Background

Three and a half years ago Anne and I informed our three girls (Hilary, Elspeth and Nellie) we were moving to France. Elspeth’s response to our announcement was to e-mail her distribution list with “can you believe it my parents are leaving the country, they are supposed to stay home so I have somewhere to come home to”. Those of you on her mailing list are familiar with her travels to Azerbaijan and Georgia. Little did she, or we, know that the assignment in Paris would stretch to 3 years and that just weeks later we would be headed to Kenya. March 22nd we celebrated granddaughter Bintou’s 5th birthday before saying our goodbyes.

My assignment was arranged through Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO). The relationship has had its ups and downs. But that is something for a separate posting someday. The organization we are engaged with, however, has been the epitome of an agile organization with a can-do attitude. After almost 30 years, during which time “we” meant Boeing, it will take some getting used to “we” denoting a completly different organization. Given the work being done it shouldn’t be difficult.

Working with some of the poorest farmers in one of the poorest districts in Kenya we provide the means to earn income from crops produced on land not currently utilized.