Roots

Being here has given me a lot of time to think- about myself, about poverty, about social justice, and about God. I have found that a lot of what I have been thinking about leads me back to where I come from, what I know, experiences that I’ve had in the past, and how they compare to those of the people I have encountered here.
Living in this Dominican community and with these Kenyan people of immense faith have given me a new point of view. I have a new perspective from which I can look at my own beliefs and struggles, and I have learned a lot about myself in comparison to them. I have learned that I’m stronger than I thought I was, and I now understand what it truly means to struggle. Sure, hearing the stories of these amazing people can give you insight into their struggles, but knowing them and seeing their faces and the physical conditions in which they live makes you understand it. I have been so very blessed in my life with all the opportunities, people, and love that I have been given, and seeing the poverty of these people juxtaposed with their strong faith has strengthened my own. I have had moments of difficulty in my life, and I know I will in the future, but this experience has made me know that I can get through those difficulties because of the love and support I have in my life.

For those of you who make up that amazing support system that I have, thank you. Thank you for sending me letters and emails that make me laugh both here and in the US, for late night heart to hearts, for adopting me into your families, and for being a part of mine. I’m so incredibly lucky to have you.

I have also thought a lot about the roots of my desire to do work like this- Dream Camp, you cross my mind all the time. The kids here remind me of my dream campers, so happy in the midst of difficult lives. They’re tricky and smart like the kids I work with at YouthRAP in Providence, and I’m happy to adopt the kids from Our Lady of Grace as another group of “my kids.” The difference here, though, is in the needs they have. At Dream Camp and YouthRAP, while the kids are definitely underserved and absolutely deserving of so much more than they have, the kids here have needs on a completely different level. Our Lady of Grace is a place where they don’t have to worry about food or a safe place to sleep. During the violence here in 2008, those two things were not givens for them, and when they aren’t at school, they’re still not. I know that when I get home, I will have a big clean bed to look forward to and a fully stocked fridge in the kitchen. These kids had to grow up so fast- most of them are orphaned and have younger siblings to take care of, and inside the school, they take care of each other. It’s truly a family, and I hope I get to be a bigger part of the family as my time here continues.

I have also thought a lot about NOLA while I’ve been here. Whether it’s because Jessie’s Girl comes on my iPod and I think of van rides, or because I am yet again floored by the resiliency of the Kenyan people, I feel connected to the week I spent there in January. Fr. Martin, who is the friar in charge of the school, is a NOLA native- it keeps popping up here! To my NOLA 2010 crew, I think of you often as well, and wish I had someone to play Monopoly Deal with here.
I’m almost at the halfway point of being here- and the time has flown by. Now that I feel comfortable and familiar in Kisumu, I can take what I’ve learned and do more here than I have been able to do in the past two weeks. Patricia and I are planning a giant field day next Saturday for the whole school- relay races, soccer and netball games, volleyball, and a day for the kids to take their minds off of school and enjoy being kids.

We’re also strategizing what the best way to fundraise will be when we get back. We have big plans, PC, so get ready. There is so much need here, and as one Dominican school, we have a responsibility to another.
Three weeks from tonight, I’ll be getting on a plane home to the US. It seems like a long time, but also seems like it isn’t enough. See you soon!