Irrigation in Yala

Trip 79 July 3rd to July 17th, 2011

Trip 79

July 3rd to July 17^th, 2011

I said goodbye to Sue at the airport and began a journey again to the land I have come to love, Kenya. It is a strange relationship with Kenya, full of frustration yet it draws me closer each time I come. Barbara Waterston did not come this time and that always seems a bit strange, as we have worked so hard as a team to bring change to a part of the world full of poverty and despair.

In Kenya calls come in by the hour; do you have rice to sell? The price of maize (corn) has doubled and there is little to be found. Both Kenya and Uganda are looking for food, and our stores are bare. The new rice harvest began yesterday, and soon time will tell just how badly our crop was damaged by our crop duster pilot who made a terrible mistake. He is gone but the damage was done. Over the past month these fields have been the subject of much prayer; only God knows what will come from them.

This trip is dedicated to the poorest-of-the-poor. Dominion has a team of surgeons, surgical nurses, aftercare nurses, and anesthesiologists coming to our farm and they will perform surgeries on the local people. These will include removal of tumors, repairs to burn victims, cleft paletes, cleft lips, goiters and so many other things that hold these people back in their daily lives. All of the medical team is Kenyan, all living in Kenya who care for their own people. This is a big cost to Dominion, but even including the rental of the hospital it is far less than the cost of bringing in doctors from the US. So often I see medical teams coming from outside to treat a few patients and that is good, but if the goal is to make the funds stretch as far as possible then I hope to show the way. So far we have around 75 patients signed up and ready for surgery. Tomorrow we begin four very busy days of intense work for the medical team and our support staff. Our farm will be over-run with people sleeping and eating everywhere.

Anne Owalla is a Kenyan lady now living in Holland, married to a Dutch man and she has two children. She operates an African cooking school and catering business there. When she heard what we are doing this week she dropped everything and is coming to the farm. She will use this time to teach our cooks how to prepare hundreds of meals and perhaps learn more herself. She will meet me in Amsterdam in a few hours then go on to Kenya with me.

As I sit here in an empty row of four seats at the back of the plane I began recounting the many trips; over 3000 hours of traveling back and forth for 1,500,000 miles over the past few years. What awesome changes have taken place. I have now lived roughly 1500 days in the country or over 4 years, yet it seems like yesterday that I took my first trip. Each time I return, it is around the clock work for days on end, to the point of exhaustion, but I can’t wait to get back again. Dominion finally reached one of our original goals and it was a big one; All our managers and staff are now Kenyans; the Americans, Brits, and S. Africans have gone home. We have trained and trained, but school is over and now they must perform. Some will make it, and others will wash out but this is the time to prove themselves. There have been problems but part of that is communication difficulties, so we will work on that. For the most part they are doing well.

It is now the middle of the night in Amsterdam and I am only 4 hours away so I need to make the best of these 4 empty seats and get some sleep.

The shower in Amsterdam always feels good and makes the rest of the trip feel so much better. Anne made it through the ticketing process and then we were on the next leg of the flight. It was cramped but I slept for half the flight. All my luggage arrived and Anne was met by her brother and more friends. I went to Robin’s house for the night and Anne went with her brother. By 5:30 am we were both on the way back to the airport, on to Kisumu, then the 1 ½ drive to the farm.

As we topped the hill there was so much apprehension in my heart over how the crops had faired after the crop duster mistake. How much was destroyed, how bad were the weeds, or were they killed? The phone reports had been encouraging but what is the real story? So much is at stake here. God was listening and we have been spared from a disaster. The combines were running and the yields were good; not great but good. We will make it, and our farm will prosper again.

Soon I was driving over the farm and the fields look good. It has taken around 100,000 hours of labor to pull the weeds, and that has been expensive but on the other hand a lot of people have been employed, so some good has come of it. Isaac and his crew have cleared hundreds of acres of new ground and are getting ready for new fields of rice. At the rice mill, the rice is being processed as quickly as it arrives and the trucks are lined up waiting for their loads. Our local outlet has people standing in line waiting for the rice to arrive and then buying all they can afford. They now have food to eat again.

The phone rang. “ Calvin come quick, we have plowed up a huge snake; come to where the Cats are working. What a snake, dark brown in color and fat. It moved slowly and everyone stood away back as it slowly uncoiled itself from the pile of debris, stretching to around 16 feet in length. Cameras came out while Anne stood back by the jeep. As it stretched itself out I went to the tail and others said to stay away but I had never touched one of these guys before. For a brief moment I thought of trying to pick this thing up but decided that just his tail would do. He was pointed towards the low lying swampland as I drove away but I don’t know his final fate.

The roof for the new equipment sheds are going up and should be finished by the end of next week so our combines and tractors will finally have a protected home. The parts warehouse is finished so thousands of parts are being moved from the containers to the new building. The mechanics shop is still struggling with following directions. They get distracted so quickly and stray from the critical path. We need a lot of attention to this area. The fish feed mill is operating but needs fine tuning with cooking temperatures and more consistent testing of the product, but product is being produced and we are selling it in the marketplace. Our dog food trials are going well, and in a month we should be in the marketplace with our products.

Today is a heart wrenching day as we head for the hospital. The surgical team has been working from morning until 10:00 PM for the past 2 days and now it is my turn to be on the scene and see the patients. First they wanted me in the surgical rooms, so I was suited up in special shoes, gown, cap, and mask, as was Anne. Three surgeries were underway at the same time. Doctor Onguiti was removing a massive tumor from the side of a man’s head and now sewing him up. Another man was undergoing hand surgery to make the fingers operational again and the third was a massive prostate surgery. The team worked like a well oiled machine, all 22 of them. Anne was taking pictures and then she passed out. Soon the nurses had her outside sitting down trying to collect herself again. The press were there and wanted an interview in the operating theatre, so I did my best to say how proud I was of the Kenyan medical team and all they were doing. It really was a great experience. I was told that most ladies do pass out as happened to Anne, so she should not feel bad.

Outside the operating theater a line of patients eagerly waited their turn under the knife. Two babies with cleft palates, an old man with a tumor the size of a mango on the back of his head, and a baby with a softball size tumor protruding from her back, and finally two boys with hernias.

We were next taken to the recovery wards. So many babies with cleft palates, all healing well; beautiful smiles in the making. Young boys laying still, after their hernia operations, and mothers with glowing smiles, so thankful for what has been given to their children. One man lay there sleeping, recovering from prostate surgery. A young mother sat proudly nursing and showing to all her baby, which could see from her left eye for the first time, after a tumor had been removed from above her eye.

Finally, we were taken to a room where people with real problems were waiting to be assessed and observed before surgery. It is not easy to figure out how to remove a tumor the size of a pillow case, hanging from a ladies back. Some were placed on antibiotics to get them stronger for surgery. A four(1.8kg) pound baby with a cleft palete was trying to be nourished by a starving mother, so feeding tubes had to get the baby strong enough to undergo the surgery, and the mother needed food as well. There was a man with a perforated intestine and bladder. His insides are septic and the doctors don’t know if he can survive the surgery. He has been placed on strong antibiotics and they will need to evaluate more in a couple of days. His will be the last surgery for the team, if they can do it, because his surgery will contaminate the entire area. A nurse asked me what I thought. My God, how does a person make this type of decision? If they do not operate he will die very shortly, and if they do the outcome likely will be the same. I encouraged them to go for it, but we will need to wait and see what happens.

