Everything is not bliss in Africa...

shack

For those who may care and/or been following the story of my daughter's Africa visit... You know...the bucket showers, sick orphans, outhouse style toilets and "exotic" cuisine...etc...(and some great adventures as well). Last Friday was not a particularly good day. We had sent a package of art supplies for her to use with the kids. It was about 20 pounds and too heavy for her to backpack around Egypt before she got to the orphanage. Well first of all it had been in the post office in Nairobi for about a week because they don't get there too often and the PO doesn't notify them. They find out the package is there so she and a friend take the hour long bus ride to Nairobi. After over 2 1/2 hours of going back and forth between several offices, banks (she had to pay $8 for the 7 days of storage at the PO), govt. offices and so forth she went back to the PO to get the package only to be told she would have to wait because they were going to lunch. After a few choice word in English that they may or may not have understood they relented and gave her the package. She and her friend had to split up and she headed back to the orphanage. She decided to stop in the little town where the internet cafe and phone are available. The price is right for the phone at 65 Kenyan shillings (about 1 US dollar) for 10 phone minutes. She calls and we talk for a little while. I hear about the package ordeal and how she now knows why Kenya is a 3rd world country because they are so unorganized. She's says she is doing ok but is often hungry and she is dirty alot because as soon as they shower either the wind starts to blow the red clay dust all over them or it rains and they get red clay mud all over them. She does admit that the food she eats and where she stays is better that what a lot of children of Africa have and she is more than happy to endure it for a couple of months and knows it may be all the kids will ever have. It really gives her perspective.

All was well as she hung up. I had to go into a meeting and when I got back I noticed I had 3 missed calls from an international #. It was her and on the last call she left me a message to contact AT&T and stop her cell # as her phone had been stolen. A Blackberry Pearl. It was a short message and she said she would call on Monday.

Of course we were able to stop the service within minutes. I picked up a new sim card and we put it in an old Razr we had laying around but was in excellent working condition. We shipped it and a charger to her (at the same PO unfortunately) and it should be there in 6 days.

We talked to her this morning and heard the story. She was pick-pocketed. She had the phone in a zippered pocket in the front of her jacket and it was zipped up. She remembers being jostled pretty hard a couple of times as she got on the bus. When she got off she noticed the pocket was unzipped and the phone was gone. It is a fairly common ploy...even in the US.

Since we had no way to contact her directly (we had sent an email to her and the director of the orphanage but they both have to go the internet cafe to get emails) she was not aware we had sent her a phone. She thought she was going to have to spend the rest of the trip without the phone. Workable...but her mom wants to get the text messages to know she is alive. She was sad she had lost her phone...but the big loss is the telephone numbers of all of her friends....many of whom have moved to other places since they have graduated. They are recoverable... but it will take time.

Oh yes...she thinks she has worms. The medicine is not too expensive at the local clinic if that is the case. She should know for sure by the end of the week.

On the upside....while she was talking to us on one of the two phones at the internet cafe...her traveling companion was calling to make arrangements for a 4-5 day tent safari to the Masai Mara Game Reserve in Kenya or the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. Either one was only going to cost them about $400 which includes food and transportation. They also have located a hostel in Mozambique for $10 a night to get some beach and snorkel time in the Indian Ocean and the Tropic of Capricorn. They are still thinking of going to Madagascar...but it will depend on how the money holds out.

Life is certainly interesting on the Far Side of the World.

shack

Oh and for those that may wonder....her valuables like any cash and passport and credit/debit card is kept in a belt strapped to her under her clothes. It's nearly impossible to get to with out mugging her (I wish I had not typed that ). She also keeps just a very little money and an old expired CC in her pocket in case she is ever accosted she has a "token" to give to the robber.

hearingimpared

God Bless Her Steve! . . . and you too!

SolidSqual

Good luck to you and yours Shack. I'm sure she will come home safe. Tell her to eat when she can. That was my major mistake when I went to Western China. Many people over there are Muslim or some form of Buddhism. The family I lived with fasted all the time. I lost like 30 pounds and was not very healthy when I came home. I ate whenever I could, but the food just didn't have the calories my body was used to.

By the way, I sent the iPod. Check your PM.

madmax

I would be afraid to be there myself. Hope the rest of the trip goes better.
madmax

shack

madmax wrote:

I would be afraid to be there myself. Hope the rest of the trip goes better.
madmax

She will be fine. She has already had the time of her life. A little adversity just adds to the stories she can tell her grandkids many years from now. By then the story will probably be that she hadn't eaten anything but bugs (like survivorman) and berries for a week and then fought off a band of cut-throat villains and only after a bloody struggle where she injured several of them did they wrestle the phone out of her hand...leaving her wounded in the middle of the jungle...only to find her way out to civilization....

At least that is the way I would tell it.....:D.

pearsall001

Memories to last two life times!!! You must be so proud of her for what she is doing to help others. God bless her & her friends over there. Safe journey home & maybe a few pics to share with us.

shack

pearsall001 wrote:

maybe a few pics to share with us.

I posted a few in an earlier thread....here is the copy....

shack wrote: »

Since Joe asked...She was finally able to send a few...

Lauren is the brunette in the pictures...

As a side note...a couple of Irish guys show up as volunteers who had some electrical skills and were able to set up some of solar panels so their dorm where she sleeps now has electricity.


The Pyramids



Riding a Felucca on the Nile



A Desert Fox in the Sahara



The Siwa Oasis



A few from the orphanage in Kenya....

The menu of potato, rice, beans, cabbage and maize is not the most appetizing and boring having to eat it everyday...however the kids eat it to survive...and are just glad to have enough to do so. Many aren't so lucky.





He just got new glasses...he can see clearly now even though the picture is blurry.

steveinaz

She'll gain a lifetime of wisdom...and a new appreciation for AMERICA, the beautiful. God Bless bubba.

schwarcw

Thanks for posting these measaages Steve. You should be proud of the courage and heart that you daughter has to do the things she does. God Bless her and keep her safe! She will become a much wiser person because of her work with these kids.

Hang in there Daddy!