GNBA was founded in 1992.  At that time, I was interested in the organization’s mission but did not think that I had any particular skills that I could offer to it.

Two years later, my husband, Ted Van Nahl, and I had an opportunity to visit our daughter in Ethiopia where she was doing research for her doctoral dissertation.  Since Kenya is a neighboring country, we decided to explore the possibility of visiting Newburyport’s sister “city” there.

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This led to our first contacts with GNBA which was the beginning of friendships with both Kenyans and Americans that have lasted for more than 30 years.   We had a wonderful trip during which we were treated  to the warm hospitality of the rural Bura community as well as to that of some of the people who had grown up in Bura and gone on to become urbanites in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.

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We returned home with enthusiasm and became active members of GNBA.   We found that there were many ways we could be active members of the organization, starting with being interested attendees at the monthly pot-luck supper meetings.  From there, opportunities to be engaged have been seemingly endless.

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Among other things, we have both been officers of the organization, helped develop and run exchange programs, hosted visiting Kenyans, had multiple visits to Kenyans as part of these programs, worked on community outreach, and presented programs in schools and to other organizations.  

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And, of course, worked on fundraising – yard sales, dinner dances, the lobsta fest, the annual letter.   Our lives have been enriched by all these activities, the friends we have made and the knowledge that we have been able to help improve many, many lives of people living in greater Newburyport’s sister city, Bura.