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Some of you may remember that I asked for help for a family member in
Africa. My brother-in-law is named Muctarr. His sister passed
away unexpectedly leaving four children for his mother to
raise. In addition his mother, Kumba, was told by the
local doctor that something was wrong with her heart and she
was not allowed to work her field any longer. This was
devastating to their ability to care for themselves. Therefore
Muctarr needed to raise $3,000 in order to build her a
store so that she could sell items rather than work in her
field. My sister and Muctarr sent out an email to all family and friends asking for help. After we all gave as much as we could, I asked for help on Active Rain. We were able to raise the money and Muctarr purchased a ticket (at their expense) home to Africa for just over $2,000. He loaded as many bags as he was able to take with tennis shoes, jeans, and other "American" things that he could use as trade in Africa. Kumba lives in a little village called Sambang near Soma in Gambia. The four children in the first photograph are Muctarr's sister's children who Kumba is now taking care of. Musa is Muctarr's father, who this little handful is named after.  After a 20 hour trip, and then a 3 hour bus ride, Muctarr made it to his family. Kumba was amazed at the fact that so many strangers in America wanted to help her. She kept sending us prayers the whole time Muctarr was there. Muctarr's family also had no point of reference as to how long his travel had been to get there & kept asking why he didn't bring the baby. That trip doesn't sound like one you'd take a 17 month old on. : ) You can see from the photos how they dressed up for the visit. It's amazing to me how brightly and beautifully they dress, and how happy they are in what most of us would consider a very difficult living situation. It certainly is a tribute to the human spirit. (My sister says they don't smile for photos in Africa but you see some of the kids couldn't keep their smiles in.) Muctarr was sick with a very bad cold the entire time he was there. He paid local men with shoes and other items that he brought with him and assembled a team to help build the store. At one point the roof fell in on one of the workers, but luckily he was unharmed. Muctarr had to leave before the roof was finished, however several people continued to work on it and the store is complete. The store is much bigger than I expected, somehow for $3,000 I was expecting a roadside fruit stand type of thing. This certainly is impressive. Muctarr's next goal is to purchase a van for them so they can start a transportation business. I did notice how much Muctarr resembles Kumba, and how young she is. Muctarr isn't sure how old she is, as they don't really have a way to track that. Our best guess at Muctarr's age is that he's about 36.  Thank you to everyone on AR who helped our family. Kumba is so grateful, as are the rest of us. It's amazing to me that $3,000 can change someone's life when it would barely pay off one of our bills. I'm happy to have been able to be a part of this. Take care everyone, enjoy the photos, and thank you again so much for your help, prayers and thoughts. Know that prayers were coming back to you not only from California but all the way from Africa! 
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Update from Africa - Thank you for your HELP! Lots of photos.
19 comments • Chris Fisher of StagersLISTWebsites.com • March 27 2008 04:23PMNeed a rental in Concord, California for a great family
Still looking - can anyone help? We have rented to them before (we have a property management company), but we currently have nothing available. They have 4 very nice kids, so at least 3 bedrooms would be best and they would love to be in an area where their son can attend Ayers Elementary. They are quiet, clean and responsible and will take great care of your rental. They are hoping for $1,400/month but can possibly go a bit higher. Please let us know if you have anything that might work for them! Thanks so much! Chris 925.212.7249
0 comments • Chris Fisher of StagersLISTWebsites.com • March 27 2008 03:34PMReminder - Please NO Real Bunnies as Easter Gifts!
I got an email from Suzi, who is the rabbit rescue person who fostered our Snowball. She was asking for help fostering rabbits. The rescue group is frantically preparing for the after-Easter over abundance they will be facing. She has so many rabbits she is actually considering letting them go in her back yard, which believe me is NOT something she would normally consider.
Having learned Way Too Much About Rabbits lately, I wanted to remind everyone that they are real, non-disposable pets. Rabbits are full of personality and attitude. Super cute, of course, but not just sweet little furry creatures. Oreo is very bossy and his "it's all about me" attitude would match any cat's. So I thought I would share a few of the things I have learned about rabbits:- If you do not clean their litterbox and enclosure every other day, you and anyone else with a nose will be very sorry.
- Rabbits are vicious fighters & can really hurt each other or another animal if threatened. Who would think it from looking at them?
- Rabbits spray to mark territory (the next item will help with this).
- Rabbits have to be spayed or neutered just like your other pets.
- Rabbits eat a lot. I refill the food dishes, hay AND fresh veggies 2 x per day.
- Spayed and neutered house rabbits live 8-12 years. This is not like the hamster commitment of 6 months to 2 years.
- Rabbits are very social and need bonding time with you. They will also bond closely with other pets. Oreo missed our hamster so much that we adopted another rabbit as a companion.
- If you scratch their tummies they become almost hypnotized & sleepy.
- They will chew your power cords, carpet, anything chewable if they can.
- They are very curious & friendly & when you hang out with them they will climb up in your lap on their own.
- You have to clip their nails.
- Your vet may not treat rabbits.
And I'm sure there's a lot more that I'm not thinking of right now. So please, if you know anyone thinking of surprising the kids with a baby bunny for Easter, remind them it's a real pet and a real commitment. They are a joy but they are as much trouble as your dog or cat and have their own unique personalities as well. Let's stick to chocolate bunnies... we can always use another reason to eat chocoloate, right?
Thank you!
38 comments • Chris Fisher of StagersLISTWebsites.com • March 14 2008 02:20PMHidden Gem in the Rain - Elaine Manes
I was tagged recently by Tom Plant to pick my 2nd Hidden Gem in the Rain. If you don't know Tom, you should check out his blog... however I warn you, lately there have been way too many vacations! Enough to make me start getting very jealous. Okay, so he's a Real Estate Expert in Murietta, Georgia. But he's also had a lot of great trips recently. And he posts lots of nice photos of his trips so that we can all wish we were there.
I apologize that it has taken me so long to get to this post, I have had a very nasty cold and didn't want to attempt this while under the influence of Dayquil.
There are so many great Gems here in the Rain, it's hard to choose. I have quite a few favorites already. For this Gem I picked Elaine Manes of Lakewood, Colorado.
Whether Elaine is being a little naughty (see Taking Charge Can Be... Well SEXY or Please Don't Call Me The "C" Word) or downright comical (see The Sports Jersey--A VERY Revealing Tale!!! or GRAB THE POPCORN...the Tale of the Masked Man!!!), she's always got useful information to share with us. And she uses lots of great pictures! Face it, don't we all love that?! Check out The Little Stager that Could or her new project My New Life as a Mistress. Elaine is always classy, intelligent and interesting. I encourage you to take a look at her blog when you get a minute, you won't be sorry you did.
Oh, and did I mention Elaine's not a fan of Roosters, but does like cats & dogs? Just a little info for those of you in my pet lovers' groups. : )
Last but not least, I found her 2 part series about our photos & what they say about us to be very helpful. Please check out Everyone Has One... USE IT and "Face" Your Fears Pt. 2.
I hope I've given you enough information to get you interested in Elaine... She really has great advice & information to share. Other home stagers will find her information particularly helpful. I am anxious to see who Elaine picks as her Hidden Gem in the Rain!
Happy reading everyone!
23 comments • Chris Fisher of StagersLISTWebsites.com • March 11 2008 08:37PM
