My latest letter from Watamu must start by thanking Middlesex Masters Harrow Lodge, No. 9897 for their generous donation which I received from their Charity Steward W Bro Ken Sinclair. This had been the wishes of their present Master W Bro Gary Early.
With that donation and others from members of the Lodge, and those already received from other sources, we can help in a monthly feeding programme in the Watamu and Timboni every month until February 2025.
At present the East African Women’s League (EAWL) of Watamu and Malindi donate a set figure to help those who are starving. With the additional funds received in the past 2 days (16th Oct) we can increase that feeding programme four-fold, hence helping many more locals.
The Ladies of the League, of which my wife Lee is a member, do a tremendous job not only in raising money, but the time and effort to help those who need it most.
Since May 2024 through the generosity of Family, Frends and Freemasonry, a most successful Golf Day, which was again promoted by Powercor, we have contributed 1,800,000 shillings, or almost £11,000, making the total to date of £34,000 on my so-called sponsored diet.
Apart from the money raised over the past 5 years, which started in December 2019 at a meeting of Prince Michael of Kent Mark Lodge, the items of clothing, glasses and other articles has exceeded four thousand, sometimes I wonder how we have managed to transport so many items. Mind you the Babygros still do not fit !
Carrying on from the feeding programme, some12 years ago Lee and I went to an East African Bi-Annual Conference at Leisure Lodge in Diani, which is on the South Coast of Mombasa.
It was the year of the 2012 Olympic Games in London and over the three nights had a theme for everyone.
Apart from a theme depicting the Olympic Games they had a James Bond evening, unfortunately neither the Queen, nor Daniel Craig made a guest appearance.
That evening, I wore a jacket which was presented to me from the President of the James International Fan Club which Lee had been the treasurer for 16-18 years.
There were only three produced, one was given to George Lazenby, (JB in the film On Her Majesty Secret Service), the second was kept by the President of club, and I had the third.
That evening I advised the District Grand Master I would like to auction the jacket for their latest charity.
W Bro Paul Cockerell brought the jacket, and I donated the funds raised at that Auction to go to the charity the District of East Africa were supporting at that time.
Two weeks ago, I arranged through a District Grand Officer to meet up with the Assistant District Grand Master whose remit is Uganda.
We meet at the Pili Pan, which is only a few hundred metres from our home in Watamu, which is just across Prawn Lake.
Unbeknown to me, it was W Bro Paul who I had agreed to meet and discuss our Watamu Project.
He has very kindly donated that jacket back for us to sell in the UK, with half the proceeds going to an incredibly special charity in Kampala, and half to the Watamu Project.
Above modelling the Jacket is my IT expert Thomas Shungu. Also, the name’s Bond. Jacko (Granddad) Bond ! no relation to James.
As James Bond said in one of his films “Christmas only comes one a year”, well this year it’s come twice.
Lastly, again our thanks to everyone for helping so many who have nothing.
Asante Sana
W. Bro Jack Flint. (Jacko)