I asked a lot of questions about all the tumors on so many people and found out some interesting answers. When I grew up and scratched myself or got a cut my mother would always swab things down with iodine which stung like crazy and today we use something like Bactine from a spray can. Well over here, they don’t know of these things. They go out and pierce themselves with thorns, in their ears or get injured and do not clean the wound. The body tries to encapsulate the wound with scar tissue and then it just keeps growing the tissue. Some masses end up weighing several pounds and disfigure the people terribly, often growing over eyes, or other grotesque looking bulges. They become infected and just grow and grow. Even after removal it takes months of injections to stop the growth, but removal is the first step. Mother was right, clean those wounds, even if it hurts.

There was a small ceremony under a tent to acknowledge what was being done for so many people. It took about an hour but my mind was really on the patients in the surgery rooms. I left around 3:00 pm and returned to the farm. It is now 9:00 pm and the team has not made it back to the farm and dinner is cold. Two patients have complications so it will likely be late before the team leaves the hospital. It will all begin again in the morning, and somehow the rice fields just don’t seem quite so important tonight.

As I leave my office tonight I am thankful for good health and a good medical system. It is good to experience the life of others to know how to be thankful for the one you have. Goodnight.

The doctors got home around 11:00 pm. At 3:00 am some had to return due to complications so there were some real tired people in the morning but they went off for another grueling day, standing for 12 hours of surgery after surgery. They have 22 more patients to go and will likely try to finish up by late tonight.

The day has been good as we surveyed the area for the new grow-out ponds for the fish. We did some quick engineering and will be able to expand the size by around 30%. No time to wait when you are working with the weather so by evening earthwork had begun. A television station wanted a quick interview and farm tour so that took a couple of hours. It will be added to the part done in the surgical suite yesterday. Our staffing levels need to be reviewed again and a couple of changes made. In general they are doing well and trying to show what can be done with the farm. The security firm formed by our former employees, is new and having a few growing pains but that is normal. They are really trying to do things right but still need some help with business issues along the way.

By late afternoon it was time to have some fun, at least for me. The government does a locust and qualia (small birds) eradication program and they are working in our area. These pests come by the millions and can wipe out a crop in days. For food security purposes the government and the UN provide these services. First our staff and others in the area establish where the little villians roost at night, then at dusk while they return to their roosts, a DeHavilland Beaver aircraft flies below treetop level and disperses a chemical to kill the pests. Often the government utilizes our runway for these purposes. The captain asked if I wanted to go for a ride and of course I eagerly agreed. Anne used her sweet smile to convince someone to let her go as well. We took off just at sunset and headed north about 6 miles then down to the ground right along the riverbank to deposit the spray. We weaved along the bank, popped up over trees, then back to the deck. This all in a 1940’s aircraft. Thirty minutes later it was dark as we landed. It was a great flight, but Anne was not so thrilled with it. I hope it all works.

Early Friday morning we rose to go to see the hundreds of women that work the fields of the farm. These women meet to sing and pray before they begin the job of pulling and chopping weeds. There is life in these ladies. There is joy in their hearts, and food in the mouths of their children because there are jobs to be done and money to be made. This is the love of God in practice, not some preacher screaming at them. They know who God is and now they know He answers their prayers, by giving them a job. They miss Barbara not being with them.They call me Daddy because they are treated like daughters, and their problems often are my problems as well. No, I can not fix everything but what I can fix, will be fixed. As we drove, a small group ran to the car begging us to stop. One showed us her hands which were covered in a fungal disease, while another showed her leg which was had a staff infection caused by a dog bite. We have people on the way to the pharmacy 20 miles away for the medication.

Friday morning we and the medical team ate breakfast together and then took a tour of the farm. They were tired and completed 80 surgeries in 4 days along with over 200 consultations. Last night they took the 9 pound tumor off the ladies’ back. Can you imagine carrying a load like that around hour after hour? She was continuously bent over from the weight so now she will need to learn to stand erect again. The man with the serious internal problems was operated on and it was complicated but they expect him to survive. He will need follow-up surgery in another few weeks. In this case it was a life saving operation. The hospital wards are now full of recovering patients and a lot of smiling people. This was the largest and most successful medical clinic any of the doctors have been involved with.

Dominion Farms is huge with many areas and a good tour takes hours. The medical people got a good tour and were amazed by what they saw. We ended with a fabulous meal and a promise to return next year. Most are anxious to go to Juba, South Sudan in November, to help the war wounded there. We want to start things off in South Sudan with this clinic as we begin our operations. Now it is time to go to the fields again.

Saturday morning began early with many of the medical people leaving for Nairobi, and I was on a mission as well. Several weeks back I was contacted by an Italian group that wanted to see the farm. They grow rice in Italy and in Kenya. They have a 30,000 acre property near Gilgal, almost back to Nairobi. The drive was long with so many road construction areas. It takes years to finish construction here, and diversions are prevalent. Often one must simply drive through fields or in a ditch along the construction area. It took almost 7 hours of pounding to get Chris, Anne and myself there.

What a place. They have around 4000 cattle including some exotic species and a very involved breeding operation. It is grass fed beef but it is very good. The farm portion is irrigated for vegetable production for both the Kenya and export market. They have set aside 10,000 acres for a game reserve, and are working with the Kenya government to breed near extinct exotic animals along with the usual zebras, tommies, water bucks, hippos,giraffes and so many more species. Some herds are large and some are small but there are thousands of animals on the property. At dusk, we drove to see the hippos in the river just feet from us but down a steep slope for protection. “Did you see that”, was shouted by all as a huge male leopard dashed right in front of the Land Cruiser. It was the biggest any had ever seen. We climbed a rickety old wooden tower to see for miles and observe thousands of animals in their daily lives. As we drove back to the house, a hyena watched us warily from the side of the road. The home is high on a hill overseeing animals on all sides. Camels sleep at the foot of the stairs and temperatures are cool at night, but the food was great. Time for some sleep.

Sunday morning we continued our tour at the newly constructed wetland area now teaming with hippos, then to the exotic breeding area, and finally a visit to their remote guest house right in the middle of thousands of animals. We ate our lunch and then left for home. Another seven hours later with aching arms from wrestling the steering wheel, we rounded the last corner and we were home. It was time for a quick shower and then off to bed.

Monday morning, the Kenya Wildlife Service arrived to talk about a nature conservacy near the farm. It was a group of 12 including several local politically motivated people. There has been an effort to have a nature conservatory around the lakes of the swamp and this has been an effort which Dominion has strongly supported. They have pushed forward and are trying to take approximately 2500 acres of our land with the arbitrary stroke of a pen; no rhyme or reason to the madness and instead of taking the wetlands they were trying to take the farmland. It was a very heated debate for several hours, but as the truth came out and they toured the farm, the executives began to admit that they were given poor advice and promised to correct the problems. Hopefully, they now will go back to the original agreements negotiated 7 years ago. They got so lost standing out in the swamp that they had to admit that the survey they used, was fradulent in its purpose. All ended well but everything here is always a confrontation of the mind before resolution is reached. We want this conservatory to take place and it will tie into our own plans for a private wildlife sanctuary over the next few years.

