Blog Entries

Each Day is a Gift

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The children at the school in Kipkarren as we were getting ready to play football. This is their new football field, overlooking the valley, which most of them play on [...]

Halfway Already?!

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The children at the school in Kipkarren as we were getting ready to play football. This is their new football field, overlooking the valley, which most of them play on [...]

So This Is Kenya

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The herd of zebras we saw at Lake Bogoria National Reserve, right after leaving the shore of the lake where we watched a troop of baboons hunting flamingos. I couldn&rs [...]

Finding My Stride

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Every time I stand still or sit down, I am covered with kids who want to sit with me, touch my hair, or hold my hand. This was during a break from a game of catch with the Americ [...]

Kenya Dig It?

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Me with my family in our common area, where we eat all our meals, have devotions, practice dancing and singing, and do homework. See if you can pick me out of the group; I’ll give you [...]

Let It Flow

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

My view this morning as I wrote this post. At first I was disappointed that the clouds were covering the sun as it rose, but they gave way to some spectacular spotlight [...]

Experience is Knowledge

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Burton “The Organic Preacher” Caliz and I at the Mafredi Methodist School, where he helps the children once per week with their school garden. I was told th [...]

True Riches

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

After about five minutes of tugging on this goat’s udders, I finally figured out the rhythm necessary to consisten [...]

What Happened to the Dry Season?

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

When December hits Southern Belize, the sun is supposed to come with it and stay for the next six months. The sun has been nowhere to be found almost this entire week. [...]

Home is where the Heart is

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Today marks about the halfway point of my work in Central America. That statement probably doesn’t hit you quite the same way it hits [...]

Happy New Year!

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Welcome to 2009! I hope you all were able to celebrate Christmas and New Years with those you love. A lot has happened that I need t [...]

Rained Out

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Another week down here in Punta Gorda, and a lot more work has been accomplished, despite relentless rain storms. Most of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week was [...]

Beauty and Struggle

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Hello from Belize! This is quite a change from New York City, which I imagine I will understand in a more profound way with each passing day. I landed at the Punt [...]

Goodbye and Hello

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

This will be the last you will hear from me in New York, and I am actually in Washington, D.C. All the official business is wrapped up in New York, so I took a bus from [...]

Happy Thanksgiving!

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and were able to enjoy time with family, friends, and loved ones. It was definitely one of the more unique Thanksgiv [...]

Winding Down

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

It has been about a week since I last wrote of my feelings about the world not being such a great place. I know that the world hasn't changed a great deal since then, b [...]

Not So Happy Holidays

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Recently I have come to experience that the holiday season means very different things to different people. Everyday of this journey has made me realize how fortunate I have been to be born into a family that loves me endlessly and has the resources to give me the opportunity to dream to do essentially anything on this side of eternity. Holidays, to me, mean time with family and other loved ones, time to relax and reflect on the year, and time to recharge in preparation for the upcom [...]

WOW

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The last ten days have been very much up and down. There have been extremely positive and uplifting experiences coupled with very negative and depressing ones. Last Friday night my computer just plain stopped working, much to my dismay and confusion. Now, understand that the extent of my knowledge of tricky computer commands is holding control, alt, and delete. Once that doesn't produce results and a simple restart fails to fix the whole situation, I am at a complete loss [...]

New Places and New Lessons

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

I have been in New York for a month, and time continues to fly for me here. Today was my first day at the Community Service Program, and I can already tell it is going to be quite a learning e [...]

Fall is in the Air

jbates@eracepoverty.org — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Well, it is officially Fall here, and it is great to have the crisp air without the clouds and rain. Honestly there is not much to report on the past week at the office. Things slowed down during the lull between ad [...]