This last week I’ve received messages from the students of Stratton Elementary who are sponsoring my work here. Their support has been tremendous and never ending, and I have heard from their teacher Libby that towards the end of last week they had been selling giant dill “Pickles for Primates” for 50 cents a piece to raise enough for my sponsorship.

I am not a preacher nor a business man, and so it is difficult for me to find the words that express what I want to say. It is not just the physical things that the students at Stratton Elementary have made possible, like my boots and my rations, but they have also given security to me and my family. This makes it easier when I go out on patrol as I am able to concentrate on my work, and I hope that one day that all of the rangers who work for the Advance Force will also have this ongoing support.

Stratton Elementary, you have given more than money and for that I am truly thankful.

Thank you.

I will now try do the best I can to answer all of your comments.

dear Aloma Iam happy you are safe. Are you? do you drink soda. sinserly Danny

Hello Danny, I hope you are well. We are now safe in our homes in Mutsora as the area is a lot more stable than before. And yes, I do drink soda. I like to take a coke and also I like sprite too. What is your favourite soda?

DearAloma, I’m so sorry that an other goille got killd! How is your family doing? When did that happin? I do not know wath we can do whith out you. I mena that. Love, kori

Hello Kori, and thank you for your message. Yes, we were very sad when the silverbacks were killed, it is a very sad thing to happen. They were killed at the end of last year. I am pleased to say that all in my family are in good health. How are you and your family?

Dear Aloma, I’m glad that you are helping the gorillas in the Congo. How are you doing? I like you!! Sincerely, Hannah

Dear Hannah, I’m doing very well. Thank you for all that you are doing to help our work here.

Dear Aloma, Are classes hearts are with you and family .we are listining to africin music ..we will keep giving money to you gys so we can help you gys thrue the summer . Are hearts are also with the gorillas .we love you to the bottem of my heart .we are learning about meal worms and catapeelers they are relly cool . sincerely , brittany

Thank you so much Brittany for such a kind message. It is good to know that I have such a good team behind me, so that me and my rangers can keep protecting the mountain gorillas and all the other animals here in Virunga National Park. I like caterpillars too, what is your favourite animal?

Dear Aloma, I have my heart with you and the gorillas and i’ll never forget about you and the gorillas. While I was writing this I was auctually listening to music from the cong it was buetiful music. we hope we have payed all your bills from this year and through 3000 so we will always have your back and our hearts will always be with you. when I go home I am going to make cookies, cakes, and muffins to sell for money to give to you and the Gorillas. I hope at the end of the year and the next year at least 100 revels are stoped and there are 1000 Gorillas in the congo and you are safe and unharmed. Love, clare

Dear Clare, I’m so glad that you like Congolese music.We love listening to it too and it is also very good to dance to. Thank you so much for all that you are doing for our work here in Congo, you have become an enormous part of all that we do here. I am sure that the cookies and cakes and muffins that you bake are delicious, and I would one day love to try one of them. I too hope that the rebels will leave the park and so then all the animals can return and the gorillas will be safe. Thank you once again.

Dear Aloma I think you are good at your job and you are very brave! We are listening to Africa music. Is it scary in the congo because the rebels sincerely ISAIAH

Hello Isaiah. We are not so afraid of the rebels, but we also do not like having them here in Congo as they can make life very complicated.

Dear Aloma, How are you?I am worried about you!We are listening to African music.We are almost out of school. Your fighter, Anna

Thank you Anna, but there is no need to be worried. We do lots of training to make sure that we know well our jobs. Do you know what kind of African music you are listening to?

DearAloma, Thank you for what you do.Stratton is always with you! Your friend, Brendan

Thank you Brendan, it is good to know that I am getting such good support from all of you at Stratton Elementary.

dear aloma I)m sorry that a garilla died in the congo. sincerely miguel p.s. my inglish name is mike.

Hello Miguel, do you prefer to be called Miguel or Mike? I am called both Joseph and Aloma, Joseph is my Christian name.

Dear Aloma, I hope you and your family are safe. You are a great person. We are listening to African music in our class. I am also a Gorilla expert so you can write to me. your friend,Andrea

Thank you Andrea, you too are very kind for all the work that you are doing. It is also good to hear that you are a gorilla expert, did you know that every gorilla has a unique nose pattern, like we humans all have different types of fingerprints?

Dear aloma, Hope you are safe.what tipes of insects do you have in the congo.you are doing good in the congo love justin

Hello Justin. We have many different types of insects here in Congo, lots of grasshoppers, caterpillars and termites, which tend to be eaten by many of the peoples living here. Thank you for your message, you too are doing good in Congo.

Dear Aloma, I hope your doing OK. I think you are doing lots of effort at job. You are the best. I hope the gorillas that died there will be another born that will not die. Sincerely, Marian.

Thank you Marian, I too hope that the gorilla population will have a chance to grow well over these next few years. I do believe with all the support that Virunga is receiving that this is becoming more of a possibility.

Dear Aloma, how are you doing? Anyway wat kind of gun do you have? Sincerely, Brian8 p.s. do yu have a xp soliver p.p.s wer do you wrk

Hello Brian, I am well thank you. How are you? When I’m out on patrol I use a machine gun. What is an xp soliver? I work in Virunga National Park, DR Congo.

Dear Aloma, You are the greatest man in Congo I know!I am glad you help the gorllias they need a lot of help and you and the other rangers can do that WELL!Me and my class love listening to Africa music it is so cooler than my music here. my school and my family are right behind you. Your FERIND, dominique

Thank you so much Dominique, Stratton Elementary is the greatest school I know! The gorillas do need our help, and the great thing about this blog is that now together we can give them that help. What other types of music do you like listening to apart from African music? It is great to know that your support will always be there.

To everyone at Stratton Elementary, I want to say that I am very happy to receive the messages that you have sent me. Strong courage for all the work that you are doing to help us. I am always with you and I sincerely thank you for all that you are doing.

Stratton Elementary, you are the best.

Joseph Aloma


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Comments:
4 Comments posted on "Messages from Stratton Elementary"
Simona on May 8th, 2007 at 2:29 am

This is such a great blog. You kids at Stratton Elementary are doing a fantastic job and you should be proud of yourselves. Your comments are brilliant and it is amazing that you are all able to communicate with a Ranger in the Congo who leads such a different life to yourselves. Isn’t technology just amazing. Well done Aloma and well done Stratton Elementary. Keep up the good work. Simona, UK


Joseph Aloma on May 8th, 2007 at 10:47 am

Thank you Simona


[…] Aloma’s work is sponsored by Stratton Elementary School in Colorado, USA, where students have been selling pickles to raise money for him: This last week I’ve received messages from the students of Stratton Elementary who are sponsoring my work here. Their support has been tremendous and never ending, and I have heard from their teacher Libby that towards the end of last week they had been selling giant dill “Pickles for Primates” for 50 cents a piece to raise enough for my sponsorship. […]


bqjnnzypjq on July 3rd, 2007 at 10:30 am

Hello! Good Site! Thanks you! ervktxhscn


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