Maisha

The Best thing I have every done.

In my opinion, you do not fully appreciate life, until you give two Africa children a soccer ball. Then imagine what it is like to teach them how to throw and catch a football, which I left with them along with matching soccer shorts. This made the pages of paperwork worth each hour. I would wake the next few mornings to the sound of a ball bouncing and Nuton counting, onetwothreefour……eightytwoeightrythree. I got woke with a smile.

To the Kenyans, its seems that I gave up so many things in order to life here with them. In church last Sunday, the pastor was talking about attachment to earthly positions and momentary satisfaction, a similar message I’ve heard in America. He said, “see our friend here (me), he gave up all that America has to live here and help people.” Thankfully this portion of the message was in English and not the local mother tongue, Kikamba, which I am learning, slowly).

The way Kenyans few America is, in their words, 'like heaven'. They see America as a land where life is easier and there are so many things we can buy and use to make ourselves happier. And really, this is the image we told them to think, because of our media leakage. I don’t disagree with capitalism or the media, but the message the rest of the world receives in incomplete. This topic reminds me of Thomas Friedman’s Hot Flat and Crowded, where American's consumption is dictating the rest of the world. (Again, I am not commenting on America's level of consumption, only their global influence).