Jambo from Olobik (Alex Curtis)
Sadly, this trip is coming to a close as tonight we talked about our schedule for heading back to the United States. It’s hard to fathom that almost two whole weeks have passed since our early morning departure from the Phoenix airport. But these last two weeks have been very eventful for everyone involved. We learned a lot about the education system we are trying to build, and it’s great to see that we are making a difference in the lives in many young students. In fact, so many of the girls from the girls high school are eager to learn that it has become a disciplinary issue with some of the girls as they sneak books out of the library at night. I could hardly imagine many kids at Brophy trying to stay up late and study more even if they already did their work. However, none of this would be possible if it were not for the wonderful staff here at the Me to We Camp. They are some of the most caring and happy people that I have ever met. To reflect further on that, almost everywhere that we have gone so far we have people and young kids running after our truck both waving and smiling. It’s going to be sad to leave it all behind, but I hope to continue to work with Me to We and Free the Children with our club at Brophy that the past group established last year. Many of the seniors and I have brainstormed ways to raise money for another building for the girls high school. It’s so hard to put all my experiences into words but I would easily say that this trip has been one of my greatest experiences yet and it wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for my loving parents, so I would like to thank them as well. Kwaheri!!!
Jambo from Saidimu (Phil Matteucci)
It’s kind of crazy to believe we only have one full day left here in Kenya. It’s going to be hard to adjust to not being on a schedule, and driving by the waving and smiling children every day. I can’t really explain what it is like to be here. It’s everything and more that you would imagine, but also so different and peaceful. Everyone is so happy and relaxed, even though most of them have essentially nothing. The past couple days have been a whirlwind but amazing none the less. Although building was a lot harder than we all imagined I began to really enjoy it and get used to the daily schedule. Of course going on an all day Safari with three Maasai warriors wasn’t bad either. We saw all sorts of animals and beautiful views, but by far the coolest was a group of lions in some shady bushes. On top of that we have also played two soccer games with the kids now, which was awesome! First of all it bonded us all as a group, but most importantly it broke down the language barrier and we could all connect and interact through actions. The kids are my favorite part of this whole trip, and why I have grown to love it here. To see their faces and smiles, and know how hard they work just to go to school or have a meal a day… it put’s life into perspective. Today we had weapons training with the warriors which was a pretty fun activity to do to start wrapping up the trip. We got to shoot bow and arrows and throw some congas. I’m really excited to see the kids tomorrow and have our final day with the staff here. It will be very bittersweet but really special at the same time. I am really excited to see the club started next year and continue to help this amazing community and keep in touch. I am also very grateful to my parents, for without them I wouldn’t be here. I can’t wait to see you guys and everyone back home! One thing I have really come to realize after this trip is I would love to come back and continue to be involved for life.
Kwaheri!
Jambo from Oltoroboni (Chris Weisenburger)!!!
It’s hard to believe that our journey is coming to an end. This past week has truly been eye opening to me in many ways more than one. So much has happened since my last entry. One thing in particular that has really affected me is the trip to the Mulot Market. There were thousands of people crowding the streets trying to sell their products to us. In the market we took a second to reflect on the people’s lives and their daily struggles to provide for their families. Some of us had bought congas from some vendors near us. Their desperateness was truly displayed by their willingness to follow us for the remainder of our time in the market. They even followed us all the way to the lorry trying to sell to us while we were sitting in the vehicle. I also liked the activity that we did last night. The activity made our group think about the future of the Free the Children club at Brophy. We basically planned out what we are going to do for the next year to profit the organization. Finally I want to say thank you again to my parents. None of this could be possible without you. It is going to be difficult to describe the trip when I return. Asante Sana.
July 25th, 2011
Jambo from Leshan, or Tyler. Tonight I was given my first Maasai name and it means “one born in the rain.” I have absolutely fallen for this culture in southern Kenya. After dinner the other night, we had a Maasai culture talk led by our Maasai warrior leaders Livingston and Ezekiel. They talked about the process in becoming a Maasai warrior, the rights of passage given at birth and ending at death, how one gets married, and the dos and don’ts of being a Maasai citizen. We also had the chance to visit the very busy Mulot Market. It was absolutely crazy how many people were crammed into this tiny market. The people that we first bought from followed us all the way back to our lorry! I have some great stories when I get home about when I bought my conga. The last thing I want to blog about is a conversation I overheard the other night between the Maasai Mama we beaded with and one of our servers named David. I had no idea what they were saying but I can only thank my family and God for the opportunity to be sitting in Kenya listening to people, like you and me, talking in Swahili. This place is so much more than I expected. What I have seen has brought out emotions that I have never felt before and I wish I could stay just a bit longer to immerse myself even more. I can’t wait to get home and see everyone. I miss you all so much! I especially want to say I love you to my Mom and Dad. I have no idea how I’m going to repay you for this experience. God bless.
