The 2022 World AIDS Marathon t-shirt (shown here worn by Jodi & Richard Brodsky) was designed by Kenyan artist Edward Orato

Gabiro Mtu Messenger singing KUS KUS, an amazingly gifted singer and dancer entertained the 37 supporters, volunteers, artists, musicians, hosts of orphan dinner dances, and doctors examining orphans at orphan dinner dances. Try to watch the video and you will see how Gabiro uplifted everyone!

WE Love you THERESA, we gave all 37 guests the 2022 World AIDS Marathon t-shirt featuring Theresa Alessandra Russo who died of celebral palsy when she was 5. Theresa loved singing, dancing and painting and her parents Susan and Vincent Russo founded the Theresa Foundation to keep her memory alive and help special needs kids not just in America, but in Africa, too.

Coster Ojwang, performed live at Meet and Greet dinner but the sound system was not 100%, Here is a song,THERESA, Our Little Angel, he sang last year at Jiu Pachi, hosted be Eunice Owino. The song is written in English, Kiswahili and Luo about a special day when an angel came down to the earth and left but the light that it came with is still shinning bright. The chorus says... We are happy and THERESA is the source of our happiness

Left to right: Eucabeth Awuonda of KEMRI, Jodi Brodsky, Coster Ojwang, Eunice Owino, and artist Sam Olu.

The Richard M. Brodsky received the first grant ever from the Theresa Foundation for its work in Africa. I asked the lead artist Sam Olu to paint a picture of Theresa in heaven as our way of thanking the Theresa Foundation for its two music and art grants in 2021. We were so honored to see that Sam's painting was featured on the 2021 cover of the Theresa Foundation's annual report.

Life is always a big party at Bonyos Kenya Mission. We missed you Dr, Bonyo and thanks for hosting us. The Mama Pilista Memorial Health Centre in Masara cares for kids, oftentimes for free if the parents cannot afford to pay.

150 kids, caretakers and volunteers dined and danced. Dr. Richard Sartori of Garden City Pediatrics and a local nurse examined and treated 28 kids. Thanks Dr Sartori for donating the medicine for all 4 orphan dinner dances.

Dinner was delicious as always.

Some local kids transporting bags of rice on the road to Bonyo's Kenya Mission.

The saying that it is not about the destination but the journey could not be more true. We stopped at the equator and I even got to renew my wedding vows with Jodi, an unplanned event. Watch the video!.

Thanks Eunice Owino, for joining Jodi and me, Ignatious, Anne, Carol and Jameelah for serving dinner to the kids. 262 kids + guests were served and 54 children and adults were examined and treated by Dr. Sartori and a clinical nurse.

Pastor Paul has the facility called Word Academy where hundreds of students receive an education, but today was a big party and there was also a church service for 150 people and Jodi and I got to speak there because the pastor thought Jodi's and my story could help inspire them.

These kids have so much rhythm they could be stars on Broadway.

62 orphans and caretakers dined and danced at Mama Sarah's home and 36 children and caretakers were examined and treated.

Jameelah Aziz (right) and Jodi Brodsky (left). Jameelah traveled with 215 pounds of clothing and shoes to donate at the 4 orphan dinner dances + she shipped three big boxes of clothing to Kenya a few months earlier. The kids are being fitted for shoes.

We hope to see everyone back in 2023. The woman in the white t-shirt (center foreground) Carol, leads the kids in dancing and playing various games at all the orphan dinner dances. She is a school teacher in Kisumu and the kids are off from school in December. Kenya was the first country in Africa to mandate public school education from grades 1 - 8. One time Pres. Clinton was asked if he could meet one person who he has not met, who would he choose? He chose President Kibaki of Kenya who initiated free public school in Kenya, before any other African leader.

We have the best memories of visiting Mama Sarah's (President Obama's grandmother's home). Sadly Mama Sarah died a few years ago at age 99. Her daughter Marsat is continuing to care for children and educate them through the Momma Sarah Obama Children Foundation.

The building in the background is where Dr. Sartori examined 36 orphans.

29 participants finished the free 5K (well a little longer, but we wanted the turnaround to be at Kisumu Impala Sanctuary and not on the street.

A few of the finishers at the free 5K AIDS run walk in Dunga. 32 finishers if you count the stray goats and cow. Everyone received a hand painted t-shirt by Kenyan artist Edward Orato with a matching medal.

Just before the finish when you turn right into the hotel that hosted us. I like the spirit of the Kenyan artists sitting down on the culvert and just enjoying the day.

Thank you Ignatious Walter Oluoch for your support and giving us a tour of the village where you were raised.

Dunga is a magical place which is surrounded by Lake Victoria and has some really scenic restaurants & hotels, bars, places to buy the freshest tilapia, concert venues and animal sanctuaries. I'm hoping that Dunga/Kisumu can be sister cities with Rockaway/NYC. The tourism and cultural gains could be a win-win for both countries.

Who owns these roads or does anyone really care. If you leave the animals alone and do not get too close, they will not bother you.

Fresh fish market and cafes and restaurants on Lake Victoria, There are also playgrounds and huge bar b que grills for family outings and parties.

Left to right, board member Kevin Ong'uti Momanyi, Richard Brodsky, artist and sculptor Sam Olu, and Jodi Brodsky. Sam and a few others did the whale sculpture in the background and collected thousands of plastic bottles from Lake Victoria to proclaim, NO DUMPING PLASTIC IN LAKE VICTORIA.

Dec 17 - You haven't lived life until you tasted fresh sugar cane. Thanks Ignatious for bringing us to your childhood home.

Dancing at JIU PACHI.

Eunice Owini, CBO of JIU PACHI in white shirt next to Dr. Sartori in purple shirt and Jodi Brodsky in yellow shirt.

Serving food. Left to right: a volunteer, Jodi Brodsky, Pastor Paul Ochieng, Eunice Owino, Pastor Paul's wife, a volunteer.

The mic system was not working that well at JIU PACHI and the replacement mic had problems, too. Kysh Roberts danced and sang his heart out for the kids, and the kids had the best time. Here is Kysh Roberts performing at his best. Please watch video, like, comment and subscribe.

Just because these kids may not have fully functioning mental skills, does not mean they cannot excel in art, music, dancing and/or running.

Gabiro MTU Necessary performed KUS KUS for the special needs kids concert and not just the kids, but also the grown ups had the best time

Kids are hard at work with their paintings. Thank you artists for helping these special kids.

The Lady in Red in stark contrast to the black and white striped zebras. The photo gives the illusion that we are both too close to the zebra but we are 4 feet away, a safe distance, any closer and we will get kicked or whacked by zebra's tail.

Kisumu Imperial Sanctuary fronts on Lake Victoria and is such a romantic setting. It is at the beginning of Dunga, a few miles long X a half mile wide with Lake Victoria on both sides.

I never saw the monkey in the tree.

Dunga probably has inspired more Kenyan artists to paint fishermen returning home from a day's catch in Lake Victoria, women cleaning fish, animals, flowers, birds + children playing along the shore while the sun is setting and the docks beckon the tourists to step into the Lake and recall every memory because a trip to Kenya for many people is a once in a lifetime Event. Jodi and I are blessed to have visited Kenya 16 times.

Happier, more smiley faces you will be hard-pressed to see in America, but this is Kenya!

A mother's love for her baby. Babies hardly cry in Kenya, they just have these big loving eyes.