Oh, The Questions Of A Thousand Dreams

My Friends (June, 1985), Photo Courtesy of Randy Martens Photography

A NEW DAY AND A NEW WAY

The above photograph was taken in Niger by my brother-in-law back in 1985. He, along with several other "adventurers", toured Africa by traveling in the back of old trucks, using local buses and other assorted forms of transportation. Like many of you, he chose what is commonly considered the traveler's (versus tourist's) version of experiencing the world. He has since visited countless other countries (well, I quit counting them years ago) but his journey through the various African nations has been the one trip he's held closest to his heart. The walls of my house are home to many of the photos from that sojourn.

I have chosen this particular image to make a very simple point. Over the past several months TPF has made 28 loans to assorted global regions for assorted global reasons. We have covered agriculture, food production, housing, clothing, health care, transportation and most recently, retail sales. All of the Entrepreneurs are adults. Almost all of the Entrepreneurs are parents trying to provide for their families or young adults trying to provide for aging parents. Either way, the above photo (in my mind) depicts the true benefactors of our efforts - the children, as they are the way of the future.

They say the ringing out of the old year and the ringing in of the new is also a time for reflection. I've not always held to that belief as I usually choose to look forward rather than back. I do have my "nostalgic" periods but rarely for the 365 days that have just come and gone. Today is a different story. Today, I am more than willing to do the "2009 Year In Review" because, through the Travellerspoint Foundation, all of us have tried to make a difference in our world. Okay, I'm almost done with the sentimentality thing but please bear with me...

A VERY LARGE THANK YOU

Thanks for sticking around and bearing with me!!

I take this time to express my sincerest gratitude to Travellerspoint, Sam, Peter, Eric and everyone single member who has supported the Travellerspoint Foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know that I can speak for the TP Overlords with this show of gratitude. We have had such great participation in this project that it has brought me to tears. Okay, it's made me almost weepy. Keep up the good work and I will be in tears. Between the AdSense contributions, Amazon Associates contributions and the Tour de France Competition, TPF has been able to do wonderful things. Come the end of February, the Hippo Roller Project will just be the cherry on top of that luscious (pick your favorite) dessert.

PLEASE SAY HELLO!!

I will bypass all of the commentary and just say four more $50 loans were made on December 26th. We received several repayments which allowed us to add to our portfolio. So, without further ado...

Evelyn Rosaura Soch, Photo Courtesy of Kiva.org

Mohamad, Photo Courtesy of Kiva.org

Joyitas De Cosmos Group, Photo Courtesy of Kiva.org

Rezel Paderas Group, Photo Courtesy of Kiva.org

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR ENTREPRENEUR'S MAP!!!!

WTPF LATEST LOCAL NEWS UPDATES

This is where I would usually give the "bottom line" for each of the TPF accounts and projects. But today, you have been spared. Okay, I just don't have the tallies for the end of the year yet. By my clock, I still have 10 hours left to go before year end. And, since California is still 2 hours behind me - make that a good 12 hours or better before we have an accurate accounting. I'm even going to give it until January 2nd before making a report. All I can say - 2009 has been an exceptionally profitable year for a project that was just a spark in someone's mind not that long ago.

ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE

A very giant THANK YOU to everyone involved in this project and to those of you who have supported TPF along the way. We couldn't have made 28 loans and created the Hippo Roller Project without your help!!!!!!!!!!!

• Thanks to all of you who have been AdSense Contributors. Without you, this project would never have come to fruition!!!!

• Thank you to the "Gang of Four" (Greg, Derek, Tina, Brendan and Kris) for your editing expertise with the Travelled Unravelled blogs. (Yes, there are 5 names there but sadly we had to say good bye to Brendan and happily said hello to Kris as Brendan's replacement.)

• Thank you Michael, for being my mapping genius. I've learned how to map but there are 6 unconnected points that need connecting. Help!

• Thank you to the Book Review contributors. Please keep reading and writing reviews. The written word has power.

• Last, but certainly not least... Thank you Sam, Peter and Eric for creating such wonderful opportunities where members of this website can make a difference. You have my round of applause.

With that, I'm done pontificating for 2009. Let the decade roll over and that's just my two cents worth...

Little Accordion Player (Sept, 1999), Photo Courtesy of Randy Martens Photography

As her father looked on, this little girl was playing accordion on the sidewalks of Krakow to help support her family

A VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!!!!

A special thanks to Randy Martens (my brother-in-law) for the use of his photographs and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young for the lyrics used in the title.