Many Ideas To Share

Lisa Hardel and I had an amazing trip to the 4 village’s (Lusanje, Kandete, Masebe, Ndala,) that One Small Drop is working with. It was exciting to see the progress of the 4 women’s groups in the Livingstone Mountains. “ Lukamanda” (the first 2 letters of the community names) is the name of the group formed by the women as an organization. Lukamanda has been overseeing the orphan uniform project and the pig project. To date 226 orphan uniforms have been sewn by a local tailor. That means 226 children are now going to school that were previously unable to. We had the privilege of hand delivering the uniforms in Lusanje and Kandete (picture).

Another incredible milestone was seeing the completion of the pig centers. Each of the 4 centers has one male and 5 female pigs. Most of the females have been bred and are expecting piglets in the next couple months. At Lukamanda’s meeting they decided that piglets will be given away to prioritized widows that apply for the pigs. The center will breed the piglet. All the babies from that pig will be returned to the center. The widow then has discretion over any future litters. She may choose to raise them for food or sell them at the market. The center then has a supply of piglets to pass out to other widow applicants. It is a gift that keeps on giving. It is anticipated that over 200 piglets will be distributed over the first year!

There are also 2 new ideas for One Small Drop to expand into…I will explain next week.

PS. One Small Drop has a new web site address http://onesmalldrop.net. The site is still being worked on, but accessible.

Livingstone Mountains Here We Come!

Lisa Hardel and I are heading out next Saturday to visit the Livingstone Mountains in South Western Tanzania, Africa. We are excited to be visiting the 4 communities and woman’s group “Lukamenda” to see how the progress is coming on the orphan uniforms and the pork project.

My last visit was in November, and the villages were just beginning to construct their individual pork centers where widows will learn how to feed, vaccinate, breed and farrow the pigs. Then, through an application process, pigs are awarded to widows. When their pig has babies, they will keep 3 and give the rest back to the pork center, who will then distribute more pigs.

We will also be meeting with the tailors that have been making orphan uniforms to get a progress report.

There is a high possibility of a nurse traveling next summer to do a 3 month internship in the mountains, so Lisa and I will be visiting a couple hospitals.

We are also taking a sample solar oven to explore the feasibility of its use. Women travel 1-3 miles each day to gather needed firewood and there is an issue with the wood supply. All meal preparation is done with firewood, sometimes inside homes. This creates respiratory issues.

This trip is sure to be educational as well as heartwarming as we rekindle old friendships. I can’t wait!!

Piggy Party Pictures

Piggy outfit :)


Scavenger Hunt for the pinata






Piggy pinata found!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the "Piggy Party" of a wonderful family in Wisconsin Rapids, WI. The entire gathering revolved around raising awareness and funds for our pig project in Tanzania, so I thought I'd share some of the fun photos.

Children Lead The Way

Last month I visited the Amherst United Methodist Church and Buena Vista Methodist Church to give updates on One Small Drop activities. These two very small churches have welcomed One Small Drop and made us feel like family. Last fall when I introduced One Small Drop, the Amherst Sunday School (8 students) decided to support the Pig Project throughout their year. They even made t-shirts that said P.I.G.S – People In God’s Service. They did various fund raising activities, like pancake breakfasts and brat fries. I was blown away by their presentation of over $540 dollars for the pig project. WOW!

Last week I received a phone call from someone I met at the Portage County Cultural Festival. Her young young children are having a “piggy party” to raise awareness and funds for One Small Drop. Amazing!

What an inspiration these young people are! It reminds me of the Bible verse, 1Timothy 4:12, “Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” These children have truly been an example.

Do any of you have examples of inspirational children in your life? Please share with me.

Fall Trip Just Around the Corner

Just received word from Tupo (our interpreter) that she is available starting Sept. 13th to accompany us on our next trip. We are planning to leave around Sept. 11th-26th, give or take a day or two.

We are very excited about returning to the Livingstone Mountains in Southwest Tanzania to see how the progress is going with Lukamenda, the women’s organization we are working with, on the pork projects as well as the orphan uniform projects in all four communities.

If anyone you know is interested in traveling with us in September, we welcome guests to come and see and meet our wonderful friends. Just drop me an email at tammiejo@tds.net.

One Small Drop continues to have speaking engagements at various churches (Buena Vista and Amherst Methodist Church this weekend) and organizations. We are eager to get the word out to demonstrate how very small actions on our part can have huge effects, creating ripples of change in the lives of many.

