to the tunnel under the Western Wall and to the City of David located just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
On this visit to the Negev we had a very interesting experience. In our guide book there was a description of an African Israeli community, and so since we were passing through Dimona where this community is located we tried to find them and find them we did. Guess what? This is a group of some 3,000 African Americans who started coming to Israel in the 60's. They do not consider themselves Jewish, but nor are they Christians or Muslims. In the 60's, they went to Liberia for 2 years to learn how to live in a place that was not like America, and many of them returned to the USA. The rest came here. It was fun talking and listening to this group with their American slang and customs. It seemed to us that they spoke very little Hebrew. They told us that they just got licensed to begin a kibbutz after 40 years of trying. In fact only one of their group has become a citizen and the rest are permanent residents. We remember a lot of the controversy surrounding this group over the years. Should they be allowed to become citizens? Who knows – it is not our decision. They are loyal to Israel, and even though their children at the age of 18 are not drafted into the army, most of them volunteer because they want to be like most other Israeli's. Anyway, it was an interesting experience talking and eating with them.
Well, tomorrow is a big day in Israel – Election Day. Nearly everyone tells us when asked that "Bibi" Netanhayu will be elected although none of them want him, but want Tsipi Livni instead. So if he is going to be elected and no one we have spoken to will vote for him, obviously some one will. We'll see what happens tomorrow. If he does win, it may be a challenge for the Obama administration, since he is a pretty conservative politician and the leader of a fairly conservative party.
So, Shalom for now. We leave for the USA on Saturday – Valentine Day. We had a great trip both here and in Turkey. After we get back, we will start thinking about our next big jaunt – volunteering in Kenya for 3 1/2 months beginning in mid June.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
February 9, 2009
Jerusalem, Israel
Dear Friends and Family,
Excuse us if we are writing too often, but we want to share our travels, experiences, and thoughts with you.
We just returned from a great week in Istanbul were we stayed with our old friends that we first met in 1960. By the way, their flat is on the 7th floor and it is 105 steps up – we only did it once a day. There are chairs to sit on and rest on each landing – thankfully, and Hinda needed to use them.
Istanbul is one of our favorite cities, and we have concluded that we could easily live there. It is a city of neighborhoods, and in each neighborhood there are all kinds of shops and restaurants. It is a city of 12 million people, and the traffic is horrendous, but there is a large bus system as well as a very nice subway and an above ground tramway. And many people walk.
A day or two before we left the weather turned very nice and warm and made the remainder of our stay quite pleasant. We took a ferry with our friend to the largest of the Princess Islands – Buyuk Ada (Large Island), and the return trip to Istanbul at night with the city all lit up was truly beautiful.
Because of the speech in Davos by the Turkish President, Israeli travel to Turkey from Israel has dried up. Usually there are lots of Israeli's going there because it is close and cheap. On the day we went, on a Boeing 737-400, there were only 40 passengers. We actually were told not to tell anyone we were Jewish or that we came from Israel. So, despite President Erdogan's tough talk, the Turkish travel industry is offering trips to Turkey for 4 days including air, hotels, and all meals for less than $200, but it doesn't seem that many Israeli's are taking up the offer. Hopefully things will calm down soon. In fact, Turkey is trying to get an Israeli prisoner who has been held by Hamas for a couple of years released. Politics is interesting isn't it? We should also remind you that Erdogan is running for re-election, and on Turkish TV we saw his party giving away large major appliances, (they said it was for poor people – but who do you think those poor people are going to vote for?
We left Turkey with a bit sad because we will miss it and we will miss our dear friends, as well as the best food and desserts in the world as far as we are concerned. To be sure, we will be back for we will need to return to where our married lives began more than 48 years ago.
Here in Israel, we have been bouncing around between one or another of our family, all of who are anxious to have us stay with them and all of them are very gracious hosts. It is very nice of them and we are very thankful.
We spent a couple of days in the north, in the Galilee, and just this afternoon returned to Jerusalem where we spent the last day and a half in the Negev. This is a small, but very beautiful and diverse country – deserts; oceans, including the Dead Sea which is 400 feet below sea level and is the lowest place on earth; forests; rivers; fertile agricultural sections; and of course everywhere you step, you go back into history millennia.
One of the highlights of being an AJWS volunteer is meeting people from all over the world. One of these people we met in Uganda in 2004 and she was also volunteering there. We met up with her here, and tomorrow she is talking us to the tunnel under the Western Wall and to the City of David located just outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
On this visit to the Negev we had a very interesting experience. In our guide book there was a description of an African Israeli community, and so since we were passing through Dimona where this community is located we tried to find them and find them we did. Guess what? This is a group of some 3,000 African Americans who started coming to Israel in the 60's. They do not consider themselves Jewish, but nor are they Christians or Muslims. In the 60's, they went to Liberia for 2 years to learn how to live in a place that was not like America, and many of them returned to the USA. The rest came here. It was fun talking and listening to this group with their American slang and customs. It seemed to us that they spoke very little Hebrew. They told us that they just got licensed to begin a kibbutz after 40 years of trying. In fact only one of their group has become a citizen and the rest are permanent residents. We remember a lot of the controversy surrounding this group over the years. Should they be allowed to become citizens? Who knows – it is not our decision. They are loyal to Israel, and even though their children at the age of 18 are not drafted into the army, most of them volunteer because they want to be like most other Israeli's. Anyway, it was an interesting experience talking and eating with them.
Well, tomorrow is a big day in Israel – Election Day. Nearly everyone tells us when asked that "Bibi" Netanhayu will be elected although none of them want him, but want Tsipi Livni instead. So if he is going to be elected and no one we have spoken to will vote for him, obviously some one will. We'll see what happens tomorrow. If he does win, it may be a challenge for the Obama administration, since he is a pretty conservative politician and the leader of a fairly conservative party.
So, Shalom for now. We leave for the USA on Saturday – Valentine Day. We had a great trip both here and in Turkey. After we get back, we will start thinking about our next big jaunt – volunteering in Kenya for 3 1/2 months beginning in mid June.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 6:42 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Blog From Turkey
Blog 1 From Turkey
İstanbul
Feb 3, 2009-02-03
Merhaba (Hello) from İstanbul!
We are here in İstanbul visiting very old friends that we met here in 1960 - 1962 when we lived in Ankara. Some of you may know that the day after we were married we moved here where Peter was posted when he was in the Army. So Turkey has a special meanıng for us: this is where we bagan our life together as a couple. Also, when we lived here, we met a young couple from İsrael who became our closest friends and so this trıp to Turkey and İsrael has special connections for us.
For the past few days, the weather has been cold and rainy – similar to what we are used to back in Seattle, but se la vie. İstanbul is, in our opinion, a world class city – very large and cosmopolitan, and a mix of the old and the new. İt is full of beautiful mosques and historical buildings and has the best markets including the spice market where the smells are an unforgettable mix of cheeses, olıves, every conceivable kind of spice, etc. And so crowded it is nearly impossible to navigate the narrow alleys, though from time to time a delivery truck somehow works its way through the crowd without running anyone over.
İstanbul ıs a city of neighborhoods, and we are staying with our friends in their apartment in an interesting part of the city where many Jews, Armenians, and Christians live, as well as Turks of course. Our apartment is on the top floor of a 6 floor building – 105 steps and no elevator, so once we leave in the morning we don't return until the evening after we have walked for hours and kilometers – miles it seems.
İt has turned out to be a very interestıng trip for us at this time, to İsrael and Turkey. İn İsrael of course there is the Gaza war, and here in Turkey, there are very high anti İsrael feelings with large demonstrations and emotional speeches by the Turkısh president . We have decided not to tell anyone that we have been in Israel and that we are Jewish, since the atmosphere feels very volatile here. Each night on TV, the news replays the emotional speech by President Erdogan while sitting next to Shimon Peres of İsrael and there are many many news commentators talking about it throughout the day and evening on all of the Turkish news programs.
Never the less, we do feel comfortable and safe, and we love Turkey as much as we always have. İt continues to have a special place ın our heart. Turks are warm and hospitable people, and we continue to rate it as our favorite place. The food ıs superb, and we eat our way through the day, and then in the evenıng, our friend Taylan has cooked another delicious dinner just as we remember her mother doing more than 48 years ago when we lived ın Ankara. And the desserts – wow! This ıs not a weight loss trip for sure.
Yesterday we went to a hamam – Turkish bath. When you emerge an hour or so later you are clean – clean – clean, and a bit wıped out after having been scrubbed, massaged, and boiled lıke a lobster in the 115 – 120 degree heat of the hot room. The masseur really worked Peter over while Hinda's masseuse seemed a bit gentler. This hamam was built in 1714 and is very beautiful insıde – all marble. After her bath, Hinda received a gift of black panties, while Peter received nothing but feeling beaten up! İt was lots of fun, felt good and after a few hours of recuperation, we might be willıng to try it again.
We continue to do most of the usual tourist things like visiting Aya Sofia. The Blue Mosque, The İstanbul Modern Art Museum, Topkapi, and many other sights. We have been to some of these before but always find something new to discover.
Today it ıs raining and cold so we will stay inside drinking tea until the weather clears. Back to İsrael in a couple of days. We will write again from there.
Love, Hinda and Peter
İstanbul
Feb 3, 2009-02-03
Merhaba (Hello) from İstanbul!
We are here in İstanbul visiting very old friends that we met here in 1960 - 1962 when we lived in Ankara. Some of you may know that the day after we were married we moved here where Peter was posted when he was in the Army. So Turkey has a special meanıng for us: this is where we bagan our life together as a couple. Also, when we lived here, we met a young couple from İsrael who became our closest friends and so this trıp to Turkey and İsrael has special connections for us.
For the past few days, the weather has been cold and rainy – similar to what we are used to back in Seattle, but se la vie. İstanbul is, in our opinion, a world class city – very large and cosmopolitan, and a mix of the old and the new. İt is full of beautiful mosques and historical buildings and has the best markets including the spice market where the smells are an unforgettable mix of cheeses, olıves, every conceivable kind of spice, etc. And so crowded it is nearly impossible to navigate the narrow alleys, though from time to time a delivery truck somehow works its way through the crowd without running anyone over.
İstanbul ıs a city of neighborhoods, and we are staying with our friends in their apartment in an interesting part of the city where many Jews, Armenians, and Christians live, as well as Turks of course. Our apartment is on the top floor of a 6 floor building – 105 steps and no elevator, so once we leave in the morning we don't return until the evening after we have walked for hours and kilometers – miles it seems.
İt has turned out to be a very interestıng trip for us at this time, to İsrael and Turkey. İn İsrael of course there is the Gaza war, and here in Turkey, there are very high anti İsrael feelings with large demonstrations and emotional speeches by the Turkısh president . We have decided not to tell anyone that we have been in Israel and that we are Jewish, since the atmosphere feels very volatile here. Each night on TV, the news replays the emotional speech by President Erdogan while sitting next to Shimon Peres of İsrael and there are many many news commentators talking about it throughout the day and evening on all of the Turkish news programs.
Never the less, we do feel comfortable and safe, and we love Turkey as much as we always have. İt continues to have a special place ın our heart. Turks are warm and hospitable people, and we continue to rate it as our favorite place. The food ıs superb, and we eat our way through the day, and then in the evenıng, our friend Taylan has cooked another delicious dinner just as we remember her mother doing more than 48 years ago when we lived ın Ankara. And the desserts – wow! This ıs not a weight loss trip for sure.
Yesterday we went to a hamam – Turkish bath. When you emerge an hour or so later you are clean – clean – clean, and a bit wıped out after having been scrubbed, massaged, and boiled lıke a lobster in the 115 – 120 degree heat of the hot room. The masseur really worked Peter over while Hinda's masseuse seemed a bit gentler. This hamam was built in 1714 and is very beautiful insıde – all marble. After her bath, Hinda received a gift of black panties, while Peter received nothing but feeling beaten up! İt was lots of fun, felt good and after a few hours of recuperation, we might be willıng to try it again.
We continue to do most of the usual tourist things like visiting Aya Sofia. The Blue Mosque, The İstanbul Modern Art Museum, Topkapi, and many other sights. We have been to some of these before but always find something new to discover.
Today it ıs raining and cold so we will stay inside drinking tea until the weather clears. Back to İsrael in a couple of days. We will write again from there.
Love, Hinda and Peter
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:06 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Blog 2 From Israel
Blog 2 From Israel
January 28, 2009
Dear Friends and Family,
Things have been very interesting for us here and so we want to write again to you before we leave tomorrow for a week with friends in Istanbul. We have spent the last several days just outside of Tel Aviv with Peter's cousins in their beautiful, very modern house. It is as nice as any you would find in the best neighborhood of Seattle. Part of it being so nice, is that they have a beautiful lemon tree and a beautiful pomela tree in the front yard. Yesterday, Michael, our cousin, shook the pomela tree to get a fresh pomela and one did fall off, but then another one fell down from about 6 feet up and hit Peter right on the head. It weighed a couple of pounds and it hurt him. We all had a good laugh. Lucky it was soft.
We continue to be taken with the contrasts in this country. There are all kinds of them, and the one that is foremost is between Israeli/Jew, and Arab and/or Palestinian. Last night while watching the news we heard a very disturbing report about a young Arab man who was severely beaten in Tiberius by a gang of Israeli's. As we traveled through the beautiful Galilee area in the north of Israel, we were warned by our relatives and friends to stay out of Arab villages since emotions are running high about the Gaza situation, and that tourists may become victimized. We did go through a number of Arab villages and had no problems., including having lunch in a fun Bedouin restaurant.
At "The Wall" in Jerusalem we watched very religious Jews praying next to young soldiers with guns on their shoulders, and in the Old City we saw beautiful young Arab women wearing hijabs (head covers) and at the same time wearing short skirts and high leather boots with spiked heels arm in arm with older Arab women who were nearly completely covered from head to toe. Similarly, there are many young Israeli women dressed in very low cut blouses and very short skirts and boots and nearby are orthodox Jewish women in long dresses whose hair is also covered. With both the Muslim women and the religious Jewish women, the head coverings and long clothes are for purposes of modesty, but also show a lot of contrasts.
In Jerusalem, a city more than 3,000 years old there are ultra modern structures nearly atop much more sedate and perhaps hundreds if not more years old. Jerusalem is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever seen, the old mixed with the new all sitting atop high hills make for a delightful sight. There is a new train being build in Jerusalem and it is the most modern structure we have seen, it has many stations and the main station is atop a suspension bridge, similar to the Golden Gate bridge in the US with an ultra modern sculpture at the end. What a sight!
Life is very stressful here for most people – and for those of our generation there has never been a period without some kind of war. We went to Sederot near the Gaza strip where rockets have rained on that city and it's resident daily for the past 8 years and imagine how stressful that is. We went about 300 meters from the Gaza border where we found it remarkably quiet and peaceful, not knowing that earlier in the day an Israeli military truck had been blown up and an Israeli soldier killed and three wounded. Then last night the Israeli Air Force bombed Gaza. By that time we were far away. However, when we were in the north a couple of days ago we did see a number of fighter aircraft flying around and also trucks carrying tanks away from the war area. Even with all of this, the people of Israel have been able to create an extremely modern country with all the modern conveniences, high tech and high fashion. Many tell us that Israel is really the 51 st state of the United States. Except for being at war all the time and the different language, it could be.
The north is very green with beautiful rolling hills and lots of olive orchards, banana groves, orange groves and lots of other fruits and vegetables. The Sea of Galilee is drying up because of the drought and it is a national crisis since it provides Israel with one third of its drinking water. For the past few days, the air has been full of dust or fine sand which blew in from North Africa – Libya and the visibility has only been a few hundred meters or less. Yesterday and today has been much better.
Also in the area around Gaza, it is extremely fertile and there are fruits and vegetables of all varieties. Here in Israel, we see radishes larger than tomatoes, and the most beautiful vegetables. The other night in the north we stayed at the kibbutz – Deganya Bet and for breakfast ate in the dining hall. We don't have enough space to describe how many different kinds of cheeses, breads, vegetables, yoghurts and other dairy products, cereals, fruits, etc., etc. there were, and all of it grown there and as healthy a breakfast as imaginable.
Tonight is our last night in Israel before leaving for a few days in Istanbul. We are looking forward to seeing our old friends and eating wonderful Turkish food. We must admit that Israel has come a long way in their food preparation since we first came here in 1962. There are really good restaurants and coffee houses everywhere. Even so, we still love the falafel and shwarma the best.
We will write again from Turkey, Love, Hinda and Peter
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:32 PM
0 comments
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Hinda in Jaffa, Israel
Labels: Hinda in Jaffa, Israel
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 5:52 AM
0 comments
Israel January 22, 2009
January 22, 2009
Israel
Hello Everyone,
We are writing this blog from Israel a couple of days after watching Barack Obama’s Inaguaration, probably along with millions, in not billions of people around the world. Everyone here in Israel is very optimistic about the Obama presidency, and what it will mean for this very tormented part of our world. And we also, as most of the people here are very hopeful.
When we arrived here a few days ago, the war in Gaza was still in full swing, and the day before yesterday a cease fire came into effect. Will it last? Who knows.
One of the reasons that we are writing this is to bring you some of the feedback about the war in Gaza that we have been trying to gather from many different types of people.
More than one person has told us is that there is no “left” in Israeli politics at the moment because nearly all Israeli’s are supportive of their government’s position in Gaza. It seems to be a pretty unanimous feeling here.
Simply put, after nearly 8 years of rockets fired from Gaza into Southern Israel by Hamas, Israel finally has had enough. And for these past 8 years, Israel pretty much just “bit it’s tongue”.
The timing of the Gaza action is interesting as well. Of course, there are lots of logistical reasons that we are not privy to, nor are most people here. However, there are many who believe that it may have been initiated under President Bush’s watch knowing of his strong support of Israel, and while everyone here is hopeful about President Obama, he has not yet had the opportunity to implement his Mideast policy, and so until he does, people are a bit cautious.
It is a really interesting time to be here. For us, who have close family here as well as very close friends, we have always been worried about their well being. No one is happy or gloating about all of the civilians who have been killed and wounded, however, there is no question that Israeli’s from all walks of life and from the entire political spectrum feel that the actiion was their only choice.
Now that Barack Obama has become the 44th President of the United States of America there is a lot of hope that his leadership will not only improve things here in Israel and the Middle East, but throughout the world as well, especially for our country, nd of course we hope so also.
We have been enjoying ourselves here spending these first few days with family and friends, but also having some time to ourselves to do a little exploring. Tonight we are going to "Ha Kotel" – "The Wall" in the Old City of Jerusalem, because we want to see it at night all lit up and hopdfully get a good photograph that we can share with you.
Yesterday we spent in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and visited the open market in the Yemeni Quarter of Tel Aviv and also spent the afternoon in Jaffa which is over 4,000 years old and very beautifully restored. Had dinner with our oldest friends, Zeev and Rachela who we have know since we were in Turkey together in 1961 and 1962. Our lives have grown in parallel ever since.
We will spend the next few days here in Jerusalem staying with our cousins and then go to Turkey for a week to stay with friends whom we first met there in 1960. When we return we will spend a couple of days in the desert and then we are not sure.
We have a rental car and one of our cousins lent us a GPS to help us get around. The GPS is funny because we can only input the addresses in Hebrew, but we have programmed it to give us the directions in an English speaking voice. Lucky Peter can read and write Hebrew.
OK for now. Once again, let us hope for a continued peace and a brave new start for America.
Peace and Love,
Peter and Hinda
Israel
Hello Everyone,
We are writing this blog from Israel a couple of days after watching Barack Obama’s Inaguaration, probably along with millions, in not billions of people around the world. Everyone here in Israel is very optimistic about the Obama presidency, and what it will mean for this very tormented part of our world. And we also, as most of the people here are very hopeful.
When we arrived here a few days ago, the war in Gaza was still in full swing, and the day before yesterday a cease fire came into effect. Will it last? Who knows.
One of the reasons that we are writing this is to bring you some of the feedback about the war in Gaza that we have been trying to gather from many different types of people.
More than one person has told us is that there is no “left” in Israeli politics at the moment because nearly all Israeli’s are supportive of their government’s position in Gaza. It seems to be a pretty unanimous feeling here.
Simply put, after nearly 8 years of rockets fired from Gaza into Southern Israel by Hamas, Israel finally has had enough. And for these past 8 years, Israel pretty much just “bit it’s tongue”.
The timing of the Gaza action is interesting as well. Of course, there are lots of logistical reasons that we are not privy to, nor are most people here. However, there are many who believe that it may have been initiated under President Bush’s watch knowing of his strong support of Israel, and while everyone here is hopeful about President Obama, he has not yet had the opportunity to implement his Mideast policy, and so until he does, people are a bit cautious.
It is a really interesting time to be here. For us, who have close family here as well as very close friends, we have always been worried about their well being. No one is happy or gloating about all of the civilians who have been killed and wounded, however, there is no question that Israeli’s from all walks of life and from the entire political spectrum feel that the actiion was their only choice.
Now that Barack Obama has become the 44th President of the United States of America there is a lot of hope that his leadership will not only improve things here in Israel and the Middle East, but throughout the world as well, especially for our country, nd of course we hope so also.
We have been enjoying ourselves here spending these first few days with family and friends, but also having some time to ourselves to do a little exploring. Tonight we are going to "Ha Kotel" – "The Wall" in the Old City of Jerusalem, because we want to see it at night all lit up and hopdfully get a good photograph that we can share with you.
Yesterday we spent in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and visited the open market in the Yemeni Quarter of Tel Aviv and also spent the afternoon in Jaffa which is over 4,000 years old and very beautifully restored. Had dinner with our oldest friends, Zeev and Rachela who we have know since we were in Turkey together in 1961 and 1962. Our lives have grown in parallel ever since.
We will spend the next few days here in Jerusalem staying with our cousins and then go to Turkey for a week to stay with friends whom we first met there in 1960. When we return we will spend a couple of days in the desert and then we are not sure.
We have a rental car and one of our cousins lent us a GPS to help us get around. The GPS is funny because we can only input the addresses in Hebrew, but we have programmed it to give us the directions in an English speaking voice. Lucky Peter can read and write Hebrew.
OK for now. Once again, let us hope for a continued peace and a brave new start for America.
Peace and Love,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 5:49 AM
0 comments
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Pride of Tree Climbing Lions in Ishasha Wilderness
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:01 AM
0 comments
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Saddleback Crane and Cormorants on Kazinga Channel
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:58 PM
0 comments
Email 9
Email 9
Kampala, Uganda
May 4, 2008
Dear Friends and Family.
So, once again we are learning that all good things must come to an end, but as Tevye might say, “On the other hand, there is a silver lining in every cloud”, and the silver lining is of course that we will be leaving in just a week to return to many of you.
For Peter, he is already beginning to exhibit separation anxiety, and does not look forward to saying goodbye to so many good friends we have made here. Although Hinda acts more stoically, the same is true for her, whether she admits it or not.
OK, here is the wrap up:
As for work, before we left for a very nice week on safari, we worked very hard, and when we return to work tomorrow, Peter will be doing 2 workshop trainings a day through Saturday, and Hinda will help with a couple of them, but she will be pretty busy with her tying up her own loose ends. We have worked very hard here, but we really have accomplished a lot, and we already see many results, both with some of the individuals we have worked with and the organization itself. While we know that not everything we did will be cast in stone, quite a lot of it will. We really believe in teaching someone how to fish and not give them a fish every day forever, and while it can be slow and frustrating, it does work and it is very gratifying and those who learn how to fish are left with all of their dignity because they are not getting a handout.
In sum we have helped develop and taught how to do job descriptions, a number of organizational policies, computer training, internet system upgrade, medical department review and recommendations, slide show and video training and production, fundraising mentoring, and lot and lots of problem solving as well as participating in most of the management meetings that have been held during the past 3 ½ months that we have been here. We are proud and satisfied, and without a doubt this has been our best volunteer experience, and at least on a par with a previously very productive one – interestingly enough, right here in Kampala four years ago.
Having said all of this however, we feel that even though we have given much, we have received much more in return from the people we work with and the culture we are immersed in. We old dogs are still learning!
For the past 6 days we have been on a safari that took us to Western Uganda near the Congo border. We spent two nights in Ishasha were there are a number of tree climbing lions, and we have a photo here to show you. We think there is only one other place where this culturally learned behavior exists. At Ishasha we stayed in a very remote wilderness tented camp on a river with baboons, monkeys, and hippos making lots of noise all night long.
The next two nights were at Queen Elizabeth Park where we saw many elephants and about a 9 foot long rock python, and lots of antelope, Cape Buffalo, and stayed in a very nice lodge.
The next night we stayed in a 100 year old tea plantation “banda” (traditional African house) where we trekked for chimpanzees and finally found them. Much bigger than we thought, and just finding them with our guide “Silver” was a real learning experience. It was quite dark in the forest, but we got a good photo which we are displaying here.
Finally, the last night we stayed at Semliki national park right on the Congo border and saw lots of Uganda Kob and learned a lot about their mating behavior. On the way back to the lodge we were able to photograph a spitting cobra which we lit up with a spotlight. We were able to observe Black and White Colobus monkeys including an all white baby.
Peter is called “Papa” by his new daughter Atyero – a woman we work with who has a 1 ½ year old son, so now we are grandparents again, and also have a daughter for the first time. It is a very nice custom to be adopted into a clan, (Lugave/porcupine for Peter, mushroom for Hinda), a tribe, (Muganda) and be named Katende and Nabuusa.
Anyway, time to end and go back to work tomorrow, and before we know it we will be home. We have just learned that there will be a small get together for us next Thursday and we are looking forward to saying goodbye to our new and dear friends here in Kampala.
Love and hugs,
Katende ne Nabuusa, a woman of substance
Kampala, Uganda
May 4, 2008
Dear Friends and Family.
So, once again we are learning that all good things must come to an end, but as Tevye might say, “On the other hand, there is a silver lining in every cloud”, and the silver lining is of course that we will be leaving in just a week to return to many of you.
For Peter, he is already beginning to exhibit separation anxiety, and does not look forward to saying goodbye to so many good friends we have made here. Although Hinda acts more stoically, the same is true for her, whether she admits it or not.
OK, here is the wrap up:
As for work, before we left for a very nice week on safari, we worked very hard, and when we return to work tomorrow, Peter will be doing 2 workshop trainings a day through Saturday, and Hinda will help with a couple of them, but she will be pretty busy with her tying up her own loose ends. We have worked very hard here, but we really have accomplished a lot, and we already see many results, both with some of the individuals we have worked with and the organization itself. While we know that not everything we did will be cast in stone, quite a lot of it will. We really believe in teaching someone how to fish and not give them a fish every day forever, and while it can be slow and frustrating, it does work and it is very gratifying and those who learn how to fish are left with all of their dignity because they are not getting a handout.
In sum we have helped develop and taught how to do job descriptions, a number of organizational policies, computer training, internet system upgrade, medical department review and recommendations, slide show and video training and production, fundraising mentoring, and lot and lots of problem solving as well as participating in most of the management meetings that have been held during the past 3 ½ months that we have been here. We are proud and satisfied, and without a doubt this has been our best volunteer experience, and at least on a par with a previously very productive one – interestingly enough, right here in Kampala four years ago.
Having said all of this however, we feel that even though we have given much, we have received much more in return from the people we work with and the culture we are immersed in. We old dogs are still learning!
For the past 6 days we have been on a safari that took us to Western Uganda near the Congo border. We spent two nights in Ishasha were there are a number of tree climbing lions, and we have a photo here to show you. We think there is only one other place where this culturally learned behavior exists. At Ishasha we stayed in a very remote wilderness tented camp on a river with baboons, monkeys, and hippos making lots of noise all night long.
The next two nights were at Queen Elizabeth Park where we saw many elephants and about a 9 foot long rock python, and lots of antelope, Cape Buffalo, and stayed in a very nice lodge.
The next night we stayed in a 100 year old tea plantation “banda” (traditional African house) where we trekked for chimpanzees and finally found them. Much bigger than we thought, and just finding them with our guide “Silver” was a real learning experience. It was quite dark in the forest, but we got a good photo which we are displaying here.
Finally, the last night we stayed at Semliki national park right on the Congo border and saw lots of Uganda Kob and learned a lot about their mating behavior. On the way back to the lodge we were able to photograph a spitting cobra which we lit up with a spotlight. We were able to observe Black and White Colobus monkeys including an all white baby.
Peter is called “Papa” by his new daughter Atyero – a woman we work with who has a 1 ½ year old son, so now we are grandparents again, and also have a daughter for the first time. It is a very nice custom to be adopted into a clan, (Lugave/porcupine for Peter, mushroom for Hinda), a tribe, (Muganda) and be named Katende and Nabuusa.
Anyway, time to end and go back to work tomorrow, and before we know it we will be home. We have just learned that there will be a small get together for us next Thursday and we are looking forward to saying goodbye to our new and dear friends here in Kampala.
Love and hugs,
Katende ne Nabuusa, a woman of substance
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:32 PM
0 comments
Friday, April 11, 2008
Walking to Work Along Railroad Tracks Near Our House
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:47 AM
0 comments
Eric, Hinda and Mercy Waiting to Eat Tilapia
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:46 AM
0 comments
Nansubuga's 16 Year Old Daughter with Coffee for Chewing that She Will Sell and Nansubuga's House, Shop, and Twins
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:35 AM
0 comments
Email 8 from Kampala, Uganda
Email 8
Kampala, Uganda
April 11, 2008
Dear All,
We can’t believe it; we have been in Kampala for two and a half months and will be leaving to come home 30 days from today.. Time is going by very quickly and we are as busy as ever.
Everyday we perform as troubleshooters, editors, teachers, consultants, friends, counselors, writers, and jacks of all trades. Peter has some special skills that are very useful one is being the KCCC official photographer and the other is being a drummer at morning prayers. He is really having lots of fun drumming and we all get into the beat of the African music to help start the day. It is a very good practice.
Because the staff here knows we like the music so much, last Tuesday evening some of them performed for us and we were able to record the session. We now have it on a CD and will be able to enjoy it after we get home. All of it is religious music but with the African beat and drums it is wonderful, and the singing is very beautiful. We hope to play it for you when we are back in the US.
