Your answer from Joan:

 Well, Rwanda is a very economically depressed, and with the war going on for many years in neighboring Congo, I know that their scarce resources are probably stretched very thin. My advice would be to do some fundraising among church members of the Anglican church here. Or look into options with another organization that might already have resources in place. For example, there is an organization called OCI looking for someone to run mobile clinic in Sudan. They have funding, but no-one to run the clinic. Find out if there are any groups currently funding the Anglican Mission and ask their advice. Bottom line, if the Anglican Mission is pressed for funds, the Rwandan Church is not likely to be better off. Unfortunately, Africa is a far cry from Japan.
 
As for your fundraising, my granddaughter’s church recently did a mission fundraiser by having a ‘spa day’ with church members donating money for services like chair massage, pedicure, manicure, that were done by massage therapists who donated a couple hours of their time to the cause. A pie auction/bake sale would be another idea for raising money.
 
Hope this is helpful Gram… Let me know
 

Greetings, Diane. Thanks for thinking of me. I like the new writing box they’ve given us at WoW.

 I am actually doing well. I’m news director for MacDonald Broadcasting in Lansing, and sell basement waterproofing for Great Lakes Waterproofing Co. when time permits.

It didn’t permit much today. After the morning news, we had a staff luncheon, and I was named Employee of the Month. Received a $50 check, which was nice. But it set my already-busy schedule behind. And there was a lot of news.

I used Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero’s soundbites off Fox talking about stimulus package’s impact on the auto industry, etc. And Carol Wood announced her candidacy for mayor in a press release. Bernero - (was the timing a coincidence or intended to steal Wood’s thunder) - called for pay cuts for elected officials and big scalebacks in retiree health plans, in a news release of his own. 

So, I was writing that up, and then an interview with Ingham Co. Commission Chair Deb DeLeon saying they’re facing a $5 million budget shortfall, and had to chop that up. Then, had to chop up and write stories for tomorrow about a news forum at the State Capitol pertaining to disparities in minority health. Just got back to my apartment, but have to cover Carol Wood’s rally at 5:30pm. And I got up at 3 a.m., and drove from Grand Rapids to Lansing - because I had evening waterproofing calls yesterday.

But I’ve managed to pay off the patio room on my house. But at least two years out on getting down to zero balance the home-equity loan I used to launch a karate school last year.

Other than that, nothing’s going on. How ‘bout you? 

Do you remember flying at night and seeing perhaps one light, or a few that meant a small settlement or village and nothing around it?

I especially remember the personal service each and every passenger received on an airflight.  And, not just a bag of p’nuts being thrown your way.