On the ground in Kenya these days, we've got a great guy working on an exciting new business program for Hope Runs and IBECOME. He's living at Tumaini, where Hope Runs began, for 6 months, and during his first two months so far has been enjoying the many unique personalities of our favorite little (and big) monsters.

Yesterday, we heard that the youngest, and newest of Tumaini's residents has finally warmed up to him. Hezekia, a small and adorable 7 or 8 year old, apparently approached our fine Zach with the gentlest of smiles. After several seconds of akwardness, he then made the ambiguous, surprising ask for money. Upon learning that Zach was not going to give him money, however, he realized he didn't really have much use for the money (being a 7 year old and having his needs taken care of in the orphanage) so apparently wasn't really very disappointed. The chat then progressed in its normal awkward way, with the money issue having been taken off the table.

Zach laughed when telling me and Lara. "Baby steps," he said.

The days are jumbled here at TrippingOnWords. When we started this fine blog several years ago, we were aimless travel writers taking on a year overseas. That soon turned to non-profit work for cute kids in Africa, and this work (www.hoperuns.org) is what continues to this day.

However, we no longer live in Africa full time. This fall, we are split between the USA and the UK as we work to make Hope Runs, and the larger organization we started, IBECOME, good little change-makers.

It was her blackberry, and the immediate 30 emails, that tipped me off. To make sure, though, I called her just as she was sitting down to a welcome dinner at the orphanage in Nyeri. Since her cell phone isn't up and working yet, I had called the ever sarcastic and amazing manager of the orphanage, Eunice.

When I asked if Lara was there safe and in one piece, she answered in classic Eunice style:

"You should probably talk to her personally to ask her if she thinks she is one piece."

Lara said, indeed, she was still a whole person. She also said that Edwin, 11 (I can't believe how big he is now) had immediately asked if she had brought the shoes "for to go running."

I heart those kids.

Check out the new website for IBECOME (our new, larger, snazzier non-profit organization).

Hope Runs remains the Sports for Development arm of IBECOME.

Where have we been?

There have been many reasons for our month long absence, but most of the them are fairly bad. Claire went to the USA for a few weeks, Lara was working like a dog, things in Africa were jumping along as usual, and Hope Runs became part of a larger organization. What? Yes, Hope Runs has become bigger.

For six months now we've been working on this move, and we're thrilled to finally announce it.

Hope Runs is now officially the Sport for Development arm of IBECOME. IBECOME was started by your very own Lara and Claire (authors of this blog) as well as a third woman who has been working in East Africa with her own NGO for some time now.

We are happy, and we hope you will be too.

Now, let's get back to things.

Don't forget to look at some of our beautiful new pictures of our recent trip to Africa.