Dear Friends,

Today I felt like Kofi Annan. I brought Juliet and Mary, two of the Kenyan teachers, and the ‘cow man’ and his assistants together at the same table. We had a ‘peace talk’ and began to understand what had happened with the cow project. The teachers shared their frustration, and the ‘cow men’ explained the difficulties they had been having. The conversation went from English into their mother tongue, and the only word I understood after that was ‘communication’. By the end of the meeting, they all agreed to become partners and move forward together. This was exactly what we mean when we say “talk it out” at Moses Brown. It made me so happy, because it gives me confidence that the cow project will now become something that helps our Kenyan buddies, the way it was supposed to.

After working everything out, and sharing lunch together, we took a group photo to celebrate the renewed partnership between the Chesina teachers and Rural Service Programme-Kaimosi.

We also spent one last morning with the Sally Test Center children. Although it was so rewarding to have them run up to all of us when we arrived, calling out our names, it was also sad to realize that we won’t see them again. The Sally Test Center is truly a magical place, where abandoned children can be loved and play each day while they are waiting to be adopted, and where sick patients can have some fun while they are staying in the hospital. It is good to know that good people created and work at a place like the center.

 

In the afternoon, we did some souvenir shopping. In Kenya you are expected to bargain with the seller, which is a very strange feeling for me. I would rather know the fair price than try to guess and go back and forth with the seller. But, it is their culture, so we had to do it.

This evening many of you are probably watching fireworks and eating hot dogs and hamburgers. Here at IU House in Eldoret, we celebrated July 4^th, too! Because most of the people living here are from the United States originally, they put together a potluck barbecue. No fireworks, but lots of hamburgers, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and even home made cupcakes!

What I am coming to understand about my service learning experience here in Kenya is that it is an emotional roller coaster. Monday was a wonderful day visiting Sidikho.  I felt hopeful that the students there were learning well and that they enjoyed the partnership with Moses Brown as much as our students do. Yesterday was very difficult, finding that the cow at Naulu wasn’t being used to help the students. I felt discouraged and wondered if it would be possible to continue supporting these communities financially in any way. Today was another wonderful day, because I saw people come together who were so frustrated with each other, and they worked it out and found a way forward. Elphas, the founder of the Kenya-Moses Brown program who died after the first year, would be proud of them. I certainly was. These are all people who are trying to help struggling communities in rural Kenya. Today they realized that they can work towards the same goal and be more successful working together.

Kwa herini,

Elizabeth