December already?

This December has been a whirlwind of activities and we're not even at Christmas yet!
We have been thru 5 birthdays thus far since the end of November (My brother Miguel, my Mum, sister Jessica, daughter Camela and brother Tom), and we will finish off the year with my son Ian's birthday and begin the new year with mine.

Unfortunately, December saw me laid up in the hospital for a few days with a pulmonary embolism which was treated conventionally, with about a million test and medication for the next several months, as well as homeopathically and I'm on the upswing now, but this does mean I'll have to postpone my trip back to Tanzania till May when I'm finally given a clean bill of health, (which really means taken off conventional medication), by the doctors.
On a lighter note, we have a visitor from Tanzania who is spending the holidays with us and the kids are happily learning a few words of Swahili. My youngest daughter is learning a Swahili song at school and told me "Dont worry mom, if he doesn't speak any English, I got this, I know Swahili!" glad to have a translator among us. :)
It's been pretty interesting to see our visitor struggle with the concept of Santa Clause, as this part of the Christmas tradition seems to be foreign to his culture. How to explain Santa to someone who has no concept of him....why, you sit him down to watch the movie The Santa Claus with Tim Allen of course! It was a priceless moment when I saw the dawning of the magic of Christmas wash across his face.

Although I am sad I won't be headed back to Tanzania in February as originally planned, I am grateful for the extra time it gives me to continue raising funds and awareness about homeopathy and the volunteer work I'm involved in with Homeopathy for Health in Africa.

Don't forget there is still time to give a end of year donation, and the best part is you can claim it on your taxes!
Have a very Happy Holidays and a Wonderful New Year!

The seeds of tomorrows Tanzania

These children have lost everything.
But, they are seeds waiting to grow.
They are seeds for tomorrow's Tanzania.
Tomorrow's Tanzania will be better.
We want them to care for their country, so we must care for them today.

A reflection of time spent saving lives

This video chronicles the time spent by volunteers of, Homeopathy for Health in Africa's, traveling throughout Tanzania caring for patients using homeopathy.

If you would like to make a donation to our efforts you can do so thru my paypal: camrhyian1@yahoo.com

ENJOY!

http://youtu.be/h4CZ4_LskI8

The Terrifying, (or not so terrifying,) World of Funding.

The Terrifying, (or not so terrifying), World of Funding.

For the past few years I have recognized a theme emerging in my life....say “I'm not gonna do it” and immediately, it's what needs to get done!

Fund raising seemed one of the scariest things to do, right up there with skydiving out of a plane. Having to ask people for money, tell them why you need it, and then wait, while you hear the tick, tick, of the wheels turning in their heads, as they consider giving or not giving, all the while saying a silent prayer, that the answer is a whooping YES! and not a resounding NO! :(

Lately, I have become steeped in raising funds for a long term volunteer position in Africa, with a homeopathic organization, by the name of Homeopathy for Health in Africa, (HHA). I've come to realize, that fund raising is not only about securing money to do what you say you will do, it is also about storytelling. It is the ability to get across your need for funding, in a way that touches the heart and still says, hey, we need your help. It is storytelling with a purpose, not just for entertainment, or for passing along information, but to convey an understanding that there are people out here who can benefit from your help.

It is the story of an 8 year old child who suffers from HIV. A child who is suffering severe mal-nutrition and hasn't eaten in a week. A child you see fighting, what could be, a loosing battle with death. HHA walks into this remote village, takes one look at this child, and everyone starts turning over what little food we bought with us for lunch. A juice here, an egg there, some crackers. We send to a neighbors house to ask for food, watching as life is slowly draining from him. We're rewarded with some porridge, but we already know these measures are not enough. We make it clear to the mother he needs to be in hospital, and one volunteer sits cradling him in her arms, as another drives him to the nearest hospital, and stays till he is admitted for conventional intervention.

This child survived.......with the help of all of us.

It is this story, of the survival of Elias, that I hold on to as I skydive my way into fund raising.

Yes, I’m scared, but I remember how each of us played a small part in helping Elias to survive. I realize if others know the story of Elias and how every small amount you give can be a great gift of survival to others, then you wont hesitate to fund the volunteers that continue to work with HHA.

The likelihood of our organization providing these well needed, life saving services, to remote villages throughout Tanzania, at this level is slim without YOUR support.

Please consider becoming our partners.

Paypal: camrhyian1@yahoo.com

kids doing their part in the fight against hunger and HIV

If you have ever played in the garden, gotten dirt under your finger nails and watched something you planted grow then you know the excitement I feel when I envision ME working in a community garden in Africa!!
Hi, my name is Ian Kiernan, and I am a child that wants to go to Tanzania, East Africa with my mom for 8 months, to participate in the community garden project of Homeopathy for Health in Africa, (HHA), a homeopathic organization that provides homeopathy to ppl with HIV/AIDS free of charge and also has community gardens set up to help feed them too.... how cool is that?!?! You can check out HHA’s website at http://www.homeopathyforhealthinafrica.org/
I got firsthand knowledge about HHA’s community garden projects after my mom came back from a month long volunteer placement with them. Mom is a homeopath, and she told me the story of Elihas, a little boy in one of the Masai villages where she worked, who had AIDS, had not eaten in 1 week and had to be taken to the hospital because he was malnourished and dying of hunger. After hearing that I just knew I had to get involved.
As a young farmer, I have been growing food in my family’s garden ever since I can remember, and considering I am going to be 13 soon, that's a looong time :). Every summer I plan, prepare the soil and plant a garden whose harvest helps feed people in my family and is usually enough to share with my neighbors. This summer I grew cucumbers, strawberries, jalapenos peppers, blueberries and tomatoes. My harvest was plentiful and I was able to share with my grandparents, a neighbor and other family members. YUM! YUM! I also have chickens that I am responsible for feeding, watering, collecting eggs and cleaning their coop.
Going to Africa will change my life in many ways. I will contribute what I have learned from years of planting in my own garden to the community garden projects because our community has to eat and someone has to grow the food and I want to be that someone. I will also participate in school supported opportunities to volunteer in various Masai villages and outreach projects in the community.
Without our support other children like Elihas may end up in the hospital because of malnutrition or even worse!!
Please fund my trip to Tanzania to participate in the community garden projects so no more kids have to go to bed hungry, together we can do something about it!

You can contribute and help me raise funds at paypal: camrhyian1@yahoo.com