May Day and the Campaign is 'officially' launched!

The BEFORE picture

Hi

We have started sending out the message that we going ahead with the Campaign. Cathy began the mail-out April 29th by contacting her family on the 25th anniversary of her father's death. It was a beautiful message with some of Cathy's good humour thrown in. I borrowed her line
" I’m writing with hat in hand (afterwards it will definitely be on my head!) asking if any of you are able to donate to the cause."

Today was the day I began sending 'Hair Today - Health Care Tomorrow' information out to my family and friends. May Day, and we have about a month to raise $10,000 for health care for our partners in Kenya and we have a pretty good start with over $1300 already pledged.

I want to thank the friends who came forward with donations when I told them about the urgent need to cover medical costs for Lesalon, a member of the Osopet Community. He is still very ill and in the Hospital but his family and the community are very happy he is in care and not dying at home. He is a good example of the type of needs that the people in Maasailand have. He is HIV positive, has TB and malaria or meningitis. He needed health care long ago but could not afford it. When the situation was a crisis he was finally taken to hospital, but sending funds each time they are needed is a very expensive way to go. Banks here and in Kenya charge for every transaction, and we loose between $30 and $50 to these bank charges each time we transfer money. I am really looking forward to having Annual Comprehensive Health Care programs for Osopet and Nissi. At Nissi, it will be the orphans will be able to get treatment when they need it.

Today I heard from Pastor Peter (Osopet). He reported that he'd had an accident on the motorbike (while taking Lesalon's family to the Hospital) and needed to get health care himself. Thankfully, receiving Therapeutic Touch from Emmanuel has helped his superficial injuries to heal. As always, he did not ask for anything for himself. He just reported that the funds needed to to pay for Lesalon's health care arrived safely.
The sun is shining here in Victoria and we are enjoying a different day than was forecast. The rains have come in the night instead of spoiling people's weekends. Svea continues to study for exams and I am trying to catch up on correspondence from positively AFRICA Board and volunteers as well as our African partners. I spoke to Cathy and we are all getting excited about the project that we have embarked upon.

Today too Judy Jackson called, having just returned from a filming expedition and she is prepared to take some video footage the day of the shearing. "When is it?" - she asked. Early June is all I could say, but stay posted as we try to get approval for a very "COOL" venue. I know... - everything will be "COOL" once my hair is gone.

Finally, I have to ask - "Do you want to make a pledge?" If you have not received the information about how to do that in your inbox, please send me an email peggyfrank@positivelyafrica.org and I will send the details.

May today's breezes blow great things your way. -peg