Insights

It’s the end of week two of my Swahili Language training. I confess that the  grammar portions are moving along, there is some retention of words and my shyness to practice speaking is ever so slowly diminishing. All that is good, though unlikely to impress anyone who might have different expectations.

On my quiet walk back from supper yesterday evening, it occurred to me however, that maybe the opportunity for language study is not the primary gift to me in this place. Maybe it’s to learn about the people, what makes their heart beat and not just their language. Let me explain.

As I mentioned in a previous posting, this TCDC Centre is host to so many groups which gather to explore the creation of futures which will bring about justice in one way or another. That is my description of what is offered and not theirs. And as these groups come and go, so do people from all over the world though particularly from East Africa. Put common meal times into the mix and you have endless opportunities for conversations with people who live in a different context to mine.

Last week there were many from different countries looking at the electoral systems and governance issues. This week there is a Community based economic development seminar and a very unique youth leadership development program of partnership between students in Kenya and Denmark. Over the next week, we’ll see people coming in to look at trade impacts on agricultural sustainability, and community empowerment strategies. These global issues which are examined at the local levels for the purposes of creating a better world, fuels my soul as many of you would know.

But there is something more happening here. I finally saw that today. I saw that I am being given a gift, a rare gift of hearing where and how hope lies in the hearts of the people across this continent and beyond. For example, on Friday I met a young man from Kenya. We sat together for breakfast. I always ask what the person is here for and how their time is going. Well with this young man, passion just flooded his face and he was most eager to talk about his time visiting a few of the local mining sites as part of their learning about globalization and IMF policies.

At supper time, I sat and ate with another group of similar students. Halfway through the meal, the conversation turned towards the things they are learning, how they see the challenges ahead and how the young people have begun to change life in Kenya through constitutional reform and popular education of basic rights in their civil society. The passion around the table was awesome and the conversation real and articulate and informed.

Part way through the conversation, that young man from the morning joined in the conversation. Four of us talked for nearly two hours and it was in that time I realized that this is the real gift of this time here. I am drawn to and am drawing out people and their hopes for a better world. Whether its the woman from Denmark who is part of a healing ministry with those dealing with schizophrenia, the woman involved with a rehabilitation centre for the disabled, the man from Yemen or the Masai leader from Kenya or these wonderful young adults, people know that the world can be made different, one person at a time! Hearing their hope and their analysis of justice in the midst of such challenges is truly the presence of God among us.

I leave you with a picture of my new friend outside my cottage. He surprised me this afternoon while sitting on the ground studying!!  He’s about 3 feet long from tip to tip.   Can anyone identify him for me?