Next, a group from Edmond, Oklahoma and Uganda came to observe and better understand aquaculture and how it could be implemented in Uganda. I believe they left with a better understanding of the challenges and rewards involved. It was time for Anne to pack up. She was leaving for Nairobi in the morning to visit her family. She has been a delight to have here and really pitched in to help out, especially with the medical mission and the food.

Today began early with Anne on the road and me heading to the construction site of the new fish ponds. The digging is going well but as usual, equipment breakdowns are prevalent. One driver drove a tractor and scraper into the edge of the swamp and it was hours getting it out. The soybeans are growing ok but not great and need more attention. Weeds are tough over here and require a lot of labor to control. At lunch, the Kenya Revenue Authority showed up to give their audit report for the past 7 years. It took hours to go over the report. There were a lot of mistakes and wrong assumptions on their part. We have not made any amount of money yet and they do not understand why. Floods, wars, hailstorms and the like are just not part of their understanding. The meeting was gruelling but finally it ended on a fairly good note. It is now late here and after a few more phone calls to home and the office, I will hit the bed and try for a good night’s sleep. Goodnight.

Wednesday morning I was back in the fields again with Isaac, checking on the harvest. The weeds are jamming the headers on the combines, ruining the bearings. The rice is good and the quality is fantastic. We are out of bearings for the headers and still have hundreds of acres to harvest. Back down to the shop where now it is time to figure out how to build new bearings for the headers. It is not easy and may not last but we must try. The fix is in place, and the grain is desperately needed in a hungry land.

The new rice mill manager is turning out the best product we have seen and our incoming paddy is producing more product than we can believe, so we do some checking. Soon it is obvious, we were being ripped off by the last manager and his staff. When the rice is delivered from the field, the quantity is a bit over 16 tons per grain cart, but when we check, the mill is only recording 12 tons per cart. 25% is not there on the books and slowly the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. From what we can see, it appears the manager and three former distributors had a massive scheme going. They carefully shipped the difference and underbilled it so nobody would know. To do this, the clerk, the drivers and the distributors all had to have a part. It was a well oiled machine. Africa is riddled with corruption and for us trusting souls from the west, it is hard to imagine all the schemes that can take place. One leak in the dike is plugged but new ones form all the time. What is next?

When we took the shipping responsibilities away from the previous mill manager he went ballistic and now I know why. The three distributors were really ticked and send me text messages by the hour telling me so many stories, trying to say that I must bring back the old manager. The truck drivers have taken to disconnecting the speedometers so we can’t find where they have gone to. Who else was involved; where does the trail of deception end? This theft adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past years. I thought I had it stopped but corruption is so sophisticated and so sly it is very hard to find. A few months back I knew in my gut that something was wrong so the dismissals began. It took till now to find the methods and the depth of the problem.

On Thursday afternoon three reporters from the major newspaper arrived and requested an interview. The papers have been tough to deal with here, often printing stories attacking us for completely unfounded causes, like polluting the water, taking people’s land, causing floods, and other nonsense. We have stood our ground, refused to be part of the corruption of paying off politicians or reporters so our enemies are many, but our hearts are pure and we can sleep at night. Now the press is trying to be our friends as none of the lies or propoganda have deterred us from our intended course. They started off by saying that they wanted to make up for the wrong they had done and it was a good start. They started by asking, “How have you endured the pressure we and the politicians have put on you?” My response was that “the truth will set you free,” as evident by their presence there, now trying to make up for years of lies and biased stories.

They went for a tour of the farm, interviewed our workers and people in the community, and were touched by what they saw. When they asked how the bad press had affected things, I responded that mostly it had held their country back from much needed foreign investment. Most of the world believes that newspaper stories are true as opposed to Africa, where it is commonplace knowledge that many articles are untrue. I laid the poor economy right on the shoulders of the reporters, since anybody serious about investing in Kenya usually calls me first to talk about my experience. They were ashamed and said it would not happen again; only time will tell. They admitted that for a small amount of money a reporter will write anything you want in a newspaper.

Wednesday night our 25 ton truck had a problem with the clutch. At 7:30 in the evening we received a call from the driver that it would not work. Our mechanics had to drive 90 km to make repairs. As a result of this breakdown we learned the truth about our trucking situation. As I slept that night I had a strange dream revealing that the trucks were being used to haul gravel by our drivers, and that the sides of the beds were all beat up by the shovels used to load and unload the materials. In the morning I went to find the vehicle which was being washed out, but the dents were everywhere from shovels just as I saw in my dream. The driver was confronted. We found that there was a gap in the time from where the man was when the breakdown occurred and where he was three hours earlier, and then the lies started. It was time for him to go so early Thursday he was dismissed. Bit by bit, piece by piece the truth comes out.

I got to Nairobi and to the hotel by around 8:30 pm where I met Anne for dinner. I had a hamburger and it tasted great but the meat was only cooked to medium and that was a mistake soon to be manifest. By early the next morning we were at the airport for the flight to Amsterdam, where I was to have a meeting. The man did not show up but I needed the stop because soon food poisoning had a hold on me. I did not need to be on an airplane at that time. It was a rough night. In Africa one drug fixes about everything, Ciprofaxen, and after 3 pills all is normal as I cross the Atlantic again. A twenty- one year old student, Regina, sits beside me with such interest in the farm. She asks so many questions and it is her generation which will soon have to take up the task of transforming Africa, but it is the obligation of my generation to prepare the way.

In Texas, the farm is moving forward. Construction of facilities to train many to follow in the paths we have already walked and to start new projects in Africa, is underway. Our first students will begin in September by moving there for the next year and when they are prepared they will to move on to Africa. This is a dedicated group now selling their homes, cars and furnishings for the life God has call them to do.

Africa is a learning experience each hour, where one must not become attached to money or things, because they can and often just disappear. It is a place of overwhelming need with even the basics of life often not at hand. Food is in critical supply for so many, yet for others this is just a time of opportunity to take the necessities of life from their brothers in order to fill their own pockets. If their brother dies, it is not their problem. For Dominion the mission is still the same; stay the course and transform the nation.

Please pray for Dominion Farms, in both Kenya and Texas, that we will be all we can be.

Calvin

Trip 75 Nov/Dec 2010

It is Saturday just after Thanksgiving and I am off for another African adventure . Through Minneapolis to meet up with Barbara and then on to Amsterdam. Leaving in the middle of the afternoon for Europe makes it hard to sleep but we did get an hours worth. With 4 hours in Amsterdam, the shower always feels good and then on to the next leg of the flight. By now a person can nearly sleep standing up, so as soon as the plane is loaded it is time to go off to LALA land, which by the way is the Kenyan word for sleep.

