The clock is ticking down . . .
Get up tomorrow at 3 am, leave here at 3:30; board the plane at 5:20 and off to MSP.
Plants are watered, laundry is finished, and my house is about as clean as it ever gets  :-)

I am so excited to see Bethany who is our connection to the Maasai women beaders; and to see Mary Ann, who is our founder. 

Some goals for this TZ and UG trip:
1.  Assist Julie in developing some strategies for minimizing defaults and late payments to our micro-loan fund.  She has really stepped up to the plate as far as administering the program; we just need to work together to iron out some of the difficulties.
2.  Meet with some of the seamstresses who sew our batik clothing.  We have come a long way in the last few years in terms of helping the women in Tanzania understand how women in America shop for clothing.  Over there -- you go to your tailor, he or she measures you, and you come back to pick up your order.  Over here -- you go to the store, head for the size 12's and try on what you like.  Some of the new styles and batik prints the Miichi women have come up with are wonderful, and selling well.  We want to capitalize on that success.
3.  Check on the progress of the latrine for the girls' dorms at the secondary school in Ketumbeine, where our Maasai women live.  Asante partnered with the school to construct a lovely new latrine for the boys a few years ago; we are in the process of assisting with the construction of the girls'.
4.  Reconnect with the basket weavers in Uganda with NEEPU.
5.  Meet once again with the basket weaving women of Rwenzori Mtn. Women in Ft. Portal, UG.
6.  Locate new sources of jewelry, batiks and wood carvings, since the disastrous and calamitous fire destroyed the Maasai Open Air Market in Arusha. 

And now it is time to prepare for a nutrition workshop I am offering at our church this evening.  2nd in a series of 4 -- tonight is reading and understand ingredient and nutrition labels.