We had a wonderful time at the Portage County Cultural Festival, interacting with a plethora of foreign cultures, music, food, crafts and classes. It was an amazing experience to be able to showcase a small part of Tanzania and teach some basic Swahili.

There is still talk of having a Pig Roast/Garden Party with music late summer or early fall. We’ll keep you updated.

Promises, Promises

Oh my. It has been a month since my last post! It’s not like nothing has been happening. One Small Drop held its first fundraising concert thanks to the generosity of Orlow and the CW Band, Carmen Lee and the Tomorrow River Two and Clinton Miller. These 3 bands donated their time to benefit people they have never met through the Pork Project and Orphan Uniform Project in Tanzania. Over $1000 was raised that evening! The Portage County Gazette also did a feature article.

I have been busy speaking to various groups, (Brownie girl scouts in Waupaca, confirmation students in Scandinavia, Mother/Daughter Banquets, and school classrooms) that are anxious to learn about my friends in Tanzania.


One Small Drop has been invited to participate in the Portage County Cultural Festival on May 8th. This will be a marvelous opportunity for One Small Drop to gain exposure to hundreds of people who come to experience dozens of world cultures through music, education, dance, art, and food by tasting, smelling, seeing, hearing and feeling. I will even get the chance to teach some Swahili words to the children!

The Board of Directors is considering additional fundraisers such as a pig roast/garden party this summer. We will keep you posted on dates and locations!

We’ve have an update on Niku. She is the young gal that was recognized by the government because of her exceptional grades in school. The government recommended she attend nursing school. But her father had recently died of AIDS and her mother just diagnosed with AIDS. Her family could not afford to send her to school. One Small Drop sponsored her two-year nursing education program. She will complete her first year in August, and is doing very well. One Small Drop will also be sponsoring her practical field work next semester.

And plans have started for our next visit in August. Whew! I need to update more often! Promises, promises…

Where Local is Global

How do you know your time, money, and efforts are really making a difference in the world? As you sit here in your seat in “small town”, Wisconsin how can you be sure the change you want to see in the world is really happening? Are you really reaching those you want to help? There are many good and heartbreaking reasons to help the world today. We see it on the news every day. Disease, famine and natural disaster seems to be happening at every moment on any spot on the globe. You may feel that you are a member of too small a local community to do much good. In reality local is global. What you can do today, here in your local community, through One Small Drop can drastically change a local community a world away. Through its local community efforts in Tanzania, One Small Drop is working to make connections one local community at a time. From Iola/Amherst/Stevens Point/Nelsonville/Scandinavia/Rosholt/(insert your town here) to Kandete, Tanzania you can donate a pig that will feed not only a family but a community. From your seat and from your dollars a child in Ndala, TZ can attain a school uniform and attend school. That child can go on to become a strong contributing member of the community.

That’s why we were VERY excited when Gregg Orlowski approached One Small Drop to consider a fundraiser, offering his band, Orlow and the CWB, at no cost to us! The Board of Directors were in awe with Gregg’s generosity and enthusiasm. He quickly recruited two more entertainers to add to the show. The combined musical talent of Carmen Lee and the Tomorrow River Two and Clinton Miller will produce a top notch show for all in attendance. Please consider this your personal invitation and mark your calendars for Saturday, April 10th, 7-10pm, in Amherst, WI at the Lettie Jensen Community Center.

At One Small Drop we are not seeking to change the world on a grand scale, just reaching out from one local community across the globe to another local community sending ripples of support and care throughout the world.

A Word from the New President

I would like to interrupt this blog for a moment to introduce myself and explain to you why I am both pleased and honored to be named the new President of the Board of Directors of One Small Drop. It is an organization that truly seeks to prove that local can be global, and lasting and substantive change can be made in the world by committed individuals.

If you have looked around the world there are just about a million quotes about philanthropy, charity, nonprofit organizations, and volunteerism. Some of these quotes are grand, but I think the best ones are those that put the impact of world change within the reach of one individual. One of my favorites is by Wayne Dyer, “You, a person with a vision, are like a pebble in a stream, moving ever outward to infinity, impacting on all who come into contact with the ripple.” It is because of quotes like that, and the impetus for change behind them, that I became involved in One Small Drop. Each and every person who comes into contact with One Small Drop has been able to achieve and see, through concrete ways, how they have impacted a community a world away. That is due in large part to Tammie Jo Berg, its founder, but also to people like Lee Halverson, the past President, and all Board Members, all the way down to that one person who decides to take a chance, and see if they can change the world.