For those of you who read our email 7, you know we had a very adventurous weekend and then on the following Monday, Hinda discovered she had malaria. She has a much better understanding of what malaria is all about now. Certainly it is easy to see why so many people die from it: a million a year (1 person every 30 seconds), and many of those are here in Africa. If it is not diagnosed quickly and medication prescribed, that is when people die. She was very sick for a week. Luckily, she was diagnosed quickly and the physicians here at the KCCC clinic are very good and knowledgeable about treatment options. The medication she was given was the latest and best available, although it is not approved in the USA, it really worked. Malaria takes all of your strength and requires you to just rest and drink lots of fruit juices. After a week and a half she finally tested negative for the malaria parasites and began to feel better. People here were very concerned about her and kept praying for her, making her fresh fruit juice and asking Peter how she was. It is nice to be in such a caring environment surrounded by people who have nothing but are willing to do anything you need whenever you need it.
Peter put together a slide show for KCCC and it is great: it has photos, narration and music, (he recorded the morning singing and drumming. People were so impressed that everyone wants to know how to make one, so now he is giving classes on making slide shows and putting them on DVD’s. We are bringing one home so any of you who are interested can certainly see it. And, if we can get a fast enough connection, we will put it on our You Tube Page before we leave here, or if not, when we get home.
Our friend, Adam, is still in the hospital. Every time we go to see him we need to bring him food and give him money. Everyone we speak with agrees that the government of Uganda should do more about the way healthcare is provided to the people of this country. The hospital is something out of the 1930’s and in order to get care you must pay for everything: you need an xray, ok, but you must pay 10,000 shillings to the person who takes the xray. Of course no one knows where the money goes - and right into his pocket is a very good possibility in view of the fact that the hospital and care is free. Turns out Adam has to be in the hospital for another 3 weeks so we will be helping to provide for him. He doesn’t have any money and no one to help him.
At every turn there are people who need help. There are too many to help them all so we just do what we can. A typical day will include at least one or two people who are in such trouble that it is hard to turn away. Like the elderly man who came to see the man who we share an office with: his 4 children had died of AIDS and related illnesses, his wife was in the hospital dying of AIDS, he has AIDS, he had not eaten for a week. Godfrey, the man who shares the office had no money and all he could give the old man was part of the Coke that Peter had just bought for him. Or, the women who works as a community volunteer here at KCCC whose 24 year old son was stabbed on his way home from watching a soccer match, and because he had to wait for over two hours to get treated at the hospital he bled to death. Or, the 14 year old boy who was finally found after being missing for a month. He had run away because his stepmother was very hard on him and he was afraid to be with her when his father was not home (she probably beat him) (his mother died of AIDS when he was very young). He had been living on the streets and looked and smelled very bad. KCCC will try to intervene with the parents and make sure he is safe.
Enough bad stuff, we are also having fun. Yesterday, some of our friends took us to a “pork joint”. It was great. We were six people, ate a huge amount of fresh grilled pork, laughed and talked. All for about $15. A few days ago we went to the beach with some friends and had fresh grilled tilapia. Cost was about the same as the pork. All of this food is served without utensils so they give you water and soap to wash with first, then you eat with your hands and then they give you more water and soap to wash with again. Hinda is having a hard time getting used to eating this way and keeps a good supply of Kleenex in her bag, but Peter is enjoying every minute.
So, enough for now. We will be going on a 7 day trip at the end of this month and we will write after we return. Then one more week, and we will be homeward bound.
For our Jewish family and friends, Chag Sameach !! – Happy Passover !!
Love and hugs,
Katende Peter ne Nabuuso Hinda, a Woman of Substance.
Kampala, Uganda
April 11, 2008
Dear All,
We can’t believe it; we have been in Kampala for two and a half months and will be leaving to come home 30 days from today.. Time is going by very quickly and we are as busy as ever.
Everyday we perform as troubleshooters, editors, teachers, consultants, friends, counselors, writers, and jacks of all trades. Peter has some special skills that are very useful one is being the KCCC official photographer and the other is being a drummer at morning prayers. He is really having lots of fun drumming and we all get into the beat of the African music to help start the day. It is a very good practice.
Because the staff here knows we like the music so much, last Tuesday evening some of them performed for us and we were able to record the session. We now have it on a CD and will be able to enjoy it after we get home. All of it is religious music but with the African beat and drums it is wonderful, and the singing is very beautiful. We hope to play it for you when we are back in the US.
For those of you who read our email 7, you know we had a very adventurous weekend and then on the following Monday, Hinda discovered she had malaria. She has a much better understanding of what malaria is all about now. Certainly it is easy to see why so many people die from it: a million a year (1 person every 30 seconds), and many of those are here in Africa. If it is not diagnosed quickly and medication prescribed, that is when people die. She was very sick for a week. Luckily, she was diagnosed quickly and the physicians here at the KCCC clinic are very good and knowledgeable about treatment options. The medication she was given was the latest and best available, although it is not approved in the USA, it really worked. Malaria takes all of your strength and requires you to just rest and drink lots of fruit juices. After a week and a half she finally tested negative for the malaria parasites and began to feel better. People here were very concerned about her and kept praying for her, making her fresh fruit juice and asking Peter how she was. It is nice to be in such a caring environment surrounded by people who have nothing but are willing to do anything you need whenever you need it.
Peter put together a slide show for KCCC and it is great: it has photos, narration and music, (he recorded the morning singing and drumming. People were so impressed that everyone wants to know how to make one, so now he is giving classes on making slide shows and putting them on DVD’s. We are bringing one home so any of you who are interested can certainly see it. And, if we can get a fast enough connection, we will put it on our You Tube Page before we leave here, or if not, when we get home.
Our friend, Adam, is still in the hospital. Every time we go to see him we need to bring him food and give him money. Everyone we speak with agrees that the government of Uganda should do more about the way healthcare is provided to the people of this country. The hospital is something out of the 1930’s and in order to get care you must pay for everything: you need an xray, ok, but you must pay 10,000 shillings to the person who takes the xray. Of course no one knows where the money goes - and right into his pocket is a very good possibility in view of the fact that the hospital and care is free. Turns out Adam has to be in the hospital for another 3 weeks so we will be helping to provide for him. He doesn’t have any money and no one to help him.
At every turn there are people who need help. There are too many to help them all so we just do what we can. A typical day will include at least one or two people who are in such trouble that it is hard to turn away. Like the elderly man who came to see the man who we share an office with: his 4 children had died of AIDS and related illnesses, his wife was in the hospital dying of AIDS, he has AIDS, he had not eaten for a week. Godfrey, the man who shares the office had no money and all he could give the old man was part of the Coke that Peter had just bought for him. Or, the women who works as a community volunteer here at KCCC whose 24 year old son was stabbed on his way home from watching a soccer match, and because he had to wait for over two hours to get treated at the hospital he bled to death. Or, the 14 year old boy who was finally found after being missing for a month. He had run away because his stepmother was very hard on him and he was afraid to be with her when his father was not home (she probably beat him) (his mother died of AIDS when he was very young). He had been living on the streets and looked and smelled very bad. KCCC will try to intervene with the parents and make sure he is safe.
Enough bad stuff, we are also having fun. Yesterday, some of our friends took us to a “pork joint”. It was great. We were six people, ate a huge amount of fresh grilled pork, laughed and talked. All for about $15. A few days ago we went to the beach with some friends and had fresh grilled tilapia. Cost was about the same as the pork. All of this food is served without utensils so they give you water and soap to wash with first, then you eat with your hands and then they give you more water and soap to wash with again. Hinda is having a hard time getting used to eating this way and keeps a good supply of Kleenex in her bag, but Peter is enjoying every minute.
So, enough for now. We will be going on a 7 day trip at the end of this month and we will write after we return. Then one more week, and we will be homeward bound.
For our Jewish family and friends, Chag Sameach !! – Happy Passover !!
Love and hugs,
Katende Peter ne Nabuuso Hinda, a Woman of Substance.
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:28 AM
0 comments
Sunday, March 30, 2008
PeterPaul Negotiating Dowry With 2 of Vastine's Brothers
+Negotiating+With+2+Brothers.JPG)
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:42 PM
0 comments
Ironing in the Village With Charcoal Iron
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:29 PM
0 comments
Email 7 From Uganda
March 31, 2008
Email 7
Kampala, Uganda
Hello All,
We know that we have written recently, but we just had such an interesting experience that we want to tell you about while it is still fresh in our minds.
You remember that shortly after we returned to the US after our work here in 2004, one of our good friends, PeterPaul, and his wife Vastine asked us to name their first born; Hannah, then a year and a half later we named Jesse, and last year we named Benjamin.
It seems that PeterPaul has never met Vastine’s aging parents, and they have not ever seen two of their grandchildren, so PeterPaul and Vastine arranged to visit them. But you don’t just visit for this type of meeting which is really an introduction ceremony. You have to engage in certain tribal rituals, and they include the husband’s parents. Well, PeterPaul’s parents are dead, so we, because we are the children’s grandparents, (jaja’s), we are also PeterPaul’s “caretaker” parents, and consequently he asked us to accompany them to Vastine’s village.
We agreed, and here is an interesting story about that trip this past weekend.
Vastine’s village is in the extreme southwest of Uganda, and it in our opinion the most beautiful part of this very beautiful country. The area borders Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The land is very productive with high rolling hills. In fact it is very close to where all of the gorillas in Uganda live. The crops are matooke, several species of banana, pineapple, cassava, coffee, avocado, eucalyptus, papaya, ground nuts, (peanuts), beans, and lots more. In fact, just about all of the food we ate in Vastine’s village was from her familiy’s farms.
So we were to board the bus at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, and it was only supposed to take 5 hours, (that must be African time). The bus was old and rickety and didn’t leave until 9:30. We had the good fortune to have seats, and there were no chickens or goats on board. (that is for the return trip, for surely you know that it is cheaper to buy a live chicken in the village and bring it back to the city than the other way around.) On the way, here are a couple of noteworthy things that happened: On one of the steep hills, the bus had to disembark all of us so that it could climb to the top; a man from the health ministry got on and rode for about 30 minutes and gave a lecture on HIV/AIDS and safe sex, and then gave out condoms – we have a box of 3 in case of an emergency. And then to top it off, the bus’ radiator overheated spreading steam in the bus and of course everyone thought it was on fire, and some people even jumped out of the bus windows. But Katende knew better.
PeterPaul took us on the wrong bus. Wrong because it didn’t go all the way to our destination, and also because it left the paved road and spent a couple of very rough hours on a very bad dirt road. So when we got to the last stop, we then had to arrange to get to Vastine’s village. It was now 6:30 p.m. and darkness was approaching. It was not a good idea to just take any transportation especially since there were these two “Bazungu’s”(white people) along, and aside from being over charged, there was too much of a risk of becoming prey to bandits. Vastine was finally able to raise her brother on the mobile phone, (the network doesn’t always work there), and he was going to send a car. He did, but the car took 2 more hours to arrive, and then another two more hours over a very very rough road in darkness to arrive at Vastine’s village, and it got stuck in the mud once, and once again we had to disembark. It was now nearly 11 p.m..
If you think we are ready to go to bed, even though we were very hungry, guess again. Now it is time to meet the relatives, but not Vastine’s aged parents. Around 12:30 a.m. we were all given a huge meal, and at about 1:45 p.m. we went to bed. Can you envision Katende and Nabuusa in a single bed? That is where we slept. It is really dark there, and the stars are magnificent.
Remember, this is a very rural village: no power, no running water, no plumbing, (neither indoors or outdoors) (something like our place at Lake Chelan). But to offset all of that Vastine and her family were so hospitable and accommodating, that it would be hard to imagine any thing more.
After we went to sleep, there was a very big storm, and it rained until mid-day on Saturday.
After breakfast, (all meals are cooked in an adobe brick kitchen building over a charcoal and wood fire) – only the women cook, it was time to get on with the business of the reason for the visit – negotiating the dowry that PeterPaul and Katende had to provide to Vastine’s parents.
First, two of Vastine’s brothers explained the customs. PeterPaul is from another tribe which has entirely different customs. All of us would talk and then the brothers would go to the parents and present our proposal and then return and give us feedback. Two hours later we received the feedback: Immediately, we were to provide two cases of beer, one case of soda, and money to both the mother and father, and more money to provide food for relative and those who dropped in to visit..
Because PeterPaul does not have much money, he could not afford all of these things, plus was yet to be presented when the other shoe dropped. So Katende and Nabuusa agreed to provide the two cases of beer and 1 case of soda, and PeterPaul agreed to do the rest.
OK, now for the rest: PeterPaul was told that because the family knew he did not have much money, that they would not ask him for goats. Great! But, he has to give them 4 cows by year end. He of course agreed, and he now has to save as much as he can. The year end time was also negotiated.
Now it is time to meet the parents and other family members, so we walked down the hill to Vastine’s parents modest cottage. Her father (83 years old) and her brothers and sister’s and their families were gathered in a small room, and one of her brother’s took charge of the introduction ceremony. After PeterPaul provides the cows there will be a more formal introduction ceremony.
Vastine’s brother Joseph introduced all of the family. PeterPaul was not permitted to see Vastine’s mother(79 years old). Then PeterPaul made a very nice speech, and so did Katende. Many of the family members also spoke, most prominently Vastine’s father. After an hour or so, both PeterPaul and Vastine’s parents agreed on the terms, and Vastine’s father welcomed PeterPaul to the family, and also PeterPaul indicated that Vastine’s parents were now his parents as well. Then PeterPaul and Katende gave the money to Vastine’s father.
Applause was given as is the custom of that clan and tribe. We were given permission to shake the hands of the parents and to take some photos.
We then went back up the hill to eat, and then some of us hiked up a very high hill to view this very beautiful country from all directions. Hinda stayed behind with the women and spent a delightful couple of hours observing how the women help one another by taking care of each others children, doing the laundry together, cooking together, etc. They were so good natured and although there was lots of laughter because Hinda is not used to washing by hand, not having any light and needing a flash light to see, she was accepted graciously.
Before dinner, we all went back down to the parents house to say good by in as much as were rising at 5 and leaving at 5:30. And so there were long goodbye speeches, and Vastine’s father was concerned that he could not buy us a drink. So as it happened, because it was dark – no power in the cottage where we were staying, Nabuusa mistakenly took a long swig if Waragi, gin made from bananas to take some pain pills rather than water for her back which hurt from the long bus ride and not enough sleep, and that story got a good laugh and also was accepted by the old man as our drink.
Once again, we ate after 10 pm and then went to sleep in our single bed. Around 5:45 a.m. in the pitch black we walked about ½ mile through the matooke plantation to where we met a car to take us to the bus.
The bus was nearly full, but we got seats, and took a different route, so we got back to Kampala in only 7 hours. On the way we picked up some people with live chickens, sugar cane, and even a man with his own stool to sit on, and we actually arrived back in Kampala after a scant 7 hours or so. By the way, one chicken was stuffed in a plastic bag with only his head sticking out and placed on the overhead rack, during the ride the poor chicken got squeezed tighter and tighter each time a piece of luggage was put on the rack, by the end this poor chicken looked very worn out. Katende almost didn’t make it back, because at one of the stops he had to use the toilet and the bus didn’t want to wait, so Katende ran to get the bus which had actually left the parking lot, and all of the passer bys yelled “run Muzungu (white man), run, and Katende did just that and was once again with Nabuusa, a woman of substance.
Love,
Katende ne Nabuusa
Email 7
Kampala, Uganda
Hello All,
We know that we have written recently, but we just had such an interesting experience that we want to tell you about while it is still fresh in our minds.
You remember that shortly after we returned to the US after our work here in 2004, one of our good friends, PeterPaul, and his wife Vastine asked us to name their first born; Hannah, then a year and a half later we named Jesse, and last year we named Benjamin.
It seems that PeterPaul has never met Vastine’s aging parents, and they have not ever seen two of their grandchildren, so PeterPaul and Vastine arranged to visit them. But you don’t just visit for this type of meeting which is really an introduction ceremony. You have to engage in certain tribal rituals, and they include the husband’s parents. Well, PeterPaul’s parents are dead, so we, because we are the children’s grandparents, (jaja’s), we are also PeterPaul’s “caretaker” parents, and consequently he asked us to accompany them to Vastine’s village.
We agreed, and here is an interesting story about that trip this past weekend.
Vastine’s village is in the extreme southwest of Uganda, and it in our opinion the most beautiful part of this very beautiful country. The area borders Rwanda and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The land is very productive with high rolling hills. In fact it is very close to where all of the gorillas in Uganda live. The crops are matooke, several species of banana, pineapple, cassava, coffee, avocado, eucalyptus, papaya, ground nuts, (peanuts), beans, and lots more. In fact, just about all of the food we ate in Vastine’s village was from her familiy’s farms.
So we were to board the bus at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, and it was only supposed to take 5 hours, (that must be African time). The bus was old and rickety and didn’t leave until 9:30. We had the good fortune to have seats, and there were no chickens or goats on board. (that is for the return trip, for surely you know that it is cheaper to buy a live chicken in the village and bring it back to the city than the other way around.) On the way, here are a couple of noteworthy things that happened: On one of the steep hills, the bus had to disembark all of us so that it could climb to the top; a man from the health ministry got on and rode for about 30 minutes and gave a lecture on HIV/AIDS and safe sex, and then gave out condoms – we have a box of 3 in case of an emergency. And then to top it off, the bus’ radiator overheated spreading steam in the bus and of course everyone thought it was on fire, and some people even jumped out of the bus windows. But Katende knew better.
PeterPaul took us on the wrong bus. Wrong because it didn’t go all the way to our destination, and also because it left the paved road and spent a couple of very rough hours on a very bad dirt road. So when we got to the last stop, we then had to arrange to get to Vastine’s village. It was now 6:30 p.m. and darkness was approaching. It was not a good idea to just take any transportation especially since there were these two “Bazungu’s”(white people) along, and aside from being over charged, there was too much of a risk of becoming prey to bandits. Vastine was finally able to raise her brother on the mobile phone, (the network doesn’t always work there), and he was going to send a car. He did, but the car took 2 more hours to arrive, and then another two more hours over a very very rough road in darkness to arrive at Vastine’s village, and it got stuck in the mud once, and once again we had to disembark. It was now nearly 11 p.m..
If you think we are ready to go to bed, even though we were very hungry, guess again. Now it is time to meet the relatives, but not Vastine’s aged parents. Around 12:30 a.m. we were all given a huge meal, and at about 1:45 p.m. we went to bed. Can you envision Katende and Nabuusa in a single bed? That is where we slept. It is really dark there, and the stars are magnificent.
Remember, this is a very rural village: no power, no running water, no plumbing, (neither indoors or outdoors) (something like our place at Lake Chelan). But to offset all of that Vastine and her family were so hospitable and accommodating, that it would be hard to imagine any thing more.
After we went to sleep, there was a very big storm, and it rained until mid-day on Saturday.
After breakfast, (all meals are cooked in an adobe brick kitchen building over a charcoal and wood fire) – only the women cook, it was time to get on with the business of the reason for the visit – negotiating the dowry that PeterPaul and Katende had to provide to Vastine’s parents.
First, two of Vastine’s brothers explained the customs. PeterPaul is from another tribe which has entirely different customs. All of us would talk and then the brothers would go to the parents and present our proposal and then return and give us feedback. Two hours later we received the feedback: Immediately, we were to provide two cases of beer, one case of soda, and money to both the mother and father, and more money to provide food for relative and those who dropped in to visit..
Because PeterPaul does not have much money, he could not afford all of these things, plus was yet to be presented when the other shoe dropped. So Katende and Nabuusa agreed to provide the two cases of beer and 1 case of soda, and PeterPaul agreed to do the rest.
OK, now for the rest: PeterPaul was told that because the family knew he did not have much money, that they would not ask him for goats. Great! But, he has to give them 4 cows by year end. He of course agreed, and he now has to save as much as he can. The year end time was also negotiated.
Now it is time to meet the parents and other family members, so we walked down the hill to Vastine’s parents modest cottage. Her father (83 years old) and her brothers and sister’s and their families were gathered in a small room, and one of her brother’s took charge of the introduction ceremony. After PeterPaul provides the cows there will be a more formal introduction ceremony.
Vastine’s brother Joseph introduced all of the family. PeterPaul was not permitted to see Vastine’s mother(79 years old). Then PeterPaul made a very nice speech, and so did Katende. Many of the family members also spoke, most prominently Vastine’s father. After an hour or so, both PeterPaul and Vastine’s parents agreed on the terms, and Vastine’s father welcomed PeterPaul to the family, and also PeterPaul indicated that Vastine’s parents were now his parents as well. Then PeterPaul and Katende gave the money to Vastine’s father.
Applause was given as is the custom of that clan and tribe. We were given permission to shake the hands of the parents and to take some photos.
We then went back up the hill to eat, and then some of us hiked up a very high hill to view this very beautiful country from all directions. Hinda stayed behind with the women and spent a delightful couple of hours observing how the women help one another by taking care of each others children, doing the laundry together, cooking together, etc. They were so good natured and although there was lots of laughter because Hinda is not used to washing by hand, not having any light and needing a flash light to see, she was accepted graciously.
Before dinner, we all went back down to the parents house to say good by in as much as were rising at 5 and leaving at 5:30. And so there were long goodbye speeches, and Vastine’s father was concerned that he could not buy us a drink. So as it happened, because it was dark – no power in the cottage where we were staying, Nabuusa mistakenly took a long swig if Waragi, gin made from bananas to take some pain pills rather than water for her back which hurt from the long bus ride and not enough sleep, and that story got a good laugh and also was accepted by the old man as our drink.
Once again, we ate after 10 pm and then went to sleep in our single bed. Around 5:45 a.m. in the pitch black we walked about ½ mile through the matooke plantation to where we met a car to take us to the bus.
The bus was nearly full, but we got seats, and took a different route, so we got back to Kampala in only 7 hours. On the way we picked up some people with live chickens, sugar cane, and even a man with his own stool to sit on, and we actually arrived back in Kampala after a scant 7 hours or so. By the way, one chicken was stuffed in a plastic bag with only his head sticking out and placed on the overhead rack, during the ride the poor chicken got squeezed tighter and tighter each time a piece of luggage was put on the rack, by the end this poor chicken looked very worn out. Katende almost didn’t make it back, because at one of the stops he had to use the toilet and the bus didn’t want to wait, so Katende ran to get the bus which had actually left the parking lot, and all of the passer bys yelled “run Muzungu (white man), run, and Katende did just that and was once again with Nabuusa, a woman of substance.
Love,
Katende ne Nabuusa
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:16 PM
1 comments
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Email 6 From Kampala, Uganda
Email 6
Kampala, Uganda
March 25, 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
We are fine and hope that you are as well. We have a lot to tell you, so let’s go:
• We just spent the 4 day weekend in a remote park, which we visited nearly 4 years ago to the day and visited some of the people that we met 4 years ago. We flew in with a small plane (17 people) and landed on a dirt strip and then proceeded to a new lodge. Among our group was the Swedish Ambassador and his wife, the British High Commissioner and his wife who is also the President of the International Women’s Organization, the President of Centenary Bank ,a high USAID official, and a couple of common folk like Katende ne Nabuuso. We saw lots of game, beautiful scenery, and had the opportunity to visit a small village where we learned much and took some beautiful photos.
• Marua, or Ajon, is a local brew made of fermented millet, and across the street from us, in a private house is an ajon bar. Each time we pass, they ask us to come and visit, so one day we did, and Peter tasted the ajon. It is drunk with long reed straws (about 3 feet long) from a pot that is in the center of the group. Tastes sort of like warm wine. We wanted to be friendly and get to know them. Most of those guys across the street don’t speak Luganda so Peter started to teach them.
• 25 years ago on March 14, the first person with AIDS was discovered in Western Uganda in a small fishing village near the border of Tanzania. Our NGO has a group composed of HIV positive and negative people called the Post Test Club which was invited to sing for the occasion that also included among the guests the President of Uganda and the Ugandan Parliament. We stayed the night in a very low cost guest house with those of us who traveled together from our NGO, and the next morning traveled for a very long time over one of the worst roads in all of Uganda, Whew! Peter was delegated to be the photographer, but alas, because of the presidential security was not allowed to bring his camera to the commemoration. And when Hinda tried to use the President’s sanican, she was turned away. After the President used it one time, it was loaded on a truck and hauled away. Thus there was only one sanican left for Hinda and the other several thousand who were there. But ---- it was kept very very clean by an attendant who would not let Hinda enter until he had cleaned it.
• Hinda has nearly finished the job descriptions and in the next week or two will present her findings and recommendation on the clinic to the Management Committee. Peter will be giving a class on Outlook later this week. And, the Strategic Plan is finally finished. We feel very much a part of things here, and we are. We are pretty much just staff members doing, eating, attending meetings and prayers (although we don’t pray) just like everyone else. We like our colleagues very much, and they like us equally.
• “Westerners have watches and Africans have time.” Now you know what African time means.
• This coming weekend we are going to the West to visit the family of one of our friends from 4 years ago. PeterPaul had asked us to name his 3 children during the past 4 years, and thus we are their “jaja’s” (grandparents), and consequently PeterPaul’s mother and father. His in laws have never met him, and he hasn’t been able to perform the necessary rituals to meet them unless his father is with him. Because his father is no longer living, Peter will be his father and this visit will start the negotiations for the dowry. We will tell you more after we return. We are deeply honored.
• Another friend from 4 years ago was injured in a motorbike accident, and we had to take him to the largest government hospital in Uganda. Don’t be fooled by the word largest. Mulago hospital is different than what we had expected. Our friend couldn’t get an X-Ray unless we, or someone paid cash up front; the ward had no sheets, no blankets, no food, no water, no bed pan, etc., etc., and so we and other friends including PeterPaul brought all of that; and then he couldn’t get the proper treatment unless we, or some one paid in advance – which we also did. How can you leave your friend with a broken hip and no treatment? We couldn’t. He has to be in the hospital 6 weeks in traction. He could not get an operation because he has AIDS. PeterPaul is taking care of his 3 year old son, and somehow, we and others are making sure our friend has food and whatever else he needs. In the ward, entire families are sleeping on the floor, under the bed and bringing food, blankets, etc., and in general taking care of their family member. We have arranged for someone to take care of our friend.
• Peter was the subject of one of the sermons here during the Lenten season when there was a sermon each morning from one of the staff. Most were quite good. About Peter, it was about being open to new things no matter what your age, and specifically about Peter learning to drum when he is nearly 70.
• Hinda found a shop that sells clothes for “Women of Substance”.
• We took our two vulnerable children with AIDS – Ivan and Herbert - that we have been supporting for the past 4 years to the Kampala version of Disney World and they had a great time and so did we. It was a very big treat for them. We also took them for lunch and ice cream. We are committed to supporting them until it is no longer necessary. Herbert wants to be a neuro-surgeon and he is certainly smart enough. He just needs the right breaks which may be quite difficult because he is so poor. Ivan wants to become an airplane engineer and for him also it will be difficult, perhaps even more so, for he has no one, just us. Herbert still has his mother and she has AIDS also. So, let’s hope.
OK, that’s about all for now. Sorry for such a long blog. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Love and hugs,
Katende ne Nabuuso
Kampala, Uganda
March 25, 2008
Dear Friends and Family,
We are fine and hope that you are as well. We have a lot to tell you, so let’s go:
• We just spent the 4 day weekend in a remote park, which we visited nearly 4 years ago to the day and visited some of the people that we met 4 years ago. We flew in with a small plane (17 people) and landed on a dirt strip and then proceeded to a new lodge. Among our group was the Swedish Ambassador and his wife, the British High Commissioner and his wife who is also the President of the International Women’s Organization, the President of Centenary Bank ,a high USAID official, and a couple of common folk like Katende ne Nabuuso. We saw lots of game, beautiful scenery, and had the opportunity to visit a small village where we learned much and took some beautiful photos.
• Marua, or Ajon, is a local brew made of fermented millet, and across the street from us, in a private house is an ajon bar. Each time we pass, they ask us to come and visit, so one day we did, and Peter tasted the ajon. It is drunk with long reed straws (about 3 feet long) from a pot that is in the center of the group. Tastes sort of like warm wine. We wanted to be friendly and get to know them. Most of those guys across the street don’t speak Luganda so Peter started to teach them.
• 25 years ago on March 14, the first person with AIDS was discovered in Western Uganda in a small fishing village near the border of Tanzania. Our NGO has a group composed of HIV positive and negative people called the Post Test Club which was invited to sing for the occasion that also included among the guests the President of Uganda and the Ugandan Parliament. We stayed the night in a very low cost guest house with those of us who traveled together from our NGO, and the next morning traveled for a very long time over one of the worst roads in all of Uganda, Whew! Peter was delegated to be the photographer, but alas, because of the presidential security was not allowed to bring his camera to the commemoration. And when Hinda tried to use the President’s sanican, she was turned away. After the President used it one time, it was loaded on a truck and hauled away. Thus there was only one sanican left for Hinda and the other several thousand who were there. But ---- it was kept very very clean by an attendant who would not let Hinda enter until he had cleaned it.
• Hinda has nearly finished the job descriptions and in the next week or two will present her findings and recommendation on the clinic to the Management Committee. Peter will be giving a class on Outlook later this week. And, the Strategic Plan is finally finished. We feel very much a part of things here, and we are. We are pretty much just staff members doing, eating, attending meetings and prayers (although we don’t pray) just like everyone else. We like our colleagues very much, and they like us equally.
• “Westerners have watches and Africans have time.” Now you know what African time means.
• This coming weekend we are going to the West to visit the family of one of our friends from 4 years ago. PeterPaul had asked us to name his 3 children during the past 4 years, and thus we are their “jaja’s” (grandparents), and consequently PeterPaul’s mother and father. His in laws have never met him, and he hasn’t been able to perform the necessary rituals to meet them unless his father is with him. Because his father is no longer living, Peter will be his father and this visit will start the negotiations for the dowry. We will tell you more after we return. We are deeply honored.
• Another friend from 4 years ago was injured in a motorbike accident, and we had to take him to the largest government hospital in Uganda. Don’t be fooled by the word largest. Mulago hospital is different than what we had expected. Our friend couldn’t get an X-Ray unless we, or someone paid cash up front; the ward had no sheets, no blankets, no food, no water, no bed pan, etc., etc., and so we and other friends including PeterPaul brought all of that; and then he couldn’t get the proper treatment unless we, or some one paid in advance – which we also did. How can you leave your friend with a broken hip and no treatment? We couldn’t. He has to be in the hospital 6 weeks in traction. He could not get an operation because he has AIDS. PeterPaul is taking care of his 3 year old son, and somehow, we and others are making sure our friend has food and whatever else he needs. In the ward, entire families are sleeping on the floor, under the bed and bringing food, blankets, etc., and in general taking care of their family member. We have arranged for someone to take care of our friend.
