Donations for Godfrey

Hey! Do you want to knit a beanie like this one? (check out my November 3rd post about Zimbabwe) You can download it yourself, right here, from the button to the right. (I am getting SOOO tech savvy) It's free..... but there's more to it than that! Read on...

My friend Godfrey spends a lot of time alone as a Camp Attendant in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. He was so hungry to learn, to work with his hands, to create. I taught him to knit, and he was crazy for it! He can sell or trade the knitted items he makes. (although he and I laughed at how knitting makes him much more attractive to the ladies!) But, he has very limited resources available to him in Zimbabwe. He has a set of size 9 (US) 16 ” circulars and dpns, and I just sent him a small box of Patons SWS.

So, I’m looking for donations of yarn, needles and beginning knitting instructions. He wants to learn how to make socks and blankets! These can be sent directly to Godfrey or to me.

I will send another package to Godfrey in June. Perry and I are returning to Africa in January. We have a Land Rover in Cape Town, and will drive through Zimbabwe on our way to East Africa. I will take a care package to Godfrey as well as the rangers of Hwange National Park containing basic supplies such as socks, shoelaces, flashlights, boots, fresh fruit, hats, etc. Godfrey will get the extra bonus of knitting supplies!

Let me know here, in the comment box, what you want to donate, and where you would like to send it.

A letter from Godfrey!

He is alive and well, although quite lonely. He writes us from Hwange National Park ~
(if you want to help me help Godfrey - go to my Etsy shop at www.lustedtowander.etsy.com - I have 'Can't Save Zimbabwe' beanies for sale there, and all proceeds are used to buy supplies for Godfrey!)

The letter:

Hie(sic) Beth

How are you doing my friend? I hope you are well. I miss you a lot teacher!

Yours was received by warm hands with a big smile! I thank you a million times for still thinking about me. I still hear your voice encouraging me to learn to knit. I'm now good in making hats.

The rains are about to end and the music of the elephants & lions has begun. I had to witness a hippo bull killing a week old calf on the 12th of March, here at Masuma. I suspect that the calf was also a bull, its starting to be interesting out here in the bush.

Please could you send me some wool (first preference as I'm now the idol in Sinamatella, the only man who can knit, all the ladies will end up being mine.) (joke) You can also help me with a cellphone. I bought a sim card but I do not have a handset. I also ask for a camera so that I could send you some pictures of what I usually see in the bush. You can also send me your mobile number.

Hoping to see you on your next trip to Africa, I hope it will be soon.

Your friend & student

Godfrey


PS Please send me notes & dvd''s on how to knit some more stuff like socks, blankets, etc. I would like to learn more about knitting.

And this excerpt from Godfrey's letter to Perry:

Dear Perry.

How are you? Hope you are going fit & strong. I was glad to receive one from you and it was well received, thank you very much.

I had a boring Christmas Eve and New Years Day. There were no visitors to the park in December. Now I'm at Masuma it's still quiet. Sometimes I spend a week or so without any visitors coming, but I hope thing will change as we have a unity government and the 2010 World Cup in neighbouring South Africa.

You can't believe it on the 25th of December and 1 January I was alone no visitors at all.

Greet everyone near you, please tell many people to come to Zimbabwe.

Yours friend

Godfrey.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig!

6 months on the road, and barely gone. Italy, Egypt, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia…. Whew!

Of the thorough-bred wanderer’s idiosyncratic ways, Sir Richard Burton wrote ~

After a long and toilsome march, weary of the way, he drops into the nearest place of rest to become the most domestic of men. For a while he smokes the ‘pipe of permanence’ with an infinite zest; he delights in various siestas during the day, relishing withal deep sleep during the dark hours; he enjoys dining at a fixed dinner hour…

And true to his description, we have snuggled in to our little love loft here in Girdwood, Alaska. Our greatest pleasure is just staying home, knitting, writing, reading, and watching the snowflakes bump off the fir trees.

I can't save Africa

In his book Beachcombing at Miramar, Richard Bode told this story. He was walking the beach after a particularly stormy night. The swells had washed hundreds of starfish onto the sand, where they were suffering a slow and suffocating death. A lone figure walked the beach, picking up random starfish and throwing them back into the water. Bode approached the man, and asked, 'Why are you doing this? You can't possibly save them all!' And the man bent down, picked up a pale yellow star, and replied ~ 'True. But I can make a difference for this one.'

And so it is in Africa.

A man approached me at our guest house. He was clean but clearly poor. 'My name is Martin. I am HIV positive and need to earn money for my medicine.' He asked if he could wash our car. I misunderstood. I thought he wanted to 'watch' all of the cars at the guest house, and I told him to talk to the owners. "Please." he said. "Please, anything you can do to help. Food, spare clothes, anything."

At that moment, I didn't have anything to give. I couldn't help him.

But fate gave me another chance. I encountered Martin again, that evening, as Perry and I walked home from dinner carrying my leftover tandoori chicken and lemon rice with us.

Martin had a nice meal that evening. And if I see him again, I will give him the boots I won't wear again, and an extra sweater, and I will pay him to 'wash' our car.

I can make a difference with that one.

Bail Out Plan

We have determined that our travel costs have far exceeded our budget.

Therefore, we request a bail-out package from our benevolent and generous government, so we may proceed with our travels in the style to which we have become accustomed.





Just kidding. We can take care of ourselves.