So now that you know the fantastic group of people I have the privilege of working with, let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Liza Schneider. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1984 and have worked solely in the nonprofit world ever since. I have done everything from volunteering at fun walks, to working with developmentally disabled adults, freelance writing, and governance and administration. Recently I received my Masters Degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. I am the owner of Philanthropie de la Baie, a nonprofit Consulting business, and have been happily married to Donn, a Packer fan for over 19 years. We are the proud owners of a cat, collie puppy (named Laddie, of course) and a 2 year old Gyspy Vanner horse who is trying really hard to learn not to nibble on people. We are all a work in progress.

I look forward to serving the Board of One Small Drop, as that is what I believe any good President, or leader should be, a servant to others. If you want to test my theory on how you can send a ripple of good out to the world come to one of our events, or contact Tammie Jo or myself. You will be amazed at the impact one small drop can have on the world.

Looking Ahead

We are gearing up for our next trip. One Small Drop will be heading back to Tanzania in early August. Some of you have shown an interest in visiting the Villages in the Livingstone Mountains. We welcome those eager to explore and walk hand in hand, side by side with our neighbors across the globe. Our purpose for this trip will be to continue to build relationships with the communities we are working with and perhaps start new relationships with other villages interested in partnering with us. If you are interested please contact Tammie Jo (tammiejo@tds.net) as soon as possible so we can get the ball rolling.

I am grateful to report that One Small Drop has progressed beyond my dreams of where we might be 23 months after becoming an official 501 (c)(3) non-profit. Lukamenda (the conglomerate name of the 4 village women groups we are working with: LUsange, KAndete, MEsebe and NDAla) has evolved into a competent and focused group eager to show success in both the Pig Project and Orphan Uniform outreach.

Hot of the press…coming in April… APRIL SHOWER FUNDRAISER helping One Small Drop make worldwide ripples. Greg Orlowski and the CWD Band has offered to provide live music for a fundraiser April 10th. This will be held in Amherst, WI at the Jensen Center. Other live music, food and more will be offered. More information will be released in a couple weeks. So mark you calendars and stop in if you will be in the area.

Brenda's Experience...

I've recently returned from the outreach trip that One Small Drop did in the Livingstone Mountains of Tanzania this past November. This was my first flight....EVER! So I thought, "Hey, let's go to Africa!!" My experience with this trip can't be summed up into just one thought or word, but if I HAD to pick one word, it would be 'humbling'. Humbling because we, as westerners, live in very privileged societies. Most of us have our basic human needs met with shelter, food, clean drinking water, educational possibilities, and a network of resources and people that are there to help us when we fall short. Not so in the places we visited within Tanzania.

There were many stories from widows, orphans, teachers, students, doctors and nurses, that ripped my heart wide open. But their stories also held great hope. They are a beautiful, kind, and gentle people.

One experience that stood out for me was when we visited a church and the women took us later to a widow's house to hear of her story. It was raining hard, and as we walked through the fields to this widow's hut, the women of the church took our gear, carried it for us and then picked these large banana leaves and held them over our heads for protection from the rain. What a beautiful thing to do for us. As we entered the widow's hut, for me, it was LITERALLY like stepping back into the pages of National Geographic. It was a grass hut with thatched roof. Holes in the roof and sides of the hut gave way to the harsh winds and rains as it came pounding through, making it very cold and wet. The floor was dirt. The fire, what little there was, was surrounded by three clay-like cylinders made out of mud and hardened. This is where the woman cooked and tried to stay warm. We all gathered in her tiny hut, shivering and cold from the rain, and listened to our translator tell us her story. She was a widow for many years now, no husband, no surviving children, all died most likely from AIDS, because this region has been extremely hard hit by this deadly disease. She raises her grandchildren all alone. Very little money helps to pay for the children to go to school. She is very frail and feeble. I went over to her and wrapped my hands around hers and began to pray for and with her. I knelt in front of her and told her I too, am a widow. My children have no father. I know and feel her pain, but can I really?

I have a large support of people who have been able to help me financially, prayerfully and emotionally. These widows are often times shunned in the community, literally pushed aside. I put a cross around her neck and looked into such sad eyes, but for the moment our eyes locked, I saw a glimmer of hope, a smile came to her lips. Can such seemingly small tokens give such great joy and hope, such as that of a simple felt cross, an offered prayer, a genuine, caring smile, a tender touch and holding of hands? I can answer that with a resounding YES! Sometimes we are so busy looking for the 'big things' we can do in this life, for a world that so desperately needs love and understanding, that we miss the 'small things' and what we can do for a wounded and saddened soul.