• Peter was the subject of one of the sermons here during the Lenten season when there was a sermon each morning from one of the staff. Most were quite good. About Peter, it was about being open to new things no matter what your age, and specifically about Peter learning to drum when he is nearly 70.
• Hinda found a shop that sells clothes for “Women of Substance”.
• We took our two vulnerable children with AIDS – Ivan and Herbert - that we have been supporting for the past 4 years to the Kampala version of Disney World and they had a great time and so did we. It was a very big treat for them. We also took them for lunch and ice cream. We are committed to supporting them until it is no longer necessary. Herbert wants to be a neuro-surgeon and he is certainly smart enough. He just needs the right breaks which may be quite difficult because he is so poor. Ivan wants to become an airplane engineer and for him also it will be difficult, perhaps even more so, for he has no one, just us. Herbert still has his mother and she has AIDS also. So, let’s hope.
OK, that’s about all for now. Sorry for such a long blog. Hope you enjoy the photos.
Love and hugs,
Katende ne Nabuuso
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 5:56 AM
0 comments
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sunday, March 09, 2008
Email 5 From Kampala
Email 5
Kampala, Uganda
March 10, 2008
Hello again!
It seems that we are writing more often than we have in the past, but it also seems that we have lots of things to tell you, so without further adieu, here goes, (remember, you have free will so you don’t have to read everything we write, but we hope you do). We are also sending some “snaps” (photos).
• Work is going well, but we work long hours, much more than we are used to. Hinda is still working on those job descriptions. Seems that our “boss” who is in fact charming has charmed her into doing more than what she intended. His name is Charles and now that he found out he was born in the same year as her oldest son, Seth, he keeps reminding her that he is just like her son and so she should help him out. She falls for it everytime. Peter is beginning to be successful with the problem of no/little internet “mpole mpole” – slowly slowly. Also he is still hard at work with the senior management team in putting together the next strategic plan, and is also doing a lot of computer tutoring/training/mentoring, as well as mentoring the fundraiser. Hinda has thoroughly analyzed the medical clinic and is ready to present a very comprehensive report and recommendations, and both of us, along with other staff have developed a number of operational procedures. (Everyone loves Hinda, and Peter can actually say whole sentences in Luganda and is still playing the drums at morning prayers. Finally, we have arranged for the staff to get free eye exams from the same eye care shop that we got to know 4 years ago, and they are also giving a hefty discount. Lots of people here have bad eyes, since there no one has enough money to purchase glasses.
• Our little rented car’s battery finally died, and it is not easy to get a new battery, especially on a holiday (Saturday was International Women’s Day). Filling stations don’t sell them, although they do sell lots of food and sundries. After 3 tries, a mechanic came on a boda boda (motorbike taxi) carrying a spare battery and in no time got our sick car started and then told us to go immediately and get a new battery. Not so easy. About 3 hours later and being run around by people wanting to charge us twice what we should really pay, we finally got one and also the accompanying photo of the man with the cool shades and no teeth who was hanging out at the battery shop and wanted to trade his sun glasses for our prescription glasses. No way!
• For those of you who are following Jacqueline, she has been kind of forced by the lead counselor to get out of bed and sit outside. Actually, she is a little better, taking her meds, but very very week. We thank those of you who contributed some money for emergency food, but KCCC can use more. There are lots of Jacqueline’s here. Just send a check to our house, and let us know the amount and we will give KCCC the money, and you will help save a life!!
• It is very hot here, and by the time we get home, we don’t feel like cooking. KCCC has a vocational training program which also includes cooking and catering, so we hired them to cook for us 3 evenings a week. For 4,000 Ugandan Shillings a night, ($2.36), we get a dinner in a takeout container usually consisting of several starches and a bit of meat. We have asked that they cut the starches from 3 to 1 and reduce the salt. So, they get another client, and we don’t have to cook.
• The day to day living is hard here, it is hot, the power goes off frequently, the traffic is impossible, the roads are worse, people are ever so poor and work very hard. But there is a bright side, we live in a lovely apartment and there are three people who work in our compound who are delightful. One is a young man, Geoffry, he has a wife and 4 children in a town far from here and sees them only on holidays, he drives and does chores like opening the gate when we come home or go out no matter what time it is. Anne, who is an older woman we all call “JaJa” (grandmother), she does the laundry and although we don’t have anything white anymore, everything is a certain shade of grey, she is always willing to help us and make sure to iron everything including our underwear. And the third is Margaret, who works 7 days a week 24 hours a day as the housekeeper and maid for the people who own the complex and us but always has a pleasant word and she heard I like fresh flowers so every few days we come home to find freshly cut flowers on the living room table from the garden. See the photo.
• We have been looking for a place to go to have a Passover Seder. We were going to go to the Abayudaya – the Ugandan Jewish community, but we could only go for a weekend, and it is too expensive. What to do? We considered flying to Israel for a week or so to visit family and friends, but that is even more expensive. Then, just like it was ordained, we overheard some people speaking Hebrew in a store, and Peter struck up a short conversation with them in Hebrew, and we were told that we would be invited to a Passover Seder with a group of Israeli’s who are here working temporarily in Uganda. You can always find a Jew nearly anyplace in the world.
• The rainy season seems to be upon us, When we say rain, we mean like in Noah’s day. Deluges! But luckily, most of the rain has been at night. It will probably continue until late April or early May.
• One of the ways to describe life here is noise, noise, noise, dust, dust, dust, traffic, traffic, traffic. Here is a photo of what it normally looks like at one of the intersections on the way to work. Cars, motorbikes, bicycles coming and going from every direction despite one way streets, stop signs, etc.
• If you have heard of “African time”, you know that means that time has no meaning. For Peter, that is very difficult. Well, finally, after nearly 70 years, Peter is learning patience from the Africans, and he seems ok with it. Of course there is nothing one can do about it, so why get stressed for nothing.
Let’s end here. Check out the photos.
Sula bulungi, or seeva bulungi, (have a good day, or a good night whatever time it is for you.
Love and hugs,
Katende and Mrs. Katende Peter
Kampala, Uganda
March 10, 2008
Hello again!
It seems that we are writing more often than we have in the past, but it also seems that we have lots of things to tell you, so without further adieu, here goes, (remember, you have free will so you don’t have to read everything we write, but we hope you do). We are also sending some “snaps” (photos).
• Work is going well, but we work long hours, much more than we are used to. Hinda is still working on those job descriptions. Seems that our “boss” who is in fact charming has charmed her into doing more than what she intended. His name is Charles and now that he found out he was born in the same year as her oldest son, Seth, he keeps reminding her that he is just like her son and so she should help him out. She falls for it everytime. Peter is beginning to be successful with the problem of no/little internet “mpole mpole” – slowly slowly. Also he is still hard at work with the senior management team in putting together the next strategic plan, and is also doing a lot of computer tutoring/training/mentoring, as well as mentoring the fundraiser. Hinda has thoroughly analyzed the medical clinic and is ready to present a very comprehensive report and recommendations, and both of us, along with other staff have developed a number of operational procedures. (Everyone loves Hinda, and Peter can actually say whole sentences in Luganda and is still playing the drums at morning prayers. Finally, we have arranged for the staff to get free eye exams from the same eye care shop that we got to know 4 years ago, and they are also giving a hefty discount. Lots of people here have bad eyes, since there no one has enough money to purchase glasses.
• Our little rented car’s battery finally died, and it is not easy to get a new battery, especially on a holiday (Saturday was International Women’s Day). Filling stations don’t sell them, although they do sell lots of food and sundries. After 3 tries, a mechanic came on a boda boda (motorbike taxi) carrying a spare battery and in no time got our sick car started and then told us to go immediately and get a new battery. Not so easy. About 3 hours later and being run around by people wanting to charge us twice what we should really pay, we finally got one and also the accompanying photo of the man with the cool shades and no teeth who was hanging out at the battery shop and wanted to trade his sun glasses for our prescription glasses. No way!
• For those of you who are following Jacqueline, she has been kind of forced by the lead counselor to get out of bed and sit outside. Actually, she is a little better, taking her meds, but very very week. We thank those of you who contributed some money for emergency food, but KCCC can use more. There are lots of Jacqueline’s here. Just send a check to our house, and let us know the amount and we will give KCCC the money, and you will help save a life!!
• It is very hot here, and by the time we get home, we don’t feel like cooking. KCCC has a vocational training program which also includes cooking and catering, so we hired them to cook for us 3 evenings a week. For 4,000 Ugandan Shillings a night, ($2.36), we get a dinner in a takeout container usually consisting of several starches and a bit of meat. We have asked that they cut the starches from 3 to 1 and reduce the salt. So, they get another client, and we don’t have to cook.
• The day to day living is hard here, it is hot, the power goes off frequently, the traffic is impossible, the roads are worse, people are ever so poor and work very hard. But there is a bright side, we live in a lovely apartment and there are three people who work in our compound who are delightful. One is a young man, Geoffry, he has a wife and 4 children in a town far from here and sees them only on holidays, he drives and does chores like opening the gate when we come home or go out no matter what time it is. Anne, who is an older woman we all call “JaJa” (grandmother), she does the laundry and although we don’t have anything white anymore, everything is a certain shade of grey, she is always willing to help us and make sure to iron everything including our underwear. And the third is Margaret, who works 7 days a week 24 hours a day as the housekeeper and maid for the people who own the complex and us but always has a pleasant word and she heard I like fresh flowers so every few days we come home to find freshly cut flowers on the living room table from the garden. See the photo.
• We have been looking for a place to go to have a Passover Seder. We were going to go to the Abayudaya – the Ugandan Jewish community, but we could only go for a weekend, and it is too expensive. What to do? We considered flying to Israel for a week or so to visit family and friends, but that is even more expensive. Then, just like it was ordained, we overheard some people speaking Hebrew in a store, and Peter struck up a short conversation with them in Hebrew, and we were told that we would be invited to a Passover Seder with a group of Israeli’s who are here working temporarily in Uganda. You can always find a Jew nearly anyplace in the world.
• The rainy season seems to be upon us, When we say rain, we mean like in Noah’s day. Deluges! But luckily, most of the rain has been at night. It will probably continue until late April or early May.
• One of the ways to describe life here is noise, noise, noise, dust, dust, dust, traffic, traffic, traffic. Here is a photo of what it normally looks like at one of the intersections on the way to work. Cars, motorbikes, bicycles coming and going from every direction despite one way streets, stop signs, etc.
• If you have heard of “African time”, you know that means that time has no meaning. For Peter, that is very difficult. Well, finally, after nearly 70 years, Peter is learning patience from the Africans, and he seems ok with it. Of course there is nothing one can do about it, so why get stressed for nothing.
Let’s end here. Check out the photos.
Sula bulungi, or seeva bulungi, (have a good day, or a good night whatever time it is for you.
Love and hugs,
Katende and Mrs. Katende Peter
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:53 PM
0 comments
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Baby girl behind our office in her playpen
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:29 PM
0 comments
Email 4
Email Number 4
Kampala, Uganda
March 2, 2008
Hello Everyone,
We are well, and hope you are also.
We have been here a little bit more than a month, and besides things like the heat, the more than occasional lack of power and water, we have no complaints, but rather, much to tell you – about our accomplishments, challenges, and lots of funny little experiences, so without further delay, let us begin, (in no particular order).
Peter’s Luganda skills, both speaking and even writing are improving every day. He carries a little notebook everywhere and each day writes down a new word or two. We don’t know who likes it more, Peter, or the Ugandans, but both are very impressed. (Peter has always been good at picking up languages, and everywhere we go he can get along in at least the basics, if not more. On that note, we want to share with you an email from a work colleague which will once again show you how well we get along here and how much we like Ugandans, and they us: “Hello beautiful guys,
just love you guys you make the world go round for quite many. Be blessed”
When you see the accompanying photo, you will better understand this story. Especially in the poorer areas of town, milk is delivered in bulk by bicycle – not pasteurized. As the milk can begins to empty, the delivery person stops at whatever water source is nearby and “tops it up” – we are sure you understand. Needless to say, this added water could come from any sources (including open drains and the like), and is an important reason why so many children get sick. We are not kidding – this is a very serious problem along with other just as serious sanitation problems.
In our last blog, we told you the story of a young woman who is quite ill and who lives in one of KCCC’s patient houses. She is 18. Her name is Jacqueline. She has AIDS and a very serious case of TB which must be brought under control before she can receive ARV therapy for her HIV/AIDS. We have put a photo of her here, and even though she looks very sick, and she is, she is beginning to get better. We and others on the staff have been getting her food and encouraging her to take her meds and get stronger, and it may be working. We got her a thermos to keep her juice cold. She has been up and down, but those of us who are helping are determined to save this one girl’s life. It will not solve the bigger problems, but we say that “if you save one person, you save the world”. We asked you to help by donating a little money to start an emergency fund for people like Jackie, and so far we have raised a couple of hundred dollars. It will go a long, long way, but more money will go a lot further for Jackie and others like her.
We have been working very hard – long hours at least from 8 a.m. to 7 or 7:30 at least 3 days a week and the other 2 days we work from 8am to 5pm, and while it tires us, it is ok, we will only be here until mid May. Hinda is really doing a great analysis of the problems and some recommendations for the medical clinic. However, the only real solution is more space. Both of us participate in long meetings with the management staff, they are not terribly efficient but we can only help them so much, and when we ask to be excused because we may not know about a particular issue, we are asked to stay and contribute. We feel respected and wanted. Peter is still busy working with the fundraising staff, and has kind of become the staff photographer and is working with other staff to put together a slide show while teaching them how to do it. And of course, both of us are always pulled away to handle fires that crop up, the latest of which is getting the office internet provider to keep the internet up and connected.
If there is power there is no internet – when the internet comes, the power goes away.
A couple of days ago when we came home we were excited to see that the power was on and we did not have to be in the dark, but we were informed by one of the house workers here that the “water was over, but would be coming back tomorrow”. It did but we feel like we can’t win, either power or water but not both!
The papers tell us that in the month of March the “power shedding” will affect our area as follows: 11 days no power, 10 nights no power. So is this new? No, just normal. Last night there was no power and no streetlights, this morning there was power, and the streetlights were on.
The other day, the E.D. picked up Peter’s local newspaper and asked if Peter was finished reading it and was told yes. He then looked at it briefly and commented that there was nothing good about it, and if the locals don’t like it, then why should the foreigners?
For those of you who have lived or traveled to countries like Uganda, you know that most of the clothes that most of the people wear are second hand, although they look like new. Everyone dresses in clean, starched and pressed clothes every day, and many of them do not have running water, or power, (ever)! In addition, Ugandans are the friendliest most polite people we have ever run across.
While the cost of some things are high, some things are still inexpensive: Hinda bought a house dress (used) for $7, and today, Peter got a haircut, including tip for $3.50.
By the way, lots of people here are rooting for Barack Obama – wonder why? (we are too)
So, we will come to a close for now and wish you the best.
With love and hugs
Mr. and Mrs. Katende Peter
Kampala, Uganda
March 2, 2008
Hello Everyone,
We are well, and hope you are also.
We have been here a little bit more than a month, and besides things like the heat, the more than occasional lack of power and water, we have no complaints, but rather, much to tell you – about our accomplishments, challenges, and lots of funny little experiences, so without further delay, let us begin, (in no particular order).
Peter’s Luganda skills, both speaking and even writing are improving every day. He carries a little notebook everywhere and each day writes down a new word or two. We don’t know who likes it more, Peter, or the Ugandans, but both are very impressed. (Peter has always been good at picking up languages, and everywhere we go he can get along in at least the basics, if not more. On that note, we want to share with you an email from a work colleague which will once again show you how well we get along here and how much we like Ugandans, and they us: “Hello beautiful guys,
just love you guys you make the world go round for quite many. Be blessed”
When you see the accompanying photo, you will better understand this story. Especially in the poorer areas of town, milk is delivered in bulk by bicycle – not pasteurized. As the milk can begins to empty, the delivery person stops at whatever water source is nearby and “tops it up” – we are sure you understand. Needless to say, this added water could come from any sources (including open drains and the like), and is an important reason why so many children get sick. We are not kidding – this is a very serious problem along with other just as serious sanitation problems.
In our last blog, we told you the story of a young woman who is quite ill and who lives in one of KCCC’s patient houses. She is 18. Her name is Jacqueline. She has AIDS and a very serious case of TB which must be brought under control before she can receive ARV therapy for her HIV/AIDS. We have put a photo of her here, and even though she looks very sick, and she is, she is beginning to get better. We and others on the staff have been getting her food and encouraging her to take her meds and get stronger, and it may be working. We got her a thermos to keep her juice cold. She has been up and down, but those of us who are helping are determined to save this one girl’s life. It will not solve the bigger problems, but we say that “if you save one person, you save the world”. We asked you to help by donating a little money to start an emergency fund for people like Jackie, and so far we have raised a couple of hundred dollars. It will go a long, long way, but more money will go a lot further for Jackie and others like her.
We have been working very hard – long hours at least from 8 a.m. to 7 or 7:30 at least 3 days a week and the other 2 days we work from 8am to 5pm, and while it tires us, it is ok, we will only be here until mid May. Hinda is really doing a great analysis of the problems and some recommendations for the medical clinic. However, the only real solution is more space. Both of us participate in long meetings with the management staff, they are not terribly efficient but we can only help them so much, and when we ask to be excused because we may not know about a particular issue, we are asked to stay and contribute. We feel respected and wanted. Peter is still busy working with the fundraising staff, and has kind of become the staff photographer and is working with other staff to put together a slide show while teaching them how to do it. And of course, both of us are always pulled away to handle fires that crop up, the latest of which is getting the office internet provider to keep the internet up and connected.
If there is power there is no internet – when the internet comes, the power goes away.
A couple of days ago when we came home we were excited to see that the power was on and we did not have to be in the dark, but we were informed by one of the house workers here that the “water was over, but would be coming back tomorrow”. It did but we feel like we can’t win, either power or water but not both!
The papers tell us that in the month of March the “power shedding” will affect our area as follows: 11 days no power, 10 nights no power. So is this new? No, just normal. Last night there was no power and no streetlights, this morning there was power, and the streetlights were on.
The other day, the E.D. picked up Peter’s local newspaper and asked if Peter was finished reading it and was told yes. He then looked at it briefly and commented that there was nothing good about it, and if the locals don’t like it, then why should the foreigners?
For those of you who have lived or traveled to countries like Uganda, you know that most of the clothes that most of the people wear are second hand, although they look like new. Everyone dresses in clean, starched and pressed clothes every day, and many of them do not have running water, or power, (ever)! In addition, Ugandans are the friendliest most polite people we have ever run across.
While the cost of some things are high, some things are still inexpensive: Hinda bought a house dress (used) for $7, and today, Peter got a haircut, including tip for $3.50.
By the way, lots of people here are rooting for Barack Obama – wonder why? (we are too)
So, we will come to a close for now and wish you the best.
With love and hugs
Mr. and Mrs. Katende Peter
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:23 PM
1 comments
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Email 3 from Kampala, Uganda
Email 3
Kampala, Uganda
February 20, 2008
“Jaybalay” (An informal hello in Luganda)
Once again, here we are and we don’t want to let too much time get by so that we have so much to write that it will be difficult to send to you because of the slow, on again - off again internet connections.
When we were here 4 years ago, we began to pay the school fees for the first two children – Herbert and Ivan - with AIDS that Reach Out began to help, and we have been paying those school fees every year since then. We have taken a couple of photos of them with us, and you can see how healthy and strong they now are. Herbert just finished first in his class out of 280 students, and Ivan has had some school problems but he is healthy. It was good to see them; we brought them T shirts from Seattle and a little spending money. Ivan had just had his locker broken into and all his possessions were stolen including his shoes, so we helped buy him new shoes.
At the daily morning prayers, there are three different kinds of drums, and Peter has now become the drummer that plays the major beat while the other two do the rhythm. He will soon graduate to the rhythm section!! (see the photo). Also Peter has done a few prayers in Hebrew thanks to Rabbi Beth of Temple Beth Am, and also a rabbi who just came to visit Uganda as a part of an AJWS delegation. Besides the interest in hearing Hebrew, Peter was teased a bit about now “speaking in tongues”. Many of the staff want to learn more about Judaism, so we are going to have an informal discussion with them next week.
We have been invited into the homes of several of the staff here and we are leaning quite a lot about tribal and clan customs. It is very interesting and very complicated with lots of taboos, rules, special relationships, etc. One of the good things we have seen here and elsewhere in Africa, is that families take care of each other, especially when a sibling dies, and then the remaining sibling or siblings take the children in, whether they can afford it or not. It is in our opinion a fine example of “family”.
Last week, Peter was standing outside where clients were waiting to be seen in the medical clinic and a woman asked to have her photo taken. (see photo) After taking a few photos, Peter sat down with her and they began to speak. She told Peter that she was very frightened that she would die from AIDS and could not sleep at night. She was at the clinic to get her first ARV’s. Peter assured her that the ARV’s would make her healthy and that she would be fine and she asked, “Sure?”, and Peter said “Sure!”. “I feel better already” said the woman. “I like you!”. So what does this little story mean? It means that hope may be the strongest medicine you can give and a kind word never hurts.
The miracle of Uganda is that when you wake up in the morning there is power – electricity. More often than not, we come home about dusk – here on the equator the sun rises around 7 a.m. and sets around 7 p.m. – and there is no power. While we are sleeping the power comes on, and then in the morning it is gone. We are becoming really good at shaving and putting makeup on in the dark. Now you understand the miracle of Uganda. We never used to believe in miracles, but this is one that we do believe in. We are also getting out share of religion: At 5:20 a.m. the Muslim muezzin chants his prayers which we hear loud and clear from a nearby mosque; then we go to work and attend a Catholic prayer service, and we are Jewish of course. Even though the words and prayers are different than what we are used, it seems a nice way to start the day especially with the lovely singing and drumming.
At our apartment we don’t get either CNN or BBC, but we do get Al Jazeera which we watch while exercising early in the morning. It seems it is just like BBC and CNN. The other day they showed a 20 minute film made in Israel with Israeli’s and Palestinians called “West Bank Story”. It is a musical with the same theme as West Side Story and of course starts with conflict; there is a love affair between a Jewish soldier and a Palestinian woman, and then they all get together as a result of a fire that destroyed both of their restaurants. Too bad it is not the real world, but perhaps it will be. Remember the story above about “hope”?
Right now it is raining so hard that our poor community of Kamwokya is flooding! Very bad!! And it is so dark that we can hardly see our computer keyboards. Our little office has one tiny light. The rain is so loud that even though we sit only 3 feet apart, we have to shout
Peter is teaching our boss to use the computer – “an old dog teaching another old dog that you can teach an old dog new tricks”
We spent last weekend about 3 hours from here at Lake Mburro National Park and had a nice relaxing time with some other American that we met here. Saw lots of nice animals – see the photos, and it was nice to get away.
Hinda is hard at work helping with Job Descriptions and trying to deal with the extremely crowded medical clinic and help figure out how to decongest it. The situation is the proverbial one of having a one kilo bag and two kilos of stuff to put in it. Unfortunately, KCCC cannot reduce the number of clients, and the only real answer is more space, so we are working on that, but it will be a difficult row to hoe. The clinic is very small and sees a lot of patients, there is no room for patients who are really sick to lie down and often when one patient is getting an IV drip, they need to be moved to a chair so the next sicker patient can lie down. This morning we heard a child screaming from the clinic, she screamed and cried for some time so we went to see what was going on. There was a 2 year old little girl who was becoming dehydrated as a result of diarrhea so they were trying to give her some IV fluids, because she was so dehydrated it was hard to get the canula placed. Last night we participated in a workshop on report writing and did a presentation on how to write a case study, and Friday night we will do one on Report Writing.
We are also sending a graphic photo of what AIDS can look like. She is 18 and looks more 12. She was living with a family and was being sexually abused, and then when she became sick, the family threw her out, and her real family would take her back. She has very little food and KCCC does not have money or food to give. USAID and the World Food Program have focused their efforts on the north of Uganda, and so this is a major problem. We are finding out how much it will cost to provide some special soft foods for these “desperate clients, and so when we get back perhaps we can start a small fund and hopefully you will help. It is not possible to see people in this condition and not help, and that is why we spent only $1.50 or so yesterday to get her the food she needs. The counselor that took me to see her yesterday is extremely kind and compassionate. Much of that comes from the deeply felt Catholic faith of our co-workers.
As you may know all of the clothes and shoes people wear here is second hand, but I must say they all look brand new and people are always very neat and clean. A woman who is a clothes buyer came to meet Hinda yesterday, looked at her, told her what size she is and said she would be back in a couple of days with some clothes. We will see what she brings.
Peace and love from
Katede Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
Kampala, Uganda
February 20, 2008
“Jaybalay” (An informal hello in Luganda)
Once again, here we are and we don’t want to let too much time get by so that we have so much to write that it will be difficult to send to you because of the slow, on again - off again internet connections.
When we were here 4 years ago, we began to pay the school fees for the first two children – Herbert and Ivan - with AIDS that Reach Out began to help, and we have been paying those school fees every year since then. We have taken a couple of photos of them with us, and you can see how healthy and strong they now are. Herbert just finished first in his class out of 280 students, and Ivan has had some school problems but he is healthy. It was good to see them; we brought them T shirts from Seattle and a little spending money. Ivan had just had his locker broken into and all his possessions were stolen including his shoes, so we helped buy him new shoes.
At the daily morning prayers, there are three different kinds of drums, and Peter has now become the drummer that plays the major beat while the other two do the rhythm. He will soon graduate to the rhythm section!! (see the photo). Also Peter has done a few prayers in Hebrew thanks to Rabbi Beth of Temple Beth Am, and also a rabbi who just came to visit Uganda as a part of an AJWS delegation. Besides the interest in hearing Hebrew, Peter was teased a bit about now “speaking in tongues”. Many of the staff want to learn more about Judaism, so we are going to have an informal discussion with them next week.
We have been invited into the homes of several of the staff here and we are leaning quite a lot about tribal and clan customs. It is very interesting and very complicated with lots of taboos, rules, special relationships, etc. One of the good things we have seen here and elsewhere in Africa, is that families take care of each other, especially when a sibling dies, and then the remaining sibling or siblings take the children in, whether they can afford it or not. It is in our opinion a fine example of “family”.
Last week, Peter was standing outside where clients were waiting to be seen in the medical clinic and a woman asked to have her photo taken. (see photo) After taking a few photos, Peter sat down with her and they began to speak. She told Peter that she was very frightened that she would die from AIDS and could not sleep at night. She was at the clinic to get her first ARV’s. Peter assured her that the ARV’s would make her healthy and that she would be fine and she asked, “Sure?”, and Peter said “Sure!”. “I feel better already” said the woman. “I like you!”. So what does this little story mean? It means that hope may be the strongest medicine you can give and a kind word never hurts.
The miracle of Uganda is that when you wake up in the morning there is power – electricity. More often than not, we come home about dusk – here on the equator the sun rises around 7 a.m. and sets around 7 p.m. – and there is no power. While we are sleeping the power comes on, and then in the morning it is gone. We are becoming really good at shaving and putting makeup on in the dark. Now you understand the miracle of Uganda. We never used to believe in miracles, but this is one that we do believe in. We are also getting out share of religion: At 5:20 a.m. the Muslim muezzin chants his prayers which we hear loud and clear from a nearby mosque; then we go to work and attend a Catholic prayer service, and we are Jewish of course. Even though the words and prayers are different than what we are used, it seems a nice way to start the day especially with the lovely singing and drumming.
At our apartment we don’t get either CNN or BBC, but we do get Al Jazeera which we watch while exercising early in the morning. It seems it is just like BBC and CNN. The other day they showed a 20 minute film made in Israel with Israeli’s and Palestinians called “West Bank Story”. It is a musical with the same theme as West Side Story and of course starts with conflict; there is a love affair between a Jewish soldier and a Palestinian woman, and then they all get together as a result of a fire that destroyed both of their restaurants. Too bad it is not the real world, but perhaps it will be. Remember the story above about “hope”?
Right now it is raining so hard that our poor community of Kamwokya is flooding! Very bad!! And it is so dark that we can hardly see our computer keyboards. Our little office has one tiny light. The rain is so loud that even though we sit only 3 feet apart, we have to shout
Peter is teaching our boss to use the computer – “an old dog teaching another old dog that you can teach an old dog new tricks”
We spent last weekend about 3 hours from here at Lake Mburro National Park and had a nice relaxing time with some other American that we met here. Saw lots of nice animals – see the photos, and it was nice to get away.
Hinda is hard at work helping with Job Descriptions and trying to deal with the extremely crowded medical clinic and help figure out how to decongest it. The situation is the proverbial one of having a one kilo bag and two kilos of stuff to put in it. Unfortunately, KCCC cannot reduce the number of clients, and the only real answer is more space, so we are working on that, but it will be a difficult row to hoe. The clinic is very small and sees a lot of patients, there is no room for patients who are really sick to lie down and often when one patient is getting an IV drip, they need to be moved to a chair so the next sicker patient can lie down. This morning we heard a child screaming from the clinic, she screamed and cried for some time so we went to see what was going on. There was a 2 year old little girl who was becoming dehydrated as a result of diarrhea so they were trying to give her some IV fluids, because she was so dehydrated it was hard to get the canula placed. Last night we participated in a workshop on report writing and did a presentation on how to write a case study, and Friday night we will do one on Report Writing.
We are also sending a graphic photo of what AIDS can look like. She is 18 and looks more 12. She was living with a family and was being sexually abused, and then when she became sick, the family threw her out, and her real family would take her back. She has very little food and KCCC does not have money or food to give. USAID and the World Food Program have focused their efforts on the north of Uganda, and so this is a major problem. We are finding out how much it will cost to provide some special soft foods for these “desperate clients, and so when we get back perhaps we can start a small fund and hopefully you will help. It is not possible to see people in this condition and not help, and that is why we spent only $1.50 or so yesterday to get her the food she needs. The counselor that took me to see her yesterday is extremely kind and compassionate. Much of that comes from the deeply felt Catholic faith of our co-workers.
