Curses and Blessings

Late yesterday, when everything was packed and I was contemplating an early bedtime, I received a text message from Brussels Airlines.  In it they advised that there is a strike of baggage handlers at Brussels Airport and so their advice was to travel with hand luggage only.  A bit difficult when I and four other team members are travelling with bikes!

Several hours and many emails and phone calls later, I had managed to change my booking to travel today via Amsterdam and Nairobi so I am still at home as I write this.  The others were unable to change and so are all in Brussels now hoping that the bikes and other luggage get transferred.

It's not a great start but I'm sure we'll figure it out somehow whatever happens.  For those of you that do so, please pray for a positive outcome from this, even if it is in ways we don't expect.

So that's the bad news.  The good news came as I got up today to find an email from an ex-colleague and friend pledging a donation that takes my total, including the Gift Aid tax rebate, above my initial target of £20,000.  I'll be honest, when I put that figure on the Virgin website several weeks ago it was more aspiration than expectation so thank you so much to all that have so generously given or pledged.  All I need to do now is get to Burundi with a bike and ride ...

Whilst that target has been reached, please don't let that stop you donating if you would still like to do so.  The Rwisabi project is £75,000 over three years and it would be wonderful to cover more of that than initially I expected.  That's less than £2 per person to train 40,000 people in the importance of hygiene and sanitation and to enable them to find ways to improve their futures.  I'm quietly confident that the matching funding can be extended to cover additional donations.

Thanks for your support.

Paul

http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/tour-du-burundi-2013