We were late getting into Nairobi around 10:00 PM but at least all the luggage arrived. As usual we had hundreds of pounds of tractor parts, plus a new windshield for the spray plane and a few clothes. By midnight we were in our hotel rooms asleep. Monday morning came early with a meeting at 7:00 AM to choose designs for our dog food bags. Meetings followed all day until we were back at the airport for the flight to Kisumu. One interesting meeting was with Embassy people from a European nation seemingly eager to help us with a small grant to help with the training of local young people in agricultural vocations.

The flight to Kisumu left late so by the time we got to the farm it was 10:00 pm; as usual dinner was waiting for us. It was a short nights sleep with Ronald waiting for me to go to the fields at 6:30 in the morning. It had rained a bit overnight, so the fields could not be worked until after noon. The crops look good except for 2 fields which weeds simply overtook. Herbicides are always in such short supply here and importation is impossible without going through years of government approvals, but we are in the process of becoming suppliers to at least fix the problem for ourselves, and the other rice farmers of the country.

The rice mill is almost out of stock and the stores are calling hourly for deliveries. It is a good thing to sell everything we grow but the periods of no stock severely hurts our cashflow. Next year it should be better if we are not hit by a disaster of some sort. January has been a bad month for us over the years, with floods, wars, and hail storms coming in three successive years, costing us millions. In 2010 we were spared such a time, by the Grace of God and we pray that we will be protected again this coming year.

When it rains in Kenya weeds and grasses grow rapidly. The solution is to pull as many weeds as possible. 450 women grace our fields daily doing this important job, and they are thankful for the work and the paycheck. They start each morning early with prayer and singing, then attack the fields. They toil away bent over for 9 hours a day and then walk home full of smiles. I often stop to speak with them and they are so proud of being part of Dominion Farms. As I sit here early this morning, Barbara has gone to the field to work with them for part of the day. She will be worn out, but they will be honored that a white company director actually came to spend time at their level. The women are now bonding together as a team from the surrounding communities. Those that did not even meet before are now praying together and for each other each day. Their husbands are now becoming ever more supportive of them, cooking meals for the women to eat when they return home from the fields. Some walk 2 hours a day just to get to work and then do it again to get home. As the women become more self reliant, the husbands are no longer going after a second wife, but instead pouring out their affection on the one they already have. Barbara has noticed that the transformation of the people has begun.

After 7 years of living in a tiny space I am finally moving to a bigger house. As we began releasing some of the Americans and senior staff over the past months, some homes have become available, so I am going to take one. Much work needed to be done and over the past month the people have worked so hard to make the place nice for me. The colors are not perfect, but they are proud to make things look so good.

The shop area is coming together well and projects are being completed which have sometimes waited a year of more to be finished. The workers still make mistakes, but they are becoming fewer each month, and they are proud to not be under the control of a domineering manager. They will all get there given time, in their jobs. Our gardens around the buildings are looking great. For the past 6 months Barbara has been training an employee, Charles in landscaping and a month ago we set him up in his own business with the first contract being to maintain our properties. He is doing great, working hard and learning how to operate a business. He has 3 employees and works long hours himself, building equity to expand with.

Wednesday was fish day for me and I spent virtually the entire day with Enos, going over fish diets, water quality, flow rates, feed production and everything else we could think of. Enos is a professor and scientiest, but it is now time to make him into a businessman and manager of a large operation. This transition will not come easy but with training and time he will make it. We have constructed a beautiful new home for him and his family up on the dikes surrounding the fish farm. The breeze is cool and the view is awsome. To the front of his home he oversees the the ponds and fields of rice waving in the soft breezes; to the rear he overlooks 1000 acres of reservoir, flowing gracefully over the dam. Today, Ronald got another 86 acres of crops planted and by Saturday should have 80 more ready to go.

We ended the day with a wonderful meal at Ronald’s house. I went back to finish up work while Barbara remained to talk. By 10:00 I was fast asleep. Today is Thursday and it is early, but the sun is shining its head over the horizon. It will be a day of meetings with government and local officials, then security reviews for the farm. Back home in the US the office is buzzing trying to get a couple of our office building sales closed. God always provides the resources for his work, even if I am not there.

The meeting with the committes went well as we forge an alliance to head off problems and have answers for those who would question our operations and methods. The afternoon was spent with our workshop personnel. They are trying so hard but their skills are limited by tecnology and lack of training. It is time for us to place a concerted effort to finally train up our mechanics to understand more of what they need to know. They can learn and are eager but effort and patience will be needed. Final sale documents were being finished up back in Oklahoma but still not closed on the sale; tomorrow perhaps.

Friday morning was great, meeting with Enos, David, Chris, and Paul. They represent fish technology, rice and feed production, sales and procurement in their own rights. Now as we start to increase the production of fish food, a team of people will be needed to bring it to fulness of operation. They all have vital roles and must now work in unison to be in full production by the first week of January 2011. It can be done and we will build a

major business from this enterprise over the next couple of years, if only we can find all the ingredients in a hungry nation. We now have the equipment to make the feed but the country does not produce enough ingredients to make as much as is required. Now that thousands are purchasing our fingerlings the demand for quality floating feed is enormeous. Dominion will fill this need. Next, security changes are soon coming as we encourage our employees to form their own company and contract with ourselves and others for services. In Kenya, security is a large business as everything needs to be guarded. Batteries, fuel, tires, and many other things just leave if not watched all the time. We have 67 employees now doing this and they do a good job. Things are now in place for them to become entrepreneurs, and make their own way. They are trained, they are able and now it is time to cut the strings to independence. Hopefully over the next couple of years hundreds of more businesses will be created.

The country also has a shortage of propane so our fuel is limited. Next year we will purchase a boiler which uses rice husks as fuel and this should eleminate the shortage. The boiler is expensive to buy and will take months to construct.

By evening, back home in the US things were on the move; Trey and Butch were getting everything ready for the final step in the closing of the buildings. At 9:00 AM the funds started to flow, first from the buyers lender, CitiBank, to the escrow agent. Excitement was felt 8000 miles apart; prayers went up; No hang-up now. After a final check of all documents, the funds flowed on to Dominion. Shouts were heard on both side of the world. God was faithful and by 11:00 AM in Oklahoma, or 8:00 PM here debts began to be paid down. By bedtime I was debt free; all the funds I had to borrow to get the farm this far were repaid. God is good. As I sit and reflect on this transaction, it was covered by the grace of God and His faithfulness. The office buildings were built as God put the plans for Africa in my mind, and with His favor they were occupied for all this time by the Federal Government. He had a plan to fund His work way back then, if only I had the courage to step out in faith. I could have kept these properties for some elaborate retirement or for safety in the current financial storm but they were for another purpose; to save lives in a desperate land. So often we find ourselves trying to hang on to the very things which have been planned to bless others with. Our personal greed often stops the flow of funds. When we do not give, the flow of funds just stops and the needs of many desperate people are not met. My God “owns the cattle on a thousand hills”, not just one old nag which I need to clutch to myself . Oh, that I can become a river flowing with his blessings to others, to change nations.

