Dear Friends:
An entire year has passed since I last wrote to you. It has been a more than interesting year. In June 2010 I was all prepared to return to Kenya for the summer session. Two weeks before departure I was told I needed cardiac surgery to correct a congenital condition. I suggested putting it off until September, but the doctors were not too happy with that idea. So, no return trip until January 2011.
During my recuperation, I kept in constant touch with what was happening in Kenya. All was going well until the borehole pump at the farm started acting up. It took months to finally decide that a new pump and generator were in order. Can you imagine no water at a farm? Needless to say all the crops suffered including the newly planted greenhouse with hundreds of tomato plants. In the long run we were able to salvage a bit and earn a profit of about $1,000. No water also meant a delay in building the structure for the pigs. Water storage tanks are being installed and should be finished by the time I return in June.
By the time I returned in January, the borehole and new generator were up and running very well. Work continued on the new pig structure and today we have four pregnant sows two of which should deliver in a month or so and the other two in July or August. As I mentioned last year, we hope to have a total of nine sows one day. The profits from this project will bring in about 50% of the operating costs for the farm.
 
 Late last fall the KCF Board in Kenya thought it might be a good idea to try raising some chickens as well. So, upon my return I found a hastily constructed structure with 1000 day-old chicks. It is a good project and they did well enough until we realized the food did not have enough calcium/phosphate and their bones were not developing properly. We lost quite a few, but not so many that we will not at least break even. We have now decided to build a proper structure and raise what are called layers. There is a high demand for eggs and a steady income will work better for us.
 The one greenhouse we established last year had a problem when gale-force winds blew through the farm in late January. One day we found nearly the entire canopy on the ground. Within a week it was back up and planted with new tomato plants. As I write this a second greenhouse is being erected. We have also plowed quite a bit more land to grow white onions which are in high demand.
The sheep and the donkeys are well as are all the workers. Basically things are going quite well. The trees will not be ready for harvest until 2013. The severe drought in the area has delayed the development. I am hoping the long rains, which should be going on April – June, will be plentiful.
 Only two volunteers came to work sometime in February. Buddy Hall and Bobbe Crapo from Idaho Falls, ID had come to Kenya a few years ago. Buddy had actually come several times leading various groups. Both wanted to come back for a more relaxed trip. They visited the projects, but spent their work time at Nyumbani helping in the new respite center and the greenhouse.
We did not have anyone working at the neighboring Masai school, but before I left for Kenya two of our donors established a fund to be used specifically at the school. When I spoke with John, the headmaster, he said he was in great need of new latrines for the boys. Those are underway and should be finished by the time I return in June. The area around the school is very rocky, so digging deep enough has been quite the challenge. I wondered at one point if they would not have to use dynamite!
Meru Children’s Home is still troubled. Methodist Church in Kenya internal politics has had quite the effect on the running of the Home. I am not sure how all this will sort itself out. The children are doing well enough, but working with the administration has been a challenge. I will be able to tell you more in September after I return from Kenya.
Kawangware, Nyumbani, St. Secilia’s are all doing well. Angeline, the headmistress at St. Secilia’s, is still planning to build a school in Kitengela, south of Nairobi, but it will be a while as she will have to do an enormous amount of fundraising to achieve that goal. In the meantime, she is still in Kibera. The government has not put pressure on her to leave, but I suppose it could happen any day.
As you can tell, all is well. Things are moving along as they do in African time. I will be ever so happy when our projects at the farm are well established and running smoothly. I never imagined farming could be such a delicate and precarious enterprise. The farm is wonderful and I love it, but a bit more predictability would be more than welcome!
KCF has now been working in Kenya for nearly sixteen years. We have done a lot and have built a solid reputation. All of this is due to those of you who have lent support in one way or another. Thank you again for your interest and assistance.
Warm regards,
Joanne
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