Greetings from New York City!
Dear Friends,
Greetings from New York City! I had a safe trip and saw the favor of the Lord on each leg … from Amsterdam to JFK I was upgraded to Economy Comfort … an aisle seat in a row of 4 seats and only one lady on the end (Patricia) she was from Italy (my age-ish) . She allowed an encouraged me to be able to use 3 seats to stretch out and rest! It was wonderful … then when I got to NYC she offered to share a cab and let me go to her apt in Manhattan and wait for Ali ….to come and get me from New Jersey! It was lovely she knew how to negotiate through the airport etc. and we share the taxi cost!
Ali and Josh are an amazing young couple that love in Hoboken, NY. Ali is a school teacher and Josh works for Barkley Bank and they offered for me to stay with them while in NYC. I came yesterday and today with Josh on the Bus to the center of Manhattan and then took a cab to the convention center .. it was easy with him and the bus stop is a ½ block from his house.
They took me to dinner at a lovely up-scale restaurant about 2/1/2 blocks from their appointment the first night … ummmm wow so nice!
Yesterday the meetings started at 8 AM and was a full day till 7:30 PM … I did not think I could stay awake and focused but it was so well done with many activities and such interesting speakers! President Bill Clinton was our luncheon speaker and of course he was great! People rushed to shake his hand and meet him … so I hung back a little … it was enough to hear his great speech!
The whole day was packed with networking opportunities and I met some amazing people … also Rick and Amanda were there from Lift Up Africa so nice to meet some people I knew… I sat next to a young woman “Sara” at my assigned table (right up front) and she just “watched over me … all day and brought me coffee and was so kind .. they had an “after party” here in Manhattan … but I excused myself and headed back to Hoboken.
It was a very long day and immediately when I got home and (rode back with Josh as he waited for me) got home about 9 PM and went directly to bed …
Segal Family Foundation
Today is a training day put on by Segal Family Foundation(SFF) … this group is actually amazing I am so impressed with their desire to see all of succeed and to come alongside their grantees and offer support and tools to be successful! They are interested in helping African grassroots organizations with Institutional Strengthening and their whole approach is taking small to medium groups like HEART to the next level of growth! It is a wonderful philosophy and it is working! They interspersed the day yesterday with success stories that were so encouraging!
SFF will have their 2014 Annual Meeting in Africa in October! So hope some of my staff can attend!
So I arrived in the city early (doesn’t start today till 10 AM but I came again with Josh … so I am at a café next to the Convention center and just wanted to touch base with all of you!
The weekend promised to be quiet … Ali and Josh offered me several options … but rest a and quiet day and go to church with them on Sunday (I think they attend a Catholic mass) sounds wonderful to me! They promised me steak again on their Bar BQ Sat night (my favorite!) and I will take them out tonight ..
Monday I go to Philly to meet with Women Leaders in Action (WLA) will take the train … and so look forward to that and back to Hoboken the same day and then to Boston to stay with ken and Marie and will also see Amanda again with Lift Up Africa and hopefully Peter Norris!
I travel to CA on Friday next week …
Just a little update … thanks for sharing this amazing journey with me!
Sincerely,
Vickie Winkler
HEART Executive Director
P.O. Box 63414 – 00619 Muthaiga
Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa
011-254-733-369-010