Saturday morning, Chris and I left for Kisumu to meet with our new rice distribution manager. Teresa is a beautiful lady standing perhaps 6 ft 6 inches tall. She came in second in the Miss Nokia, Africa contest and desires to be a model but has a heart for changing the next generation of young people. I met her at Church a couple of years ago and felt she should come to work for us someday. Now she is using her beauty to market rice and reach young ladies in the slums of Kisumu. Next we went on a shopping spree for cakes, cookies, popcorn, and buckets of ice cream. On Monday we are going to have a party at the farm for our employees. Many will eat cake and ice cream for the first time.

Sunday morning my six senior managers, Barbara, and I left for a few hours retreat to learn to work better together, to build goals and to plan the way forward for next year. It was a great time of team building. We left with Barbara going to Kisumu with Ronald, and Chris riding back to the farm with me. As we passed through Luanda, a young man pulled out from the side of the road and slammed into the side of the Jeep. We both stopped and climbed out to look over the damage. The young man was terrified; how could he pay for the damage he had done? He came sheepishly forward appologizing, as the crowd gathered. His passengers were saying to him, how are you ever going to pay for the damages, but what he got he did not expect. As he came close I stretched forth my hand to his and said it is all ok. He did not know what to do as he stood there in shock. His friends came to me to shake my hand, and I told them both that all was fine, and blessed them with God’s presence. I bet they are both still in shock as they lay their heads down tonight. I drove home only to hear from Barbara, that Ronald was very sick in Kisumu. Chris and I prayed for him and called another of our employees to go see them both. Ronald spent hours in a bathroom of a hotel and everything came loose, then Caleb took him to a pharmacy to purchase antibiotics I told him to get. Ciprofaxin is the drug for most things in Africa because it works and it does it fast. Tropical diseases, and food poisoning are so easy to get here, but often they go away as quickly as they come if you know what to take, By the time they arrived at the farm Ronald was feeling better but not 100%. It is now getting late here and work starts again early in the morning. Good Night.

Monday morning came early with a 6:30 meeting with our women working in the fields. The ladies roared with excitement when I told them they would be given rice on Saturday. Two thirds of these women have orphans living with them, and food is so scarce. Today one lady stopped Ronald in his truck and on her knees, literally begged him for a job. Her two children had no food and she had not eaten for days. “Ronald just please give me a job, I will work hard, I will do anything.” We now have 451 women working. Next it was time to get bills paid and the sale of the buildings now will bring us close to current with this. It is hard to make money when our cupboards are bare, waiting for the next fields to harvest, so other funds will be needed to get us to that time.

In the afternoon it was party time. All the permanent and contract employees assembled at the work shop and we had a Christmas party. This was a special time for many as we gave out rice, ate ice cream and cake, topped of with popcorn, cookies, and as much soda pop as they could drink. Most had never eaten ice cream or popcorn. We went through 7 gallons of ice cream and finally just ran out. They had a feast and then one by one I shook their hands and handed them a big bag of rice. For most it was worth a days wages and will feed their families for a week. They were gracious and so thankful. We will give away thousands of pounds of rice to our employees for Christmas along with a small bonus. We have not made a profit yet but next year looks good, so we gave in advance. The workers were so impressed by us as managers, especially being white people serving them, and treating them as equals.

The evening was a surprise for me. Before leaving for Kenya, I put in an offer for a farm in Texas, but the price I would pay compared to the owners request was far apart, so I just walked away. They have now come back twice and reduced their price. We are not there yet but I believe it is possible for us to get there now, or at least I am willing to give it another try. That farm will be a copy somewhat of the farm here with grain, soy, and fish. We will use the genetics we have developed here with an indoor fish farm utilizing all of the crops to make fish food. Nobody has really tried this, that we can find in the world, but it looks like it will work well both here in Kenya and in the US. Time will tell, but at least we will have good tasting fish. We will train people to go and transform the developing world from there as well.

It rained all night and the roads were muddy today. Ronald was leaving for Christmas at home in Louisiana. Much still needed to be done for those being left behind. Two years ago when everyone left for home at Christmas, war broke out and people could not return for months. It was a very costly and trying time, but Kenya has changed, and those days are in the past. The staff was still giggling about the good time they had at the Christmas party, and were so moved by the fact that Barbara and I did this for them. They still could not believe that they were served by white people. One of the men said they never thought they would be served by a white person to Barbara as she went around giving out more popcorn. She replied with saying it is my pleasure which took everyone by surprise. Barriers were broken between races, cultures, and economic status of people from different corners of the same world.

Tonight again it is late, but things are good here. The rain ended, after giving our crops a nourishing drink of water. The road dust is controlled, and our people are smiling. On Saturday all the causuals which include our field workers and those not on payroll will be paid and given more rice to feed their hungry famlies. Christmas is a time to reflect on the needs of others and to be thankful for the provisions we have. In our little part of the world we have much to be thankful for. Goodnight.

Thursday in Oklahoma the funeral was held for a very special person, David Thomas. He was a friend for years and a pastor at our church. It was through him that I was initially brought to Kenya. After struggling for years with a form of brain cancer, he passed away. I was asked to write a eulogy for him to be read at the funeral and did so. I will attach a copy to this report as well, for those of you who knew him.

Friday at noon, Chris and I left for the drive to Kampala. It takes around 6 hours to get there including an hour at the border. It appears that the Ugandan police are getting after the Kenyan vehicles as I was stopped twice on the trip for nothing but a hassle. With patience they finally understood that I would not give in to intimidation and finally let us go on the way, but it was a bit of a pain. In Kampala we had a good dinner with my sales manager and another friend from Oklahoma. Chris has malaria and was sick so headed for bed shortly after dinner. After sitting for hours of driving and meetings I needed a walk.

Over the past few months of selling rice in Kampala, we have tried to use our rice as an incentive to get “women at risk” off the streets. We hired our first lady about 5 months ago and she did very well as a merchandiser, but then began getting sick day after day and not recovering. Three months ago I requested she get tested for HIV/AIDS and the results were not good. She is no longer able to do a day’s work with her illness. Chris and I have gone to the streets to recruit these women and it seemed to work well, but for tonight I just wanted to get some exercise. That didn’t last long. As I turned the corner there was a young lady asking to speak to me, but I just went on by ignoring her plea. After a couple of miles it was time to come back to the hotel. A car pulled up beside me and the same young lady jumped out and almost ran into me. “ I need talk to you?” then came the proposition of her trade. I just wanted to walk away and did but she pleaded, “can’t we just talk and be friends?” Of course this had to be right in front of the hotel with many watching. I imagined what they thought, “ a white guy with a prostitute,” and it was uncomfortable. As I walked away I thought of Jesus and the woman at the well, and came back.

