Diary - Sunday, March 16, 2003 

It's just after noon here in Jambiani, quite a warm day as we approach the rainy season and time to bring you all up to date with the latest, hot off the press news from Zanzibar. Our first volunteers, Dr. Wayne Quinn and his wife Mona left on Friday and they should now be back in Canada after what we all agreed was a most memorable trip. In fact they enjoyed their time here so much that they have already booked for another session next year, so we are quite encouraged by that. We were sad to see Wayne and Mona leave and could only suggest that they stay longer the next time around. I think they felt that way as well.

As I mentioned in our last update, we managed to get over to the mainland for a safari. This was definitely a wonderful experience and it has certainly given me an enhanced appreciation for the energy of this country. We managed to see quite a bit of wildlife and were very lucky to witness lions and elephants mating, something our guide told us was extremely rare to see. In fact in his seven years of guiding, he had never had this opportunity before. I have enclosed a couple of pictures from our safari. Hope you like them.

Our next volunteers arrive on May 1st and we are really looking forward to welcoming Yvonne Poulin, a massage therapist from Victoria, BC, Canada and Dr. Shawna Biegle, a Chiropractor from Banff, Alberta, Canada. We think these two will make an awesome combination up at the center and I'm certain their lucky patients will feel that way too.

Speaking of patients, we are now approaching the 500 New Patient mark since our opening on the 20th of January and with follow up treatments, we have recorded over 600 patient visits, which brings our grand total of treatments administered since we started this project to over three thousand! So things have been very busy but rewarding nonetheless. We are also now getting bookings and inquiries for next year so we are thrilled about that and of course this is essential to the sustainability of the project.

Both Pat and I continue to feel positive and inspired with how things have been unfolding to date. We are definitely looking forward to a bit of R and R when we leave here in May and to our return to Sri Lanka to check up on the tea pluckers and how well they are adapting to the implementation of the new baskets that we created back in 1999.

We expect to be back in Canada by the 5th of July so it sure will be nice to touch base with friends and family again. This is certainly the biggest downside of this work, being separated from the ones you love for such long periods of time. It is the price you pay for the choices you make.

For the most part, we maintain a positive outlook and feel somehow that the benefits of the work here outweigh any of the less desirable aspects and so we continue to plug away, hoping that this creation will continue to evolve so that those folks in need will continue to receive the benefits of quality healthcare for now and in the future.

Most of our house and landscaping projects are winding down now and with the rains only a week or two away this is a good thing. Of course, there will always be things to do and as I have said in the past, this ocean environment creates a need for almost constant maintenance. I think the phrase is, "never a dull moment." :-)

Anyhow, that's about all the new news for now. We are well and hope that you are too. We will hopefully be sending this off on Wednesday so until then, we wish you all the best wherever you may be and send much love to you in all-ways.