My last entry three weeks ago was on the same day that my brother suffered a fatal heart attack. I flew up to wintry Iowa, and even though Cliff never regained consciousness, I was glad to be there with him and his family for three days at the hospital before he died. Many other family members came for his funeral. Although it was a time of sadness, it was also a time of real bonding for the family.

At the time of my last blog, I wrote about the "Craziest, Coolest, Christmas Contest" ever, and the progress it was making. Even though I was unable to stay in close touch with it after that, the response was wonderful. Donors ended up pledging over $6000, which was magnificent even though it fell short of the goal. Since we did not hit our target of $10,000 by the deadline, all donations were refunded to their donors, as the rules specified. However, I do not consider the contest a failure. A lot more people know about the Skills Training Center in Zimbabwe now, and many are donating to it through CCIP-Zimbabwe, the non-profit organization that is building the center. I will return to Zimbabwe in 2010, and will be sending project updates from time to time.

The year 2009 has been a very eventful year. I'm sure that 2010 will be most interesting, and I look forward to welcoming in the New Year!