First I set her straight about my non-interest in her advances, and she said that was fine. I did not know where to take the conversation, but began asking about her family, her education, and what was important to her. Her mother died at the age of 6, and then her father married a woman who abused her, so she was raised by her sister. Children raising children in Africa is so common. She told me how she hated what she was doing and wanted to get out of it but had no job or way out. She has a 4 year old child that must be supported, and could not find a job for 5 months now so has to turn to the streets. She said she had tried to talk to me a half hour earlier and that I just walked away; then she got picked up by a John who tried to take her off somewhere bad and she panicked and when he stopped the car for a moment she bolted out almost at my feet. I asked her about her relationship with God and she said she was a born-again Christian. The past Sunday she went to church and told the pastor she was having to be a prostitute, asking for his help. He told her to pray that God would send her a way to get out of the mess. I was still uncomfortable standing there on my own, so tried 3 times to call Chris, sick or not to come and help me out with this, but he did not answer. It was just uncomfortable being there with all those prying eyes of the hotel guests, in both the restaurant and lobby. Then I made the decision; ignore the people and just do what was right. I stood and talked with her as a father to a daughter and she listened. She told her story of coming to the streets and asking God to protect her but being so desperate for money, she did what must be done to take care of herself and her baby. Afterwards she would go home crying to God for forgiveness. She was a Christian and went to church every week to pray, and ask for their help but none came. Her father only took money from her and the step mother was a tryant. She hid her profession from all, living away in Entebbe and sneaking into the city at night when she was out of money. She had not eaten, and was desperate. She did not have bus fare to go home, so would sleep on the streets until she found a man to pay her for services. What do I do next?

I told her how Dominion has a program to get young ladies selling rice for us and she was interested, but we are out of rice for another month. If I don’t help her now I know she will have to sell her body and may end up like Sandra, sick and dying. She did not carry protection with her because she did not want anyone knowing she was prostituting. My first concern was to get her off the streets that night then try to find a permanent solution the next day if possible. First, I made her promise that if I gave her money for bus fare and something to eat that she would go home to her own one room space that night, and she agreed. Next, I asked if I could pray for her, and she agreed. So there I was standing in front of a crowd of gawkers holding the tired and weathered hands of a prostitute praying God’s protection over her and for God to bring her out of her mess. I gave her money and sent her on her way, then walked through the crowd back into the hotel, every eye on me. I knew down deep that I had not done enough.

Back in the room I told Chris of the girl and he suggested we have her come back and find out more about her and come up with a solution. A phone call was made and she was only at the bus stop, so she came back where the three of us could speak outside of the prying eyes and ears of others. The hotel would not let her in until we gave them permission.

Chris spoke to her so gently and she began to tell the story to him again, but in embarassement began holding back on things. The problems were much deeper than she was revealing and I just sensed a very hurting child there with a past full of pain. “Jessica I think you have a hole in you that is hurting so much to be filled; you are searching for love and acceptance which you have never received. You mother died and left you abandoned to an abusive father and you have never known real love and acceptance in your life. When you are with these men you somehow feel needed and accepted, if only for a few minutes, and equate that to love, but it only leads to hurt, self condemnation, and more pain.” I couldn’t believe I actually said all that to her! She collapsed on my lap and began weeping uncontrollably. All I could do is comfort her and let her cry. She pulled herself together and It was time for her to go as we promissed we would not forget her. As she stood to leave she first hugged Chris and then me. She hung on like a child hugging her mother. Perhaps this was the first time she really felt loved and released in her life. She left for home and sent me a phone text saying she made it safely.

On Friday we went shopping for animal feed inputs and the Uganda cupboards are bare. The country is short of so much as Kenya is. If good crops don’t come in, hunger will be on the horizon soon. We had lunch with Joseph, an aid to the President, and a friend; it was time to head for Kenya. I arranged for Jessica to meet with Dereck as we left town. The drive home was slow with lots of rain along the way, but we made it by 9:00 pm. Dereck called to say that Jessica and he had talked for 2 hours and was perfect for merchandising our rice.Though we have no rice for a month we will get her off the streets now, letting her clean the warehouse or wash the truck or who knows what. The girl is just one of so many that need rescuing. We plan to make this a major program when the Transformation Center is finished, but for now we must wait until God provides the funds. The farm just can not support this yet.

Saturday morning was pay day for all of our casual workers so around 600 lined up at the front gate to get their money. The Police send heavily armed officiers on paydays since there is a lot of cash involved. Today the workers were in for a treat. We took the last of our rice and kept it to give to our workers and each got a bag along with the money. It will go far in this Christmas season to feed hungry mouths of their families. Barbara stood patiently and gave away each of those 600 bags along with a smile and a word of blessing.

Saturday was the time for me to wrap things up at the farm. Many documents and checks had to be signed as the year comes to an end. Endless people kept coming by to give their Christmas greetings, but I needed to see the fields once more before leaving. The place looks great, with many turning ripe for harvest in just a few more weeks. But then the sky turned almost black as perhaps 500,000 birds decended on one of our fields. They were back. Qualia birds destroy crops all over Africa and the UN has a control program for them but for right now they are out of control again. The UN will be there soon but who knows how much damage will be done by that time.

Chris then met me at the buildings under construction for the Transformation Center, and we prayed and planned to somehow have it operational by the middle of next year, with the funds coming from somewhere to get it done. If Jessica can pray for a solution to her monumental problems on Sunday and have a job and forgivness by Friday, then that same God can provide the funds for us to finish this place. We are going to be ready, one way or another. Just before dark Barbara and I walked through the village with all the children running along behind. Their hope is in Dominion Farms, for a future without hunger. It was time to pack.

5:00 AM Sunday morning we rose and headed to the airport in Kisumu and then for the trip to Nairobi. That morning we held 2 interviews for an assistant sales manager who could take over Chris’s posituion when the Transformation Center goes into operation. Both people were nice, but the second one was made for the job. She has been marketing rice for a competitor but their product could just not keep up with ours for quaility so she wants to join our forces. She is cute, bright, can drive a truck, and loves what we are doing with the youth and women’s programs. She will fit in well. I hired her on the spot to start after the first of the year.

Our sales force in Nairobi consists of 4 young ladies and a warehouse operator, and it was time for a year end dinner. We took them to an Italian restaurant where they feasted like they had never done in their lives. The lives of poor Kenyans is limited to survival foods, and things like lassange or pizza are never even tasted by most. They are scared to try new things but today was their time for adventure. We had milkshakes, pizza, fish, suckling pork, appetizers, and 5 kinds of cakes. They were stuffed and almost giddy after the meal. We gave them all large bags of rice as we left and they were already planning for next years dinner. They really opened up about their lives and plans for the future. One will be married soon and wants us to be at the wedding, another is married and says she will work for us until she is 60, and the others are looking for husbands. Their aspirations are simple as compared to those of us in America, yet just as important to their lives. They could not believe how long Barbara and I had been married to our spouses. They live for food, a simple roof over their head, and most of all for relationships. For so many, Dominion Farms is the basis for the building of their lives and development of their relationships.

We just finished crossing the Atlantic, coming over the east coast of Canada. Severe cold weather and lots of snow will greet Barbara in Minneapolis and not a lot warmer conditions await me in Oklahoma. We both can’t wait to get home to our families, and those we love, to soon celebrate the Birth of our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, but we also leave our other family behind in Kenya.

May God grant both them and you who read this, a very special Christmas season, full of the generosity and love of Christ.