As you may know all of the clothes and shoes people wear here is second hand, but I must say they all look brand new and people are always very neat and clean. A woman who is a clothes buyer came to meet Hinda yesterday, looked at her, told her what size she is and said she would be back in a couple of days with some clothes. We will see what she brings.
Peace and love from
Katede Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 2:33 AM
0 comments
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Email 2 Uganda 2008
Email Number 2
Kampala, Uganda
February 9, 2008
Hi,
We didn’t plan to send this so closely behind the last one a week or so ago, but there are a lot of things happening, so we want to update you and also send a few more photos.
After we returned from here 4 years ago, one of our close friends from Reach Out had a child and honored us by asking us to name her, (Hannah), and then a year or so later, a second who we named Jesse, and just 7 months ago, another boy who we named Benjamin. So, we are their jaja, (grandparents), and we have now seen them for the first time. We are attaching photos of them.
It was also very nice to see all of the physical and systems improvements that we developed at Reach Out still in use.
We have been working quite hard and putting in long hours, but doing well. We have produced a number of templates, provided ideas, participated in helping to develop future courses of action, etc. Hinda is spending most of her time in the clinic, and Peter on the organizational development side. The medical clinic is extremely overcrowded, essentially like trying to put 2 kilos of stuff in a 1 kilo can, and so we are trying to come up with solutions ranging from establishment of satellite clinics to opening a new larger one. The clinic has been crowded for a long time, but CRS, (Catholic Relief Services) is requiring them to add 400 more clients in order to get more money, this seems to be the way things happen here. In order to get more money to provide services you are required to add more patients, no thought is given to whether you have the capacity to add more patients, but since there is always a need for more money, you add more patients, somehow. This is basically a physical impossibility, so Hinda and the staff have quite a challenge.
We usually eat local food at work provided by the agency, (matoke – boiled and mashed plaintains, posho – a porridge made of maize, rice, beans, a bit of meat or chicken for a sauce, and cassava. Lots of starch, a bit bland, not at all like West Africa where the food is quite spicy, but is fine. For many of the people at KCCC it may be the only meal of the day, so it is quite filling, and it gives us a chance to sit and interact with all levels of staff. Plates are piled high and people wonder why we only have a little bit. Peter is trying to keep his figure and for me, I don’t like it very much so I take only a little, maybe I will loose a pound or two.
The area where we work – Kamwokya as we mentioned before is basically a swamp, and from the main road descends steeply. There is no drainage, open sewers which people often use either as their toilet, or to dump their bodily and other wastes, and so last week there were 6 cases of cholera there, which in the simplest terms is really dangerous. But as in many places in Africa, little gets done to improve these poor communities, and KCCC is trying hard, but progress is very very slow. Don’t worry about us, we are fine and the office is at the top of the hill no where near the swampy area.
Since we can’t get CNN or BBC on our TV we watch Al Jazeera, which doesn’t really seem much different than the other two. Our other choices are 3 or 4 stations with evangelists, or some Ugandan language stations, so it is Al Jazeera and lots of reading.
We have probably told you before, but when you are the only two “muzungus” (whites) in a room or street full of M’afriks – blacks, you are reminded once again of how many African Americans feel when they are the only ones with white Americans, and it is good to be reminded from time to time, and help us to appreciate how other people feel by walking in their mocassins.
Our laptop had been acting up, so we had it serviced, and the diagnosis was that it was full of “pests”. Now there are no more pests, and it is fine, although we are not sure what these pests were.
Driving here – we rented a small car very cheaply – requires a daily dose of an anti anxiety pill. Drivers and passengers alike just hold on and open their eyes only occasionally. There are cars, motorbikes, bikes without lights, people in the middle of the road, passing on either side of you, pot holes the size of sink holes, etc., but being New Yorkers, we know how to push our way in and drive as aggressively as the Ugandans. I (Hinda) don’t drive, I just keep my eyes closed and feel relieved when we finally get to our apartment.
We have just started making plans to take a few trips around the country between now and the time we leave, and you will see some photos from there during the next few months.
Even though it is not the rainy season, it has been raining quite hard which floods communities as the one we work in, and increases diseases and also malaria mosquitoes which breed in standing water, so our clinic is seeing more malaria. For a while Uganda was in the lead in Africa in reducing HIV/AIDS, and unfortunately, it has fallen behind,
One of the unfortunate things about the violence in Kenya, is that many Kenyans who had to flee their homes and villages, (more than 300,000 now), have been living in refugee camps where those who have HIV/AIDS do not have access to their drugs and so they will soon become resistant to them, and then what? Not a good scene.
So, there are lots of problems left to solve, and we have a spare bedroom, so come on over. Uganda is a nice place and the people are great!
We have been following the primaries via Al Jazeera and the local papers, and so we are keeping up there.
Have you ever eaten in a parking garage next to the cars pulling in out? We have, and it is a little different than the places we normally eat, and of course there is noise and exhaust. So where did we eat? I Love NY, and we had pizza – good, and bagels – good, in Kampala of all places.
We will end here by saying that our power goes off several times a day both at work and at home, and because the fuel is so costly because it all has to come through Kenya, and not a lot is getting through, it is too costly to run generators. So as one of our Ugandan friends said, you eat dinner by candle light and then to bed.
So on that note, good night!
Love and Hugs,
Katende Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
PS I know this is really long but wanted to tell you a little story. We have befriended a couple of American physicians and a nurse who are here teaching at the medical school for a few months, one of them is an orthopedic surgeon. We had dinner with them after their first day at the medical school. The surgeon, Jim, told us he was very excited to be in the operating room, scrubbed and ready to give his knowledge to the Ugandan surgeons. Everything was ready and he could see many operating room lights on the ceiling, so he said, “ok, let’s turn the lights on and start”. Everyone just looked at him and then told him the lights did not work, so they operated with one ceiling light. He had a hard time but everyone else was used to it and did just fine. How spoiled we are to think the operating room lights might work!!
Kampala, Uganda
February 9, 2008
Hi,
We didn’t plan to send this so closely behind the last one a week or so ago, but there are a lot of things happening, so we want to update you and also send a few more photos.
After we returned from here 4 years ago, one of our close friends from Reach Out had a child and honored us by asking us to name her, (Hannah), and then a year or so later, a second who we named Jesse, and just 7 months ago, another boy who we named Benjamin. So, we are their jaja, (grandparents), and we have now seen them for the first time. We are attaching photos of them.
It was also very nice to see all of the physical and systems improvements that we developed at Reach Out still in use.
We have been working quite hard and putting in long hours, but doing well. We have produced a number of templates, provided ideas, participated in helping to develop future courses of action, etc. Hinda is spending most of her time in the clinic, and Peter on the organizational development side. The medical clinic is extremely overcrowded, essentially like trying to put 2 kilos of stuff in a 1 kilo can, and so we are trying to come up with solutions ranging from establishment of satellite clinics to opening a new larger one. The clinic has been crowded for a long time, but CRS, (Catholic Relief Services) is requiring them to add 400 more clients in order to get more money, this seems to be the way things happen here. In order to get more money to provide services you are required to add more patients, no thought is given to whether you have the capacity to add more patients, but since there is always a need for more money, you add more patients, somehow. This is basically a physical impossibility, so Hinda and the staff have quite a challenge.
We usually eat local food at work provided by the agency, (matoke – boiled and mashed plaintains, posho – a porridge made of maize, rice, beans, a bit of meat or chicken for a sauce, and cassava. Lots of starch, a bit bland, not at all like West Africa where the food is quite spicy, but is fine. For many of the people at KCCC it may be the only meal of the day, so it is quite filling, and it gives us a chance to sit and interact with all levels of staff. Plates are piled high and people wonder why we only have a little bit. Peter is trying to keep his figure and for me, I don’t like it very much so I take only a little, maybe I will loose a pound or two.
The area where we work – Kamwokya as we mentioned before is basically a swamp, and from the main road descends steeply. There is no drainage, open sewers which people often use either as their toilet, or to dump their bodily and other wastes, and so last week there were 6 cases of cholera there, which in the simplest terms is really dangerous. But as in many places in Africa, little gets done to improve these poor communities, and KCCC is trying hard, but progress is very very slow. Don’t worry about us, we are fine and the office is at the top of the hill no where near the swampy area.
Since we can’t get CNN or BBC on our TV we watch Al Jazeera, which doesn’t really seem much different than the other two. Our other choices are 3 or 4 stations with evangelists, or some Ugandan language stations, so it is Al Jazeera and lots of reading.
We have probably told you before, but when you are the only two “muzungus” (whites) in a room or street full of M’afriks – blacks, you are reminded once again of how many African Americans feel when they are the only ones with white Americans, and it is good to be reminded from time to time, and help us to appreciate how other people feel by walking in their mocassins.
Our laptop had been acting up, so we had it serviced, and the diagnosis was that it was full of “pests”. Now there are no more pests, and it is fine, although we are not sure what these pests were.
Driving here – we rented a small car very cheaply – requires a daily dose of an anti anxiety pill. Drivers and passengers alike just hold on and open their eyes only occasionally. There are cars, motorbikes, bikes without lights, people in the middle of the road, passing on either side of you, pot holes the size of sink holes, etc., but being New Yorkers, we know how to push our way in and drive as aggressively as the Ugandans. I (Hinda) don’t drive, I just keep my eyes closed and feel relieved when we finally get to our apartment.
We have just started making plans to take a few trips around the country between now and the time we leave, and you will see some photos from there during the next few months.
Even though it is not the rainy season, it has been raining quite hard which floods communities as the one we work in, and increases diseases and also malaria mosquitoes which breed in standing water, so our clinic is seeing more malaria. For a while Uganda was in the lead in Africa in reducing HIV/AIDS, and unfortunately, it has fallen behind,
One of the unfortunate things about the violence in Kenya, is that many Kenyans who had to flee their homes and villages, (more than 300,000 now), have been living in refugee camps where those who have HIV/AIDS do not have access to their drugs and so they will soon become resistant to them, and then what? Not a good scene.
So, there are lots of problems left to solve, and we have a spare bedroom, so come on over. Uganda is a nice place and the people are great!
We have been following the primaries via Al Jazeera and the local papers, and so we are keeping up there.
Have you ever eaten in a parking garage next to the cars pulling in out? We have, and it is a little different than the places we normally eat, and of course there is noise and exhaust. So where did we eat? I Love NY, and we had pizza – good, and bagels – good, in Kampala of all places.
We will end here by saying that our power goes off several times a day both at work and at home, and because the fuel is so costly because it all has to come through Kenya, and not a lot is getting through, it is too costly to run generators. So as one of our Ugandan friends said, you eat dinner by candle light and then to bed.
So on that note, good night!
Love and Hugs,
Katende Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
PS I know this is really long but wanted to tell you a little story. We have befriended a couple of American physicians and a nurse who are here teaching at the medical school for a few months, one of them is an orthopedic surgeon. We had dinner with them after their first day at the medical school. The surgeon, Jim, told us he was very excited to be in the operating room, scrubbed and ready to give his knowledge to the Ugandan surgeons. Everything was ready and he could see many operating room lights on the ceiling, so he said, “ok, let’s turn the lights on and start”. Everyone just looked at him and then told him the lights did not work, so they operated with one ceiling light. He had a hard time but everyone else was used to it and did just fine. How spoiled we are to think the operating room lights might work!!
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:59 PM
0 comments
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Email Number 1, Kampala, Uganda 2008
February 2, 2008
Kampala, Uganda
Hi all,
The photos are which relate to this email are: Entrance to our house in Bugolobi; KCCC where we work; Nabuuso Hinda and Charles, (who named Peter); A young boy peeking in our bedroom window.
Once again we have traveled far from home to volunteer for the next 3 ½ months and see if we can be of a bit of help.
We arrived at Entebbe Sunday night and because of some communication snafu’s there was no one to meet us at the airport. So we called the AJWS representative who happened to be in Nairobi, who called her friend, a taxi driver, who happened to be standing next to us, and so we got to our destination.
We just moved into our very nice apartment today, which is very close to where we worked when we were here 4 years ago, nearly to the day. And so we will be able to see our old and good friends frequently, and in fact we saw them yesterday, and all of us were hugging, screaming, etc. Some of them knew we were coming, but not all and when we all saw each other we had a great and warm reunion. In fact one of our friends had seen us riding in the car the day before and thought she was hallucinating, and another told us he had a dream that we were coming. In fact, the same day we left Seattle, I took one of my favorite caps to give to him because he loves baseball hats, so perhaps there is such a thing as fate.
Last night we stayed in a guest house and there was a party within 3 feet of our window attended by over 2,000 people, who were dancing, drinking, and carousing until 1 a.m., and then the clean up crew came and stayed until 6 a.m., so there was not much sleep for us last night.
Our new digs are very very nice: lots of art work, nice comfortable furniture, nice garden and landscaping, and once again, very close to very close friends.
We are working at KCCC – Kamwokya (pronounced Kamoja, with the accent on the Ka) Christian Caring Community. Kamwokya is a slum of Kampala, and KCCC was founded in 1987. It is basically a slum and floods when the rains come. Many people live their in very basic kinds of housing with “jury rigged” power, and no running water or toilet facilities. There are open sewers, and as you well know, that brings on a multitude of diseases and other bad things.
There are some 150 employees, who serve several thousand clients in a number of programs including a medical clinic, dental clinic, savings bank and micro finance, an elementary school, youth programs, vocational schools, mental health, and more. As we get to know more we will tell you more. Our initial assignments are to help develop a fundraising plan, and to look at how the medical clinic operates, and to help develop a photographic essay about KCCC which will be put on their web page and used for other PR purposes. As is the case with us, we are doing capacity building, rather than producing, although there will be some of that also. Suffice it to say that the staff is very friendly and nice to us and to each other. That seems to be a hallmark of Uganda and is one of the reasons we are so
We have been given Ugandan names: Katende Peter which means “praise him and Nabuuso Hinda, which means “small eyes”. Of course we have to be of different clans, for if we were of the same clan we would be brother and sister, and since we have now been married for 47 years, we would have to get divorced. Thus, Peter is from the Lugave (Porcupine Clan), and Hinda from the Mushroom Clan, and both of us, (we think) are of the Muganda Tribe, and of course we are Abayudaya, (Jewish).
Late Thursday afternoon, Peter was called down to the medical clinic to photograph a 10 year old girl who had been severely beaten by her mother because she was “roaming around”, and he also photographed the mother – both for documentation purposes. The dilemma however is that if the woman is arrested and jailed for abuse, who will provide for the this girl and her siblings. By the way, she was hit in the head with a large stone among other things, and after leaving our clinic was taken to the hospital. So, this is just one thing that is a part of daily life in Kamokya
Each day we come to work at 8:15 and join the entire staff in song and prayer. We know that you will think it funny that we go for prayers every morning, but the singing, accompanied by drumming is very rousing, and very enjoyable. Once a month, the prayer service is a mass, so you can now readily guess that KCCC is a part of the Catholic church. Four years ago, we were in a different Catholic church in a different slum of Kampala.
Our computer is acting up, and this is getting a little lengthy, so we will close for now and send hugs and kisses to all. We miss all of you, but we know we will see you again in a few months. We have added a couple of photos to show you some of what we have been telling you.
Katende Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
Kampala, Uganda
Hi all,
The photos are which relate to this email are: Entrance to our house in Bugolobi; KCCC where we work; Nabuuso Hinda and Charles, (who named Peter); A young boy peeking in our bedroom window.
Once again we have traveled far from home to volunteer for the next 3 ½ months and see if we can be of a bit of help.
We arrived at Entebbe Sunday night and because of some communication snafu’s there was no one to meet us at the airport. So we called the AJWS representative who happened to be in Nairobi, who called her friend, a taxi driver, who happened to be standing next to us, and so we got to our destination.
We just moved into our very nice apartment today, which is very close to where we worked when we were here 4 years ago, nearly to the day. And so we will be able to see our old and good friends frequently, and in fact we saw them yesterday, and all of us were hugging, screaming, etc. Some of them knew we were coming, but not all and when we all saw each other we had a great and warm reunion. In fact one of our friends had seen us riding in the car the day before and thought she was hallucinating, and another told us he had a dream that we were coming. In fact, the same day we left Seattle, I took one of my favorite caps to give to him because he loves baseball hats, so perhaps there is such a thing as fate.
Last night we stayed in a guest house and there was a party within 3 feet of our window attended by over 2,000 people, who were dancing, drinking, and carousing until 1 a.m., and then the clean up crew came and stayed until 6 a.m., so there was not much sleep for us last night.
Our new digs are very very nice: lots of art work, nice comfortable furniture, nice garden and landscaping, and once again, very close to very close friends.
We are working at KCCC – Kamwokya (pronounced Kamoja, with the accent on the Ka) Christian Caring Community. Kamwokya is a slum of Kampala, and KCCC was founded in 1987. It is basically a slum and floods when the rains come. Many people live their in very basic kinds of housing with “jury rigged” power, and no running water or toilet facilities. There are open sewers, and as you well know, that brings on a multitude of diseases and other bad things.
There are some 150 employees, who serve several thousand clients in a number of programs including a medical clinic, dental clinic, savings bank and micro finance, an elementary school, youth programs, vocational schools, mental health, and more. As we get to know more we will tell you more. Our initial assignments are to help develop a fundraising plan, and to look at how the medical clinic operates, and to help develop a photographic essay about KCCC which will be put on their web page and used for other PR purposes. As is the case with us, we are doing capacity building, rather than producing, although there will be some of that also. Suffice it to say that the staff is very friendly and nice to us and to each other. That seems to be a hallmark of Uganda and is one of the reasons we are so
We have been given Ugandan names: Katende Peter which means “praise him and Nabuuso Hinda, which means “small eyes”. Of course we have to be of different clans, for if we were of the same clan we would be brother and sister, and since we have now been married for 47 years, we would have to get divorced. Thus, Peter is from the Lugave (Porcupine Clan), and Hinda from the Mushroom Clan, and both of us, (we think) are of the Muganda Tribe, and of course we are Abayudaya, (Jewish).
Late Thursday afternoon, Peter was called down to the medical clinic to photograph a 10 year old girl who had been severely beaten by her mother because she was “roaming around”, and he also photographed the mother – both for documentation purposes. The dilemma however is that if the woman is arrested and jailed for abuse, who will provide for the this girl and her siblings. By the way, she was hit in the head with a large stone among other things, and after leaving our clinic was taken to the hospital. So, this is just one thing that is a part of daily life in Kamokya
Each day we come to work at 8:15 and join the entire staff in song and prayer. We know that you will think it funny that we go for prayers every morning, but the singing, accompanied by drumming is very rousing, and very enjoyable. Once a month, the prayer service is a mass, so you can now readily guess that KCCC is a part of the Catholic church. Four years ago, we were in a different Catholic church in a different slum of Kampala.
Our computer is acting up, and this is getting a little lengthy, so we will close for now and send hugs and kisses to all. We miss all of you, but we know we will see you again in a few months. We have added a couple of photos to show you some of what we have been telling you.
Katende Peter and Nabuuso Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:15 AM
3 comments
Friday, January 11, 2008
Change in Plans
January 11, 2008
Seattle, Washington, USA
Dear All,
It seems that there has been a slight change in plans for our upcoming volunteer trip to Africa. As you know, we were planning to go to Kisumu, Kenya on January 15, but in view of the violence there, both we and the AJWS felt it wiser to pospone going to Kenya, and so we are going to go to Kampala, Uganda on January 25. We will be working with KCCC: http://www.kamccc.org/. We are excited about going back to Kampala, (we were there in 2004, and seeing old friends again. The placement is a good one, and as soon as we get there you will be hearing from us. So to repeat some old sayings, "there's a silver lining in every cloud", and "all's well that ends well".
By the way, as an aside for those of you who follow and our interested in our photograph, we will only be doing digital phoography on this trip. As many of you know, digital has come a long way, and is at least as good, if not better in some cases as 35mm film. For you technophobes, Peter will shoot with both a a Canon G7 Pro Point and Shoot and a Nikon D200 DSLR, both at 10.1 megapixels, and Hinda with a 7 megapixel Canon Point and Shoot. Enjoy!
Peter and Hinda
Seattle, Washington, USA
Dear All,
It seems that there has been a slight change in plans for our upcoming volunteer trip to Africa. As you know, we were planning to go to Kisumu, Kenya on January 15, but in view of the violence there, both we and the AJWS felt it wiser to pospone going to Kenya, and so we are going to go to Kampala, Uganda on January 25. We will be working with KCCC: http://www.kamccc.org/. We are excited about going back to Kampala, (we were there in 2004, and seeing old friends again. The placement is a good one, and as soon as we get there you will be hearing from us. So to repeat some old sayings, "there's a silver lining in every cloud", and "all's well that ends well".
By the way, as an aside for those of you who follow and our interested in our photograph, we will only be doing digital phoography on this trip. As many of you know, digital has come a long way, and is at least as good, if not better in some cases as 35mm film. For you technophobes, Peter will shoot with both a a Canon G7 Pro Point and Shoot and a Nikon D200 DSLR, both at 10.1 megapixels, and Hinda with a 7 megapixel Canon Point and Shoot. Enjoy!
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 9:38 AM
0 comments
Monday, December 03, 2007
Good News
We want to tell you about several very exciting events that have happened within the last month or two, one of which concerns our next AJWS assignment, and the others are follow up activities to projects that we started during our last two assignements in Namibia and Ghana.
We have recently learned that we will be going to Kenya in East Africa sometime in mid to late January until sometime early to mid may. We will be stationed in Kisumu, Kenya, which is located in western Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria, right on the equator. Interestingly, it is more or less across Lake Victoria from Kampala, Uganda where we volunteered in 2004, and we hope that we will be able to arrange to see some of our old friends from Reach Out in Kamplal. The name of the organization we will be working with is K-MET, (Kisumu Medical and Educational Trust) - a perfect assignment for us since the assignment will utilize both of our skills, (medical management, organizational development, and fundraising). As we learn more about what we will be doing, we will keep you informed with both stories and photos.
When we were in Namibia, we started a goat project modeled more or less on the Heifer International Project, and many of you bought goats to produce milk for AIDS orphans living in an orphanage.
We are very pleased to tell you that we applied to funding from JSoN, a Jewish organization for alumni of Jewish service organizations. Only two projects were funded for $5,000 each, and our goat project was one of them. The money will be used to provide a well for water for the goats and a vegetable garden for the orphanage, and also teach the children sound environmental methods of agriculture and animal rearing. By the way, the goat herd has increased substantially during the past 3 years (you can probably guess why), and this grant will enable the orphanage not only to provide more for the children, but for the project to be sustainable. We are very proud that this project was the first one ever awarded by JSoN.
Also in Ghana, many of you contributed small amounts of money to purchase coconut trees to be planted along the beach in Keta to keep it from eroding, and to supply coconuts, and coconut tree fronds to be used for roofing, feed, and other things, and also reinvigorate the local fishing economy which because of the erosion of the beaches had to move further and further away from where fish were caught to where they were smoked and processed in other ways. We are happy to inform you that the coconuts have now been purchased and planted, and hopefully some day, some of us will be able to go there, sit under those trees and enjoy the shade, the view, and the coconuts, and observe how the econmomy of this small oceanside community will have been reborn.
Finally, also in Ghana, we helped to start an emergency fund to provide life saving ARV's, (anti retro viral drugs) to children with HIV/AIDS. Through the generosity of many of you, for the very affordable cost of $68 for one years supply of ARV's, some 20 children now can live a happy and fulfilling life.
Once again, we, with your help are making changes in our world, and helping make life better for people who are not as fortunate as most of us Anericans. While these things may not be dramatic in the entire scheme of things, they are certainly dramatic for the individuals they help, and the most important thing is that with your help, we are able to continue to help. Remember, if we can't change the world, we can, and we are changing one life at a time.
We have recently learned that we will be going to Kenya in East Africa sometime in mid to late January until sometime early to mid may. We will be stationed in Kisumu, Kenya, which is located in western Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria, right on the equator. Interestingly, it is more or less across Lake Victoria from Kampala, Uganda where we volunteered in 2004, and we hope that we will be able to arrange to see some of our old friends from Reach Out in Kamplal. The name of the organization we will be working with is K-MET, (Kisumu Medical and Educational Trust) - a perfect assignment for us since the assignment will utilize both of our skills, (medical management, organizational development, and fundraising). As we learn more about what we will be doing, we will keep you informed with both stories and photos.
When we were in Namibia, we started a goat project modeled more or less on the Heifer International Project, and many of you bought goats to produce milk for AIDS orphans living in an orphanage.
We are very pleased to tell you that we applied to funding from JSoN, a Jewish organization for alumni of Jewish service organizations. Only two projects were funded for $5,000 each, and our goat project was one of them. The money will be used to provide a well for water for the goats and a vegetable garden for the orphanage, and also teach the children sound environmental methods of agriculture and animal rearing. By the way, the goat herd has increased substantially during the past 3 years (you can probably guess why), and this grant will enable the orphanage not only to provide more for the children, but for the project to be sustainable. We are very proud that this project was the first one ever awarded by JSoN.
Also in Ghana, many of you contributed small amounts of money to purchase coconut trees to be planted along the beach in Keta to keep it from eroding, and to supply coconuts, and coconut tree fronds to be used for roofing, feed, and other things, and also reinvigorate the local fishing economy which because of the erosion of the beaches had to move further and further away from where fish were caught to where they were smoked and processed in other ways. We are happy to inform you that the coconuts have now been purchased and planted, and hopefully some day, some of us will be able to go there, sit under those trees and enjoy the shade, the view, and the coconuts, and observe how the econmomy of this small oceanside community will have been reborn.
Finally, also in Ghana, we helped to start an emergency fund to provide life saving ARV's, (anti retro viral drugs) to children with HIV/AIDS. Through the generosity of many of you, for the very affordable cost of $68 for one years supply of ARV's, some 20 children now can live a happy and fulfilling life.
Once again, we, with your help are making changes in our world, and helping make life better for people who are not as fortunate as most of us Anericans. While these things may not be dramatic in the entire scheme of things, they are certainly dramatic for the individuals they help, and the most important thing is that with your help, we are able to continue to help. Remember, if we can't change the world, we can, and we are changing one life at a time.
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:41 AM
0 comments
Thursday, March 22, 2007
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:57 PM
2 comments
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:51 PM
0 comments
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:48 PM
0 comments
Mexico
Mexico
March 4 – 18, 2007
Hello all!
This was our first travel experience out of the country since returning from Ghana last September. While we were volunteering again, and also in a developing country, it was different than all of our other volunteer experiences:
Our first trip to Mexico, our neighbor to the south;
Our first group volunteer effort;
Our shortest volunteer experience;
Our first volunteer work doing physical labor.
We helped to organize a group of nearly 20 people from our synagogue – Temple Beth Am in Seattle with the AJWS (American Jewish World Service), with whom we have been volunteering for the past 7 years.
Our group including one of our rabbi’s, (Rabbi Beth) traveled to a small Mayan village on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The name of this village is Muchucuxcah and it has somewhat less than 100 families, but it also has an NGO: “El Hombre Sobre la Tierra”, - HST, loosely translated as “The People of the Earth”. One of the things that HST is doing with the help of AJWS and other organizations, but mostly through a cooperative of families from Muchucxcah, is to develop an eco-tourism program.
So, our group went there for a week to help build this eco-tourism site. We mixed cement; debarked trees to build one of the now 7 “palapas” - thatched huts for living and sleeping for the guests; dug out stumps and hauled rocks; planted and watered pineapple trees, and lots of other labor.
The most important aspect of this short, but great experience was getting to know the men, women, and children of the village. We worked alongside the men; ate with the women in their houses; and played with the children. We learned much about the Mayan culture of Mexico and Central America, both past and present, and had an intense experience from an emotional, intellectual, and physical point of view.
We learned however, that physical labor is becoming difficult for us as we grow older, and so as we continue to volunteer around the world, we will limit ourselves to jobs that we can do with our heads and not so much with our hands.
After being in Muchucuxcah for a week, the two of us went to Mexico City for a week of relaxation and fun. Although there was not much relaxing because we traveled all over the largest city in the world, every day from early to late for a week, we did have fun: excellent museums, food, sights, etc. And, having grown up and lived in New York, we like being in big cities which have a lot of culture. It was also a huge contrast with the tiny village we had been in the week before.
We are now back in Seattle, and our plans are to volunteer again, somewhere in the world late this year for 3 ½ months. When we find out when and where we are going, we will let you know.
We are including as usual, a few photos of this recent trip.
Hope all remains well with all of you.
Best regards,
Peter and Hinda
March 4 – 18, 2007
Hello all!
This was our first travel experience out of the country since returning from Ghana last September. While we were volunteering again, and also in a developing country, it was different than all of our other volunteer experiences:
Our first trip to Mexico, our neighbor to the south;
Our first group volunteer effort;
Our shortest volunteer experience;
Our first volunteer work doing physical labor.
We helped to organize a group of nearly 20 people from our synagogue – Temple Beth Am in Seattle with the AJWS (American Jewish World Service), with whom we have been volunteering for the past 7 years.
Our group including one of our rabbi’s, (Rabbi Beth) traveled to a small Mayan village on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The name of this village is Muchucuxcah and it has somewhat less than 100 families, but it also has an NGO: “El Hombre Sobre la Tierra”, - HST, loosely translated as “The People of the Earth”. One of the things that HST is doing with the help of AJWS and other organizations, but mostly through a cooperative of families from Muchucxcah, is to develop an eco-tourism program.
So, our group went there for a week to help build this eco-tourism site. We mixed cement; debarked trees to build one of the now 7 “palapas” - thatched huts for living and sleeping for the guests; dug out stumps and hauled rocks; planted and watered pineapple trees, and lots of other labor.
The most important aspect of this short, but great experience was getting to know the men, women, and children of the village. We worked alongside the men; ate with the women in their houses; and played with the children. We learned much about the Mayan culture of Mexico and Central America, both past and present, and had an intense experience from an emotional, intellectual, and physical point of view.
We learned however, that physical labor is becoming difficult for us as we grow older, and so as we continue to volunteer around the world, we will limit ourselves to jobs that we can do with our heads and not so much with our hands.
