Archive for December, 2011

This show gives a little insight into life in and around Nairobi. The first apartment the couple looks at is actually the same place we lived when we first moved to Nairobi. Read the original article... More»

Since we kicked off our Kiva microfinance project "Change Starts Here" in November 2008, our Kiva Lending Team has already funded over 1,500 projects, for a total value of US$54,000. Check out our project score card on our Have Impact! blog. In 2011, I had a wide range of sponsors for the blogs I... More»

We are about halfway packed, have our seats assigned and are counting down the days until we get on a plane and head back home. We would love your prayers as we finish up the packing, say another round of see you laters and good-byes and try to remember all that we have to... More»

This is a bee larvae cake, a dish from the ever-popular Sovanna restaurant (No 2C St 21, just south of Sihanouk Blvd). It’s steamed with spices in banana leaves, and picked at like a snack. We had a friend visiting Cambodia who wanted to sample Khmer cuisine, and what better way to do that... More»

It seems that the years are flying past more quickly these days, and that I'm packing more and more into 365 days. 2011 has been no exception. This time last year I knew I'd be starting a new job and there was a lot to look forward to. Eleven months into the job and... More»

OK, it’s the end of the year, and thus time for summing up last year and writing listicles, year-in-reviews and predictions for next year and all that jazz. So here’s a list of my 8 favorite posts of all time here on Shotgun Shack, in no particular order. Fragility Butterflies Holes Promises White Woman Finding... More»

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If you're into giving and tax deductibility and American, tomorrow is your last day (if you're not American or into giving - New Year resolution to save some lives?). I would highly recommend taking a look at Givewell's recommendations - hours of serious research into making your money go the furthest. Read the original... More»

A real year in review is forthcoming, as are the ABBAs which I decided to hold in January given that everyone is traveling and on vacation right now. Here is a quick run down of how the year went on AVFTC, what I hope for next year, and a request from all of you... More»

While stopping by a Sonic to get a lemon slush (which I am also sooo thankful for ) I saw on a marquee across the street, “Joy to the World Our Saviour Reigns!” What a privilege to be able to live in a country where we can freely express our faith and freely share... More»

Hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas time with family and friends. We have really been enjoying this special time of remember our Saviour’s birth and his ultimate sacrifice. Just a few items of interest to try and catch up. A few days before Christmas brought some shocking news that George Athor was... More»

I have nothing to say about this. If this is where Australia is headed, I want to stay in Afghanistan. Read the original article... More»

The calendar on my wall is still open to October. My mind is still switched on to August. Everything else tells me December is about to end.This has been another fast moving year at Blue Dragon.2012 will be the Year of the Dragon. (...) Read the original article... More»

Four years ago, the Blue Dragon family was devastated to learn that one of our kids, an 18 year old named Ngoc, had been stabbed and left for dead by the side of the road.He was attacked by a gang which mistook him for someone they were out to kill; fortunately they weren't as... More»

Is apparently a real thing. My mum just turned on BBC Radio 4 to a set of listeners calling in with questions that they would like to try and answer with an experiment - does windy weather make kids act up at school - do cows really lie down just before it starts to... More»

Sam Loewenberg, who has written for The New York Times, the Guardian, and Slate, among others, said he couldn't garner interest in a story about the recent hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, which this summer suffered the region's most horrific drought in 60 years. Humanitarian alerts described it as the worst such... More»

Ever wondered what it's like for kids who get trafficked to Vietnam's garment factories?Here's a rare shot that Blue Dragon staff were able to capture inside a factory that exploits kids from central Vietnam. Read the original article... More»

The Guardian development blog is running a series of end of year reflections on development, including one by me. Many of the articles are upbeat about progress in developing countries, but pessimistic about the short term economic prospects for the industrialised world and for global cooperation to tackle shared global problems. The series so far... More»

by Sparrow and Lady Aga “Where is my Toyota Landcruiser and my Driver?” wails the EAW arriving at Geneva Airport fresh from Kabul, realising unhappily that he now has to rely on his own wits once more. Gone is the Pashtun home help, the smell of palao cooked by the locals and the sound... More»

None of these are particularly brilliant photos, but they each symbolise something important about enduring well here. This first photo is Khristo and my son, at a small roadside kebab shop, just off Flower St. I used to eat at places like this all the time. Then I got busier, and some of these... More»