Calvin and Barbara

Dominion Farms

Trip 72- July 4th-24th, 2010

Sunday morning July 4 began with the packing of the parts and pieces for the long flight to Kenya. Not clothes and cameras but tractor parts, a combine drive shaft and manuals. This trip would be unique in that 4 other men were coming with me, but Barbara Waterston was staying home. These men, Kris, Ed, Paul, and Sam are getting involved to pick up the slack in the areas of humanitarian and spiritual help for the local youth and women. They were all going on different flights. I went through Minneapolis where Michael Waterston came to meet me for lunch with his new girlfriend, then on to the plane and praying for empty seat beside me; I had a row of four to myself, so at least some sleep was in order. Amsterdam afforded a quick shower and then to a very packed 747 to Nairobi; not much sleep would be gained here, but I managed to get a bit.

In Nairobi we all met and headed for the hotel. With a quick meal and a hot shower we were all ready for bed. First meeting was with a government agency desiring to lend funds to our Community Farms program. Three more meetings followed with more banks and they at least sound very supportive, but things move slowly in Africa. By three we were at the airport for a 50 minute flight to Kisumu, and then a drive to the Farm. It was dark by the time we arrived and I was starting to feel ill. Not malaria symptoms but like the flu from back home; I likely got it on the plane.

As usual I started the day with a farm tour. Ronald has broken out perhaps 600 new acres of ground over the past 3 weeks and it is good ground, principally level and easy to prepare for planting, however the massive seed bed in the topsoil makes the first few crops an uphill battle in obtaining good crops. One must however begin! The hundreds of ladies working in the fields waived and smiled as usual. I was beginning to feel really bad. The four guys and Chris left for Siaya to meet around 50 pastors and community leaders to explain the Community farm model to them. By noon I went in to do my presentation, but I was pale as a ghost and just worn out. After my talk I left for Siaya town center to purchase 20 bottles of soda then drive home.

The land clearing has finally taken off as we broke through a tree barrier which has persisted for 2 years. The workers were excited so we all celebrated with a soda. It is a real treat for people of Kenya to just drink a bottle of Coke. The other guys returned about 5:00 but by then I was really sick, so I ate little and headed for bed. A rough night ensued until morning. By 9:30 the crew had gone to the second day of meetings, and I went back to bed. It is now 2:20 PM and though I feel like death warmed over I am back at the computer answering emails and writing this letter. Now back to bed for a while again.

Friday morning I arose feeling much better but still not 100%. The rest left for Kisumu; they would have to do this presentation on their own again. I got a call around noon and they had probably 120 people, all very enthused over our programs for both the rice and the fish. I spent most the morning with Ronald driving around the farm looking at many of the smaller details. We are actually doing pretty well in some areas but others need much attention. It rained two days ago almost 2 inches and that has severely slowed the harvest but by noon the sun was shining and the machines were going back to work. Our ever faithful ladies working the fields always trudge on rain or shine making sure our fields are weed free so they have money to fill their own stomachs.

Saturday I was feeling much better so all of us left for Kisumu and a good day of planning and encouragement for those interested in helping with the Community Farm Program. Many youth leaders and youth pastors came and began to understand how they can have a dramatic influence on their generation. We are on the way to building a powerful force of active involved leaders.

On Sunday I stayed back at the farm while others went to speak at several churches in the area. When I show up they all want me to speak and after talking 4 hours on Saturday my voice and cold were just not up to it.

The days just fly by over here, with meeting after meeting and so many problems to work through from mechanical breakdowns, to marketing stratgety, and personal reductions. The days begin early and end late each night. By Wednesday it was time for some of the team to start their way back to the US. Kris was going to Liberia for a week while Sam went to Paris and then home. Ed and Paul were last to leave on Wednesday night, so I went to Nairobi with them.

Thusday was a full day, starting at 7:00 am and having meeting after meeting with banks, power companies, the tourism department, package manufacturers, engine rebuilders, andchemical sales people, along with two interviews for possible positions. Soon we will be establishing a small hotel on the property to accommodate our many guests, and hopefully a radio station to spread our message linked in with a chain of Christian Radio stations in the US, providing live links between the nations. The possibilities are awsome!

Finally the meetings were over and I was back at the airport, ticket in hand for the last flight back to Kisumu, then the long drive to the farm. The boarding call was made and I was in line to board when suddenly my phone rang. A sobbing voice cried out, Calvin, this is Anne and I need your help. Please, my sister-in-law is 9 months pregnant and the baby is in trouble. She went to the public hospital but they could not help, then a private hospital but they demand a 10,000 schillings ($125.00) payment up front to do anything. My family has nothing and you are the only one I know to can turn to. “Anne, call me in 5 minutes,” I shouted to her as I bolted from the plane back through security while dialing my driver to get back to the building entrance. He sent one of his girls running to the security entrance where the money was given. I ran, and made it through the door as the last person, and got my airplane seat. My driver made an immediate transfer via his cell phone to the hospital as the plane left the ground.

It rained as I stepped off the plane in Kisumu and ran for the truck and a long drive home. Potholes reined supreme in the black of night, ready to swallow you up while weaving between the wet black bodies dressed in wet dark clothes on unlit bicycles. Then the phone message came. “My sister-in-law is in surgery but it is too late, the baby is dead”; all for the lack of a hospital that cared and for so little money to save an innocent baby. My vision was blurred by both the pounding rain and tears. Somehow missing the potholes was just not as important anymore.

Anne is a Kenyan lady who lives in Holland; she is the resource for her family. When trouble came she called our friend, Vitallis who lives in London, and he told Anne I was in Kenya, so quickly the process began, but not quick enough. The desperation of a mother and child was felt between nations but the result was the same, death and pain. Anne called several times to offer thanks from a poor hurting but grateful family.

Today, Friday is fast coming to an end. It has been busy, working in the fields and in the shop with the mechanics for several hours. Our workers are coming along well but lack so much knowledge we in the west just take for granted. We have not done very well at teaching so many basic things to them, but this is changing. I explained how the radiator systems worked, and how compressors operated, how to keep records. They were so eager to learn and I have promised to do this more often. I had a group of community leaders come to see me and we discussed many issues. I explained how they can make fertilizer and grow better crops, and they listened intently. We will meet again but next time I requested it be in their huts instead of my office. They were stunned that I would come to see them, but it will be done. Time to get back to the house and eat dinner; then another call came in. “Stay away from the town at the bridge on the side of the farm. The police have a robber and killer on the run and expect a gun battle, so lock the gates and stay alert.” Quickly I drove to the workers all over the farm and warned them to stay put and be alert. So here we sit hunkered down again. Goodnight.

On Saturday it was to catch up day getting ready for the trip to Kampala. Ronald was breaking out new ground in the swamp with tractors getting stuck in the newly cleared land. It has been many years since we started here and I have never driven one of the large tractors; today was my day. It was kind of fun having 475 hp at the touch of your fingers. These machines are highly automated, air-conditioned, and quite comfortable, but they still get stuck and are hard to pull out. Late in the afternoon I went for a long walk with Elizabeth, our accountant. Ronald picked us up and we showed Elizabeth the farm. She had never really gone out into the newly developed land; she was impressed. Well another day is coming to the end so goodnight again.