After being in Muchucuxcah for a week, the two of us went to Mexico City for a week of relaxation and fun. Although there was not much relaxing because we traveled all over the largest city in the world, every day from early to late for a week, we did have fun: excellent museums, food, sights, etc. And, having grown up and lived in New York, we like being in big cities which have a lot of culture. It was also a huge contrast with the tiny village we had been in the week before.
We are now back in Seattle, and our plans are to volunteer again, somewhere in the world late this year for 3 ½ months. When we find out when and where we are going, we will let you know.
We are including as usual, a few photos of this recent trip.
Hope all remains well with all of you.
Best regards,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:33 PM
0 comments
Friday, November 03, 2006
Peter Schnurman's Photography Website
See examples of Peter Schnurman's photographs of people and places in the developing world where he and Hinda volunteer, as well as other international travel images. You can also view Peter's North American landscape images, and can purchase prints, or use of these and other images. http://www.peterschnurmanphoto.com
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:32 AM
0 comments
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Coffin, coffin makers, and photo fee of 2 oranges
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:24 AM
0 comments
Email Number 9
Email Number 9
Accra, Ghana
August 26, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
This may be a bit bittersweet: it will be our last blog entry to you from Ghana, and while we are very anxious to return home to see all of you, there are many things that we will miss about our 3 ½ month stay here. Bittersweet or not, we are leaving here in 9 more days and will arrive home on September 5.
We have just returned from our second vacation here in Ghana. We had a very nice trip to the Cape Coast – the western coastal section of the country. Driving along the coast we were delighted with the coconut trees, mist, sun, surf, mud huts with thatched roofs, fishing boats, women with babies in tubs bathing or selling things and sun. In spite of all those wonderful things the overwhelming poverty is depressing. The coast, however, is noted primarily for the many slave castles and forts that can be found on the coast. We visited two of them: Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, and previously we had visited two others.
Slavery as we all know was an insidious institution. Some 15,000,000 slaves came through these slave castles. About 1/3 ended up in the US, and the remaining 2/3 were divided evenly between South America and Cuba and the West Indies.
One of the most emotional moments for us was during a tour of the Elmina Castle. We were in the room from which slaves departed onto the ships that would carry them across the ocean, and were standing at the “door of no return”. Our guide asked us all to repeat in unison: “Never Again!”. As we said that, we were saying it as Americans with regard to slavery, but also as Jews with regard to the Holocaust, and so it was a very powerful moment for us. And also as human beings and citizens of the world, for in our lifetime we have witnessed other tragedies which should not have happened: the Cambodian Killing Fields, Rwanda, Kosovo,and now Darfur in the Sudan, among other atrocities. Somehow even though we make these pledges of “never again”, they happen again and again.
The conditions of the slaves in the castles, and on the ships were as bad as bad can be, and just as bad when those who managed to survive landed in the “new world”. Dark, no food or water for many, shackled together so that no one could move, living in excrement and with dead comrades all around, women being selected for raping by those in command, and many many more inhuman conditions.
Slavery could not have happened without the cooperation and participation of many Africans, among whom slavery was often practiced, although not to the extent that happened during the slave trade. And usually families were not broken up, and frequently slaves were able to become members of the tribe or group to whom they were taken to.
In many of the slave castles, the “door of no return” has been changed to “doors of return” to welcome back the ancestors of slaves who have made the return journey right through those very same doors. And in each of the slave castles we visited we saw wreaths and flowers as memorials. In Elmina, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we saw many Ghanaian school children and college students visiting and learning about their history.
Because slavery is so much a part of our American experience, we hope that you will one day share some of what we have. We thought it was an important thing to do as Americans and as human beings.
One of the most exciting things we did was to go on the “Canopy Walk” in Kakum National Park. The “canopy walk” is a suspension bridge 120 feet high and about 1.200 feet long erected in the jungle tree canopy. It is very narrow, about 18 inches or less, and yes, it sways and bounces. But fear not, it is just about impossible to fall off because the sides are close to armpit high. We were fortunate to go very early in the morning with a light drizzle falling. The jungle was very quiet and beautiful. Unfortunately the drizzle kept the birds out of sight, but we enjoyed the solitude immensely. And best of all, Hinda did it with flying colors, but did have a few very scary moments. By the way, once you start walking, there is no turning back, because there may be someone behind you and there is no room to pass!
On this trip we stayed in two very nice beach resorts, and were able to enjoy some excellent seafood, and we even watched it being caught by local fisherman in dugout canoes throwing nets in the ocean. One of our favorite’s is called a “cassava fish” since it’s scales look like a cassava – the main ingredient of fufu, a staple of food here and throughout West Africa. We ate coconuts on the beach right from the coconut trees growing all around us. The area in which we traveled has the best pineapples of which we partook liberally. And the ocean which was a bit rough was also warm and refreshing.
We took a very interesting side trip to a small village called Nzulezo. Nzulezo is built on stilts on a lake at the end of a river that is only reachable by an hour dugout canoe ride. Only 500 people live there. It was a very beautiful and peaceful canoe ride up a long canal into the lake. The water was like glass with trees arching from one side to the other. And at the end, Nzuelezo.
Unfortunately, we have found Ghana, and other parts of Africa as well to be filled to overflowing with garbage, especially plastic which may never disintegrate. It just doesn’t seem possible that it will ever get cleaned up. There is a severe problem with clean water for drinking, washing, cooking, etc. Our concern is that this government, our government, and other governments are spending money for new buildings, stadiums, etc. and for water and sanitation presumably, but we cannot see any results. In our opinion, until every village has a supply of clean water, and there are toilets for everyone so that people don’t have to use the streets, things like the building of stadiums and new government office buildings should be put on hold. While we see on TV that this government is fairly free of corruption, it is still pretty corrupt at the level of the police on the streets and who knows where else. We see it every day, including this last trip where our driver had to pay the police several bribes in order for us to continue on our journey. The contrast of being on a beautiful clean beach while right next door the beach is strewn with garbage and human feces is striking. People are crippled by guinea worm which comes from bathing and drinking water infected by the bacteria needs to be addressed throughout this continent. And the fact that AIDS is still increasing – 40,000,000, with the majority being here in Africa should be unacceptable to the industrialized nations, but it apparently isn’t, given the limited resources that are spent by those governments to deal with the pandemic. And malaria continues to be the largest killer of all – more than a million pregnant women and children a year succumb – needlessly. It can be prevented with simple methods. It is these contrasts with the natural beauty of the African environment and the beauty of the African spirit and people that are very frustrating to us. But in any case we feel compelled to continue to do the little that we can to help here and there.
Just a quick update on the Keta Tree Project – we have collected $1,750 in donations and will present the money to Pro-Link and the Keta District Assembly on September 1. Pro-Link will buy the coconut trees during the next few months and they will be planted by the community members. For those of you who contributed, thanks for helping to keep an entire community above water – literally!
So, we are once again coming to the end of another adventure. We worked hard and tried to give as much as we could, but we also learned much about Ghana, the Ghanaian people, and West Africa. We have been enriched yet another time. Our hosts and work colleagues were welcoming and warm and were all of the Ghanaians we met.
We will be bringing back lots of photos and stories to share with you and are looking forward to that very much.
See you soon!
Love from Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
August 26, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
This may be a bit bittersweet: it will be our last blog entry to you from Ghana, and while we are very anxious to return home to see all of you, there are many things that we will miss about our 3 ½ month stay here. Bittersweet or not, we are leaving here in 9 more days and will arrive home on September 5.
We have just returned from our second vacation here in Ghana. We had a very nice trip to the Cape Coast – the western coastal section of the country. Driving along the coast we were delighted with the coconut trees, mist, sun, surf, mud huts with thatched roofs, fishing boats, women with babies in tubs bathing or selling things and sun. In spite of all those wonderful things the overwhelming poverty is depressing. The coast, however, is noted primarily for the many slave castles and forts that can be found on the coast. We visited two of them: Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, and previously we had visited two others.
Slavery as we all know was an insidious institution. Some 15,000,000 slaves came through these slave castles. About 1/3 ended up in the US, and the remaining 2/3 were divided evenly between South America and Cuba and the West Indies.
One of the most emotional moments for us was during a tour of the Elmina Castle. We were in the room from which slaves departed onto the ships that would carry them across the ocean, and were standing at the “door of no return”. Our guide asked us all to repeat in unison: “Never Again!”. As we said that, we were saying it as Americans with regard to slavery, but also as Jews with regard to the Holocaust, and so it was a very powerful moment for us. And also as human beings and citizens of the world, for in our lifetime we have witnessed other tragedies which should not have happened: the Cambodian Killing Fields, Rwanda, Kosovo,and now Darfur in the Sudan, among other atrocities. Somehow even though we make these pledges of “never again”, they happen again and again.
The conditions of the slaves in the castles, and on the ships were as bad as bad can be, and just as bad when those who managed to survive landed in the “new world”. Dark, no food or water for many, shackled together so that no one could move, living in excrement and with dead comrades all around, women being selected for raping by those in command, and many many more inhuman conditions.
Slavery could not have happened without the cooperation and participation of many Africans, among whom slavery was often practiced, although not to the extent that happened during the slave trade. And usually families were not broken up, and frequently slaves were able to become members of the tribe or group to whom they were taken to.
In many of the slave castles, the “door of no return” has been changed to “doors of return” to welcome back the ancestors of slaves who have made the return journey right through those very same doors. And in each of the slave castles we visited we saw wreaths and flowers as memorials. In Elmina, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we saw many Ghanaian school children and college students visiting and learning about their history.
Because slavery is so much a part of our American experience, we hope that you will one day share some of what we have. We thought it was an important thing to do as Americans and as human beings.
One of the most exciting things we did was to go on the “Canopy Walk” in Kakum National Park. The “canopy walk” is a suspension bridge 120 feet high and about 1.200 feet long erected in the jungle tree canopy. It is very narrow, about 18 inches or less, and yes, it sways and bounces. But fear not, it is just about impossible to fall off because the sides are close to armpit high. We were fortunate to go very early in the morning with a light drizzle falling. The jungle was very quiet and beautiful. Unfortunately the drizzle kept the birds out of sight, but we enjoyed the solitude immensely. And best of all, Hinda did it with flying colors, but did have a few very scary moments. By the way, once you start walking, there is no turning back, because there may be someone behind you and there is no room to pass!
On this trip we stayed in two very nice beach resorts, and were able to enjoy some excellent seafood, and we even watched it being caught by local fisherman in dugout canoes throwing nets in the ocean. One of our favorite’s is called a “cassava fish” since it’s scales look like a cassava – the main ingredient of fufu, a staple of food here and throughout West Africa. We ate coconuts on the beach right from the coconut trees growing all around us. The area in which we traveled has the best pineapples of which we partook liberally. And the ocean which was a bit rough was also warm and refreshing.
We took a very interesting side trip to a small village called Nzulezo. Nzulezo is built on stilts on a lake at the end of a river that is only reachable by an hour dugout canoe ride. Only 500 people live there. It was a very beautiful and peaceful canoe ride up a long canal into the lake. The water was like glass with trees arching from one side to the other. And at the end, Nzuelezo.
Unfortunately, we have found Ghana, and other parts of Africa as well to be filled to overflowing with garbage, especially plastic which may never disintegrate. It just doesn’t seem possible that it will ever get cleaned up. There is a severe problem with clean water for drinking, washing, cooking, etc. Our concern is that this government, our government, and other governments are spending money for new buildings, stadiums, etc. and for water and sanitation presumably, but we cannot see any results. In our opinion, until every village has a supply of clean water, and there are toilets for everyone so that people don’t have to use the streets, things like the building of stadiums and new government office buildings should be put on hold. While we see on TV that this government is fairly free of corruption, it is still pretty corrupt at the level of the police on the streets and who knows where else. We see it every day, including this last trip where our driver had to pay the police several bribes in order for us to continue on our journey. The contrast of being on a beautiful clean beach while right next door the beach is strewn with garbage and human feces is striking. People are crippled by guinea worm which comes from bathing and drinking water infected by the bacteria needs to be addressed throughout this continent. And the fact that AIDS is still increasing – 40,000,000, with the majority being here in Africa should be unacceptable to the industrialized nations, but it apparently isn’t, given the limited resources that are spent by those governments to deal with the pandemic. And malaria continues to be the largest killer of all – more than a million pregnant women and children a year succumb – needlessly. It can be prevented with simple methods. It is these contrasts with the natural beauty of the African environment and the beauty of the African spirit and people that are very frustrating to us. But in any case we feel compelled to continue to do the little that we can to help here and there.
Just a quick update on the Keta Tree Project – we have collected $1,750 in donations and will present the money to Pro-Link and the Keta District Assembly on September 1. Pro-Link will buy the coconut trees during the next few months and they will be planted by the community members. For those of you who contributed, thanks for helping to keep an entire community above water – literally!
So, we are once again coming to the end of another adventure. We worked hard and tried to give as much as we could, but we also learned much about Ghana, the Ghanaian people, and West Africa. We have been enriched yet another time. Our hosts and work colleagues were welcoming and warm and were all of the Ghanaians we met.
We will be bringing back lots of photos and stories to share with you and are looking forward to that very much.
See you soon!
Love from Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 2:38 AM
1 comments
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
95 year old chief imam and his 22 year old wife nunmber 4
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 8:36 AM
0 comments
95 year old chief Imam of Larabanga Mosque copying Koran
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 7:29 AM
0 comments
Peter dancing at Ewe funeral in traditional clothes
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 7:26 AM
0 comments
Email Number 8
Email Number 8
Accra, Ghana
August 14, 2006
Hi Everyone,
We have just returned from a week in the north. While we had a great time and took lots of good photos as you will see, getting there and back was pretty arduous and full of mishaps.
Since it is a long journey to get to the north from Accra, we decided to splurge and fly on a local airline. Good idea – right? Wrong! We bought the tickets about 3 or 4 weeks ago and then our friends Eleanor and Isaac decided to come with us. So, they went to the airline and were told that the airline was not selling any more tickets – engine problems! (they only had 2 planes and both were broken – “had a fault”). Of course the airline never told us that they weren’t flying. We went to their office and were told that there were no refunds, but we could use the tickets during the next 3 months. We told them that we were going back to the US. Finally, they told us they would put us on the other local airline which was going to fly the day before. So, two days before the scheduled flight, we were told they were in fact going to fly and we got ready to go. Then our friends went to get the tickets and were told again, - not flying. The next day, one day before departure, we were told they were flying, and by that time the other airline had already left. At 2 pm on the day before departure, we called and were told that all is well. At 4 pm, they called to tell us, the planes were still broken. So, our friends went to the bus station to get tickets for all of us and were told no advance tickets and to come early in the morning and buy tix before boarding. Well we got there at 6:45 for the 9 am bus and we were told that the bus was full and all the tickets were purchased the day before! To make a long story short, we finally did get bus tickets for another bus that was supposed to come, but when the time came for it to depart it was no where in sight. We went to the full bus and found that there were four seats for us. What do you think we did? We got on it of course, and arrived 14 hours later at our destination.
If you think this is the end of the story, forget it. The next morning, we rode 3 ½ hours on a bumpy dirt road to Mole National Park only to find out our reservations in the lodge were not available, and we had no place to stay – and as you can imagine, there in the “bush” there was no place else any where. After some 6 hours or so of cajoling, paying small amounts of money here and there we were put up for the night in “the castle” – the place where the ministers stay when they visit the park. The next day we moved into our regular rooms which somehow became available. Our room turned out to be a chalet on the edge of a large waterhole, where elephants came to bathe. Really nice.
Things went reasonably well for the next couple of days and we enjoyed safari walks and drives where we saw elephants, various species of antelope, monkeys, baboons, etc.
Uh oh, here comes more trouble. About 1 ½ hours out of the park on the way to Kumasi, our car hit a rock and the fuel tank got punctured. Our driver fixed it temporarily with some plastic we found. About 20 or 30 minutes later, because the road was so bumpy, the fuel line fell off the car. What did we do? We hitched a ride with a couple of nice guys in a pickup truck to the junction where our friends went one way and we continued to Kumasi. This final leg was to have taken only 3 hours according to the driver but ended up taking 6.
In the north are where a lot of Muslims live, and in fact the city of Tamale is some 90% Muslim as compared to the mostly Christian south. There are many different languages in the north, and there has been a lot of tribal rivalry and violence, but none for a while. Thank goodness, car trouble was bad enough.
Just outside of Mole there is a village by the name of Larabanga which is where the largest mud and stick mosque in Ghana is located and it is also the oldest building still standing in Ghana – built in 1421 (they think). We had a very interesting visit. When we arrived, we met the chief imam – 95 years old who was sitting on the ground and handwriting the Koran using various color inks. (see the photo). Then we met his 4th wife – 22 years old! (see the photo).
So, Peter and Hinda had another adventure. By the way, while in Kumasi, the seat of the Asanti people, there was a gospel music video being made at the hotel, and Peter wandered into it and was invited to dance in it which he did. (Peter, 3 women, and another man all dancing and singing gospel!)
We learned alot about the Asanti culture, and especially about the King and Queen Mother who is by custom related to the King. She could be his aunt or mother for example, but they are not married. In the Asanti culture, while the King is very powerful, and people will heed him more than the President, the Queen Mother is even more powerful than the King. The Asanti are a matrilineal society composed of a number of clans, and also a part of the Akan culture.
We have been trying to convince all of the young people we work with who are planning to get married to do it while we are here so we can attend the wedding, but to no avail. So we did the next best thing. While in Kumasi, a friend of the women who was taking us around had to go to a funeral. As we told you before, most funerals are held on Saturdays so people can have the time to get to where it will be held. And so we went to an Ewe funeral. The Ewe’s are a tribe from the Volta region, but some live in Kumasi. One of the things about an Ewe funeral is that there is a lot of drumming, dancing and singing, similar to the Bobobo singing and dancing. We were honored to participate and were invited to dance a couple of times (see photos), and also drank some of the local home made gin made from palm wine. Very strong stuff! Peter drank, Hinda watched.
In Kumasi we ran into a couple from the USA who were volunteering with an NGO about to get a contract from USAID for a food security program. Here is the interesting thing about how our government is spending it’s (our) bucks. This couple was only going to be here for 5 days and in that time they needed to learn whatever they could in order to write the proposal to USAID for a grant for a food security program. Well, first of all, that is hardly enough time to learn anything of that scope. They asked us where we thought the greatest need was, and while we know a bit more than they do because we have been here now for over 3 months, we certainly don’t feel very comfortable guiding them. Never the less, they were willing to accept anything anyone told them including the fact that the young boys who were selling “grasscutter” (nutria) was monkey bush meat! Maybe we should all talk to our congresspersons about how the USA is doling out money. By the way, in today’s paper there was a story about foreign aid. While the US gives out the most money, it is the least per capita compared to other western countries. The Netherlands was numero uno and the UK was 12th. So, friends, we can and should do a lot more.
Finally, we you may know, there is a small Jewish community here in Ghana – some 20 families. The town they live in is called Sefi Wiaso. Sefi, by the way is another local language. The President and Secretary of the community came to Kumasi to meet with us, and we gave them some Judaica that some of you were generous to send to us for them. We agreed to help them market some of the things they make - Challah covers and talit made from Kente cloth. We hope to bring some samples back to show you.
We made it back to Accra after a couple of days in Kumasi with a relatively short 5 ½ hour bus ride.
So, that’s about it for now. We’ll probably write one more time before we depart here on September 4th.
Peace and love to all of you,
Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
August 14, 2006
Hi Everyone,
We have just returned from a week in the north. While we had a great time and took lots of good photos as you will see, getting there and back was pretty arduous and full of mishaps.
Since it is a long journey to get to the north from Accra, we decided to splurge and fly on a local airline. Good idea – right? Wrong! We bought the tickets about 3 or 4 weeks ago and then our friends Eleanor and Isaac decided to come with us. So, they went to the airline and were told that the airline was not selling any more tickets – engine problems! (they only had 2 planes and both were broken – “had a fault”). Of course the airline never told us that they weren’t flying. We went to their office and were told that there were no refunds, but we could use the tickets during the next 3 months. We told them that we were going back to the US. Finally, they told us they would put us on the other local airline which was going to fly the day before. So, two days before the scheduled flight, we were told they were in fact going to fly and we got ready to go. Then our friends went to get the tickets and were told again, - not flying. The next day, one day before departure, we were told they were flying, and by that time the other airline had already left. At 2 pm on the day before departure, we called and were told that all is well. At 4 pm, they called to tell us, the planes were still broken. So, our friends went to the bus station to get tickets for all of us and were told no advance tickets and to come early in the morning and buy tix before boarding. Well we got there at 6:45 for the 9 am bus and we were told that the bus was full and all the tickets were purchased the day before! To make a long story short, we finally did get bus tickets for another bus that was supposed to come, but when the time came for it to depart it was no where in sight. We went to the full bus and found that there were four seats for us. What do you think we did? We got on it of course, and arrived 14 hours later at our destination.
If you think this is the end of the story, forget it. The next morning, we rode 3 ½ hours on a bumpy dirt road to Mole National Park only to find out our reservations in the lodge were not available, and we had no place to stay – and as you can imagine, there in the “bush” there was no place else any where. After some 6 hours or so of cajoling, paying small amounts of money here and there we were put up for the night in “the castle” – the place where the ministers stay when they visit the park. The next day we moved into our regular rooms which somehow became available. Our room turned out to be a chalet on the edge of a large waterhole, where elephants came to bathe. Really nice.
Things went reasonably well for the next couple of days and we enjoyed safari walks and drives where we saw elephants, various species of antelope, monkeys, baboons, etc.
Uh oh, here comes more trouble. About 1 ½ hours out of the park on the way to Kumasi, our car hit a rock and the fuel tank got punctured. Our driver fixed it temporarily with some plastic we found. About 20 or 30 minutes later, because the road was so bumpy, the fuel line fell off the car. What did we do? We hitched a ride with a couple of nice guys in a pickup truck to the junction where our friends went one way and we continued to Kumasi. This final leg was to have taken only 3 hours according to the driver but ended up taking 6.
In the north are where a lot of Muslims live, and in fact the city of Tamale is some 90% Muslim as compared to the mostly Christian south. There are many different languages in the north, and there has been a lot of tribal rivalry and violence, but none for a while. Thank goodness, car trouble was bad enough.
Just outside of Mole there is a village by the name of Larabanga which is where the largest mud and stick mosque in Ghana is located and it is also the oldest building still standing in Ghana – built in 1421 (they think). We had a very interesting visit. When we arrived, we met the chief imam – 95 years old who was sitting on the ground and handwriting the Koran using various color inks. (see the photo). Then we met his 4th wife – 22 years old! (see the photo).
So, Peter and Hinda had another adventure. By the way, while in Kumasi, the seat of the Asanti people, there was a gospel music video being made at the hotel, and Peter wandered into it and was invited to dance in it which he did. (Peter, 3 women, and another man all dancing and singing gospel!)
We learned alot about the Asanti culture, and especially about the King and Queen Mother who is by custom related to the King. She could be his aunt or mother for example, but they are not married. In the Asanti culture, while the King is very powerful, and people will heed him more than the President, the Queen Mother is even more powerful than the King. The Asanti are a matrilineal society composed of a number of clans, and also a part of the Akan culture.
We have been trying to convince all of the young people we work with who are planning to get married to do it while we are here so we can attend the wedding, but to no avail. So we did the next best thing. While in Kumasi, a friend of the women who was taking us around had to go to a funeral. As we told you before, most funerals are held on Saturdays so people can have the time to get to where it will be held. And so we went to an Ewe funeral. The Ewe’s are a tribe from the Volta region, but some live in Kumasi. One of the things about an Ewe funeral is that there is a lot of drumming, dancing and singing, similar to the Bobobo singing and dancing. We were honored to participate and were invited to dance a couple of times (see photos), and also drank some of the local home made gin made from palm wine. Very strong stuff! Peter drank, Hinda watched.
In Kumasi we ran into a couple from the USA who were volunteering with an NGO about to get a contract from USAID for a food security program. Here is the interesting thing about how our government is spending it’s (our) bucks. This couple was only going to be here for 5 days and in that time they needed to learn whatever they could in order to write the proposal to USAID for a grant for a food security program. Well, first of all, that is hardly enough time to learn anything of that scope. They asked us where we thought the greatest need was, and while we know a bit more than they do because we have been here now for over 3 months, we certainly don’t feel very comfortable guiding them. Never the less, they were willing to accept anything anyone told them including the fact that the young boys who were selling “grasscutter” (nutria) was monkey bush meat! Maybe we should all talk to our congresspersons about how the USA is doling out money. By the way, in today’s paper there was a story about foreign aid. While the US gives out the most money, it is the least per capita compared to other western countries. The Netherlands was numero uno and the UK was 12th. So, friends, we can and should do a lot more.
Finally, we you may know, there is a small Jewish community here in Ghana – some 20 families. The town they live in is called Sefi Wiaso. Sefi, by the way is another local language. The President and Secretary of the community came to Kumasi to meet with us, and we gave them some Judaica that some of you were generous to send to us for them. We agreed to help them market some of the things they make - Challah covers and talit made from Kente cloth. We hope to bring some samples back to show you.
We made it back to Accra after a couple of days in Kumasi with a relatively short 5 ½ hour bus ride.
So, that’s about it for now. We’ll probably write one more time before we depart here on September 4th.
Peace and love to all of you,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 6:43 AM
0 comments
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Bernice's 97 year old father - 9 children, 29 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:10 AM
0 comments
Chiefs and Queen Mothers at ceremony in Aflao (notice the shoe)
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:07 AM
0 comments
Orphan children performing traditional dance in Aflao
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:03 AM
0 comments
Email Number 7
Email Number 7
Accra, Ghana
August 5, 2006
Dear Friends and Family,
Well, it is hard to believe that in just one month from today we will back amongst you. Time seems to have gone by pretty quickly for us here, never the less we have missed each of you and are anxious to see you all again.
We have just returned from a 4 day training in Aflao on the Ghana – Togo border, the busiest border crossing in Ghana. Aflao is a real border town, like Tijuana, Mexico. It is a hubbub of activity. People are coming and going to Togo, Nigeria, Benin, and even Mali. There is also quite a bit of smuggling going on and it is pretty open. It doesn’t take much to bribe the people at the border, at least on the Ghanaian side and probably on the Togo side, as well. In fact, on our way back to Accra on Friday afternoon in a van, at each of the stops for Customs, Immigration, and Police, several of the passengers who didn’t have the proper ID paid bribes, and some of them paid at each of those places, and they weren’t very discreet about it, we saw them putting the money in the officials hands.
We had a very good training and were particularly pleased that there were a lot of questions and discussions. This time we did some role playing and it went pretty well. One of the training sessions was to help think through some income generating activities for the Aflao project so that they might earn some additional funds to enhance their programs. When we asked for suggestions about what business would be the best, the first suggestion was “smuggling”. Of course it was a joke, or was it? The Aflao office does in fact have a small IGA going for PLWHA’s (People Living with HIV/AIDS). It is a small kiosk where people can make phone calls. The money earned is for the PLWHWA group, but the kiosk just has the Prolink name on it and no other identifying markings, otherwise, no one would patronize it because they would not want to come in any contact whatsoever with a PLWHA. So, as you can see, there is still quite a stigma associated with this terrible disease, and that is why education is such an important thing here and elsewhere where there is AIDS.
We stayed at the Thanks Hotel in Aflao (this was the best hotel in town), when you check in there is a jar of condoms at the counter, and on the outside of every room door, a small cartoon sign reminding people to use condoms. In the dining room (a very liberal definition), Elizabeth the waitress served us each morning in her pajamas and a shower cap on her head. But, most importantly, Elizabeth was very friendly and helpful as is everyone here. It is really nice to be in such an environment and we shall miss that part of Ghana when we leave.
Here are a couple of expressions that we find amusing: The Ghanaian use of English is slightly different than ours, and usually a little more proper because of the British influence. Our office driver was complaining to us about a seller of phone cards because she “misbehaved” – she was rude, and a few days ago, the taxi we were riding in just stopped in the middle of the road because it had a “fault”, as did the TV for the 4 days we were in the hotel in Aflao.
Here in Ghana there is in fact a National Health Insurance “scheme”, (plan). Unfortunately, a lot of Ghanaians don’t have it. Some are just procrastinators, like many of us, but most perhaps just can’t afford it, even though by our standards the cost is quite cheap – 75,000 cedi’s, about $8.20 at the current exchange rate. By the way, that is a one time fee, and not a monthly or annual premium. So, when we discovered that Janet, our cook/cleaner and her 7 year old son who has had a very bad cough were not covered, we decided to pay for the insurance. Because of the beaurocracy here, it may take several months for it to come through, but in time it will and we are happy that we were able to help this small family. We usually don’t like to “just pay for things for people”, but we really wanted to help her and Kojo out.
Also there is a lot of sharing here. People are always sharing their lunch and snacks with everyone in the office, and many people who have servants pay for them to get an education, etc. Speaking of sharing, where we live there is also a form of sharing. The iron gets passed around from family to family as needed, as does the only DVD player, so we are never sure when we come home from work what will be, or not be in our house. So, we have learned to share also, and of course are happy to.
On Monday, August 7, we are going to the north for a week with a couple that we like very much and are our best friends here – a Ghanaian man and his Seattle girlfriend – Isaac and Eleanor, and we are looking forward to a good time. We will be going to Mole, Ghana’s largest national park that has a lot of game including elephants. Of the four of us, three have seen lots of game in Africa – the only one who hasn’t is Isaac - the only African among us. Ghanaians don’t travel a lot. We have been told this over and over, so our friend Isaac is quite excited.
We usually go to a particular internet café to send and receive emails, etc.., and this particular place is frequented by many Nigerians. (There are a lot of Nigerians involved in internet scams. One of them is called a “419” referring to the anti scamming law in Nigeria.. Here in Ghana, at least in our internet café, the restrictions are more lax.) So, the other day, as were there working, we happened to glance at the computer next to us and we saw a man creating a fake certificate from a presumably fictitious bank which eventually will be sent to some of you perhaps, and us as well asking for our bank account and credit card information in order to share in the estate of a rich uncle, etc., etc. Sitting on the other side of us was a young man who was surfing the net looking for information about colleges in the US that he could apply to.
One more interesting thing to tell you. Most of the large stores and businesses here in Ghana are owned by Lebanese who came here after Israel’s first invasion of Lebanon. And we know that many Lebanese here and elsewhere in foreign countries support the Hezbollah. So, here we are worried about our friends and family in Israel who are being bombed by the Katusha rockets and who may be called up in the reserves to go fight, and our money being spent here in the Lebanese businesses is probably being used to support that.
