Juulie, are you home already?

ChuckElias · #1 (**permalink**) Sun Jul 14, 2002, 10:26am

I just noticed a post from Juulie on July 4. Does that mean she's back already, or hasn't left yet, or has internet access for a brief period during her journey? Either way, it's good to hear from you, Juules. Godspeed.

Chuck

rainmaker · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 18, 2002, 02:23am

Chuck --

I left on the 7th. The fourth was about the time I was signing out. At the moment I am at a CyberCafe here in Kakamega, Kenya. It's great here, weatherwise, and the people are very friendly, although incredibly poor. Haven't talked any basketball at all, even to Americans, which I havent seen many of. When I tell people I referee basketball, I see this sort of glazed look in their otherwise very lively and intelligent eyes. Many here speak several languages, and move fluently from one to the other, but 'basketball referee' doesnt get much response. Now if it were "football" as they call it here...

I'll be back late the evening of the 21, and then I'll be at a church conference until the 25. Blessings on you all.

rainmaker · #3 (**permalink**) Sat Jul 27, 2002, 12:05am

Hey, folks, it's great to be back in the good ol'...

It's not the things, or the sanitation that I missed the most, as I have heard others talk about. It's the government. I seldom agree with the government here, and I have been critical and scornful most of my life, but I didn't realize what really bad government was until I was in Africa. I think fundamentally...

no, I'm not going to get into a socio-political discussion on a basketball board, but it is really good to be home. Although the Fire lost both the games they've played since I've been here, and they won everything while I was gone. Am I a jinx?!?

BktBallRef · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Jul 27, 2002, 01:01pm

Juulie, I went to Zimbabwe about 5 years ago. It was a memorable experience. Things have deteriorate to the point that it would be almost impossible to go there now. The government is extremely corrupt and the nation is mired in poverty. AIDS is rampant. We drove by a cememtery, where they have a funeral every 20 minutes from sun-up until sundown.

I only wish I had been able to take my kids with me, so that they could see what the rest of the world is like.

rainmaker · #5 (**permalink**) Sun Jul 28, 2002, 06:48pm

Yes, Kenya is very similar. The hope I brought back, though, was very good, because I had met several people who have dreams of making things better, and some chance of bringing these dreams to pass. I was especially moved to talk with a young man who is in law school there in Nairobi. His father is an MP, and Mike hopes to be one, too. He talked with sincere feeling about his moral values and his desires to better the country. He was extremely intelligent, gentle and warm. I was very impressed. I also re-connected with a woman who is absolutely incredible in her energy and generosity. She is training and educating young people who are spreading moral values and pride of home all over the country. She teaches them to work hard, respect others, and give generously. She has had an influence in Western Kenya that is out of all proportion to her income, her geographical limitations or her physical abilities. It was almost unbelievable that I could see with my own eyes what I did in fact see. I could never hope to be as huge a person as she is, so I am just going to funnel whatever resources I can to her and let her do the work. I think it's probably better to go through her anyway. The patronizing North American thing hasn't worked real well in the past.

Well, I didn't intend to talk so much about this here, but my heart is full and it's easy to get started. How about this? Anyone who wants to hear more, can e-mail me privately.