Sunday morning at 10:30 Chris and I left for Kampala. The traffic was awful and after the recent terrorist bombing security is tight everywhere. Our sales operation needs to expand as we begin to bring in less expensive bulk rice for sales to the poor areas of the city, which are many. During my last trip Chris and I observed large numbers of Commercial Sex Workers in the streets. As we began to understand their plight our hearts went out to them. No jobs, no husbands, and no support system drives many women into prostitution, not by desire but by circumstances. We have decided to take this problem on in our expansion plans. Our plan is to set up these women in their own small businesses to market our rice and become self sufficient and leave the old lifestyle behind.

Sunday night it was time to get the program underway; we ventured out into unknown territory, and started walking the streets. Quickly we had 2 ladies, Winnie (29) and Gertrude (28), approach us;They tried to get Chris to set up the white guy (me) for them, but that was not to be. Soon we were talking but NOT condeming, and offering them a way out of the problem. They hate their profession but each have two small mouths at home to feed, so they do what they must. We bought them dinner making us subject to controversy among the people around us, but then Jesus himself was seen with the Woman at the Well so we figured we were right on track in reaching out to them. They desperately want to quit the sex trade and within a couple weeks that will now be possible. After they figured out we were serious, not condeming and trustworthy, they opened up with details of their lives and daily struggles. Both were single mothers, abused, and hungry. Both had their bibles with them and Winnie had gone to church that morning and her Bishop knew what she was doing but could not help her get out of her situation. Their next concern was that we would forget them, and asked if we would come to meet their parents.

Next we found ourselves in the midst of some bad ladies, on drugs or drunk and we just could not figure out how to reach a space cadet so they were passed by.

As we started heading back to the hotel we saw a lady standing in the bushes almost out of sight. She was well dressed but still a lady of the night. We talked and she told of praying to God every day to get her out of the mess. Her defenses were high and mistrust of men was obvious. Of course she wanted money which we would not give, but she was really intrigued by what we offered for her. Her Bible was in her purse. There was something special about her which we both felt. We asked for her phone number and said we would call the next day. By Monday night we were having dinner with her and trying to get through to a very broken and ashamed spirit, full of mistrust, and baffled by why I would come down to her level to help. Sandra is 30 years old, single, a mother of 2, with the latest being only 20 months old. Her older son lives with a grandparent. She worked in the Sudan for 5 years as a maid and for 5 years has been on the streets, 3-4 nights per week. She and her sister live in a slum and support 7 children and they are all hungry; it took two chicken dinners to fill her up. As we spoke she just could not believe we were real and then became fearful that what we offered would not come to pass. I do not know if I can really trust what you are saying, as her head always looked down, away from our eyes. I gently lifted her head to look at me probably 20 times and asked her to smile, something she had forgot how to do. After so many years of abuse, trust was just not possible to grasp. Finally I asked if I called her in the morning and then came to her home on the way out of town would she trust us to be true to our words. She said yes. For likely the first time two men walked her safely to the bus stop and payed only for her ride home.

On the walk home two more approached, Jessica (22) and Irene (22). These listened intensely and immediately said they would join the program and leave the streets as quickly as possible. The have no husbands but have 2 children to feed. We got phone numbers and will call as soon as we are ready. It again was midnight and time to get some rest.

Tuesday morning we both had sore muscles from walking the streets, but in our hearts knew we were on the way to making big changes in desperate lives. I called Sandra at 8:00 AM and she answered with a bright, “Hi Calvin” so we were making progress. The day was filled with business meetings but at 2:00 PM she met us at a gas station and we drove to her home. Down a steep washed out ally we went with all the stares of the locals trying to figure out who this white guy was. We parked under a tree and then walked around the back to a small shack about 8 feet wide by 16 feet long. No bathroom, no water, and full of poverty. Sandra knelt at our feet as she talked, a Ugandan tradition in some tribes, but we asked for her to sit. Her feet were beaten from so many years of walking with no shoes. We left rice and introduced her to Dereck, her new boss. She and the neighbors could not believe that we had come, but friendship and trust was being built. As we left she promised to work hard, but I believe she was still in a daze; a smile was beginning to be seen in her nervous but now uplifted face. Next week she will begin. Many more will follow.

The trip back to the farm was slow and at the border the truckers staged a protest so everything just sat for an hour. After 6 hours of bad roads, dust and dirt we made it home. I had several visitors from the US to see me and we had a lively discussion; I was beat but still had to work past midnight getting ready for the next day. As I lay in bed that night I was a little more thankful for my position in life with a better understanding of the tragedy of others. Pray for Sandra.

Wednesday just seemed to vanish with things to do at the farm, going over contracts, working on designs, studying financial statements, and the many day to day affairs. Elton from Fairview, Oklahoma and a couple of Ugandans showed up in the afternoon and are seeing the farm with Ronald. We will talk tonight.

On Thursday it was time to wrap things up at the farm for this trip. There is never enough time to get everything finished the way I want but that is just the way it is. Problems always need to wait for another time but slowly we are making progress. The fish farm construction is finally doing well since Bryan got here, and we hired back a native Kenya construction man. Our fingerling production is allowing us to provide 1,000,000 fingerlings per month to the government and people of Kenya. The mechanical shop is highly improved with less employees but still has a way to go.

Friday morning began at 4:45 am with a drive to the Kisumu Airport for the 7:00 AM flight to Nairobi. Elizabeth came along to try to finish up the 2009 income tax audit with our auditors. Meetings were held with the Director of the Communications Comission, whom I have known for years, and his staff. They love the radio station idea but a lawsuit has their authority to hand out licenses tied up for the next while. We will be ready when they are. Joy a young lady in the radio business, has been trying to get us to move this along for quite some time but we were just not ready, and after the war in 2008, it was put on the bottom of the list of things to do. She attended the meeting and then we had lunch. She is very good at marketing and promotions and during lunch I asked her to consider heading up our marketing department as we expand into the Nairobi marketplace with our rice and fish. She is very interested and invited me to come to her house for dinner with her and some of her friends.

Kibera is perhaps the largest slum in the world with around 750,000 people living in a few square miles of tin shacks with no running water, little electricity, and few toilet facilities. Joy lives on the edge of this slum, so getting there was interesting. It was a traditional meal of fish, skuma wicki, and oguli. We met, and then quickly ate, needing to dash off to the airport for the start of the long trip home. By 10:30 I was on the first plane and tired.

Friday was a very special day for Sandra. Dereck and his wife picked her up and took her to the super markets where she will be working for orientation. Next they took her to clothing stores and purchased her new clothes and shoes and then to the hairdresser. Finally they went looking for apartments to rent and she will leave the slum soon. She is coming out of her shell and for her, the Cinderella story is coming true. Over a period of a week she will change from selling her body for food, to making a life for her children. How many more cinderellas are there out there that just need a break. We will find out.

Right now I am half-way across the Atlantic, headed for Atlanta and then home. It will be 50 hours time from when I got out of a bed until I get back into one; the seats are hard, and the airline food is marginal but I have nothing but thanks for the life I have been able to live. Africa struggles on and on, but around Dominion Farms, God’s grace is shinnig through, lives are being changed, and there is hope in the air for what is about to come.

Please pray for Dominion.