We will let you know more after we return from the north. Until then, peace and love to you all.
Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
August 5, 2006
Dear Friends and Family,
Well, it is hard to believe that in just one month from today we will back amongst you. Time seems to have gone by pretty quickly for us here, never the less we have missed each of you and are anxious to see you all again.
We have just returned from a 4 day training in Aflao on the Ghana – Togo border, the busiest border crossing in Ghana. Aflao is a real border town, like Tijuana, Mexico. It is a hubbub of activity. People are coming and going to Togo, Nigeria, Benin, and even Mali. There is also quite a bit of smuggling going on and it is pretty open. It doesn’t take much to bribe the people at the border, at least on the Ghanaian side and probably on the Togo side, as well. In fact, on our way back to Accra on Friday afternoon in a van, at each of the stops for Customs, Immigration, and Police, several of the passengers who didn’t have the proper ID paid bribes, and some of them paid at each of those places, and they weren’t very discreet about it, we saw them putting the money in the officials hands.
We had a very good training and were particularly pleased that there were a lot of questions and discussions. This time we did some role playing and it went pretty well. One of the training sessions was to help think through some income generating activities for the Aflao project so that they might earn some additional funds to enhance their programs. When we asked for suggestions about what business would be the best, the first suggestion was “smuggling”. Of course it was a joke, or was it? The Aflao office does in fact have a small IGA going for PLWHA’s (People Living with HIV/AIDS). It is a small kiosk where people can make phone calls. The money earned is for the PLWHWA group, but the kiosk just has the Prolink name on it and no other identifying markings, otherwise, no one would patronize it because they would not want to come in any contact whatsoever with a PLWHA. So, as you can see, there is still quite a stigma associated with this terrible disease, and that is why education is such an important thing here and elsewhere where there is AIDS.
We stayed at the Thanks Hotel in Aflao (this was the best hotel in town), when you check in there is a jar of condoms at the counter, and on the outside of every room door, a small cartoon sign reminding people to use condoms. In the dining room (a very liberal definition), Elizabeth the waitress served us each morning in her pajamas and a shower cap on her head. But, most importantly, Elizabeth was very friendly and helpful as is everyone here. It is really nice to be in such an environment and we shall miss that part of Ghana when we leave.
Here are a couple of expressions that we find amusing: The Ghanaian use of English is slightly different than ours, and usually a little more proper because of the British influence. Our office driver was complaining to us about a seller of phone cards because she “misbehaved” – she was rude, and a few days ago, the taxi we were riding in just stopped in the middle of the road because it had a “fault”, as did the TV for the 4 days we were in the hotel in Aflao.
Here in Ghana there is in fact a National Health Insurance “scheme”, (plan). Unfortunately, a lot of Ghanaians don’t have it. Some are just procrastinators, like many of us, but most perhaps just can’t afford it, even though by our standards the cost is quite cheap – 75,000 cedi’s, about $8.20 at the current exchange rate. By the way, that is a one time fee, and not a monthly or annual premium. So, when we discovered that Janet, our cook/cleaner and her 7 year old son who has had a very bad cough were not covered, we decided to pay for the insurance. Because of the beaurocracy here, it may take several months for it to come through, but in time it will and we are happy that we were able to help this small family. We usually don’t like to “just pay for things for people”, but we really wanted to help her and Kojo out.
Also there is a lot of sharing here. People are always sharing their lunch and snacks with everyone in the office, and many people who have servants pay for them to get an education, etc. Speaking of sharing, where we live there is also a form of sharing. The iron gets passed around from family to family as needed, as does the only DVD player, so we are never sure when we come home from work what will be, or not be in our house. So, we have learned to share also, and of course are happy to.
On Monday, August 7, we are going to the north for a week with a couple that we like very much and are our best friends here – a Ghanaian man and his Seattle girlfriend – Isaac and Eleanor, and we are looking forward to a good time. We will be going to Mole, Ghana’s largest national park that has a lot of game including elephants. Of the four of us, three have seen lots of game in Africa – the only one who hasn’t is Isaac - the only African among us. Ghanaians don’t travel a lot. We have been told this over and over, so our friend Isaac is quite excited.
We usually go to a particular internet café to send and receive emails, etc.., and this particular place is frequented by many Nigerians. (There are a lot of Nigerians involved in internet scams. One of them is called a “419” referring to the anti scamming law in Nigeria.. Here in Ghana, at least in our internet café, the restrictions are more lax.) So, the other day, as were there working, we happened to glance at the computer next to us and we saw a man creating a fake certificate from a presumably fictitious bank which eventually will be sent to some of you perhaps, and us as well asking for our bank account and credit card information in order to share in the estate of a rich uncle, etc., etc. Sitting on the other side of us was a young man who was surfing the net looking for information about colleges in the US that he could apply to.
One more interesting thing to tell you. Most of the large stores and businesses here in Ghana are owned by Lebanese who came here after Israel’s first invasion of Lebanon. And we know that many Lebanese here and elsewhere in foreign countries support the Hezbollah. So, here we are worried about our friends and family in Israel who are being bombed by the Katusha rockets and who may be called up in the reserves to go fight, and our money being spent here in the Lebanese businesses is probably being used to support that.
We will let you know more after we return from the north. Until then, peace and love to you all.
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:56 AM
0 comments
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Janet, our cook and cleaning woman in Sunday dress
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 9:55 AM
0 comments
Email Number 6
Email Number 6
July 21, 2006
Accra, Ghana
Hello to everyone!
We thought it was time to write again and let you know how we are and how things are going. In a word, we are fine, and for the moment, things are a bit slow. Our last trip was a couple of weeks ago to Hohoe in the Volta region, (northeast of Accra) where as we told you we did 3 ½ days of training at our project site there. Since then, we have been here in Accra where life is pretty slow.
As for work, while we are productive, (as usual for us), our pace seems to be slow and steady, and again, that feels a bit slow for us. Never the less, we are getting things done: grants, computer stuff, and lots of one on one mentoring and problem solving. We have actually made all of the computers virus free, which may be a first for Pro-Link, and perhaps even for Ghana. The last computer we “de-virused” had 1,646 viruses on it, and we are still wondering how it even booted up, let alone “computed”! Not only that, but we created a schedule for computer maintenance which most folks in the office seem to be following (more or less).
Another small project has been the making of a photo archives for Pro-Link. We have been taking lots of digital photos around the office and at the project sites and have created a computer archive for them. (BY THE WAY, WE ARE STILL ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A DONATED DIGITAL CAMERA IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS ONE, SO IF SO, LET US KNOW)
The weather here has changed considerably, and it almost feels like traditional Seattle weather – cool and cloudy, but the cool is a relative thing. When one is used to 100 or close to it, then the 80’s feels actually cold. Last night at our favorite local food restaurant, we actually moved from the patio inside, and tonight we are planning to do to a place on the ocean for dinner and dancing and will bring along long sleeved tops and even a jacket and socks for Peter! Hinda is worried that we will lose our tans and return to Seattle to see our friends and family tanned from the hot weather you seem to be having.
As you may know, Ghana is one of the most stable nations in Africa. They became independent in 1959 under Kwame Nkrumah from England. Despite the relative stability, Ghana is quite poor – an average of 40% poverty, and in some areas up to 90%. Everything is relative: AIDS is a problem here, and it is perceived as a significant one, however, at a national rate of just over 3% it compares with some other African nations where the rate approaches a whopping 40%!. Because of the low rate in comparison to other countries, Ghana does not receive a lot of funding from international aid organizations to deal with this problem. And like other places on this continent, there is a serious malaria and TB problem.
Another big problem in our opinion is the lack of infrastructure: poor roads, pollution, lack of potable water, power and water shortages, poor communications, lack of basic sanitary facilities, etc. It seems to us that there needs to be a concerted effort to solve these problems, otherwise there will just be continuing problems. And so we see new government buildings being built while people live near open sewers and live in huts with no water, electric, or basic sanitation.
There is a problem here with child labor. Children work in illegal gold mines and quarries, they work in restaurants, and as servants, and much more. We helped Pro-Link write a proposal that wlll be funded by the International Labor organization to develop a program in the North that will begin to deal with these problems, and several other NGO’s will be doing the same in other areas. Will it be enough? No!. But it is a start and if we can help just a few, it is better than doing nothing.
When we moved into our new place, we hired a woman – Janet – to come in 3 days a week and cook and clean. We pay Janet 300,000 cedi’s a month, (about $32.60). She is a very good cook – she cooks local food for us, and Western food as well (spaghetti and meat sauce). Hinda who has always been sensitive to spicy foods has been doing quite well. Janet make us omo tuo, and groundnut soup, (rice balls and peanut soup with chicken or goat), palava sauce, (chopped up kontombrey leaves – leaves of the cocoa yam), joloff rice, (rice cooked with vegetables, kind of like Spanish rice, but spicier), and other good things. For Peter the food is good – much spicier that southern and eastern Africa. (Check out her photo accompanying this blog).
For those of you have contributed to the Keta Tree Project, it is going very well. While we haven’t received all of the money yet, we are optimistic that your contributions will pay for 10,000 coconut seedlings to be planted by all of the families in Keta. We will be going to Keta on September 2, just a couple of days before we return home to make the presentation to the Keta District Council. We will give them a small certificate listing all of your names, and will send you a copy of it. WE CAN STILL USE SOME MORE CONTRIBUTIONS AND HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU WHO HAVEN’T YET RESPONDED WILL DO SO – AND PLEASE TELL OTHERS! T H A N K S ! ! ! We have been helping Pro-Link with some proposals to try and get more money to expand the project for other kinds of trees such as acacia which is easily and quickly grown for firewood and will be an income generating mechanism for some of the families. The coconut trees when matured will also provide material for roofing, feed for fowl, much needed shade, and of course most important will stop the erosion from the Atlantic.
The week after next we will be visiting another project site in Aflao on the Togo border. Aflao is spelled as it is here, and pronounced with the “f” sound unless you live there when it pronounced “Aplao”, so it can get a bit confusing.
After Aflao / Aplao we will be taking a week off to visit the north and go to Ghana’s only real game preserve – Mole National Park - which we have been told will not be anything like what we have seen in Namibia or Uganda. One of the places we will visit is Kakum National Park which has the only tree canopy walk in Africa and one of a handful around the world. It is about 120 feet off the ground and you walk on a footbridge made of rope with a wooden walkway, and yes, it will sway a lot. Is Hinda going to go? Who knows? Anyone want to place a bet. Then we will go to another project site for a couple of days to do some more training – this time in Mankessim on the coast. Finally another week of personal travel to the Cape Coast where we will visit several of Ghana’s slave forts, and just relax on some nice beaches. And then, just a couple of more days work and we’ll be off the home. So, we’ll be having lots more to tell you with accompanying photos as well.
Peter’s learning of tri is still progressing however some people laugh at his pronunciation while others remark on how accurate it is. Go figure!
That’s about it for now. Stay well and hugs from us to you.
Love, Peter and Hinda
July 21, 2006
Accra, Ghana
Hello to everyone!
We thought it was time to write again and let you know how we are and how things are going. In a word, we are fine, and for the moment, things are a bit slow. Our last trip was a couple of weeks ago to Hohoe in the Volta region, (northeast of Accra) where as we told you we did 3 ½ days of training at our project site there. Since then, we have been here in Accra where life is pretty slow.
As for work, while we are productive, (as usual for us), our pace seems to be slow and steady, and again, that feels a bit slow for us. Never the less, we are getting things done: grants, computer stuff, and lots of one on one mentoring and problem solving. We have actually made all of the computers virus free, which may be a first for Pro-Link, and perhaps even for Ghana. The last computer we “de-virused” had 1,646 viruses on it, and we are still wondering how it even booted up, let alone “computed”! Not only that, but we created a schedule for computer maintenance which most folks in the office seem to be following (more or less).
Another small project has been the making of a photo archives for Pro-Link. We have been taking lots of digital photos around the office and at the project sites and have created a computer archive for them. (BY THE WAY, WE ARE STILL ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A DONATED DIGITAL CAMERA IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS ONE, SO IF SO, LET US KNOW)
The weather here has changed considerably, and it almost feels like traditional Seattle weather – cool and cloudy, but the cool is a relative thing. When one is used to 100 or close to it, then the 80’s feels actually cold. Last night at our favorite local food restaurant, we actually moved from the patio inside, and tonight we are planning to do to a place on the ocean for dinner and dancing and will bring along long sleeved tops and even a jacket and socks for Peter! Hinda is worried that we will lose our tans and return to Seattle to see our friends and family tanned from the hot weather you seem to be having.
As you may know, Ghana is one of the most stable nations in Africa. They became independent in 1959 under Kwame Nkrumah from England. Despite the relative stability, Ghana is quite poor – an average of 40% poverty, and in some areas up to 90%. Everything is relative: AIDS is a problem here, and it is perceived as a significant one, however, at a national rate of just over 3% it compares with some other African nations where the rate approaches a whopping 40%!. Because of the low rate in comparison to other countries, Ghana does not receive a lot of funding from international aid organizations to deal with this problem. And like other places on this continent, there is a serious malaria and TB problem.
Another big problem in our opinion is the lack of infrastructure: poor roads, pollution, lack of potable water, power and water shortages, poor communications, lack of basic sanitary facilities, etc. It seems to us that there needs to be a concerted effort to solve these problems, otherwise there will just be continuing problems. And so we see new government buildings being built while people live near open sewers and live in huts with no water, electric, or basic sanitation.
There is a problem here with child labor. Children work in illegal gold mines and quarries, they work in restaurants, and as servants, and much more. We helped Pro-Link write a proposal that wlll be funded by the International Labor organization to develop a program in the North that will begin to deal with these problems, and several other NGO’s will be doing the same in other areas. Will it be enough? No!. But it is a start and if we can help just a few, it is better than doing nothing.
When we moved into our new place, we hired a woman – Janet – to come in 3 days a week and cook and clean. We pay Janet 300,000 cedi’s a month, (about $32.60). She is a very good cook – she cooks local food for us, and Western food as well (spaghetti and meat sauce). Hinda who has always been sensitive to spicy foods has been doing quite well. Janet make us omo tuo, and groundnut soup, (rice balls and peanut soup with chicken or goat), palava sauce, (chopped up kontombrey leaves – leaves of the cocoa yam), joloff rice, (rice cooked with vegetables, kind of like Spanish rice, but spicier), and other good things. For Peter the food is good – much spicier that southern and eastern Africa. (Check out her photo accompanying this blog).
For those of you have contributed to the Keta Tree Project, it is going very well. While we haven’t received all of the money yet, we are optimistic that your contributions will pay for 10,000 coconut seedlings to be planted by all of the families in Keta. We will be going to Keta on September 2, just a couple of days before we return home to make the presentation to the Keta District Council. We will give them a small certificate listing all of your names, and will send you a copy of it. WE CAN STILL USE SOME MORE CONTRIBUTIONS AND HOPE THAT SOME OF YOU WHO HAVEN’T YET RESPONDED WILL DO SO – AND PLEASE TELL OTHERS! T H A N K S ! ! ! We have been helping Pro-Link with some proposals to try and get more money to expand the project for other kinds of trees such as acacia which is easily and quickly grown for firewood and will be an income generating mechanism for some of the families. The coconut trees when matured will also provide material for roofing, feed for fowl, much needed shade, and of course most important will stop the erosion from the Atlantic.
The week after next we will be visiting another project site in Aflao on the Togo border. Aflao is spelled as it is here, and pronounced with the “f” sound unless you live there when it pronounced “Aplao”, so it can get a bit confusing.
After Aflao / Aplao we will be taking a week off to visit the north and go to Ghana’s only real game preserve – Mole National Park - which we have been told will not be anything like what we have seen in Namibia or Uganda. One of the places we will visit is Kakum National Park which has the only tree canopy walk in Africa and one of a handful around the world. It is about 120 feet off the ground and you walk on a footbridge made of rope with a wooden walkway, and yes, it will sway a lot. Is Hinda going to go? Who knows? Anyone want to place a bet. Then we will go to another project site for a couple of days to do some more training – this time in Mankessim on the coast. Finally another week of personal travel to the Cape Coast where we will visit several of Ghana’s slave forts, and just relax on some nice beaches. And then, just a couple of more days work and we’ll be off the home. So, we’ll be having lots more to tell you with accompanying photos as well.
Peter’s learning of tri is still progressing however some people laugh at his pronunciation while others remark on how accurate it is. Go figure!
That’s about it for now. Stay well and hugs from us to you.
Love, Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 9:45 AM
0 comments
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Beautiful Muslim women - ProLink beneficiary
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:52 AM
0 comments
Building our new furniture in our compound
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:49 AM
0 comments
House in village near Hohoe next door to where we stayed
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:40 AM
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Email Number 5
Email Number 5
July 9, 2006
Accra, Ghana
Hello Everyone, hope your day is going well!!
We are doing fine. We have been very busy this past week traveling and doing training for work.
First, we continue to be amazed at how small the world has become, yesterday, we called Adam and reached him on his boat, crabbing on Puget Sound. He sounded like he was next door and we had a really good talk about crabs, kids and other mundane things. We talk to our kids often and every once in a while we get one of the little ones to say a word or two. Jeremy, of course has real conversations and we love talking to him.
We have moved into our new apartment and it is fine. (see photo) Living in an apartment African style is a bit of a challenge. Everyday we come home or wake up to another small crisis. One day we came home to find a strange man breaking the floor in our dining room (to replace some tiles), another we came home to no water, then no electricity, then the toilet leaking. Everything gets fixed or replaced, but it is all done in a sort of slow motion. Peter has even learned to slow down. Amazing! We have done a very luxurious thing, we hired a housekeeper. She come 3 or 4 times a week, cleans, does the washing and ironing (everything here gets ironed including underwear and socks), and cooks. She is very nice and a great cook. She calls us Mommy and Daddy, which is a sign of respect for elderly people, and gets upset with me if I do the dishes. I am having a hard time getting used to having someone serve me, but I bet I can do it. By the way, all of this is costing us $70 for two months plus the cost of food. As you can see labor is very inexpensive while other things like housing, fuel, utilities, etc are considerably more expensive, especially for locals.
I’d like to tell you a little about the environment we live in. Here in Accra there were many villages. Over the years the chiefs of the villages have sold off the land to developers and in many cases have only kept small parcels for members of the village to continue to live in. So what has happened is that there are small villages, maybe 3 – 4 square blocks, with mud houses, no electricity and no plumbing, surrounded by beautiful homes that cost approximately $400,000 and more with all the accoutrements to match the price. Our house borders one of these villages. One of the photos shows a couple of leather couches being made. They were being made for us, right in front of our house. The furniture maker and his assistant came every day for a week and built these two couches and 2 chairs from scratch, using pieces of cardboard for backing and rubber strips from tires for springs. They are the most comfortable furniture that we have sat in here, (and elsewhere in Africa as well).
Now for work, we spent last week in a town called Hohoe, (“Hohwoy”), a 4 hour drive northeast of Accra in the Volta Region. Pro-Link, the organization we are working with has a project office there and we visited them, their project sites and did a few days of training to 9 staff members (see photo) on report writing, more efficient work methods, computer use to make you work easier, and photography. By the way, anyone who has a digital camera that works but is not being used anymore would really be helpful to this group. They have an old film camera that makes funny noises, and film/developing in places like Hohoe is pretty expensive. Let us know and we will make the arrangements to get it here.
While in Hohoe we were taken to several of their project sites; people were overwhelmingly friendly, hospitable and welcoming. We were given palm wine, oranges, danced for and with (see photos) and generally had a wonderful experience. We have told you before that the Ghanaian people are the most friendly we have met and this last week only confirmed that.
We also spent some time with a group of college students doing a 7 week construction project for AJWS. They are all from the US and
Canada, and are helping to build a youth center for a poor village school. We spent a few hours on July 4th with them celebrating with a barbeque. They were a nice group and we enjoyed spending time with them.
By the way, while we were in Hohoe, Peter realized he forgot to bring a pair of shorts so he went to market and bought a pair for the grand price of $1.66. We also discovered that people who don’t have scales will tell you how much they weigh based on bags of cement. “How much do you weigh? One and a half bags of cement.”
Last but not least, for all of you who have expressed willingness to donate to the Keta tree project, we want to say thank you!!! We have been delighted by your response and continue to get more donations everyday. We are sure we will be able to meet the goal.
Peace, love, and hugs to all of you!
Hinda and Peter
July 9, 2006
Accra, Ghana
Hello Everyone, hope your day is going well!!
We are doing fine. We have been very busy this past week traveling and doing training for work.
First, we continue to be amazed at how small the world has become, yesterday, we called Adam and reached him on his boat, crabbing on Puget Sound. He sounded like he was next door and we had a really good talk about crabs, kids and other mundane things. We talk to our kids often and every once in a while we get one of the little ones to say a word or two. Jeremy, of course has real conversations and we love talking to him.
We have moved into our new apartment and it is fine. (see photo) Living in an apartment African style is a bit of a challenge. Everyday we come home or wake up to another small crisis. One day we came home to find a strange man breaking the floor in our dining room (to replace some tiles), another we came home to no water, then no electricity, then the toilet leaking. Everything gets fixed or replaced, but it is all done in a sort of slow motion. Peter has even learned to slow down. Amazing! We have done a very luxurious thing, we hired a housekeeper. She come 3 or 4 times a week, cleans, does the washing and ironing (everything here gets ironed including underwear and socks), and cooks. She is very nice and a great cook. She calls us Mommy and Daddy, which is a sign of respect for elderly people, and gets upset with me if I do the dishes. I am having a hard time getting used to having someone serve me, but I bet I can do it. By the way, all of this is costing us $70 for two months plus the cost of food. As you can see labor is very inexpensive while other things like housing, fuel, utilities, etc are considerably more expensive, especially for locals.
I’d like to tell you a little about the environment we live in. Here in Accra there were many villages. Over the years the chiefs of the villages have sold off the land to developers and in many cases have only kept small parcels for members of the village to continue to live in. So what has happened is that there are small villages, maybe 3 – 4 square blocks, with mud houses, no electricity and no plumbing, surrounded by beautiful homes that cost approximately $400,000 and more with all the accoutrements to match the price. Our house borders one of these villages. One of the photos shows a couple of leather couches being made. They were being made for us, right in front of our house. The furniture maker and his assistant came every day for a week and built these two couches and 2 chairs from scratch, using pieces of cardboard for backing and rubber strips from tires for springs. They are the most comfortable furniture that we have sat in here, (and elsewhere in Africa as well).
Now for work, we spent last week in a town called Hohoe, (“Hohwoy”), a 4 hour drive northeast of Accra in the Volta Region. Pro-Link, the organization we are working with has a project office there and we visited them, their project sites and did a few days of training to 9 staff members (see photo) on report writing, more efficient work methods, computer use to make you work easier, and photography. By the way, anyone who has a digital camera that works but is not being used anymore would really be helpful to this group. They have an old film camera that makes funny noises, and film/developing in places like Hohoe is pretty expensive. Let us know and we will make the arrangements to get it here.
While in Hohoe we were taken to several of their project sites; people were overwhelmingly friendly, hospitable and welcoming. We were given palm wine, oranges, danced for and with (see photos) and generally had a wonderful experience. We have told you before that the Ghanaian people are the most friendly we have met and this last week only confirmed that.
We also spent some time with a group of college students doing a 7 week construction project for AJWS. They are all from the US and
Canada, and are helping to build a youth center for a poor village school. We spent a few hours on July 4th with them celebrating with a barbeque. They were a nice group and we enjoyed spending time with them.
By the way, while we were in Hohoe, Peter realized he forgot to bring a pair of shorts so he went to market and bought a pair for the grand price of $1.66. We also discovered that people who don’t have scales will tell you how much they weigh based on bags of cement. “How much do you weigh? One and a half bags of cement.”
Last but not least, for all of you who have expressed willingness to donate to the Keta tree project, we want to say thank you!!! We have been delighted by your response and continue to get more donations everyday. We are sure we will be able to meet the goal.
Peace, love, and hugs to all of you!
Hinda and Peter
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 3:30 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Ewonam ready for Ghana vs. Brazil in World Cup
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:44 AM
0 comments
Village children carrying firewood for sale
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:38 AM
0 comments
Email Number 4
Email Number 4
Accra, Ghana
June 28, 2006
Dear Friends and Family,
Well as you know, both the USA and Ghana are out of the running for the World Cup, and for a while here it was pretty exciting. After we lost to Ghana, we of course were rooting for Ghana, even wearing shirts displaying the colors of the Ghanian flag. After the US loss to Ghana, we got caught up in a drunken mob and it was a bit scary for a while, but ended up ok.
Imagine global warming here on the equator in Equatorial West Africa! We can tell you that global warming is not such a good thing, we are here in the rainy season but the rains do not come and the water level is down and the heat just keeps up.
Anyway, we are not writing to complain, but to let you know what we are doing, how things are going, and to ask you to participate in a small project that may in fact help in a very localized way to deal with this problem of global warming.
Talk about global warming, heat, and high humidity, one day a week or so ago, we discovered that the vitamin pills that we were taking developed green mold on them. So now, everything edible stays in the refrigerator.
We are in the process of moving to a new apartment not too far from where we were living. Things just didn’t work out there and we decided to leave. Hopefully this new place will be better, and it is also cheaper which is good. We’ll let you know.
Here is a lesson: The house maid got too busy to do all of the ironing one day, so she gave one of Peter’s shirts to the gardener to iron. I know you are asking why a gardener would be ironing a shirt. When Peter went to wear the shirt, it had gone missing and after a long search, the house maid found it hidden and crumpled up in a corner with several holes burned in it. The gardener had hid it. They agreed to have a seamstress fix it by embroidering over the holes. When we got the shirt back, the holes were indeed covered, but not by embroidery, but with the tags and labels from inside the shirt cut out and sewn to the outside. Now it says “Do not dry clean” on the front pocket. Don’t give ironing to the gardener!
Bribery is everywhere and is done by everyone, so rather in many cases, it is just the cost of getting things done and is not so much a bribe but perhaps a commission. Nevertheless, in the cases of traffic police stopping cars to check licenses and insurances, it is most certainly a bribe and easier to pay that small amount than go to court for hours and hours and pay a much larger amount.
Here are two good stories, and then we’ll tell you about work and the project we have in mind.
We spent a 3 day weekend in Akosombo, where there is a hydroelectric dam which dams up the Volta River and creates Lake Volta, the largest man made lake in the world – 400 kilometers, about 250 miles long. When we got to the hotel and turned on the AC, after about 20 minutes there was a loud noise, kind of a grinding sound, and then from the AC vents, three tails from some gecko’s came flying out and when they landed on the floor, they continued to wiggle for 3 or 4 minutes. If this wasn’t bad enough, the same thing happened again about 20 minutes later, but there were only 2 tails this time. A family of gecko’s probably took up residence in the AC which hadn’t been used for a while. Not to worry however, gecko’s can grow their tails back. Needless to say, the next time we are in Akasombo, we probably won’t go back to that same hotel again.
This is a little funny, but has a great ending. Here, people like us are called “whiteman”, and in the local language – Twi, the word is “Obruni”. It is just a descriptive word and not a negative word at all. When we first found the new apartment that we are about to move into, Peter noticed that the owner’s eyes were extremely red. While he didn’t want to be rude, he asked nicely if the man had something wrong with his eyes, and was told that they were bothering him. Peter suggested that he go to the hospital and have them checked. When we returned 3 days later to check on the progress of the repairs he was making to the apartment, he greeted us with dark glasses and told us that he had just removed bandages from his eyes and still needed to protect them from bright lights. He did go to the hospital and discovered a fairly serious eye infection which they treated. Now the landlord – Samuel – told us that he goes around telling everyone “that the whiteman saved his life”. A good story with a good ending. Peter’s reputation continues to grow!
Now, we want to describe a project that you can participate in a modest or little more substantial way, and if it is completed, it will make a fairly big impact in a number of ways.
Keta is a town several hours drive east of Accra on the Atlantic coast. It is bounded on one side by the ocean and on the other by a very large lagoon. Fishing, fish smoking, and fish mongering is the major source of income for the people who live in Keta. Over the years, the ocean has overrun the narrow strip of land between the ocean and the lagoon, and thus has destroyed many of the houses where the fisher folk live and work. Last February, Pro-Link, our organization planted 2,700 coconut seedlings on the beach separating the ocean from the lagoon, and these seedlings are doing very well. (See the photo on this blog posting). As they mature they will keep the beach from eroding; provide coconuts for sale and consumption, and the chaff from the coconuts will be added to the feed of the ducks that most families keep for food. Most importantly, the fishing industry will be able to survive providing employment and all that entails to the residents of Keta. The District Assembly of Keta wants 10,000 more coconut seedlings to be planted to insure that the erosion will be stopped and provide coconuts, etc. The total cost of the project is approximately $1,100 - about $1.10 per tree. So for a pretty small amount, much can be done. The District Assembly will pay all transportation costs to bring the seedlings to Keta, and a volunteer group and the Keta residents themselves will plant and care for the seedlings. The seedlings will be divided up to be given to families who will then be responsible to plant and nurture them.
For those of you who are Jewish and who know how the Jewish National Fund collects money from individuals to plant trees in Israel, you can see how similar this is. In any case, we hope that all of you will want to help to the best of your ability. Together, we can literally save Keta!
We are going to make a contribution to this project, and we hope you will join us. We can make arrangements for how to send your money, and we will try to see that it can be a tax deductible donation.
At work, things are going very well. We did a 3 day training for the main office staff on fundraising, marketing, needs assessment and income generating activities. Next week we’ll do some more training for a full week in Hohoe – one of the project sites several hours drive from here. We are working on grants and reports – editing rather than writing. We are trying to build capacity and not just do things. There is also a lot of informal one on one mentoring that goes on that may have as much, if not even more impact. We finally got most of the computers virus free and virus protected, and all this week, not a single virus has been discovered. Also helping people learn more computer skills. And, a big one: we got a wireless internet connection set up that is relatively fast and not too expensive and it is making work much easier for those here who need to browse and send and receive emails. Finally, Peter has set up a digital photo archives and will teach a short course in photography, and digital photo editing. So, all in all, we are satisfied.
