The invitation last month came out of the blue.
Going to Africa, Steve Kinzle told Bob Hawk. Wanna go?
Hawk knew better than to think Kinzle was joking.
After all, Kinzle and wife Frances had been on a similar trip to Africa just last summer, to hand out a number of desperately needed water filters as well as other trinkets.
And Hawk, a retired Air Force pilot, is no stranger to overseas trips, having trekked to Chile on a number of goodwill missions.
Within a week, Kinzle had his answer, and shortly thereafter Kinzle and Hawk were in the hilly Kenyan countryside for two weeks, returning June 6.
The Iolans handed out 60 water filters to a population that still lives almost exclusively on raw river water and storm water runoff and gave out basketballs, hats and school supplies to hundreds of young schoolchildren enamored with their pale-skinned visitors from the West.
As is typical with any goodwill effort, the Iolans benefited as much as the people they served.
It was a great experience, Hawk said. It certainly gives you appreciation for what we have and what some people take for granted.
Hawk and Kinzle spoke about their trip, made possible through their connections with Luka Kapkai, a native of Kenya who lives in Iola and teaches physics at Neosho County Community College. (Kapkai was out of town and unavailable for the interview.)
THE REPUBLIC of Kenya lies along the Equator in southeast Africa, covering more than 230,000 square miles (roughly the combined size of Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska) and packed with 48 million people scattered across the East African Rift.
There are plenty of problems in whats generously described as a developing nation.
Unemployment is rampant hovering around 37 percent across much of the country and those who do have jobs work for a pittance.
Laborers may earn $4 a day; tea-pickers even less.
Corruption is as much a national pastime as the countrys prized track and field programs.
It doesnt matter what organization it was, the corruption is everywhere, Kinzle said. Its on the news every night, and the president cant control it all. Its going to take a lot of them going to prison before people wake up.
And its not just in government. Traffic stops and police roadblocks are common. Once theyve stopped a motorist, officers are willing to let the drivers go for a price. Simply hand the officer your drivers license with a 50-shilling note tucked in behind, and youre free to leave.
