Meridian Magazine Kenya Humanitarian Trip
Partnering with Reach the Children

Dates: August 3rd through August 17th
Departure Location: Washington D.C. Dulles Airport

Cost: $3400/per person double occupancy is the cash price.  Cost includes airfare from Dulles Airport, Washington.D.C., all hotel, meals, in-country transportation, sight-seeing, project costs and tips. Basically everything but your souvenirs. Check should be made payable to Reach the Children. Please note Meridian Trip in the memo portion of the check.  The full cost of the trip is tax deductible.  Send checks to: Reach the Children, 14 Chesham Way, Fairport, NY, 14450 or call 1-800-275-3003.  If you need to pay by credit card, please call the 800 number.

Deposit: A $600 deposit per person must be received no later than February 13, 2004.  We have many people who have expressed interest in this trip and are limited to 25 participants.  We are also getting a bit of a late start on this and the airlines need a deposit.  This deposit is non-refundable and will go directly to the project should you wish to cancel.  The balance is due May 3rd.

Trip Leaders: Sylvia and Paul Finlayson.  Sylvia is the Associate Editor for Meridian Magazine. She has her Master's degree in 3rd World Development and has traveled extensively in developing countries.  Paul is a 'rocket scientist' who works for JPL-NASA (you know, the Mars thing of late). He will be giving us some astronomy lessons from the southern hemisphere.  If you have questions, please email me at S_Finlayson@comcast.net or call me at 661-297-3815.

Kenya Tentative Itinerary

Tue. - Aug 3                 
Leave Dulles, Washington D.C.

Wed. - Aug 4                
Arrive at London in the morning.  Take the tube into London and visit Buckingham Palace, see the changing of the Guard, Royal Academy of Arts, Piccadilly Circus, The National Gallery, London Bridge, Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abby and more.  

Evening departure for Nairobi, Kenya

Thur. - Aug 5                 
Arrive at Nairobi in morning.  Visit Langata Giraffe Center, Hippo Nursery and Karen Blixen Farm. Check in and spend evening at Amani monastery.

Fri. - Aug 6                    
Travel to Kimboo School in the bush near Makindu. Project will be helping to complete a primary school. We will be making bricks, plastering walls, painting, carpentry work, etc. Check in to Hunters Lodge.  This will also be a great cultural experience, as you work side by side with the parents, and get to know the school children.

Sat. - Aug 7                  
Work day at project site of Kimboo School. Travel to Chyulu for church on Sunday. Stay at Kiliguni Lodge in West Tsavo Park.

Sun. - Aug 8                  
Church in Chyulu. Evening game drive in Tsavo, largest national Game Park in Kenya. Stay at Kilaguni Lodge where the focus s a watering hole that attracts the largest of Africa's wild game animals.

Mon. - Aug 9                 
Drive back to work on Kimboo School. Late afternoon celebration of song and dance with parents and children.  Evening at Hunters Lodge.

Tue. - Aug 10                
Final touches on Kimboo School in the morning, visit wood carvers in early afternoon (right next to Hunter’s Lodge), and travel to Machakos (Mutituni) for the evening.

Wed. - Aug 11               
Spend the whole day in Mutituni.  See the Health Care Project on the Starfish Projects web site http://www.starfishprojects.org/. We will be asking some of you to bring tennis shoes, t-shirts and basic health care kits.  More details to follow. Distribute clothing to orphans.  Evening in Machakos.

Thur. - Aug 12               
Day drive to Masai Mara game reserve.  The most popular game park in Kenya located on the Serengeti plains where wildlife abounds. Evening game drive. Stay at Siani Springs.

Fri. - Aug 13                  
Morning game drive. Visit Maasai village. See how the wives build their huts, learn about village hierarchy, hunting ceremonies, tribal customs, etc. Evening game drive.

Sat. - Aug 14                 
Morning game drive. Day drive back to Nairobi. Check in Amani monastery.

Sun. - Aug 15                
Church in Nairobi. Afternoon fireside with members. Evening testimony  meeting.

Mon. - Aug 16               
Shopping in Nairobi. This place is shoppers' heaven!  Dinner at the Carnivore. Check in at Nairobi airport. Leave for U.S.

Tue. - Aug 17                
Arrive in Washington D.C. Travel on to individual destinations in U.S.