Recent News:

* Thank you so much to people who have sponsored me already. I'm waiting to hear from a few tea companies that I've asked if they will consider sponsoring me.
* My church here in Coventry have said that they would like to donate a bit of the money raised from our Christmas fair which I am very grateful for...!
* I've been in contact with the other volunteer who has been working in the project since September. Her name is Piia and she's from Finland. It seems that the villiage is pretty basic but the office occasionally has electricity and even more occasionally has internet.
* I will be hosting a 'virtual' going away drinks party. This is an event where if you would like to, you could buy me a virtual drink and the money will go towards the target that I have to raise. (Now... I know that most of you have looking for a chance to get me drunk over the last few years!)
I will be adding more details about this soon, so watch this space....

COWART - Community Watch and Rescue Team

Our youth centre is a safe haven and resource place for the rural youth in Kiptere. It’s a youth friendly centre run by the youth. The organization was registered with ministry of Kenya social services in the year 2006 as a community based organization (CBO).

Our Mission

To educate, train and empower the rural youth reduce the risks of HIV transmission and take up the leadership responsibility in building the nation through peace, love and Unity.

COWART envisions a youthful life full of energy, Inspiration and confidence to turn the world around as the safest place and free ...of HIV/Aids.That's why our two main programmes are

1. PEACE BUILDING

2.HIV/ AIDS PREVENTION.

What we do

The purpose of these youth friendly activities is to mobilize the rural youth to our center and access incorporated youth programs:

-Voluntary Counseling & Testing (VCT) services

-Community Library

-Resources & Information on jobs, colleges, scholarships among others

-Sport Clubs (Martial arts and Football)

-COWAR...T-clubs in high schools

-Networking with other youth and peace building groups

-Peer Education in schools

-Organizing peace building events and work camps

When thinking about what I'm going to do when all this madness of education is over, I found this poem and though they're someone elses words I think that it sums up something of what I hope to do when I'm free, roll on July!

The Journey by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice-

-though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late enough,

and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do -

- determined to save

the only life you could save.

(What am I listening to? - For Blue Skies by Strays Don't Sleep)

This is a note from Facebook that I thought would make an interesting post as I've not written anything properly for a while. No. 1 is different, I thought I'd change it to see if you could figure it out....I doubt it....:- )

1) I am 1-in-4, I am also 1-in-250 and also 1-in-over 7.5 million. Interested?....
2) I've never liked London, Never ever wanted to live in London....but the only placement I could find is here so I'm just having to get used to it.....I don't think I ever really will.
3) I'm a quallified JNC Youth Worker (and proud that I achieved that when I honestly thought I had failed)
4) I loved being in Chester, I met some of the most amazing people I could ever know and now I live away from them I miss them a lot! (I thank the magic of Chester Uni for putting my with the most incredible housemates in the world!)
5) Changing course to finish my degree with CYM was one of the hardest, best and worst decisions I've ever made. But I love stretching my brain that little bit harder.
6) My dissertation has a habit of waking me up at 3am but then again sleep has never been my strong point.
7) I really want to travel and when this school year is over I'm going to....I just don't know where or what to do yet.....That makes the future look exciting!
8) I have some totally amazing friends who I don't see or speak to often enough but thankfully they're kind of like family in that being away for so long doesn't matter.
9) As much as some might find this odd, I am very happy being single. (It doesn't need an explanation, it's just better this way right now.)
10) I love everything about theatre. The experience of seeing, being in or stage managing a show are some of my best memories and I hope to make more like them sometime.
11) I love poetry and creative writing. Reading it, writing it and listening to it. (I loved A-Level English Lit for the anthologies, Larkin and unseen poetry tasks....and I don't care that that's a bit geeky!) - Being dyslexic makes this all the more interesting!
12) The third thing that I love is music. The way lyrics combined with melody have a way to move the soul in a way nothing else can. Music is a life saver in some cases.
13) It's a combination of my three loves that makes One Tree Hill one of my favourite programmes.
14) I know very little about popular culture...you could say that I live in my own little bubble.
15) I say sorry a lot. I get told off for saying sorry a lot. But every time I say sorry I really do mean it. (Even if it's going to annoy you by saying it...then I have to say it again!)
16) I'm trying to learn to drive. Not because I want to but for the fact that it'll make getting around places a little easier. I actually really don't want to learn at all. (I was also very shocked that I passed the eye test...it still amazes me!)
17) Socal situations make me really nervous. I tend to try and avoid them some times but I never invent excuses.
18) I work hard at everything I do even if I don't enjoy it and I hope that hard work makes a difference to peoples lives even if it's just doing the washing up.
19) I need regular doses of real countryside to keep me from going insane. (London parks are just not as good as the real thing.) - Doing the DofE award was one of the most brilliant things i've ever done, I learnt so much about myself that I believe long, difficult hikes with heavy rucksacks should be part of the school curriculum in some way, shape or form.
20) My dream job would be working as a youth worker in my old school. So much so I wrote a proposal for the job to try and get a placement there for this year. One day it might happen....but I'm not holding out for it.
21) My school days provided me with many experiences, some good and some bad. Even though there were some difficult times, I wouldn't swap those experiences for anything. (Also one or two of my teachers went far beyond the call of duty to help me out at times for which I am very very grateful)
22) I really hate shopping. You will know that you're really a friend if I'll go shopping with you. That also applies to photographs....
23) Belief in God plays an important part in my life, usually a very confused part! I am a very confused Christian...you'll have to ask me about it to understand how this works.
24) I have promised that I will be here for my friends if and when they might need me and some of them understand that promise really means a lot to me.
25) Even after reading all those things about me there is still a lot of things that I will never ever tell you.

