Sopai!  It is me, Joseph Ole Jukawe, of Kenya, in East Africa!  I hope this finds you and your cattle well; we are doing quite well, all things considering.

It is now the "wet season" here.  We've been getting nourishing rains just about every afternoon and early evening; by nightfall, the clouds go away, and then the night stars are studded with stars, and the earth is fresh, renewed from the daily showers.  It will help with the water supply here; rain is good for everyone. 

I am doing well in school; have been trying to keep up with my studies.  I am also practicing on my football skills; I want to become a great football star and possibly go into the Summer Olympics.  I do believe I am good enough ...

Speaking of Olympics, word on radio tells of an Olympics held in Canada, which is very far away in the world.  I hear it is very cold there, with snow and wind; it is mountainous country, and many nations are taking part.  I never knew there were a Winter Olympics; only Olympics I have heard of is the Summer ones.  I wonder what they do in the winter games: build snow people perhaps, or maybe roll around in the snow?  Doesn't take much skill to do that, I suppose ...

Father got a radio at the store last week; we hear of terrible things going on in the world:  wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, other places, where plenty of bloodshed is going on, people injured, people dying, people fearing for their very lives ...  Suddenly, the thought of lions coming after us doesn't seem so scary ...

We hear of diseases striking war-torn nations, diseases like malaria, flu, AIDS.  Oh, AIDS is bad; we have much prevelence of the slim disease (what we call AIDS) here; many people sicken and die, leaving many children orphans.  These children have nowhere else to go; it is very sad to see or hear about.

Suddenly, I don't like Father's radio.  It delivers much in the way of bad news.  I liked it better when we didn't know what was going on besides what was going on here in our own backyard!  I so wish to throw it across the savannah, where an elephant can trample it to pieces!  That way, we wouldn't have to worry so much about bad news!

My Mama has been ill:  she has malaria; mosquito bit her, and now she is weakened and burns with fever, plus shakes with chills.  It is terrifying to see her in this state; I am so afraid for her!  I don't know what she would do if she were to die; I've already lost family members to malaria!  I will have to say some prayers to Mr. Jesus, ask Him to make her all better!

I will write more; am at school as I write this; if teacher catches me goofing around one more time he may take away my journal permanently and read what I wrote to the entire class.  I don't think I would like that; it would make me very angry!  I will write in here again soon (probably when I am not at school; been getting into a lot of trouble for this lately ...).  Until then, take care and God bless!  This is your friend in Kenya saying Kwaheri for now!

~Regards,

Your friend, Joseph.  :(

*To be continued.*