He could beat me at chess when he was in the first grade. I don’t know that I have ever taken such a poignant photo. 

My personal favorite. 

One of the boys from the orphanage. 

Nico has become a fine photographer. Today’s entries are of his artistic images. 

Today is International Disability Day and Nicolai and Jeanine are in Tanzania attending the ceremony for distribution of the wheelchairs that Nico raised funds for by climbing Kilimanjaro. Nico’s message as he addressed the crowd of one thousand was that “one person can make a difference.” Nicolai presented the first ten wheelchairs on stage and pushed the recipients back to their seats. As dignitaries continued to address the crowd, Nicolai went behind stage to help present the remaining 90 wheelchairs. He told his mother that the feelings he experienced seeing people receive their wheelchairs was better than the feeling he had when he reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. The remaining 1500 plus wheelchairs will be distributed at similar ceremonies around the country over the coming months. 

Nico with the Bishop’s niece and nephew, both orphaned due to HIV, who now live with the Bishop. Jeanine and Nico were welcomed with open arms by the family and treated like royalty during their stay. 

While in Dar es salaam, Jeanine and Nico stayed with Bishop Mgullu and his family for three days. Pictured here is his wife, Desola, preparing the evening meal. 

In the evening, the TunaHAKI kids performed at the hotel using skills they acquired while training with the Cirque de Soleil in California last year. 

One of the volunteers made contact with a California elementary school and set up a pen pal program. Jeanine and other volunteers assist the children as they prepare their letters of introduction. 

The TunaHAKI children ending their yoga session with namaste. 

One of the many wild and ferocious animals that Jeanine and Nico encountered on their adventure. I was pleased to see that Nico remembered how to adjust the camera for macro photography. 

The children of TunaHAKI enjoying some of the gifts brought by the volunteers. 

Susan, fellow writer and friend of Jeanine. Thanks to her posts, we were able to stay up to date with what was happening in Africa while the Calabria’s were out of phone contact. Link to Susan’s blog.  

Scott Fifer, Director of the TunaHAKI Foundation, and the man who made this trip possible. He promoted the idea of taking yoga off the mat and to the children of the orphanage who enjoyed it immensely according to Jeanine.