(What am I listening to? - Do not disturb by Martyn Joseph)

Love or Justice

Strong, Solid, Certain
You can lean against it,
You can lean into it,
Dependable, Reliable,
Predictable, Tangible,
Trustworthy, Honest,
You know its limits.

Unpredictable, Impulsive,
You can push it away,
It pushes you away,
Brittle, Wavering,
Fragile, Unfathomable,
Fluid, Selective,
Limitless.

You decide…

(What I'm listening to: Tell me by Bethany Dillon)

And He is love, whoever lives in love lives in God and God lives in him.

(1 John 4:16)

This is pretty crazy and I know that Christians always say that forgiveness for our sins and accepting Jesus in your heart are what make you a Christian. Ok, Maybe those things are important and I'm not saying that Jesus doesnt matter but if it's all boiled down I only leave myself with one word, Love. Creation is an overflowing of God's nature and 'He is love'. It's because He loved us so much that Jesus came to die, to bring us home to his love. It ultimately comes down to that one tiny word, Love.

People are either flipant with the word love and so it then seems to lose some of its meaning or they are so careful with its use that they are afraid to even think that they might love someone. It seems to me that God shows us his love so much, every day its like He's whispering it to us over and over. Through the wonder of creation, through the care of a stranger, in laughter with friends. Listen carefully and you'll hear the one behind it all, the one in who's hands the whole world rests. I love you, I love you, I love you...
But it never gets old, it seems as quickly as we hear it, we forget and so He has to tell us again.



I seem to have forgotten that 'He is Love', but even though I am still living a life that loves others, I am not living IN love. That in love has two facets, living in love with God, the one who made me and gave me all of the good things in my life and living in His love; remembering over again that He loves me completely and nothing I do changes that, taking a moment to listen and hear Him whispering. I love you, I love you, I love you....
Maybe it's time we stopped to listen again.



This verse also makes me think of those I know who dont believe in the concepts and defined bits of the Christian faith but who most certainly live in love. Everything they do for me and others is out of love. These words make me want to ring them up and say, "did you know that because you live in love, God lives in you; even though you don't know it?" Part of me wahts these people to change their minds and start believing in what it is that defines a Christian but I know that God lives in them and His timing is perfect, so why should I worry? He loves them and is whispering to them too. In their own time (or in God's time) when they are ready, they'll hear Him and it's not for me to try to turn up the volume of the whisper for God, He's got it all under control.



So the best thing for me to do is to live in love, with God, in His love. Acting it out in all I do and taking the time to be quiet, to be still, look around me and hear Him whispering over and over. My child, I love you, I love you, I love you.



I wrote this when I was at the mini Juiced Conference on the 22/12/08. I wrote it without really thinking about it, it just came out after reading the vers from 1 John. It does seem a little strange that I should write something like this especially after the past few years that I have had and my current confusions with faith and life etc. But as I did write it and it's not much good keeping it to myself especially in my current state of doubts, so I thought I would share it and see what others think. Maybe it's more for you who will read this than for me. I hope you will take some time to listen and think about that verse. Whether you can believe it or not, (or whether I can believe it too most of the time!) I do know that the whisper is there we just have to want to hear it.




(What am I listening to? :- Cathy Burton, God of the sky)