Johnny Brooks in Kenya

Monthly Newsletter

 

We send out a newsletter about once a month. I just sent out October's. If you do not receive it and would like to follow this link to subscribe:

Just click this link to subscribe.

 

 

 

In case you missed this month's here is a link to the newsletter:

Kate is on her way.

Highlights From Kate's Facebook Week

Here are some highlights from Kate's Facebook feed (in case you are not connected or simply missed them:)

 

Oh family tree.. I have learned so much and am really enjoying finding out who my relatives are and some of the scandalous or just interesting stuff in our past as well as my roots!!! Much thanks goes to Anna for doing all of the digging, verifying, and research. Taking my DNA test and applying it to my tree has been an amazing ride.

Kate did a DNA test to trace her roots and has been loving the results. She even found out she is a distant cousin to Beyonce.

And she's ready for school. Off she goes until the end of May.

My eleven year old daughter Emma Caite loves to ride. 
Being home schooled, she doesn't interact with other kids much. Ponies give her common ground with the friends she has.

Kate made this picture her cover photo:

We actually had sunshine today. This is a very big deal! Now if we could have balance... Sun, rain, sun, rain...

I will end with this picture of a butternut squash.

Veggie Tales lied. 
#bellybutton

Connect with Us

There are many ways to connect with Kate and I.

This blog is one way, though admittedly we fail to keep it as updated as we should. Kate is a prolific Facebooker and therefore following her there is the best way to stay up on what is happening. I am there as well, plus A Future and a Hope has a page. Both Kate and I are on Twitter, though admittedly neither of us caught the tweet bug. We use Instagram, Goodreads, and I even joined this new thing called Mewe. My all time favorite is email. 

Connect away:

Facebook -    Kate Brooks
                        Johnny Brooks
                        A Future and a Hope

 

Twitter -        Kate Brooks
                       Johnny Brooks

 

Instagram -  Johnny Brooks
                       Kate Brooks

 

Goodreads - Johnny Brooks

 

MeWe -    I am not sure how to get an address but you can search for Johnny Brooks.

Monday Morning Network Blues

Woe is me, woe is me. Trying to use Safaricom (our local mobile phone service provider who also provides us with access to the internet,) has been a challenge this morning. I tether my computer to the phone and then have to shift the phone around the desk until just the right spot is found. Unfortunately that spot will only work for ten minutes or so, then once again I have to slide the phone around till the perfect place is found. Sigh. All this while ~Eowyn (our six year old) is begging for me to turn the wifi on so she can watch YouTube videos. 

I suppose it is still amazing to be in the middle of rural Africa and be able to connect at all to the world wide web.

News Fast Finished

I ended my boycott of all news media the other day. I set out to spend an entire month without reading or watching any news, just to see what would happen.

I survived. 

Actually I thrived. Even now the only news media I am consuming is a local Kenyan newspaper. I still have not been looking at on-line news (other than music related news) nor watching videos from news media companies. Might keep that permanent.

Being free of worry over what is happening over there has caused me to realize that I spend way too much time thinking about world events. I do not need to have an opinion on what is happening in France, Egypt, or Mongolia. I need to be rooted locally, with an occasional look at American politics. (Mostly because I enjoy it.)

Really I have no idea what happened this past month. Except for things that are important to me, and of course what has been happening here in the village and Nakuru. Otherwise I know nothing, and I am better for it. Happier, safer, and more well read. 

When I bought a newspaper ending my fast I was greeted with this nice story of Muslims shielding Christians from terrorists out to kill Christians:

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Mandera-bus-attack-victim-says-Muslim-men-confronted-gunmen-/-/1056/3007070/-/7m4m27z/-/index.html

Now what else can I get out of my life?

Connect With Us

So many ways to stay connected with us, or become connected for the first time:

• This blog. If you are reading this then you got this one figured out. Read blog posts, comment, or use the donate link.
• Email. This is the best way to connect with me (Johnny.) I tend to read emails before anything else. Sometimes it takes me a day or so to reply, due to the nature of our life and connections. Here are our address: [email protected] and [email protected]
• Facebook. We have a page, www.facebook.com/afutureandahope We also have personal pages as well: www.facebook.com/johnnybrooks and www.facebook.com/kate34 
• WhatsApp. 254723743212 for me (Johnny) and 254723687644 for Kate. Reach out and chat with us on WhatsApp. Send photos, short videos, whatever. In fact I really love using photos only to have conversations on this app.
• Skype. You may have to let us know in advance that you want to call on this app, but we do use it from time to time. kate.brooks40
• Facetime. I think you can use an email to find us here. [email protected]
• Twitter. @johnnybrooks I never caught on to this twittering thing, but I am there.
• Instagram. instagram.com/afutureandahope and instagram.com/back2kenya 

So get to clicking and connecting. (What a line, what a line.)

Social Media

We hang out on various social media type sites. Some of them we use more often than others, and some we haven't yet figured out. If we roam the same networks go ahead and connect with us.

We have a Facebook page for A Future and a Hope: Just click on the badge below to go to our page: We also have personal pages, feel free to send a friend request. 

A Future and a Hope | Promote Your Page Too

 

Kate has a YouTube channel. KatesKenyanKitchen. We are planning several new videos, including tag team efforts between she and I. Could get messy.

 

I (Johnny) like reading, and hang out on Shelfari and Goodreads. Speaking of reading I do have an Amazon wish list:

http://amzn.com/w/1W572JCISBZZA

Related articles

Kate's Video Diary

Like our Facebook Page

Our Facebook page has 700 and something likes. Can't remember the exact number, and I do not have internet access at the moment. (Also I'm sure to forget to look it up when my phone finishes charging on the little solar panel and I can use the internet again.)

If you have not please consider surfing over to our Facebook page and hitting the like button. The more connections we can make the more opportunities we can create together to care for the children we have now and the ones who need us now.

I thought about creating a page on Google+, but then I couldn't think of anyone who actually uses it. Still thinking about it, but until I can access the World Wide Web again it will stay just a fleeting electrical impulse in my brain.

 

https://www.facebook.com/afutureandahope

 

Social Media Fatigue

I, Johnny, am an introvert. I know, no big revelation there. I need down time, alone time to recuperate mentally and spiritually. I have no idea how all that works, but I do know that if I am around people all the time I get tired, grumpy, and my mind has trouble focusing. 

Unfortunately my alone time is now often taken up with social media. You know Facebook, chatting, blogging, and other on-line connections. Since in the literal sense I am often times alone doing those things I failed to understand that virtual connections can become just as real as real life connections. Socializing on-line is almost the same as doing it face to face, for me.

So I am taking a week off. You will not see me on Facebook (well live anyway my page will still be there,) blogs, or any other social media. I will still be accessible via email or in person. My hope is this will be like a vacation and I will come away feeling refreshed and whole again. Afterwards I'm thinking I need to have at least a day or two a week off-line.

Kate will most likely still be around, extroverts don't seem to need as much alone time. 

Newsletter

We no longer send out a snail mail newsletter. The expense is too great, and come on it is 2013. We do send out an email newsletter about once a month. It goes out to around 560 or so people, and half of those tend to open it (or at least that is what the report says.) This month Kate is putting it together and it is all about The Hut.

If you have not signed up there is a link on the column on the side of this blog. You may have to scroll down a bit till you see "Subscribe to our Newsletter." Do it and be amazed at Kate's newsletter writing abilities.