One Small Drop, is just that. And I am constantly reminded of the words of Mother Teresa when she said, “You can do no great things, only small things with great love!” How true those words echoed to me while on this trip. I am forever changed by what I saw, and by what I experienced with the two other amazing women that accompanied me on this journey. I am forever grateful for their support, their love and understanding as we traveled together to a place that will be forever and deeply in my heart. God Bless!

Button's Perspective...

This post is written by Buttons (Jessica) Coates. She traveled with me to Tanzania in November. She turned 20 years old while we were there.

It's hard to put into words all the things I experienced while in Tanzania. It was a very intense experience in every aspect. There were so many events that changed me but the one that I want to share is the 14 year old girl who had lost her mother and her father. She spoke softly and hesitantly at first, then she broke down and cried when she talked about the recent death of her father. It was so heart wrenching to see this young girl stand in front of us and tell us about the death of her parents. My father passed away in 2006 and I know how hard it is to talk about him to people. To see the sorrow in all of the widow's and orphan's faces is something that will be with me for as long as I live. I will not forget the people of the Livingstone Mountains and look forward to returing to them in 2011. This was a humbling experience and I wish more people could see what I've seen and also be changed.

Medical Care

During our last trip in November we had the opportunity to visit the local hospital in Kandete.

This hospital serves a population of more than 45,000. It is staffed with 2 doctors and 6 nurses. The next closest facility is 40 miles away through the rough mountain terrain. According to our standards the facility would perhaps be called a clinic. The patient’s usual mode of arrival is on foot.

Because of the poverty, many patients will use chickens, eggs or vegetables as their payment for service. This of course does not help with bills the hospital incurs, such as electricity or staff salaries.

I have some medical background as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for 20 years. And I have to tell you that our ambulance had more medical equipment and more drugs that this hospital has on hand.

Many moms would cringe at the birthing facilities. The surgical recovery area is a mat on the grass outside of the surgical room.

The slideshow above shows the cement bench waiting area, a birthing cot, the medicine distribution room, a refrigerated medicine container, and one of the 2 doctors that serves the hospital.

To illustrate the difficulties, let me share a story. We visited the home of a man whose wife had died. This man, for some unknown reason, had gradually lost the strength in his legs, leaving him unable to walk and only able to sit up with difficulty. He lies on the dirt floor next to the cooking fire in his home to stay warm. He has a 10 year old daughter that is caring for him, cooking meals, taking care of the livestock, tending the garden and trying to go to school. He lives about 15 miles from the hospital and there is no way to get him to the hospital…he cannot walk, he cannot sit on a bicycle, there is not money to hire a driver to come to his remote location. We knew our vehicle would be passing near him the next day and offered to cover the expense of his travel ($3) and admission to the hospital ($10).

When we received our vaccinations to come on this trip we were required to get a booster for polio. It is suspected that this man has polio.

Beyond the Box

One Small Drop is pleased to announce its new annual campaign called Beyond the Box. Instead of shopping at the local big box stores your sponsorship of a new school uniform or pig can help educate a child or feed a community.

These small gifts make a large impact in the Livingston Mountain area of Tanzania, Africa. One Small Drop, a global non-profit association continues to strive for independence, education, and innovation through one-to-one networking in Wisconsin and Tanzania. When you sponsor one of the items, you will receive a personalized certificate and your donation transforms communities by helping people address hunger, poverty, and education.

All purchases are tax deductible, and One Small Drop is always interested in helping new volunteers learn how they can reach out and help change the world.

For more information please contact Tammie Jo Berg: tammiejo@tds.net, 715-445-4919, or snail-mail N6823 Co J, Iola, WI 54945.
• One orphan uniform: $30.00
• One pig: $30.00

Weavings

Brenda, Buttons and I have just returned from an amazing trip to the southwest region of Tanzania, Africa. This is the first time One Small Drop has taken additional team members to meet the people of the Livingstone Mountains. To say we were warmly welcomed would be an understatement. I think Brenda’s description of “stepping into National Geographic” is very appropriate initial reaction.

