It wasn't such a long time ago when Anne and I spent a few years on a forestry project in Kenya, half a world away. One notable memory was attempting a single long distance phone call home at Christmas time. The operator eventually noted that despite a half hour valiant try we actually achieved about 17 seconds of 'Hello, can you hear me?' "Are you there?" and other frustrating efforts to have a conversation. In Thailand a few years later we had to travel to an overseas phone station in an adjacent community to access (with luck!) one of the 6 international lines to Canada. Nowadays an e-mail is usually instantaneous and available at any time of day or night.

I was reminded of such old time difficulties as we celebrated our son's Canadian wedding reception. Colin and Yuka flew home overnight from Japan along with Yuka's parents, her brother's family and Japanese friends. We went away for 2 to 4 years in the '60's. The younger generation dropped in from Yokohama for a week's visit earlier this month. Times have changed.

One exciting aspect of this change has been the opportunity for young people to participate in far away events. I have written before of high school kids spending a few weeks living and working in third world countries, experiences not soon forgotten. Similarly two young ladies in our community had the chance to work in South America with 'Habitat for Humanity'. Our grandson is contemplating spending the winter on a Bolivian project of 'Frontiers Foundation'.

One project I am not recommending from a travel point of view is visiting the disease torn dark continent. The Stephen Lewis Foundation is actively engaged in finding funds to support orphans in Africa. A most revealing book was written by Stephanie Nolan (Twenty-Eight, 2008). Stephanie, a Globe and Mail journalist, traveled extensively through Africa interviewing folk dealing with the HIV/Aids pandemic. The 28 interviews represented 28 million people dead from aids. Death is a grim enough story but these deaths were mostly in young adult families, fathers and mothers dying and leaving behind thousands of young people without parents.

A strong support group has developed across Canada, the Alliston and Orangeville chapters of 'Grandmothers for Grandmothers' being two such organizations. In many African families the slack has had to be picked up by the older generation caring for their grandchildren left behind after burial of their own sons and daughters.

An interesting project planned at present in Alliston is a rag-time evening by Bob Milne, a world renowned pianist from Michigan. Bob played to a crowd last fall in the Presbyterian church which raised about $3000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation and is expected to accomplish more this October. The foundation is a Canadian non-government organization in Toronto which so far has raised over thirty million dollars to help alleviate suffering in African communities.

An interesting brochure issued by the foundation outlines some of the projects at the grass roots level across Canada raising funds. It also details several of the African communities benefiting from this work. The Alliston 'Grandmothers Embrace' is one outstanding example of local effort promoting several fundraising projects through the year.

The foundation has also facilitated the travel of small groups of older women visiting their colleagues on the dark continent and hosting return visits. The efforts by grandmothers is greatly to be lauded as we read in shame of governments expending billions of our money to bolster banks and industry while so many millions of people are desperately in need of help.

The Stephen Lewis project is an excellent example of the relevance of Canadians helping to counter the ills of the world. Funds from across Canada support orphanages, school programs and community efforts overseas. Of particular interest is the use of our donations to provide school uniforms and fees for so many who are doomed to a denial of schooling without our support.

News broadcasts are daily showing us that the continent of Africa is no longer half a world away. For folk in Dufferin and Simcoe counties travel and communication has brought the world to our doorstep.