Reflections

I have sat down to write this blog on about 10 different occasions now, and for whatever reason, I cannot find the right words to say. I’d like to claim that I simply don’t have the energy to be profound after 12 weeks spent in Africa, but in reality I think I just feel too many different things to put them down on paper in any truly meaningful way and I don’t want to belittle any of the things I have seen or experienced this summer. That said, I will put this simply and keep this blog short: I have had an incredible time in Kenya, despite being convinced at the onset that this would not be an enjoyable summer (I’m sure my mother remembers those early conversations).

I have had the extreme pleasure of meeting some amazing people here in Kenya… people who have shown me the utmost generosity and who have kept me laughing day and night. Eric, Lillian, Lydia, Salesious, Mary, Peter, Grace, and all of the other Mutiso family and friends: thank you for being my family this summer; I could not have been in better hands. I have never known such dedicated people in my life -- the children of Lisha Mtoto, the Cerebral Palsy Society, and each of your own families are some of the luckiest kids in the world to have you all on their side.  I wish for you all more love, happiness, and laughter than you could ever need.

I have also had the pleasure of getting to know some very tiny, very special people this summer. The kids at Lisha Mtoto own my heart. They are the epitome of perfect, innocent beings, and I worry for all of them because of it. I’m not naïve enough to think that our program is going to get every single one of these kids out of the slums… we can do everything we can to provide them with the best opportunities, but the fact of the matter is that it’s very hard to change a lifestyle. We are not the first organization to try to help the people of Kibera, and we certainly won’t be the last -- yet the slum and its vices persist. All I can say is that each and every one of our kids deserves to the chance to be sponsored and helped in everyway possible and it is for them (and Eric) that I will continue to believe in and support Lisha Mtoto.  

I have to say that aside from the remarkable people I’ve met, I have sort of a love/hate relationship with Kenya. This country is the definition of sensory overload. Everything about Kenya is intense… the sites, the smells, the noise, the foods, the crowds, everything. We have taken the same road to get into town for the last three months and I still find myself spending the entire trip gazing out the window, always seeing new things. I am grateful for having been able to see different parts of Kenya… my trips to Maasai Mara and the Coast are adventures that I will never forget and ones which definitely rank at the top of my life experiences thus far. These parts of Kenya are some of the most naturally beautiful places I have ever been too. Nairobi, on the other hand, is not beautiful the way the Rift Valley and Maasai Mara are, but it still has its allure. It is interesting for its sheer chaos, but there are a lot of things I will not miss about this city – namely the constant noise and dirt, the insanity of the driving/traffic situation, and the smells (we have nicknamed one particular road the “sour fruit market” because it CONSTANTLY smells like rot – I will not miss the sour fruit market). Nairobi has challenged me in a lot of ways and I am definitely leaving here a much more patient person than I was before.

I do worry for Kenya. I am unnerved by the corruption that I have seen here… it is obvious, pervasive, and unapologetic. It is bound to be a huge barrier for Kenya in terms of making any real development gains. I am also weary of the passivity of most Kenyan people – I’m not sure whether this is the result of being a <somewhat> new country or what, but it’s been my experience that a lot of Kenyan’s tend to follow rather than lead. I will say, however, that the people I spoke of above are exceptions to this and that does give me hope.

Anyway, as this incredible adventure comes to an end I can surely say that the good has outweighed the bad in my book. I am leaving here with no money to my name, but assuredly much richer spiritually and mentally, and with a new family to boot. I hope to return to Africa someday… this place has really captivated me in ways that I can’t quite express yet, and I feel far more connected to it than I have to any of the other places I have traveled. This trip has reassured me that I am following the right career path, and I hope that someday that path leads me back here.

Before I end this, I just want to say thank you again to everyone who read this blog and followed my travels this summer. And to Frank, my parents, and my other family and friends who took the time to email me or who answered my calls when I was in the throw of one of my minor breakdowns: thank you a thousand times over. I would not have survived this summer without your support and love, and I am really looking forward to getting home to see all of you!

Kwaheri Kenya – naku penda!

Ali