New Years Greetings 2007

January 1, 2007

Dear family and friends,

What a year! I don’t usually make new years resolutions (as I am not likely to keep them) but I think this year I will start a new trend and try to keep up with it. A letter that doesn’t try to list a bunch of accomplishments - lists of things we’ve done - but attempts to tell some bits and pieces of the story of our first year as husband and wife. Since we don’t see many of you for longer than brief moments here and there, we hope you can indulge us! We love getting the beautiful holiday cards in the mail (usually about 3 months late) and the email updates from friends from Haiti to Darfur to New Zealand, but I doubt we will be organized enough to get cards together in the next few years. Therefore, I won’t even pretend! So for those who get standard mail and those who don’t - here it goes.

The year has been full of ups and downs, all of which have taught us how lucky we are. We started the year on the easternmost beaches of Timor-Leste, waking up to an unexpected rainstorm on our camp site. Throughout the year we dove coral reefs (see picture on the left with Lendell and the lobster), found new species of nudibranchs (ok, maybe that was because of Nick and Brian), ran in the mountains (because of Kym), and Kate attempted to learn to cook and experiment with local ingredients (thanks to Diane).

On the work side, Lendell and I continued to work on our respective projects throughout the year – Lendell working as deputy director of a private sector and small business development project for DAI and I as the deputy director of the small grants program, which helps program funding for the Timorese government, NGOs and small businesses. Lendell was inspired by much of his work and relationship building with local business training institutions, transport and truckers associations and helping sections of the private sector build their skills and provide better services to the rest of the business community. He also wrote an article about the continued success of his previous program in Zimbabwe – a fully sustainable system of business centers providing internet and business training across the country! You can view the article at: http://www.dai.com/pdf/developments/Developments_FALL_2006--L.pdf

I enjoyed my work with a cross section of the program that I call ‘foundations for entrepreneurship’. Much of our work in economic growth, governance and health all gets slowed by a similar problem seen across the country – the need for good administration and finance practices, as well as a source of entrepreneurial and creative thinking. Many of our grants have focused on trying to jump start sections of the rural economy with small funding for youth groups to help them generate income and sell vegetables to the local markets. We also work with different education and training providers that help teach literacy, numeracy, basic money management and business practices – from the elementary level all the way through to the elders in the communities.

Beautiful Timor-Leste hit a huge speed bump in April, May and June this year (arguably, it continues even now). The civil unrest, fighting and house burning showed many people a side of independence that they didn’t like – and some of the worst violence the country has seen since independence. Thankfully, after months of smaller incidences of regional violence and fighting, the cycle seems to be slowly returning to Timor’s peaceful roots. Much of the fighting has subsided recently and we truly hope 2007 brings a new, lasting peace to the country. Many Timorese have fought incredible injustices for years, and as outsiders we hope that the internal strife will lose out against the indomitable spirit in most of the people of this country.

Lendell and I were married in late September in the beautiful Bluemel garden in Baldwin, Maryland. We were so blessed to have many of our friends and family with us – gorgeous flower girls and our glamorous ring bearer, tried and true best man and woman, and our minister Chaz leading the ceremony that certainly made Kate shed a few tears. We wish we could have spent more time with our friends and family during the few weeks back in the U.S., but we truly enjoyed each special moment.

On the way back to Timor, we took an amazing honeymoon journey through Vietnam, from south to north. We ate delicious food (seemingly unlimited mangoes for Kate), traveled in a beautiful restored paddleboat through Halong Bay, bunkered down during Typhoon Xangxane in Hoi An, and explored the beautiful streets, art galleries and pho shops throughout Hanoi.

We also welcomed so many wonderful friends and family to the newly joined Foan and Heuisler families. Ella Rose Gurwicz’s proud parents Mick and Diana were beaming at our wedding. Another Ella (Ella Imogen Webb) was born to proud parents Karen and Chris in Zimbabwe. Our amazing friends Chaz and Lia Howard welcomed baby Annalise Hope into the world. Lendell’s sister Wendy married the wonderful Chad Pelletier in July. Other friends were married, got new jobs, traveled the world. In early 2007, Lendell will welcome his first blood niece or nephew to the family – we can’t wait to meet baby Pelletier!

As I write down all of these stories, I smile. When we read the NYTimes story (or as I write this with a bizarre but apropos case of conjunctivitis in my right eye), I cringe at the description of my need for an unflappable husband (although he is), and the further description of every bug and worm I have come in contact with. But at the end of the day, these are only the beginning of the stories that Lendell and I remember. We have been lucky to live and work with a lot of inspired individuals awe hope this trend continues, wherever we are, i2007.

Wishing you magic, joy and peace in the new year,

Kate and Lendell