Meeting people from Kenya

Last night, I was invited to the Scituate Rotary Club meeting to meet 3 men from Kenya. (Some of the members had seen the article about me in the Patriot Ledger and decided to contact me.) The Rotary and a local church are involved in helping the Lutheran church in Kenya with clean water projects, and the 3 gentlemen were in the area as part of a 3-week tour of the US to talk to the Scituate Rotary Club about the water situation and the church's involvement in trying to find solutions. I learned a lot. Two-thirds of Kenya is arid or semi-arid land, so water is very scarce. The bishop who spoke talked about meeting people who walk 2-3 days each way to collect water, people who will ask you for water before they will ask for food or money. He also described how difficult and expensive it is to drill for water in those regions. Finally, he talked about the prevalence of typhoid in the country. The men were familiar with the Samburu region, and they even know a pastor in the region that they are going to try to have me meet while I am there. It was wonderful to meet some people who know where I am going. Hopefully I will be able to see them when I am in Kenya. They were very nice people, and I would like to be able to share my experiences with them. The Rotary Club members were very welcoming as well. We had a wonderful meal and good conversation at the Scituate Country Club, which is a beautiful location. They were very interested in what I will be doing there, and because many of them had never heard of Earthwatch, I was able to explain about the organization's mission to many people. They have invited me to come back and speak to them after my trip, because part of my work will involve water sources, their use, and their safety. All in all, it was a very pleasant evening. I enjoyed meeting new people and learning more about the country I will be visiting.