Progress Report on the Boniface and Hamisi Project
October 14, 2000

Dear Friends of Boniface and Hamisi,

This has been one of the most exciting weeks of our voyage, and that only partly due to being anchored in Aden Harbour when the US warship was blown up just a few hundred metres away. We weren't on the boat at the time, since we were hiking up a mountain, but we heard the blast clearly and from Northern Magic the damage to the ship and all the goings on were quite visible. We listened to a lot of it on the radio. We're all fine and are leaving Yemen tomorrow.

So many wonderful things have happened with the project. Many people have added their names to the list of those who want to help, and it seems as if several thousand dollars might be added to our fund. I'll update that with the next report, once we see whether the pledges made by e-mail actually materialize into cheques. One wonderful person has offered to contribute the $1000 for Boniface's father's operation - a truly good and generous soul. Another of our original donors has offered to add to their donation.

We have sent a letter, an e-mail (via Plan International) and a fax to Andrew at his place of employment to let him know the good news and receive an update about the father's situation. We haven't heard back yet, but in our next report we will, I hope, be able to provide you with an update, on the new total of the fund, on the possible ways of using it, and on Kitsao's situation. We are feeling a little guilty about not having better provided for Mark while he studies in Mombasa, so we are partial to giving him a little extra money so he doesn't need to starve, and can purchase a few essential tools of this new trade.

In the meantime, we thought we might provide you all with a list of the names of our friends who have benefited from your generosity, so that you can contact them on your own if you wish. I know any of them would be thrilled to hear directly from you. Here they are:

Andrew Thuva
P.O. Box 588
Kilifi, Kenya

Mark Kahindi Thuva
P.O. Box 972
Kilifi, Kenya

Boniface Kitsao
P.O. Box 588
Kilifi, Kenya

Hamisi Chenyo Mwandoro
P.O. Box 700
Kilifi, Kenya

Warmest thanks to all of you great people. Now there are so many of you, Herbert and I are wondering how we are going to manage to accommodate you at our promised Boniface and Hamisi party! We had planned an intimate dinner at our house, but we may have to do a potluck barbecue instead!

Best regards,

Diane and Herbert Stuemer
S/V Northern Magic
Aden, Yemen