Paulino - one of the children who lives just outside Kondeni where we stay at Nansio. He is always happy and always in trouble!

This is the reply to an email I got from one of our very young logistics people following the last mission.

From: Rachel

I had an amazing time with you guys, you really made the trip, and i hope to get a job and return to my other home with all of you. also for my video, i wanted to ask everyone "what makes you want to go back to ukurewe " and "do you think we made a large impact on the island"? Anything else you wanna tell me about your experience would be great :)

Dear Rachel

You ask such big questions!!!

Here is my very reply this next piece is adapted from Wikipedia

The Star Thrower" (or "starfish story") is part of a 16-page essay of the same name by Loren Eiseley (1907–1977), published in 1969 in The Unexpected Universe. The Star Thrower is also the title of a 1978 anthology of Eiseley's works (including the essay), which he completed shortly before his death.

The original story

The story describes the narrator walking along the beach early one morning, when he sees a man picking up a starfish off the sand and throwing it into the sea. The narrator is observant and subtle, but skeptical. He has the last word, a pessimistic conclusion. Some excerpts:

	In a pool of sand and silt a starfish had thrust its arms up stiffly and was holding its body away from the stifling mud. "It's still alive," I ventured. "Yes," he said, and with a quick yet gentle movement he picked up the star and spun it over my head and far out into the sea. It sunk in a burst of spume, and the waters roared once more. ..."There are not many who come this far," I said, groping in a sudden embarrassment for words. "Do you collect?" "Only like this," he said softly, gesturing amidst the wreckage of the shore. "And only for the living." He stooped again, oblivious of my curiosity, and skipped another star neatly across the water. "The stars," he said, "throw well. One can help them." ..."I do not collect," I said uncomfortably, the wind beating at my garments. "Neither the living nor the dead. I gave it up a long time ago. Death is the only successful collector."	”
—The Star Thrower, p. 172

Later, the narrator says:

..."On a point of land, I found the star thrower...I spoke once briefly. "I understand," I said. "Call me another thrower." Only then I allowed myself to think, He is not alone any longer. After us, there will be others...We were part of the rainbow...Perhaps far outward on the rim of space a genuine star was similarly seized and flung...For a moment, we cast on an infinite beach together beside an unknown hurler of suns... We had lost our way, I thought, but we had kept, some of us, the memory of the perfect circle of compassion from life to death and back to life again - the completion of the rainbow of existence" (The Star Thrower, p.181).

The story has been adapted and retold by motivational speakers and on internet sites, often without attribution, since at least the mid 1980s. In this version the conversation is related between other characters, an older man and a younger one, a wise man and a little girl, or Jesus and a man. Usually stating the obvious that to the one starfish it made a difference.

It was also adapted into a children's story in 2006. Called, "Sara and the Starfish." It re-tells the story from the eyes of a young girl as well as the starfish itself, though the moral of the story is the same as the original idea told by Eiseley.

Now you ask- what does this mean to us!

I know we made a difference to individuals on the Island. I know people there are happy that other people in the world care about their existence.
The skeptic will say so what does that all matter in the big scheme of things. They may be right that helping one starfish on one beach in this big world is inconsequential, Not everyone is good at working on the big picture and personally I have observed that big in Africa often leaves out UKEREWE. So Yes I will be going back and yes I believe we make an impact.

Love to all who care about ukerewe
Babu Marki.

---

Just returned after 8 weeks in Tanzania and what I would call a growing experience. Many TIA moments (This Is Africa) and a few AWA (Africa Wins Again). Kilema was stable, Shirati new, Mwanza probably the most developmental and Ukerewe--fantastic. I am feeling much more comfortable in the areas that I would not call my self expert. Did 3 amputations, several sequestrectomies, numerous hysterectomies and uterine suspensions and for the first time 2 eye eneucleations. I taught surgery and in the Masters of Public Heath at Bugando. Did a number of emergency surgeries, including a laparotomy for bowel obstruction caused by Ascaris! Yes that horrible wriggly thing above. Thanks to donna for taking the photo.

I have yet to finish working out how developmental different parts of what I do there are.

I do know that I will be back in April to teach the CNIS essential surgical skills course at Bugando. Also know that surgery on Ukerewe is safer now with monitoring and the use of the Oxygen concentrator.

My next big task is to work out how I can combine this work with moving to Montreal and getting an appointment at McGill.

Babu Marki

this is fairly self explanatory

It has been a long time since my last post and I am compelled to do it because tonight we are doing a fundraiser for the OR at Nansio. I am impressed by the enthusiasm of the organizers who are doing this because of my passion.

Lake Victoria is the world’s second largest fresh water lake. It lies between the two rift branches of the Rift Valley. The lake is at an altitude of 1.134 metres above sea level and it is 82 metres deep. In the lake, there used to be more than 400 fish species. To promote sports fishing, the Nile Perch and the Nile Tilapia were introduced to the lake in the 1960’s, and they are now believed to have caused a dramatic fall in the number of the other fish species. Fishing is an important industry in Ukerewe District and a lot of fishing boats, as well as canoes and traditional dhows, can be seen plying the narrow waters between the many smaller islands.
hamlets, where the local fishermen land their night’s catch. Ukerewe is a paradise for birdwatchers, especially at the west shore and on its smaller islands. Here is found an abundance of different birds including the beautiful Fishing Eagle, Cormorants, and an occasional Crowned Crane. Sports fishing are possible on almost any location around the island.

Ukerewe Island is 50 kms long and between 25 to 35 kms wide. It is a rocky island with smaller hills. The subsoil is dominated by crystalline rocks - from the oldest Precambrian earth period-, which are strongly lateralised. The landscape varies between flat land, cassava and rice fields, fruit plantations, rocks, rocky and sandy shores, beautiful lakeshores, and pine forest. The main town on Ukerewe is Nansio; where the ferries from Mwanza arrive and as well accommodate the district headquarter.
Most inhabitants are living in the many traditional villages scattered around the island.

Ukerewe Island

LARGEST LAKE ISLANDS

Manitoulin, Lake Huron - (1,068 sq miles) (2,766 sq km)

Vozrozhdeniya, Aral Sea - (888 sq miles) (2,300 sq km)

Rene-Lavasseur, Manicouagan Reservoir, Quebec, Canada - (780 sq miles) (2,000 sq km)

Olkhon, Lake Baykal - (282 sq miles) (730 sq km)

Samosir, Toba - (243 sq miles) (630 sq km)

Isle Royal, Lake Superior - (209 sq miles) (541 sq km)

Ukerewe, Lake Victoria - (205 sq miles) (530 sq km)

St. Joseph, Lake Huron - (141 sq miles) (365 sq km)

Drummond, Lake Huron - (134 sq miles) (347 sq km)

Idjwi, Lake Kivu, DRC - (110 sq miles) (285 sq km)

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