Brenda and Buttons have a tender spot for orphans and widows because they can directly relate. Brenda’s husband (Button’s father) died suddenly 3 years ago. As we met with the 4 women’s groups in the communities of Kandete, Mesebe, Lusanje and Ndala, Brenda and Buttons were introduced as mother and daughter. There was an audible gasp of excitement and then cheers. Family is very important to them. The relationships being forged will change lives forever…ours and theirs.

One Small Drop’s purpose for this trip was to check on the progress of the identified projects for orphans and widows in this region (pigs and school uniforms). I was immediately impressed with the progress of the communities and the extent to which the women have been empowered to take on these projects. We also met with the leaders of the women’s groups to finalize some of the mundane details: opening a bank account, choosing a treasurer, choosing a tailor, identifying a manager and the role the manager will play, and bringing advocates up to speed on the projects. The group has decided on the name of “Kamelunda”. This is the first few letters of each community. It turns out this is also a word in their tribal language that means “together”.

We had the opportunity to hear from widows and orphans from each community. We will post some of these encounters in the near future. The ladies were anxious to share and teach us some of their activities, involving us in their dances and songs, and making mats. These mats are very versatile. They are made from grasses and tied or woven together. They can be used as beds, blankets, decoration, and for drying vegetables and grains.

Have you ever looked at a piece of weaving very close up? It is difficult to see any kind of pattern and sometimes the colors blend together so they are indistinguishable. That is how I had been seeing One Small Drop as we were getting our feet under us. But now I feel like I am getting a glimpse of the colors and intricate patterns God has in store for us! I cannot wait to watch as this tapestry continues to grow!

Only 20 More Days

That's right! Only 20 more days unitl One Small Drop heads back to Tanzania. This time Brenda and Buttons (right) will be joining me. We are excited to be traveling to the small communities in the Livingston Mountains of Western Tanzania. We are looking forward to meeting with the four communities to review the progress and next steps for implementation of the Orphan Uniform Project and the Pig Project.

One of the people we hope to meet with is the tailor that will be sewing the uniforms for the students. By securing the uniforms in this manner, it provides employment and helps the local economy.

While there we will also visit a couple schools, churches, local families and a hospital. We will be given the opportunity to learn one of their crafts - making mats, as well as learning how to make ugali - a traditional African dish.

One Small Drop is SO gratful for the support they have received over the past 3 months. Your response has been amazing! We have partnered with several schools for uniform and pig support. Faith communities have been especially generous. I have gifts from a vacation Bible school to bring the orphans and quilter groups have provided beautiful quilts to offer as gifts. Community organizations have warmly welcomed me to hear about One Small Drop.

Because of your interest and open hearts you are providing hope, making a difference and changing lives...one small drop at a time.

A Widow's Story

Becasue of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, orphans and widows are a common occurance here in Western Tanzania. It touches all cities, towns and villages. It touches all walks of life. It is a part of society and threatens existance.

This mom is a widow. Her husband left her with 8 children, including a set of triplets. After she learned of his death she found out he had another wife in another city, with 4 children. A short time later this wife also died. Since the husband owned the property with 8 children, the 4 others also have rights to this property. They moved in. 12 children under one roof. The mother has a garden to feed the family and tries to sell what she can at the market to purchase school uniforms so the children can go to school. She admits, "I sometimes fail. I often fail."

The daughter in the picture is the only child attending school at this time.

Education is a dream of children living in Tanzania, yet endless barriers limit their opportunities.

Education is the true stepping stone out of poverty. If interested in assisting, uniform sponsorship is $30 and can be mailed to One Small Drop, N6823 Co J, Iola, WI 54945.

Rachael & Giveness - Orphan Uniforms

In Tanzania, education is highly regarded. There are no fees to attend primary school, but a uniform is required. A uniform costs approximately $30. The average monthly income is about $40. For many families the cost of a uniform is difficult at best, and often beyond their capacity. Now throw in the dilemma of orphans. There is no orphanage in the Livingston Mountains. Orphans are taken in by extended family, neighbors, friends or looked after by older siblings. The extra burden of caring for orphans, as well as supplying them with a school uniform is a luxury most will never see.

Above is Rachael, 11 years old, and Giveness who is 9. They are orphans being looked after by a young uncle, his girlfriend and their two young children. The uncle shared his difficulties with me in July. He has no job. He has thought about leaving the mountains and going into the city to look for work, but that leaves the orphans totally alone. The home had no beds, one chair and one couch. He knows he is not providing as he should. He is depressed and he drinks. He shared he drinks in the morning, afternoon and evening. We explained that One Small Drop is working on a way to provide uniforms to orphans. His eyes became bright and he suggested that, if possible, to provide Rachael a uniform and she may be able to come home and teach Giveness what she learns.

