06/15/2026
Something that mattered today. This is part of a very long story for anyone who wants some inspiration today and has more then a moment to scroll.
A YAK NAMED LISA
Have you ever wanted to ride a yak? Lisa did. She was hiking a number of years back with me and Lakpha to Everest Base Camp and kept pestering our long time Sherpa friend Lakpha to ride a yak. On the last day, he called her over and she got her wish.
Well, as many of our long time relationships go, we have a plan on funding but then needs show up. Lakpha has been with me many times. We have assisted his family over the years in many ways. Sponsored him to join us meeting the Dali Lama in India, helped with his house after the earthquake. Recently he connected with me he needed a yak. He has aged out and cannot climb Everest anymore which he summited many times. This was his income. Hard working, he wanted some yaks so he could use them during the busy Everest season. So I called Lisa and promised her that Lakpha would name the yak Lisa is she would help. Of course she could not say no. See the attached picture.
Most of the time the support you offer goes beyond the immediate need. One yak, is an ongoing income. Below is another example from this week of how we are trying to figure out how to help Chris.
Your support changes lives in ways that books could be written about. Thank you for your help with people you many never meet. How you live is important. More in the fall update on some of our other 17 student's including Yusuf's family. Stay tuned for more amazing stories you contribute to.
CHRIS'S STORY
Chris is this amazing teacher at Lake Eyasi in Tanzania. Super dedicated, he worked for months without pay until we helped finance salaries at the school for a few years. We have worked many times with him and his students on in his school.
Super dedicated, he has completed on his own, two years of Montesorri school training. This week he has been in contact with with his new dream. I will paste part of his interaction with me below. We will find a way to help. Each person you help not only is for them but often for a larger community to benefit from as you will see in his story below. We are still trying not to take on more until we can fully complete funding all 17 students for their careers but this opportunity seems too much to pass up.
Adventure on in changing the world,
Rick, Jaima, Barb and the many other volunteers that make JOS work.
CHRIS'S REQUEST
"Chris, how will helping you for 3 years of college benefit you and other?"Rick
From Chris
" Here, I am writing to share how I plan to use Data Science to serve my community if attain this opportunity. I firmly believe that Data Science can become a seed of hope for my entire Maasai community. I am committed to applying this discipline to address the challenges I have lived with and witnessed since birth. 1. A lifelong challenge: Access to safe, reliable water To this day, our village continues to face a critical shortage of clean, reliable water. Women and children walk long distances daily to fetch water. This reality undermines health, school attendance, and economic productivity. 2. Climate change is deepening poverty Recurring droughts force families to migrate in search of pasture. This results in hunger, land conflicts, and family breakdown. 3. The impact on education Because families separate during the dry season, many children are unable to continue their education. Fathers and older children move with livestock, while mothers remain behind with younger ones. Others drop out entirely to herd cattle. The cycle of poverty continues. 4. How I plan to use Data Science As life becomes more complex, our challenges require evidence-based decisions. With the opportunity to study, I plan to: - Build a drought prediction system using weather and satellite data to provide early warnings to pastoralists and help government agencies plan services. - Map water sources and usage patterns to guide equitable placement of boreholes and dams. - Monitor school attendance data to identify children who drop out due to migration, and partner with education officers and parents to return them to class. 5. Fighting corruption through data transparency The absence of modern information systems leaves citizens without the data needed to demand accountability. This enables the oppression of people’s rights. Transparency is a weapon against injustice. I aim to develop dashboards that show how community funds are allocated, which projects are completed, and where gaps remain. My Personal Commitment to Community Service Beyond technical solutions, I am passionate about community work that has broad impact. I would find great fulfillment in working directly with citizens to solve challenges on a wider scale. I am driven by a deep desire to see people attain dignity and wellbeing. I blieve i am ready to be a voice for the vulnerable in any way God enables me. Thus, I plan to work with the community with a strong emphasis on transforming lives. Upon graduation, I will return to my Maasai community and work alongside community members, traditional leaders, and civil society to ensure the knowledge I gain becomes a light for others. Now My goal is to serve as a bridge between technology and the community."