Thanks for listening to us once again, and we sign off for now with love.
Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
June 28, 2006
Dear Friends and Family,
Well as you know, both the USA and Ghana are out of the running for the World Cup, and for a while here it was pretty exciting. After we lost to Ghana, we of course were rooting for Ghana, even wearing shirts displaying the colors of the Ghanian flag. After the US loss to Ghana, we got caught up in a drunken mob and it was a bit scary for a while, but ended up ok.
Imagine global warming here on the equator in Equatorial West Africa! We can tell you that global warming is not such a good thing, we are here in the rainy season but the rains do not come and the water level is down and the heat just keeps up.
Anyway, we are not writing to complain, but to let you know what we are doing, how things are going, and to ask you to participate in a small project that may in fact help in a very localized way to deal with this problem of global warming.
Talk about global warming, heat, and high humidity, one day a week or so ago, we discovered that the vitamin pills that we were taking developed green mold on them. So now, everything edible stays in the refrigerator.
We are in the process of moving to a new apartment not too far from where we were living. Things just didn’t work out there and we decided to leave. Hopefully this new place will be better, and it is also cheaper which is good. We’ll let you know.
Here is a lesson: The house maid got too busy to do all of the ironing one day, so she gave one of Peter’s shirts to the gardener to iron. I know you are asking why a gardener would be ironing a shirt. When Peter went to wear the shirt, it had gone missing and after a long search, the house maid found it hidden and crumpled up in a corner with several holes burned in it. The gardener had hid it. They agreed to have a seamstress fix it by embroidering over the holes. When we got the shirt back, the holes were indeed covered, but not by embroidery, but with the tags and labels from inside the shirt cut out and sewn to the outside. Now it says “Do not dry clean” on the front pocket. Don’t give ironing to the gardener!
Bribery is everywhere and is done by everyone, so rather in many cases, it is just the cost of getting things done and is not so much a bribe but perhaps a commission. Nevertheless, in the cases of traffic police stopping cars to check licenses and insurances, it is most certainly a bribe and easier to pay that small amount than go to court for hours and hours and pay a much larger amount.
Here are two good stories, and then we’ll tell you about work and the project we have in mind.
We spent a 3 day weekend in Akosombo, where there is a hydroelectric dam which dams up the Volta River and creates Lake Volta, the largest man made lake in the world – 400 kilometers, about 250 miles long. When we got to the hotel and turned on the AC, after about 20 minutes there was a loud noise, kind of a grinding sound, and then from the AC vents, three tails from some gecko’s came flying out and when they landed on the floor, they continued to wiggle for 3 or 4 minutes. If this wasn’t bad enough, the same thing happened again about 20 minutes later, but there were only 2 tails this time. A family of gecko’s probably took up residence in the AC which hadn’t been used for a while. Not to worry however, gecko’s can grow their tails back. Needless to say, the next time we are in Akasombo, we probably won’t go back to that same hotel again.
This is a little funny, but has a great ending. Here, people like us are called “whiteman”, and in the local language – Twi, the word is “Obruni”. It is just a descriptive word and not a negative word at all. When we first found the new apartment that we are about to move into, Peter noticed that the owner’s eyes were extremely red. While he didn’t want to be rude, he asked nicely if the man had something wrong with his eyes, and was told that they were bothering him. Peter suggested that he go to the hospital and have them checked. When we returned 3 days later to check on the progress of the repairs he was making to the apartment, he greeted us with dark glasses and told us that he had just removed bandages from his eyes and still needed to protect them from bright lights. He did go to the hospital and discovered a fairly serious eye infection which they treated. Now the landlord – Samuel – told us that he goes around telling everyone “that the whiteman saved his life”. A good story with a good ending. Peter’s reputation continues to grow!
Now, we want to describe a project that you can participate in a modest or little more substantial way, and if it is completed, it will make a fairly big impact in a number of ways.
Keta is a town several hours drive east of Accra on the Atlantic coast. It is bounded on one side by the ocean and on the other by a very large lagoon. Fishing, fish smoking, and fish mongering is the major source of income for the people who live in Keta. Over the years, the ocean has overrun the narrow strip of land between the ocean and the lagoon, and thus has destroyed many of the houses where the fisher folk live and work. Last February, Pro-Link, our organization planted 2,700 coconut seedlings on the beach separating the ocean from the lagoon, and these seedlings are doing very well. (See the photo on this blog posting). As they mature they will keep the beach from eroding; provide coconuts for sale and consumption, and the chaff from the coconuts will be added to the feed of the ducks that most families keep for food. Most importantly, the fishing industry will be able to survive providing employment and all that entails to the residents of Keta. The District Assembly of Keta wants 10,000 more coconut seedlings to be planted to insure that the erosion will be stopped and provide coconuts, etc. The total cost of the project is approximately $1,100 - about $1.10 per tree. So for a pretty small amount, much can be done. The District Assembly will pay all transportation costs to bring the seedlings to Keta, and a volunteer group and the Keta residents themselves will plant and care for the seedlings. The seedlings will be divided up to be given to families who will then be responsible to plant and nurture them.
For those of you who are Jewish and who know how the Jewish National Fund collects money from individuals to plant trees in Israel, you can see how similar this is. In any case, we hope that all of you will want to help to the best of your ability. Together, we can literally save Keta!
We are going to make a contribution to this project, and we hope you will join us. We can make arrangements for how to send your money, and we will try to see that it can be a tax deductible donation.
At work, things are going very well. We did a 3 day training for the main office staff on fundraising, marketing, needs assessment and income generating activities. Next week we’ll do some more training for a full week in Hohoe – one of the project sites several hours drive from here. We are working on grants and reports – editing rather than writing. We are trying to build capacity and not just do things. There is also a lot of informal one on one mentoring that goes on that may have as much, if not even more impact. We finally got most of the computers virus free and virus protected, and all this week, not a single virus has been discovered. Also helping people learn more computer skills. And, a big one: we got a wireless internet connection set up that is relatively fast and not too expensive and it is making work much easier for those here who need to browse and send and receive emails. Finally, Peter has set up a digital photo archives and will teach a short course in photography, and digital photo editing. So, all in all, we are satisfied.
Thanks for listening to us once again, and we sign off for now with love.
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 11:26 AM
0 comments
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
"Mommy" helping to pull the nets in at Senya Beraku
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:22 AM
0 comments
Girl selling water on fisherman's beach at Senya Beraku
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:17 AM
0 comments
Email Number 3
Accra, Ghana
June 13, 2006
Dear All and Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!!
We wish we could tell you that the weather is cooling, but alas, we can only tell you that it seems to get hotter and hotter by the day. Even though we are in the rainy season, it is still pretty hot. And when it rains here, it pours; the streets flood, the power goes off, and it can be so loud that we have to shout at each other even though we may be lying in bed right next to each other. Our road to walk to work is a sea of mud.
We are getting along quite well here despite the heat and humidity. We live in the community rather than in an area with other “Obruni’s” – white people. Since we are nearly on the equator here in Accra, the days are pretty much split between 12 hours of light and 12 of dark, so we rise early and go to bed early. Now that we have lived and worked in East Africa and Southern Africa, we think that West Africa may be the friendliest, and the Ghanaians are particularly friendly – lots of smiles, help, courteous, and so on. We feel extremely safe here in Accra and Ghana, and very comfortable living where we do. It is basically a light industrial area with lots of factories and consequently lots of small shops and roadside stands. There are also some fancier residential areas around, but we live just off the main road with only a couple of other houses nearby. We can usually buy whatever we need from a roadside peddler or small shop, or someone walking by carrying something on their head. This is an interesting thing, Here, and elsewhere in Africa, it is women who carry most of the things on their head. However, we did see both men and women carrying sewing machines on their head which they use to mend things for people along the way. Street commerce is a great thing. Also, men sell some things which women don’t such as peddling ice cream from a wheeled cart, or pushing heavy loads on a large wagon. It is very nice here we are enjoying ourselves very much.
Peter just had some African shirts made from material he bought from a women’s AIDS group that is located just across the road from the office. Now he has shirts from Uganda, Thailand, India, and now Ghana. Hinda also had a couple of dresses made and we also had a table cloth made. It is good to support the local aid groups here and elsewhere. The 4 shirts, 2 dresses and a tablecloth including material and sewing cost $50.
We also had haircuts here the other day for about $8 each and they are really good, although there is not much hair to cut on Peter anymore.
At work we have developed a number of materials which we will be using for training beginning next week with a staff training here in the main office and then some trainings in 3 of the outlying offices. Also, we are doing a lot of mentoring regarding report writing and grant writing. We are proud to say that after many months of problems, in the 3 weeks or so we have been here, we were able to get Pro-Link’s web site revised by getting someone to teach the IT guy how to get to the right place on the internet to do whatever you do to update a web site. Not much in one sense, but a major accomplishment from another perspective.
If any of you are following the World Cup, you know that Ghana is one of the contenders, (and so is the USA – so we started a betting pool). Ghana and the US will actually be playing each other sometime next week. Of course no one here thinks we stand a chance. Let’s wait and see. Tonight Ghana is playing, and the government has promised not to cut any power (no rolling blackouts) during the game, so it is good that Ghana made the World Cup playoffs. (They lost 2-0, but we had power the whole time – after the World Cup ends, we are sure there will be more rolling blackouts).
In a bit we want to talk about some serious things, but for now let’s have some more fun.
Peter is continuing to learn Twi (pronounced “tree”) one of the local languages spoken around Accra. And as usual he speaks in 1 word sentences like our youngest grandchildren, but he can be understood most of the time. Each day he tries to learn a new word. Unfortunately, they don’t all go together in a way that make sense.
We usually take a tro tro to work. This morning, in a VW van, there were 25 of us, and we get out at the “Blue” Gate, which of course is red. It only costs the two of us the equivalent of 22 cents, so it’s worth it. We have finally learned all of the appropriate hand signals and fares, so we no longer get cheated out of 10 cents per ride as we did from time to time.
We live in a “guest house” of which we are the only guests, so it is quiet, and the best thing is being close to work. If we lived even a mile or two further, it would take us an hour or more each way. Besides the heat, traffic is the next worst problem we have.
We have a joke between ourselves when we take dishes out of the cupboard and ask if we want our plates with or without bugs. Can’t get away from them or the cockroaches. At least the bugs are so tiny, that you couldn’t taste them anyway.
Here the “hawkers” sell everything in between the lanes of cars and at stop signs. Some examples: bread, water, (about 3 cents for a plastic bag which you bite the end off of and then suck), plantain chips, sunglasses, shoes, toys, etc., etc. People are too busy and it there is too much traffic to get to a store, so the store comes to you.
On the way to work we often buy a nice sliced pineapple, and some mangoes, and other things to eat at home or in the office. There is a lot of street commerce, and it is pretty functional and cheap.
One of the interesting things about Ghanaian culture are that most funerals are held on Saturday so that the relatives and friends of the deceased can attend, so that on Saturdays you can see many many people walking who are dressed in black and you know that they are going to a funeral. People just can’t do during the week because of work and also because many of the funerals may be in villages and towns where the deceased person was raised, but the guests come from all over and transportation being what it is here – slow because of the poor roads, the funerals are thus held on a non work day when people can get to them. In the Accra area, there are some very ornate caskets shaped in the form of anything you want. For example, a sports car, or a chicken, or a whale or shark. And they are painted in very bright colors so when we first saw them we thought they were large toys for kids, or part of a carnival ride.
You know all of the spam you get? Well, we now know where much of it comes from: There are a lot of Nigerians here who inhabit the internet cafes all day long and send millions of these things, e.g., “My uncle the King died and left me a billion dollars, but in order to get it I need a bank account. Please send me your account number and password, and I will share my dead uncles billions with you”, etc., etc., etc.
We have been taking some weekend excursions to places close to Accra. One of them was to Senya Bereku, a small fishing village on the Atlantic. We spent several hours there walking on the beach and talking to the fisherman who are all having a hard time because the fish have been so depleted. We even helped pull in one of the fishing nets and boy is that hard work. (see photos)
As you may know, Ghana was one of the major places from where slaves were shipped to the “New World”. Either they came from here, or came from neighboring countries and came through here. Millions as you know, and probably millions died in the slave forts as they are called even before they were shipped out.
We have visited a couple of these already and will be seeing more. Suffice it to say that the conditions under which these people were kept were indescribable. Perhaps 150 men in a 10 x 10 foot space with water and food dropped in from a hole in the ceiling so that people had to lap it up from the floor, (along with all of their bodily excrement). These dungeons were so dark that many people became blinded from the sun when they were taken out and since a blind slave was of little use, they were weighted down and tossed into the sea. All of the slave forts were built on the seashore so that the slaves could be easily sent through “The door of no return” to the waiting ships to be brought across the ocean.
Needless to say it is pretty moving to visit these places, but it is important to see, and to understand that these slave forts were a part of our US history as ugly as it may seem to us now.
Most of the Ghanaians we talk to about that period of history feel that it is in the past and life should go on. Perhaps, but, we should always remember and say “never again”, although if not slavery, then genocide or something equally horrible comes along. It is always hard for us to understand how humans can be so inhumane to each other
For some reason, there are a lot of hermaphrodites here, and we have been trying to arrange help for a few of these children who are clients of Pro-Link. They need to have some lab tests performed which can be quite costly, and so we have been so lucky to have been befriended by a very nice Ghanaian who is the head of a department at the University of Ghana Medical school and he has agreed to try to help. If he can, then we think these children can get free operations to become one gender or the other. Imagine how embarrassing it is for a child, or anyone not be able to be seen in public in school because of this problem. Hopefully, they can be helped over the next few months. Of the 4 kids we are talking about, 3 come from one family.
Finally, we have come upon a very interesting project which we will share with you the next time we write and invite you to consider helping out. It would be a very modest support that will be needed but will go a very long way, and for all intents and purposes will last in perpetuity. More about that later.
Until then, stay well, and enjoy your weather whatever it is. We are sure that it is more comfortable than ours. The other day in a store visited by ex-pats we overhead a man tell some one that he ran out of deodorant because he has to shower at least 3 times per day. (and of course one can only do that if they have a shower!)
Hugs to all, and we miss you a lot.
Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
June 13, 2006
Dear All and Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads!!
We wish we could tell you that the weather is cooling, but alas, we can only tell you that it seems to get hotter and hotter by the day. Even though we are in the rainy season, it is still pretty hot. And when it rains here, it pours; the streets flood, the power goes off, and it can be so loud that we have to shout at each other even though we may be lying in bed right next to each other. Our road to walk to work is a sea of mud.
We are getting along quite well here despite the heat and humidity. We live in the community rather than in an area with other “Obruni’s” – white people. Since we are nearly on the equator here in Accra, the days are pretty much split between 12 hours of light and 12 of dark, so we rise early and go to bed early. Now that we have lived and worked in East Africa and Southern Africa, we think that West Africa may be the friendliest, and the Ghanaians are particularly friendly – lots of smiles, help, courteous, and so on. We feel extremely safe here in Accra and Ghana, and very comfortable living where we do. It is basically a light industrial area with lots of factories and consequently lots of small shops and roadside stands. There are also some fancier residential areas around, but we live just off the main road with only a couple of other houses nearby. We can usually buy whatever we need from a roadside peddler or small shop, or someone walking by carrying something on their head. This is an interesting thing, Here, and elsewhere in Africa, it is women who carry most of the things on their head. However, we did see both men and women carrying sewing machines on their head which they use to mend things for people along the way. Street commerce is a great thing. Also, men sell some things which women don’t such as peddling ice cream from a wheeled cart, or pushing heavy loads on a large wagon. It is very nice here we are enjoying ourselves very much.
Peter just had some African shirts made from material he bought from a women’s AIDS group that is located just across the road from the office. Now he has shirts from Uganda, Thailand, India, and now Ghana. Hinda also had a couple of dresses made and we also had a table cloth made. It is good to support the local aid groups here and elsewhere. The 4 shirts, 2 dresses and a tablecloth including material and sewing cost $50.
We also had haircuts here the other day for about $8 each and they are really good, although there is not much hair to cut on Peter anymore.
At work we have developed a number of materials which we will be using for training beginning next week with a staff training here in the main office and then some trainings in 3 of the outlying offices. Also, we are doing a lot of mentoring regarding report writing and grant writing. We are proud to say that after many months of problems, in the 3 weeks or so we have been here, we were able to get Pro-Link’s web site revised by getting someone to teach the IT guy how to get to the right place on the internet to do whatever you do to update a web site. Not much in one sense, but a major accomplishment from another perspective.
If any of you are following the World Cup, you know that Ghana is one of the contenders, (and so is the USA – so we started a betting pool). Ghana and the US will actually be playing each other sometime next week. Of course no one here thinks we stand a chance. Let’s wait and see. Tonight Ghana is playing, and the government has promised not to cut any power (no rolling blackouts) during the game, so it is good that Ghana made the World Cup playoffs. (They lost 2-0, but we had power the whole time – after the World Cup ends, we are sure there will be more rolling blackouts).
In a bit we want to talk about some serious things, but for now let’s have some more fun.
Peter is continuing to learn Twi (pronounced “tree”) one of the local languages spoken around Accra. And as usual he speaks in 1 word sentences like our youngest grandchildren, but he can be understood most of the time. Each day he tries to learn a new word. Unfortunately, they don’t all go together in a way that make sense.
We usually take a tro tro to work. This morning, in a VW van, there were 25 of us, and we get out at the “Blue” Gate, which of course is red. It only costs the two of us the equivalent of 22 cents, so it’s worth it. We have finally learned all of the appropriate hand signals and fares, so we no longer get cheated out of 10 cents per ride as we did from time to time.
We live in a “guest house” of which we are the only guests, so it is quiet, and the best thing is being close to work. If we lived even a mile or two further, it would take us an hour or more each way. Besides the heat, traffic is the next worst problem we have.
We have a joke between ourselves when we take dishes out of the cupboard and ask if we want our plates with or without bugs. Can’t get away from them or the cockroaches. At least the bugs are so tiny, that you couldn’t taste them anyway.
Here the “hawkers” sell everything in between the lanes of cars and at stop signs. Some examples: bread, water, (about 3 cents for a plastic bag which you bite the end off of and then suck), plantain chips, sunglasses, shoes, toys, etc., etc. People are too busy and it there is too much traffic to get to a store, so the store comes to you.
On the way to work we often buy a nice sliced pineapple, and some mangoes, and other things to eat at home or in the office. There is a lot of street commerce, and it is pretty functional and cheap.
One of the interesting things about Ghanaian culture are that most funerals are held on Saturday so that the relatives and friends of the deceased can attend, so that on Saturdays you can see many many people walking who are dressed in black and you know that they are going to a funeral. People just can’t do during the week because of work and also because many of the funerals may be in villages and towns where the deceased person was raised, but the guests come from all over and transportation being what it is here – slow because of the poor roads, the funerals are thus held on a non work day when people can get to them. In the Accra area, there are some very ornate caskets shaped in the form of anything you want. For example, a sports car, or a chicken, or a whale or shark. And they are painted in very bright colors so when we first saw them we thought they were large toys for kids, or part of a carnival ride.
You know all of the spam you get? Well, we now know where much of it comes from: There are a lot of Nigerians here who inhabit the internet cafes all day long and send millions of these things, e.g., “My uncle the King died and left me a billion dollars, but in order to get it I need a bank account. Please send me your account number and password, and I will share my dead uncles billions with you”, etc., etc., etc.
We have been taking some weekend excursions to places close to Accra. One of them was to Senya Bereku, a small fishing village on the Atlantic. We spent several hours there walking on the beach and talking to the fisherman who are all having a hard time because the fish have been so depleted. We even helped pull in one of the fishing nets and boy is that hard work. (see photos)
As you may know, Ghana was one of the major places from where slaves were shipped to the “New World”. Either they came from here, or came from neighboring countries and came through here. Millions as you know, and probably millions died in the slave forts as they are called even before they were shipped out.
We have visited a couple of these already and will be seeing more. Suffice it to say that the conditions under which these people were kept were indescribable. Perhaps 150 men in a 10 x 10 foot space with water and food dropped in from a hole in the ceiling so that people had to lap it up from the floor, (along with all of their bodily excrement). These dungeons were so dark that many people became blinded from the sun when they were taken out and since a blind slave was of little use, they were weighted down and tossed into the sea. All of the slave forts were built on the seashore so that the slaves could be easily sent through “The door of no return” to the waiting ships to be brought across the ocean.
Needless to say it is pretty moving to visit these places, but it is important to see, and to understand that these slave forts were a part of our US history as ugly as it may seem to us now.
Most of the Ghanaians we talk to about that period of history feel that it is in the past and life should go on. Perhaps, but, we should always remember and say “never again”, although if not slavery, then genocide or something equally horrible comes along. It is always hard for us to understand how humans can be so inhumane to each other
For some reason, there are a lot of hermaphrodites here, and we have been trying to arrange help for a few of these children who are clients of Pro-Link. They need to have some lab tests performed which can be quite costly, and so we have been so lucky to have been befriended by a very nice Ghanaian who is the head of a department at the University of Ghana Medical school and he has agreed to try to help. If he can, then we think these children can get free operations to become one gender or the other. Imagine how embarrassing it is for a child, or anyone not be able to be seen in public in school because of this problem. Hopefully, they can be helped over the next few months. Of the 4 kids we are talking about, 3 come from one family.
Finally, we have come upon a very interesting project which we will share with you the next time we write and invite you to consider helping out. It would be a very modest support that will be needed but will go a very long way, and for all intents and purposes will last in perpetuity. More about that later.
Until then, stay well, and enjoy your weather whatever it is. We are sure that it is more comfortable than ours. The other day in a store visited by ex-pats we overhead a man tell some one that he ran out of deodorant because he has to shower at least 3 times per day. (and of course one can only do that if they have a shower!)
Hugs to all, and we miss you a lot.
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:03 AM
0 comments
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Girl at fruit/veg stand on walk home from work
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 2:28 AM
0 comments
Friday, June 02, 2006
Email Number 2
Email Number 2
Accra, Ghana
June 2, 2006
“Maakye”! Etusey?”
( Good morning! How are you?) “Eyeh! (OK)
Hope all is well with you. We have so much to tell you that we are writing this a little sooner than we had originally planned.
In the future, on our emails, at the bottom where our signature is, just copy and paste our blog address into your browser and we will be together here in Ghana. Better yet, add it to
"Your Favorites".
One of you asked what we are eating here in Ghana, so let’s tell you about that.
First of all, West African food is considerably spicier and hotter than East or Southern African food based on our experiences there. I, (Peter), like it better. Hinda is more cautious and does not try everything.
The African food is here called “local food” as compared to other western foods.
There are a lot of foods made with pounded plaintains, pounded cassava, corn meal, and a mixture of some of those. Local names of some of them are kenkey, banku, fufu. These are eaten with stews and soups such as groundnut, okra, and palava, (leaves, tubers and cabage). Lots of fish, chicken, and goat. And of course great tree ripened, sweet fruit: pineapples, mangoes, oranges, bananas. Lots of veggies too. Finally, lots of rice. (the pinapple is so sweet, I have given up chocolate)
Enough about food. Here’s some other stuff:
“Adagocome” is Nigerian slang also used here: “I’ll go and come back.”
In our office we have a fan – it’s called a typhoon, and it’s so powerful, we have to yell at each other just to talk and hear, (and our desks are side by side). We really need the fans, it is so hot and muggy here that we feel sticky all the time and take at least two showers a day, when the water is running.
We are working on getting rid of all of the viruses on all of the computers here. What people do is go to the internet café because it is a faster connection and download things to their flash drives; then bring them back to the office and then here come the viruses – big time. Since we have the only laptops (thanks to a couple of you), that have anti virus software on them, people stop at our office first and clean their memory sticks before putting them in their and other computers. We are working on getting anti-virus software installed on all of the laptops, but it would be much easier if we have a faster connection than just a dial up at 56kbs. We will try to help raise money to install a DSL line. In the mean time we are downloading some free anti virus software on the dial up and will do that until we can do something better. But it is very very very sloooooooow.
We have taught most of the staff how to use Outlook in order to keep their calendars, jot down tasks, and keep a list of contacts. We are going to try to put all of Pro-Link’s contacts together so that they can communicate with their entire list in order to raise funds, provide information, and easily access all of their contacts. Right now people keep contact info on bits of paper in various pockets.
We are helping with some grant development – mentoring and teaching rather than doing which of course is better in the long run. The other day we had a great staff meeting and did a mini seminar on how to develop a grant using the strategic plan, Pro-Link’s mission statement, forming small task forces, timetables, etc., etc. It was very well received and we felt good about it also.
We will be doing some more detailed workshops on fundraising, as well as a board training, and then going to 3 of their project sites outside of Accra and doing the same on a more limited basis. We are looking forward to it.
Pro-Link is in a bit of a funding crisis and we hope we can help. But, which non-profits, either here, or back home aren’t in a continuing crisis, some larger and some not so large. Anyway, we are committed to trying our hardest.
A good word to describe urban West Africa is “bustling” which seems pretty apt to us compared to the other parts of Africa where we have lived and worked. Ghanians are very friendly, and we feel completely comfortable, (except for the heat and humidity), here. Even though we are technically living and working in Accra, it can take 1.5 – 2 hours to get to Accra Center to conduct Pro-Link business. This is not because of the distance, but the traffic. If you think sitting in the hot sun and not moving for most of that 1.5 – 2 hours is fun, (no AC), think again. We will never complain about Seattle traffic again.
We are going to be doing some traveling and for those of you who have an atlas or map of Ghana, we will be visiting the Cape Coast to learn something of slavery, Kakum to walk in the tree canopy on a rope walk (I,Hinda will likely wait below for Peter to return, to Mole in the North to see some game, (we hope – but probably not like E. and S. Africa, and to the Volta region in the East. When we go to the Cape Coast we will try to visit a small Jewish community there. So you will hear from us about all of this throughout the summer.
The other day a guy came into the bank with a guard toting an AK47 and a shopping bag of money they had was so heavy that it took both of them to carry it. Here, everyone is a millionaire. You can only get $40 from the ATM since the exchange rate is 9000 Cedis to $1. Not really of course – lots of very poor people. We just have to look out the office door and see all of the squatters – homeless people. On the other hand, Ghana has a very good educational system which is free, but then children need money for books, uniforms, lunch, etc. We are going to show them the school fee program that we worked on in Uganda, and perhaps they can adapt it.
So, Peter is Pappa, and Hinda is Mommy. Peter’s Ghanian name is Kwesie, (born on a Sunday), and Hinda;s is Abinah, (born on a Tuesday).
Hinda is busy developing and revising job descriptions so that they match what people are doing, and are done simply so that they can be useful. Next she will do the same for personnel policies so that they match reality and also so that they can actually be used by everyone – management and staff.
All of the stores and shops here have religious names, e.g. Jesus’ Best Beauty Parlor, The Lords Restaurant, Beat Swords into Plowshares Clothing, etc.
You can buy ANYTHING from sellers n the street corners or in the lanes between cars at traffic lights: Food, clothing, games, pots and pans, TP, etc., etc., etc.
One of the trips we are planning is to a resort. Get this golfers: It has a 3 HOLE COURSE!!!!!!
By this time you must be tired of reading this assuming that you even got this far.
We’ll write again in a couple of weeks. Until then, stay cool and enjoy it. You don’t know how good you’ve got it.
Love, Peter and Hinda
Accra, Ghana
June 2, 2006
“Maakye”! Etusey?”
( Good morning! How are you?) “Eyeh! (OK)
Hope all is well with you. We have so much to tell you that we are writing this a little sooner than we had originally planned.
In the future, on our emails, at the bottom where our signature is, just copy and paste our blog address into your browser and we will be together here in Ghana. Better yet, add it to
"Your Favorites".
One of you asked what we are eating here in Ghana, so let’s tell you about that.
First of all, West African food is considerably spicier and hotter than East or Southern African food based on our experiences there. I, (Peter), like it better. Hinda is more cautious and does not try everything.
The African food is here called “local food” as compared to other western foods.
There are a lot of foods made with pounded plaintains, pounded cassava, corn meal, and a mixture of some of those. Local names of some of them are kenkey, banku, fufu. These are eaten with stews and soups such as groundnut, okra, and palava, (leaves, tubers and cabage). Lots of fish, chicken, and goat. And of course great tree ripened, sweet fruit: pineapples, mangoes, oranges, bananas. Lots of veggies too. Finally, lots of rice. (the pinapple is so sweet, I have given up chocolate)
Enough about food. Here’s some other stuff:
“Adagocome” is Nigerian slang also used here: “I’ll go and come back.”
In our office we have a fan – it’s called a typhoon, and it’s so powerful, we have to yell at each other just to talk and hear, (and our desks are side by side). We really need the fans, it is so hot and muggy here that we feel sticky all the time and take at least two showers a day, when the water is running.
We are working on getting rid of all of the viruses on all of the computers here. What people do is go to the internet café because it is a faster connection and download things to their flash drives; then bring them back to the office and then here come the viruses – big time. Since we have the only laptops (thanks to a couple of you), that have anti virus software on them, people stop at our office first and clean their memory sticks before putting them in their and other computers. We are working on getting anti-virus software installed on all of the laptops, but it would be much easier if we have a faster connection than just a dial up at 56kbs. We will try to help raise money to install a DSL line. In the mean time we are downloading some free anti virus software on the dial up and will do that until we can do something better. But it is very very very sloooooooow.
We have taught most of the staff how to use Outlook in order to keep their calendars, jot down tasks, and keep a list of contacts. We are going to try to put all of Pro-Link’s contacts together so that they can communicate with their entire list in order to raise funds, provide information, and easily access all of their contacts. Right now people keep contact info on bits of paper in various pockets.
We are helping with some grant development – mentoring and teaching rather than doing which of course is better in the long run. The other day we had a great staff meeting and did a mini seminar on how to develop a grant using the strategic plan, Pro-Link’s mission statement, forming small task forces, timetables, etc., etc. It was very well received and we felt good about it also.
We will be doing some more detailed workshops on fundraising, as well as a board training, and then going to 3 of their project sites outside of Accra and doing the same on a more limited basis. We are looking forward to it.
Pro-Link is in a bit of a funding crisis and we hope we can help. But, which non-profits, either here, or back home aren’t in a continuing crisis, some larger and some not so large. Anyway, we are committed to trying our hardest.
