So here is the update you have been waiting for!
The gallary has closed.
so sad.
The gallery is on a residential road right up against the beach in one of the most popular areas here where i live. It's a prime spot for the shop as most of the houses that surround it are rentals that tourists rent and then come to the shop and spend all their wealthy money on things that in turn help Boost Africa. Prime spot! Well, one of the neighbors didn't like that there was a business in the residential area so they went to the municipal building and reported that Boost was running a business without a business lisence. Which was true, but it has not been a problem for nearly two years, so it's just these crabby ol white gezers that didn't like it. Shame on them for reporting on such a well meaning helpful place. It was discussed about getting a business lisence, but the landlord said that if we did, that we would need to pay the difference in taxes for the propery which was double what the payments we were already making. So, not possible, plus, in order to get a business lisence in a residential area, you need written permission from the neighbors...and since they were the ones that turned us in, that would be a no go.
Mary was given a 30 day notice to stop the business. She has done so and is having all the artists come and pick up their stuff.
Now, along with all this, Mary was planning on starting up th After School Program which normally starts in Feb but this year, the school that we do it in decided they didn't want to open up their classrooms. So we were looking for a venue. We found a building in the neighborhood that is like a community center. It's just one room with restrooms and a little kitchen area. Perfect. Mary went to the municipality and asked them to donate the building to us for the two hours twice a week. They agreed and said that we could have it starting mid April. We were so excited! The day finally arrived for our first after school program and as we were driving to the building, one of the other volunteers called that had already arrived and said that there was someone already in it. So we made a few phone calls and found out that the municipality had double booked it. And the other party was in there everyday until mid June. RIDICULOUS! We decided to go to the building anyways that day as the principal was supposed to make an announcement in the school assembly that day to the kids about it so we wanted to be able to tell the kids that we would not be having it today. So we stayed there for an hour, no kids came. We finally saw one of the kids that normally comes and he said that there was no announcement. It's amazing how you try to do something good for these people, and it's like they do everything they can to not help you and hinder your effort. You would think that they would appreciate the help. Oh well. So Mary called me last week and said that we were going to have the after school program this last tuesday, which we did. We had about 25 kids come and they all seemed to have a good time. We are going to be doing it again this coming tuesday, and then it will happen the next wednesday and then the next tuesday and then school is out for the holidays. I unfortunatly can not help on the last two dates as i have finals, but just the two will be fun. I am so glad that i am involved with the program and can't wait for next semester when it becomes a regular thing.
This country is crazy sometimes and i don't understand how they run things and get away with it, but it's such a different culture and it just takes some adapting on my part.
Please keep boost africa in your prayers!
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