Kandete has developed a system for identifying the orphans in their community. They have recorded the number of orphans (69), ages, if they have one or no parents, who they are living with, what grade they would be in school, etc. This system will be used as a model for the other 3 communities One Small Drop is working with.

One Small Drop has set up orphan uniform sponsorships. We will also collaborate with school classrooms, Sunday School classes, youth groups, 4-H, Scouts, and other interested groups to participate. If interested in assisting, uniform sponsorship is $30. If you have a group interested in participating e-mail: tammiejo@tds.net .

Niku

Last year I met Niku. Niku has been singled out at school because of her exceptional grades. They recommended she go to nursing school. But Niku's father had recently died of HIV/AIDS, and her mother just found out she also has AIDS. Medication is very expensive. Her mother is using the father's leftover meds. Due to these circumstances, her family could not afford to send Niku to nursing school.

The entire two year nursing program cost $600.

Two weeks ago One Small Drop was able to present Niku with a full scholarship. Niku and her mother were filled with joy and appreciation. They hardly had words to express their gratitude.

Niku will begin school August 31, 2009 at Njombe Nursing School. This school is several hours from home. The $600 covers room, board, school supplies and education. She is excited to keep us abreast of her progress!

Details, Details, Details

Hujambo kakas na babas -
(Hello brothers and sisters)

I have just returned from an enlightening, and sometimes heartbreaking trip to Tanzania. (I am still working on getting my nights and days straightened out. They are 8 hours ahead.)

I have learned that One Small Drop will be working with 4 villages: Kandete, Masebe, Ndala and Lusanje. The two specific projects for these areas are pork production and orphan uniforms. Each area is excited to be collaborating with One Small Drop (and that is an understatement!). I have met with amazing women groups from each of these areas. They are competant and compassionate women that know first hand the needs and strengths of their neighbors. They also know how to rally a community and get the job done.

I owe a great deal of gratitude to Mama Tuponile and Pr. Mmete as they accompanied and translated for me during this trip.

One afternoon I met with 2 women from each area to discuss the many details these projects would entail. Some of these women are pictured above. They amazed me with their determination, strength and insight. The meeting was over 4 hours long, but much was accomplished. They decided that each community will host a center for the first round of pigs. These centers will be a model to all individuals that will received pigs. It will be the education center to teach things such as feeding requirements, vaccines and medical care, building pig pens, breeding and farrowing. They decided that an application process will be used to apply for piglets, giving widows with children the first priority. They also discussed follow up once the pigs are placed and how to keep the project sustainable.

Orphan uniforms were also a huge discussion topic. Each community will need to gather and document information regarding the orphans in their area. Kandete recently did this and had a good system to use as a model. They decided how to prioritize the orphans, and discussed options for tailoring.

During discussions I was asked about people that may not fall into the catagory of widow or orphan. The needs are great in this area. I could only explain that One Small Drop is concetrating on these 2 projects right now because more can be accomplished when goals are focused. We understand that these projects are only "one small drop" of opportunity in a great bucket of needs.

And I also heard, over and over, that "these opportunities are a gift from God and we will honor God by working very hard to accomplish our goals".

Future updates: Niku the nursing student, Orphan and Widow stories, November volunteers.

Dates Confirmed for July Trip to Tanzania

July 13-24.
The purpose of this trip will be to solidify contacts, renew friendships, and continue to build relationships. Information will also be gathered regarding specifics that One Small Drop will address. We will meet with Mama Tupo, an expert in agriculture regarding the pork project. Locally, I am most grateful to Mr. Alex for his support, encouragement and expertise in the area of pork production. I am amazed at his knowledge and enthusiasm for this project.

Another person we plan to meet is Bwana Anania. He is a tailor we may be able connect with for orphan school uniforms. We will also meet with local African charities to learn about areas of potential collaboration.

Because of social networking on Twitter, Justmeans and LinkedIn, there may be possibilities for building relationships with Orphans Africa, Africa Bridge, Globetrekr and Hearts in Unity.

Earlier this month I met with five amazing ladies (Lisa, Brenda, Karyn, Buttons, and Michelle) who are very excited about the service learning trip in November. We discussed everything from climate to transportation to shots to cultural expectations. We are all trying to learn some basic Swahili before we go.

Mungu akubariki sana -- God bless you.