A good word to describe urban West Africa is “bustling” which seems pretty apt to us compared to the other parts of Africa where we have lived and worked. Ghanians are very friendly, and we feel completely comfortable, (except for the heat and humidity), here. Even though we are technically living and working in Accra, it can take 1.5 – 2 hours to get to Accra Center to conduct Pro-Link business. This is not because of the distance, but the traffic. If you think sitting in the hot sun and not moving for most of that 1.5 – 2 hours is fun, (no AC), think again. We will never complain about Seattle traffic again.
We are going to be doing some traveling and for those of you who have an atlas or map of Ghana, we will be visiting the Cape Coast to learn something of slavery, Kakum to walk in the tree canopy on a rope walk (I,Hinda will likely wait below for Peter to return, to Mole in the North to see some game, (we hope – but probably not like E. and S. Africa, and to the Volta region in the East. When we go to the Cape Coast we will try to visit a small Jewish community there. So you will hear from us about all of this throughout the summer.
The other day a guy came into the bank with a guard toting an AK47 and a shopping bag of money they had was so heavy that it took both of them to carry it. Here, everyone is a millionaire. You can only get $40 from the ATM since the exchange rate is 9000 Cedis to $1. Not really of course – lots of very poor people. We just have to look out the office door and see all of the squatters – homeless people. On the other hand, Ghana has a very good educational system which is free, but then children need money for books, uniforms, lunch, etc. We are going to show them the school fee program that we worked on in Uganda, and perhaps they can adapt it.
So, Peter is Pappa, and Hinda is Mommy. Peter’s Ghanian name is Kwesie, (born on a Sunday), and Hinda;s is Abinah, (born on a Tuesday).
Hinda is busy developing and revising job descriptions so that they match what people are doing, and are done simply so that they can be useful. Next she will do the same for personnel policies so that they match reality and also so that they can actually be used by everyone – management and staff.
All of the stores and shops here have religious names, e.g. Jesus’ Best Beauty Parlor, The Lords Restaurant, Beat Swords into Plowshares Clothing, etc.
You can buy ANYTHING from sellers n the street corners or in the lanes between cars at traffic lights: Food, clothing, games, pots and pans, TP, etc., etc., etc.
One of the trips we are planning is to a resort. Get this golfers: It has a 3 HOLE COURSE!!!!!!
By this time you must be tired of reading this assuming that you even got this far.
We’ll write again in a couple of weeks. Until then, stay cool and enjoy it. You don’t know how good you’ve got it.
Love, Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 4:01 AM
1 comments
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
"Somewhere in the world with Hinda and Peter Schnurman"
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 1:39 AM
0 comments
Email Number 1 From Accra, Ghana, 24 May 2006
Accra, Ghana
Email Number 1
May 16 – May 23, 2006
Hello again!
Once again we are far away from the USA working as volunteers for the American Jewish World Service (AJWS). This time we are in Accra, the capital city of Ghana in West Africa. We have volunteered in East and South Africa, but this is our first visit to the western part of this continent.
Here are some first impressions and also a bit of how and where we live, who we are working with, and what we are doing.
We arrived here on May 16 in the early evening after a long 16 (10 hours and 6 hours) flight from Seattle, plus 6 hours in Amsterdam. At the airport in Accra we were met by 3 of the people that we will be working with. Disembarking from the plane, at 6:15 in the evening, we encountered high heat and humidity – and rain in that it is now the rainy season. The folks tell us that it is cool now because of the rain, but the high 80’s and high 90’s humidity doesn’t feel too cool. Actually, it has rained off and on each day since we arrived, but today, the 22nd, it has been clear and sunny, and really hot – perhaps high 90’s. This is not the most comfortable environment for Hinda who has developed a case of prickly heat, but she is a trooper and will survive as usual. By the way, it doesn’t cool off too much at night, but at least the sun stops beating down on you.
By this time in our travels we are used to the electric going off several times a day. While we have an electric hot water heater for our shower, it is so warm here and the water is so warm that one really doesn’t need hot water for a shower. In fact, it is rather refreshing to have a cool shower.
Last night it rained with thunder and lightning so hard, we were awoken by the noise. WOW!
Luckily, on our first day we were able to rent a very nice, fully furnished one bedroom apartment quite close to where we work. In fact, we walked to work today trying to negotiate lots of mud and puddles. Our apartment is in a large guest house which has several sleeping rooms and shared kitchens and dining rooms, but ours is self contained and takes up the western side of the second floor with a very large balcony that offers some breezes occasionally. There is an air conditioner in the living room and ceiling fans in the other rooms. Tonight we are heading to the store to buy a floor fan to blow directly on us in the bedroom.
We have decided not to try and rent a car on this trip. Traffic is horrendous, and taxis and shared vans – “tro tro’s” are very very cheap. To take a tro tro, (imagine a VW or Toyota van with 25 or so people crammed inside). The cost is 1,000 – 1,500 ceidi’s, and the conversion rate is 9,000 ceidi’s to $1, so you can see how cheap it is to get around. Taxi’s of course are more, but still pretty reasonable, so if we are going someplace not in a straight line, we have been taking taxi’s. The most we have paid so far was 60,000 ceidi’s.
Because of the morning traffic, it has been difficult getting a tro tro. Luckily we live close to work – a bit less than a mile, and we can walk in the morning while it is still relatively cool. However, the roads around here are not paved and it is like walking in a sea of mud.
By this time you have already figured out that you have to carry a lot of bills in order to pay for things. The other day at the FOREX, (Foreign Exchange Bureau), Hinda changed $500; got about 4,500,000 ceidi’s given to her in a black plastic bag since it was obviously too large a bundle to just stuff in your pocket or purse.
As we have found elsewhere in Africa, and really elsewhere around the world, we find the people here very nice. Please keep in mind that the Ghanians are the forefather’s of many African Americans since Ghana was at the heart of the slave trade in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. We plan to learn more about the slave trade while we are here and visit slave forts and the like and we will share our thoughts, experiences and photos with you. However, we think it will be an emotional experience for us since as you know, slave conditions were very very terrible. Anyway, yes, Ghanians are very nice – friendly, helpful, courteous, etc. On our first Saturday night here, the director of the organization we are working with and her husband took us to a lovely restaurant on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The view was wonderful and we enjoyed the breezes. After dinner Peter and the director danced to a live band and what a hit he made.
Our house and office are about an hour away from downtown Accra even though we are still in the city. Where we are is an industrial area with some residential housing which is increasing. Also, there are a lot of “squatters” – homeless people living in shacks made up of whatever materials they can gather. Ghana is in fact a very poor country like much of Africa with lots of disease HIV/AIDS, TB, cholera, malaria, and much more. We have already heard a story of a family that is so devastated by Aids that they have built a coffin for the latest victim placed them in it and waited for them to die. As we learn more in our work, we will share with you.
We work with an organization named Pro-Link and you can find them on the internet at www.prolinkghana.org. We will be doing a variety of administrative and organizational development kinds of things. Already we have helped the IT person figure out how to make changes to their web page. Since neither of us know anything about web development, don’t ask how we did it, but we wanted to have an early success, and we did. (Just blind luck actually). We will be doing some fundraising training and workshops, board training, policy development, computer training and like many of the places where we have been, lots of little things here and there.
More to come, Peter and Hinda
Email Number 1
May 16 – May 23, 2006
Hello again!
Once again we are far away from the USA working as volunteers for the American Jewish World Service (AJWS). This time we are in Accra, the capital city of Ghana in West Africa. We have volunteered in East and South Africa, but this is our first visit to the western part of this continent.
Here are some first impressions and also a bit of how and where we live, who we are working with, and what we are doing.
We arrived here on May 16 in the early evening after a long 16 (10 hours and 6 hours) flight from Seattle, plus 6 hours in Amsterdam. At the airport in Accra we were met by 3 of the people that we will be working with. Disembarking from the plane, at 6:15 in the evening, we encountered high heat and humidity – and rain in that it is now the rainy season. The folks tell us that it is cool now because of the rain, but the high 80’s and high 90’s humidity doesn’t feel too cool. Actually, it has rained off and on each day since we arrived, but today, the 22nd, it has been clear and sunny, and really hot – perhaps high 90’s. This is not the most comfortable environment for Hinda who has developed a case of prickly heat, but she is a trooper and will survive as usual. By the way, it doesn’t cool off too much at night, but at least the sun stops beating down on you.
By this time in our travels we are used to the electric going off several times a day. While we have an electric hot water heater for our shower, it is so warm here and the water is so warm that one really doesn’t need hot water for a shower. In fact, it is rather refreshing to have a cool shower.
Last night it rained with thunder and lightning so hard, we were awoken by the noise. WOW!
Luckily, on our first day we were able to rent a very nice, fully furnished one bedroom apartment quite close to where we work. In fact, we walked to work today trying to negotiate lots of mud and puddles. Our apartment is in a large guest house which has several sleeping rooms and shared kitchens and dining rooms, but ours is self contained and takes up the western side of the second floor with a very large balcony that offers some breezes occasionally. There is an air conditioner in the living room and ceiling fans in the other rooms. Tonight we are heading to the store to buy a floor fan to blow directly on us in the bedroom.
We have decided not to try and rent a car on this trip. Traffic is horrendous, and taxis and shared vans – “tro tro’s” are very very cheap. To take a tro tro, (imagine a VW or Toyota van with 25 or so people crammed inside). The cost is 1,000 – 1,500 ceidi’s, and the conversion rate is 9,000 ceidi’s to $1, so you can see how cheap it is to get around. Taxi’s of course are more, but still pretty reasonable, so if we are going someplace not in a straight line, we have been taking taxi’s. The most we have paid so far was 60,000 ceidi’s.
Because of the morning traffic, it has been difficult getting a tro tro. Luckily we live close to work – a bit less than a mile, and we can walk in the morning while it is still relatively cool. However, the roads around here are not paved and it is like walking in a sea of mud.
By this time you have already figured out that you have to carry a lot of bills in order to pay for things. The other day at the FOREX, (Foreign Exchange Bureau), Hinda changed $500; got about 4,500,000 ceidi’s given to her in a black plastic bag since it was obviously too large a bundle to just stuff in your pocket or purse.
As we have found elsewhere in Africa, and really elsewhere around the world, we find the people here very nice. Please keep in mind that the Ghanians are the forefather’s of many African Americans since Ghana was at the heart of the slave trade in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. We plan to learn more about the slave trade while we are here and visit slave forts and the like and we will share our thoughts, experiences and photos with you. However, we think it will be an emotional experience for us since as you know, slave conditions were very very terrible. Anyway, yes, Ghanians are very nice – friendly, helpful, courteous, etc. On our first Saturday night here, the director of the organization we are working with and her husband took us to a lovely restaurant on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. The view was wonderful and we enjoyed the breezes. After dinner Peter and the director danced to a live band and what a hit he made.
Our house and office are about an hour away from downtown Accra even though we are still in the city. Where we are is an industrial area with some residential housing which is increasing. Also, there are a lot of “squatters” – homeless people living in shacks made up of whatever materials they can gather. Ghana is in fact a very poor country like much of Africa with lots of disease HIV/AIDS, TB, cholera, malaria, and much more. We have already heard a story of a family that is so devastated by Aids that they have built a coffin for the latest victim placed them in it and waited for them to die. As we learn more in our work, we will share with you.
We work with an organization named Pro-Link and you can find them on the internet at www.prolinkghana.org. We will be doing a variety of administrative and organizational development kinds of things. Already we have helped the IT person figure out how to make changes to their web page. Since neither of us know anything about web development, don’t ask how we did it, but we wanted to have an early success, and we did. (Just blind luck actually). We will be doing some fundraising training and workshops, board training, policy development, computer training and like many of the places where we have been, lots of little things here and there.
More to come, Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 1:09 AM
1 comments
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Our Next AJWS Assignment
On or about May 15, 2006 we will be going to Ghana for 3 1/2 months and will be volunteering with Pro-Link in Accra, Ghana's capital. (www.prolinkghana.org) We are excited about this new assignment and look forward to sharing our experiences with you from there. We will start posting again in May.
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 10:41 PM
0 comments
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Email Number 8
Email Number 8
May 9, 2005
Windhoek, Namibia
Hello to everyone, and to all you mothers around the world, “Happy Belated Mothers Day”! (we couldn’t wish you a happy mother’s day yesterday because we were in the bush watching lions, giraffe, many species of antelope, rhino’s, jackals, zebras, etc). By the way, the photo of the lion that will accompany this email on our blog was taken by Hinda who was less than 3 feet from this young male. Now we understand why you are not allowed to get out of your car in Ethosha National Park in the north of this country. My first thought when I saw the lion coming closer was to close the window but the photo wouldn’t have been as good so I took a chance, left the window open and started shooting.
This will be our last email letter from Namibia. We leave here in 3 days and will be back in the USA on May 13. We are anxious to get home and see all of you but really anxious to see those children and grandchildren of ours. So, we want to sum up a bit about our general experience here in Namibia and also chat a little about our work at CAFO.
We just returned from a one week vacation to the Northwest and to the North. In the Northwest we visited Damaraland – home of the Damara speaking people. The Damara language is one of the “click” languages. To us, it sounds very difficult, and there are probably not many non natives who speak it. Damara is only one of the click language spoken here – there are several, some spoken by the San (formerly called “Bushmen” – this is now considered to be a derogatory term). Also, Damaraland is home to the desert elephant which can only be found there and in Mali. There are only a few hundred of these creatures left and we considered ourselves lucky to have found them. And find them we did. We had to track them for a couple of hours and then we came upon a small group. One of the differences is that their feet are bigger so that they can walk more easily in the sand. We also watched them dig for water with both their feet and their trunks. In our opinion, Damaraland may be the most beautiful part of this very beautiful country, and there are great similarities to our American Southwest.
We spent 3 days and nights in Etosha National Park – a very large park – 20,000 square km. – with a great variety of game and a lot of it. Here is a quick rundown of what we saw: kudu, zebra, giraffe, elephant, sprinkbok, wildebeest, hartebeest, lion, hyena, rhino, jackal, impala, black mamba. One of the nice things about Etosha is that at night in the rest camp, there are lighted waterholes where the animals come to drink and you can observe them from less than 100’ away. Hopefully we came back with some good photos, but Hinda’s of the lion is definitely the grand prize winner. By the way, if you have never heard a male lion roar, it is really something and easy to understand why they are referred to as the king of the beasts. Their roar can easily be heard from several miles away.
Just before we went on this trip, we did a board training session for CAFO, and in our opinion it was not only one of the best things we did for CAFO, but also one of the best trainings we have ever done anywhere. For CAFO, it was their first board training. Six of the nine board members attended. We spent about 4 hours discussing board roles and responsibilities, elements of leadership, staff vs. board, methods of running a meeting, and other things as well. We were very pleased to see that some of the things that were included in the training were used by the members in their afternoon session. The members asked us to give them additional copies of the materiel that we prepared so they can use it with other boards they are involved with. This is one of the goals we hoped to achieve, building capacity and skills that will provide these folks with what they need to move into the future.
At CAFO we compiled everything we did into a manual they will be able to use and refer to including job descriptions, policies and procedures, grant templates, budget templates, etc. We also have a copy that we will take with us to the next place to be able to use again. In fact, some of the things in this manual we developed and used when we fist started volunteering in Thailand in 2000, so it has become an evolving document that we used in India and Uganda as well.
All in all we feel pretty good about this assignment and we hope that we have been successful in passing along some of our skills and expertise and helping CAFO to the next level.
At least one of the grants that we helped with has already been funded, and it seems likely that another couple will as well including a large one that will help CAFO help grassroots groups increase their capacity and be able to make small grants to projects like the goat project that we have spoken about to you before.
We have mixed feelings about Namiibia. It is a very beautiful country and it’s geography and topography are very diverse ranging from desert to ocean to mountains to large river systems. And it’s animal and bird life is spectacular.
We met and got to know many different kinds of Namibian people with very different cultural backgrounds, and of great value to us, we have learned much. To the degree that we have been able to give something, we have also gotten much in terms of our own personal enrichment. Once again we have learned and experienced a different culture.
However, we must be truthful and also tell you that there were many times that we felt very uncomfortable here in Namibia because of the racial separation between the whites, blacks and colored. Even though there no longer is an official policy of apartheid, it still seems to exist. Namibia is a poor country with all of the problems of many African countries: AIDS, poverty, corruption, high unemployment, etc., and the remnants of racial separation make it more difficult to solve many of the problems. But, this is still a young nation. Independence only came about 15 years ago, and Namibia just elected their second president. We hope that the Namibian leadership will slowly be able to deal with their problems and put and end to the discrimination that seems make it more difficult to solve these very huge problems. For instance, the issue of land reform – transferring the bulk of the land that is privately owned by a tiny number of whites, to the majority black community. It is creating many hard feelings, and we hope that it doesn’t go the same way that is currently happening in Zimbabwe. Now Namibia’s blacks have the political power, but they don’t have the economic power, and until that happens, they really won’t be in control of their own destinies. And the coloreds are still in the middle and being squeezed by both sides. They may even be a bit worse off now than before.
OK, enough of this. We made some good friends, and through our efforts, there should be some greater benefits to the orphans and vulnerable children that CAFO is set up to help. We also think that as American and as Jews we have been good representatives of our country and our faith and even brought about some better understanding.
Once again, even though we are sad to leave newly found and good friends, we know from experience that we will add these people to our growing circle of friends that we have made around the world and we will continue to communicate with, be able to continue to help them as we can, and with any luck meet again in another time and place. So our sadness is also sweetened somewhat.
To those of you who supported the goat project financially and with your encouragement, we want to thank you. It was deeply appreciated, and has helped very much.
We look forward to seeing you soon in person and having the opportunity to tell you more about our experience and adventures here in Namibia.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
May 9, 2005
Windhoek, Namibia
Hello to everyone, and to all you mothers around the world, “Happy Belated Mothers Day”! (we couldn’t wish you a happy mother’s day yesterday because we were in the bush watching lions, giraffe, many species of antelope, rhino’s, jackals, zebras, etc). By the way, the photo of the lion that will accompany this email on our blog was taken by Hinda who was less than 3 feet from this young male. Now we understand why you are not allowed to get out of your car in Ethosha National Park in the north of this country. My first thought when I saw the lion coming closer was to close the window but the photo wouldn’t have been as good so I took a chance, left the window open and started shooting.
This will be our last email letter from Namibia. We leave here in 3 days and will be back in the USA on May 13. We are anxious to get home and see all of you but really anxious to see those children and grandchildren of ours. So, we want to sum up a bit about our general experience here in Namibia and also chat a little about our work at CAFO.
We just returned from a one week vacation to the Northwest and to the North. In the Northwest we visited Damaraland – home of the Damara speaking people. The Damara language is one of the “click” languages. To us, it sounds very difficult, and there are probably not many non natives who speak it. Damara is only one of the click language spoken here – there are several, some spoken by the San (formerly called “Bushmen” – this is now considered to be a derogatory term). Also, Damaraland is home to the desert elephant which can only be found there and in Mali. There are only a few hundred of these creatures left and we considered ourselves lucky to have found them. And find them we did. We had to track them for a couple of hours and then we came upon a small group. One of the differences is that their feet are bigger so that they can walk more easily in the sand. We also watched them dig for water with both their feet and their trunks. In our opinion, Damaraland may be the most beautiful part of this very beautiful country, and there are great similarities to our American Southwest.
We spent 3 days and nights in Etosha National Park – a very large park – 20,000 square km. – with a great variety of game and a lot of it. Here is a quick rundown of what we saw: kudu, zebra, giraffe, elephant, sprinkbok, wildebeest, hartebeest, lion, hyena, rhino, jackal, impala, black mamba. One of the nice things about Etosha is that at night in the rest camp, there are lighted waterholes where the animals come to drink and you can observe them from less than 100’ away. Hopefully we came back with some good photos, but Hinda’s of the lion is definitely the grand prize winner. By the way, if you have never heard a male lion roar, it is really something and easy to understand why they are referred to as the king of the beasts. Their roar can easily be heard from several miles away.
Just before we went on this trip, we did a board training session for CAFO, and in our opinion it was not only one of the best things we did for CAFO, but also one of the best trainings we have ever done anywhere. For CAFO, it was their first board training. Six of the nine board members attended. We spent about 4 hours discussing board roles and responsibilities, elements of leadership, staff vs. board, methods of running a meeting, and other things as well. We were very pleased to see that some of the things that were included in the training were used by the members in their afternoon session. The members asked us to give them additional copies of the materiel that we prepared so they can use it with other boards they are involved with. This is one of the goals we hoped to achieve, building capacity and skills that will provide these folks with what they need to move into the future.
At CAFO we compiled everything we did into a manual they will be able to use and refer to including job descriptions, policies and procedures, grant templates, budget templates, etc. We also have a copy that we will take with us to the next place to be able to use again. In fact, some of the things in this manual we developed and used when we fist started volunteering in Thailand in 2000, so it has become an evolving document that we used in India and Uganda as well.
All in all we feel pretty good about this assignment and we hope that we have been successful in passing along some of our skills and expertise and helping CAFO to the next level.
At least one of the grants that we helped with has already been funded, and it seems likely that another couple will as well including a large one that will help CAFO help grassroots groups increase their capacity and be able to make small grants to projects like the goat project that we have spoken about to you before.
We have mixed feelings about Namiibia. It is a very beautiful country and it’s geography and topography are very diverse ranging from desert to ocean to mountains to large river systems. And it’s animal and bird life is spectacular.
We met and got to know many different kinds of Namibian people with very different cultural backgrounds, and of great value to us, we have learned much. To the degree that we have been able to give something, we have also gotten much in terms of our own personal enrichment. Once again we have learned and experienced a different culture.
However, we must be truthful and also tell you that there were many times that we felt very uncomfortable here in Namibia because of the racial separation between the whites, blacks and colored. Even though there no longer is an official policy of apartheid, it still seems to exist. Namibia is a poor country with all of the problems of many African countries: AIDS, poverty, corruption, high unemployment, etc., and the remnants of racial separation make it more difficult to solve many of the problems. But, this is still a young nation. Independence only came about 15 years ago, and Namibia just elected their second president. We hope that the Namibian leadership will slowly be able to deal with their problems and put and end to the discrimination that seems make it more difficult to solve these very huge problems. For instance, the issue of land reform – transferring the bulk of the land that is privately owned by a tiny number of whites, to the majority black community. It is creating many hard feelings, and we hope that it doesn’t go the same way that is currently happening in Zimbabwe. Now Namibia’s blacks have the political power, but they don’t have the economic power, and until that happens, they really won’t be in control of their own destinies. And the coloreds are still in the middle and being squeezed by both sides. They may even be a bit worse off now than before.
OK, enough of this. We made some good friends, and through our efforts, there should be some greater benefits to the orphans and vulnerable children that CAFO is set up to help. We also think that as American and as Jews we have been good representatives of our country and our faith and even brought about some better understanding.
Once again, even though we are sad to leave newly found and good friends, we know from experience that we will add these people to our growing circle of friends that we have made around the world and we will continue to communicate with, be able to continue to help them as we can, and with any luck meet again in another time and place. So our sadness is also sweetened somewhat.
To those of you who supported the goat project financially and with your encouragement, we want to thank you. It was deeply appreciated, and has helped very much.
We look forward to seeing you soon in person and having the opportunity to tell you more about our experience and adventures here in Namibia.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 12:20 AM
0 comments
Monday, April 25, 2005
Sunset on the Zambezi River between Namibia and Zambia
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 7:38 AM
0 comments
Email Number 7
April 2005
Windhoek, Namibia
Email Number 7
Hi Everyone,
This will be our next to the last email - one more coming probably on May 10 or 11, just before we return home. That one will feature our last trip and we hope will have nice landscape and animal photos, and hopefully some portraits as well.
This one will be a bit shorter than our others, (aren't you glad?).
We just spent a week in the north and northeast doing some training and program evaluation. We were in Rundu in the Kavango Region, and Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Region. Both of these places are very different from the rest of this country - both are located on major rivers and there is much greenery. Wildlife include hippos and crocodiles which of course you don't see in the rest of desert Namibia!
Just to prove that we do work, we have included a photo of Peter teaching proposal writing to a class of caregivers (for orphan and vulnerable children). Most of the rest of our time in the north was spent doing grassroots program evaluation, and "light" strategic planning. Never the less, we were able to get one small group going after they had stalled for the past two years, so we are pleased with that.
We visited a clinic in Katima and here is a sad story and sad commentary as well. The clinic has only 1 person, a nurse (Ellen). Ellen told us that morning she had seen18 patients - all children, and most with malaria. The only problem was that Ellen had run out of medicine and the Ministry of Health has not given her any more. Pretty hard to treat these problems without any medication. Do you know that 160,000 people die each month around the world from malaria alone? Also no money to give out mosquito netting. The worst of all is that Ellen told us about a child who came in with a fever of 4o, (104). In addition to not having medication, she couldn't call an ambulance because the phone bill was not paid by the Ministry of Health since they had spent the budget on "other things". This clinic is located quite far from town - too far to walk. Hopefully the child survived, but it is easy to understand how these 160,000 people die each month from malaria. Malaria is preventable with netting, long sleeved clothing, etc. But all of that takes money. Ellen also told us that one of her patients was a 5 year old who weighed 22 pounds!
Well there wasn't much we could do, but we did write a letter to the Minister of Health, and hope that some action will take place. It is pretty frustrating.
On this same trip we brought 5 gallons of paint that we were able to get donated which will be enough to paint the outside of one of the kindergartens that we evaluated. We will give 5 gallons each also to 3 more kindergartens. Sometimes just freshening up a place makes it a bit more cheerful.
The goat project is going very well thanks to those of you who have helped, ($50 per goat). With your help we have bought 10 goats, and CAFO will also buy 9 or ten, so that with the goats the project already has, there will be enough milk now to feed all of the 72 orphan kids in the project. This program will be used as a model. Soon, we expect it to be income generating, and not just self sustaining. This is one of the best things we have done with your help. THANKS!
Here is a nice story. On our last trip to the north, we met with a small group, (the woman was related to the King) who needed some small grant to fence in a "mahangu" field. (Mahangu is a grain, kind of like corn which is mashed into a gruel or porridge and is a staple of the north.) To find this woman in the village, the directions were as follows: Drive to the village. Look for a yellow telephone on a pole. Look across the street for a tree and there in the house would be this women. Well, these directions actually got us there. Unbelievable! While talking to her we told her that we were surprised that there were no basket sellers on the road side. She said all of the women were busy in the mahangu fields but she would try to find us some baskets. That was about 6 weeks ago. Last week, a man walks into our office asking if there were "two white guys around". We said no. only 1 white "guy" and 1 "women". He was carrying a plastic bag and jokingly we asked if it was filled with money. He opened it up and there were some beautifu baskets which we were happy to buy. End of story.
End of email. You'll be hearing from us in another 2 weeks and then you'll see us in person after that.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
Windhoek, Namibia
Email Number 7
Hi Everyone,
This will be our next to the last email - one more coming probably on May 10 or 11, just before we return home. That one will feature our last trip and we hope will have nice landscape and animal photos, and hopefully some portraits as well.
This one will be a bit shorter than our others, (aren't you glad?).
We just spent a week in the north and northeast doing some training and program evaluation. We were in Rundu in the Kavango Region, and Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Region. Both of these places are very different from the rest of this country - both are located on major rivers and there is much greenery. Wildlife include hippos and crocodiles which of course you don't see in the rest of desert Namibia!
Just to prove that we do work, we have included a photo of Peter teaching proposal writing to a class of caregivers (for orphan and vulnerable children). Most of the rest of our time in the north was spent doing grassroots program evaluation, and "light" strategic planning. Never the less, we were able to get one small group going after they had stalled for the past two years, so we are pleased with that.
We visited a clinic in Katima and here is a sad story and sad commentary as well. The clinic has only 1 person, a nurse (Ellen). Ellen told us that morning she had seen18 patients - all children, and most with malaria. The only problem was that Ellen had run out of medicine and the Ministry of Health has not given her any more. Pretty hard to treat these problems without any medication. Do you know that 160,000 people die each month around the world from malaria alone? Also no money to give out mosquito netting. The worst of all is that Ellen told us about a child who came in with a fever of 4o, (104). In addition to not having medication, she couldn't call an ambulance because the phone bill was not paid by the Ministry of Health since they had spent the budget on "other things". This clinic is located quite far from town - too far to walk. Hopefully the child survived, but it is easy to understand how these 160,000 people die each month from malaria. Malaria is preventable with netting, long sleeved clothing, etc. But all of that takes money. Ellen also told us that one of her patients was a 5 year old who weighed 22 pounds!
Well there wasn't much we could do, but we did write a letter to the Minister of Health, and hope that some action will take place. It is pretty frustrating.
On this same trip we brought 5 gallons of paint that we were able to get donated which will be enough to paint the outside of one of the kindergartens that we evaluated. We will give 5 gallons each also to 3 more kindergartens. Sometimes just freshening up a place makes it a bit more cheerful.
The goat project is going very well thanks to those of you who have helped, ($50 per goat). With your help we have bought 10 goats, and CAFO will also buy 9 or ten, so that with the goats the project already has, there will be enough milk now to feed all of the 72 orphan kids in the project. This program will be used as a model. Soon, we expect it to be income generating, and not just self sustaining. This is one of the best things we have done with your help. THANKS!
Here is a nice story. On our last trip to the north, we met with a small group, (the woman was related to the King) who needed some small grant to fence in a "mahangu" field. (Mahangu is a grain, kind of like corn which is mashed into a gruel or porridge and is a staple of the north.) To find this woman in the village, the directions were as follows: Drive to the village. Look for a yellow telephone on a pole. Look across the street for a tree and there in the house would be this women. Well, these directions actually got us there. Unbelievable! While talking to her we told her that we were surprised that there were no basket sellers on the road side. She said all of the women were busy in the mahangu fields but she would try to find us some baskets. That was about 6 weeks ago. Last week, a man walks into our office asking if there were "two white guys around". We said no. only 1 white "guy" and 1 "women". He was carrying a plastic bag and jokingly we asked if it was filled with money. He opened it up and there were some beautifu baskets which we were happy to buy. End of story.
End of email. You'll be hearing from us in another 2 weeks and then you'll see us in person after that.
Love,
Peter and Hinda
posted by Peter and Hinda Schnurman at 6:56 AM
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