Tenebo & Last 24 hrs at home

Hi - Tomorrow we take Bram to the airport! We'll go the whole family (except Sebastiaan who is intern) and have dinner somewhere together, celebrating my birthday 2 days early. Then Bram sleeps at an airport hotel, since he's got an early flight out to Madrid friday morning. Then we're on our own for 18 days. Not so bad, I have a pretty packed schedule: my dad and Anette visiting us this weekend for some birthday cake and bubbles, next weekend I have my Provence-Swedish girlfriends over for spa and dinner... (that'll be fun ;-) and the weekend after that I have guests coming for a week in one of our gîtes. With kids, homework, taxi, household, work, activities etc., I don't think it'll be exactly boring. More likely... exhausting. But also exciting, for Bram and Tim's sake. I'm happy they keep up their adventures together, and that they both have families supporting their trips. Not so sure everyone I know would be so happy having their husband (or wife!) on a mountain for at least a month/year?? You only live once, so make sure you live it to the fullest, at least that's what I think. And Bram too...

Tenebo - in swahili = together. That is the name chosen for a project that Bram feels very strongly about. Since Bram's and Tim's visit to Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti 2 years ago, there's been an active plan to set up an association for a non-profit organisation, and find a way to create funds to help out on a specific project in a poor region. The plan was "too grande" to start off with, requiring logistics, money and time on a scale not realistic at the time. But the idea is still living and has taken a different shape and size, much more likely to succeed.

The first project in mind, is to help Moses, who's chief Massai of a few very poor villages on the Serengeti in Kenya. Bram and Tim met Moses on their trip to Kenya and a strong friendship grew. Bram visited his villages, (he was the 3rd white man to ever have been there) and needless to say... it's so poor! The kids live so far out that they cannot go to school and the people definetively need medical care. Moses, the son of the ex-chief, is the only person in the village to have had a proper education. He now supports his villages by working a tourist job in Arusha and running a shop out on the Serengeti.

On the pictures you see Bram and Moses together, one of the kids from the village, Moses in his shop and Bram's buddies.. or to be correct.. bodyguards! Moses thought he and Tim needed protection in Arusha, so these friendly boys came along with huge swords under their skirts... Tim and Bram discovered their secrets "below" when they entered a night club and the boys had to give up their weapons, or stay outside. ;-)

So what is the plan for raising some funds? It doesn't have to be a whole lot, already smaller amounts come a long way in a poor country such as Kenya. And for a start, even a symbolic amount will mean something, a gesture showing we're working on it. We've come up with an idea that seems reasonable, doable, challenging and fun. We'd welcome any sponsor, private or professional, supporting Bram climbing, participating with a fix 0,01 euro cent/meter. So, by starting a climb, like in Equador, on approx 4000m, going to 6300, there would be an actual altitude difference of 2300 m, giving a total of €23. On the top.. Bram puts down the Tenebo flag, to proof summiting and to visulize the Tenebo project going higher and higher.

Arno and Tim have both put in lot's of effort working out a business plan for Tenebo and started the registration process of the association. The project is still very much in the build-up phase, but we thought we should make use of the Equador situation and get started. Lot's of hours planning have already been spent, now it's up to Bram to make sure it has not been a waste of time. If you want to become a sponsor, the amount Bram climbs together in Equador, will go to Moses and his village. We might use the amount to stock up his shop, or if Moses believes there's another more urgent need, resource the amount to that specific deed.

For our sponsors, we'll make space on the official Tenebo website, that is still to be created and where Tim will play an important role (his business http://www.infoprojects.nl/ will come in handy..). Have faith and join us for a great mission! The more sponsors the better.. Just let me know if you'd be interested participating!

17:30: Bram just came in after his last training round... i'll join him in the sauna. Stay tuned, tomorrow is departure day!

xx Jen