February, 2008

Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. Mother Teresa

Well, January has been a month emotional highs and lows. I started the year off with a wonderful New Year’s celebration with a local family. In the Kikuyu tribe it is traditional to kill a goat on New Year’s Day. So, I joined Mama Elimu, her husband, children and grandchildren at 8AM for the slaughter and the morning’s cooking for the afternoon feast. Since I am unmarried, I was allowed to participate in the slaughter. Married women do not participate since their “man” does the honors. All of us who helped in the slaughter ate the roasted liver and testicles together as a team. As a matter of fact, all the innards become the snack food of the slaughter team…..I mean everything from a steaming soup of intestines, stomach, etc., get put in this soup and eaten as dessert after the main feast. Of course, dessert would not be complete without the roasted goat head, hide and all……. I was brave enough for the liver and a small taste of the stomach, but had to take a pass on all the rest.

The main part of the goat is hacked up and some of it is roasted as choma (barbeque), some made into a rich stew and some is added to other traditional dishes like pilau. We also had metoke, knyaji (potatoes, maize, beans and some greens all mashed together). It was a good day. I left feeling very full and tired from all the preparation and feasting.

On January 2nd I left for the United States to attend a gift trade show in Atlanta. It was an important event for Shukrani LifeWorks because it was the first time our products were displayed for US buyers. The show was okay, but it would have been better if my boxes from Kenya for the booth set up had arrived. They got delayed due to the trouble in Kenya so I had to run a booth with nothing more than the gifts I brought home……… the best of course, was having a short visit with family and a few friends. We did take some orders and got some orders for customized samples which we are working on to get shipped out.

The weather was soooooo cold in Atlanta; I had the shivers for a few days. And, the trip home was a 48 hour nightmare beginning in Atlanta. We were delayed 6 hours (most of it on the runway) and so I missed all my connecting flights. The other strange thing was my toes hurt from wearing closed toed shoes. I had to put my Chakos back on for the last week because the pain was more than I could stand. Even the covers at night seemed like a heavy weight against them.

Ten Sisters, my merry go round, had some interesting events this month as well. The group voted to kick out one of the members. She refused to pay back a loan or to give the money for the last round in December. After much haggling, she paid everything and as punishment, the banished her from the group for one year………….

The last topic, of course, for January is the strife in Kenya. I could try and explain all the years of bitterness and anger that is really at the heart of the civil unrest but it would take volumes. The election is really just the excuse for mean spirited people to do meanness to others. All of the Kenyans I have been privileged to know abhor the violence that is happening and are sad and distressed for their country. So many people are now displaced, dead or injured it is almost more of a burden than the nation can bear. And yet, they have survived far worse disturbances, HIV/AIDS, malaria and many other terrible events over their history. As always, they will get back on their feet and continue to move forward as best they can. Please continue to pray for them.

My village is safe from the actual fighting and in some respects we have become spot of refuge for a few have been displaced. There are no words to describe some of the tragedy they have experienced or seen on their way to Mariakani. One woman watched her family burned alive, was raped and beaten over many days and cast out on the road like garbage. She ended up in our town, too traumatized to speak or eat or move. It makes the violence that is happening other places seem a little more real to those of us here. It makes me weep with sadness for this country and for us all.

As with most Peace Corps volunteers, the gnashing of our teeth in our sleep, or the continual hair loss has gotten a little worse as we have lived under the stress of what is happening in the country. I am forever grateful to my community for embracing me and making me feel safe. Knowing there are people I can count on for escape, if needed, for reassurance, or comfort in this turmoil has been a gift from God I will cherish always.

As I write this, it is February 3rd. I found out two days ago the Peace Corp is suspending the program in Kenya. They called me while I was standing in the Posta mailing a gift home to my brother and his significant other. I immediately burst into tears, and if you remember frrm previous posts, Kenyans do not like seeing a public display of tears. It makes them very uncomfortable. Heather and I were quite the sight!

Peace Corps has decided to cease our service due to the unstableness of the country. They are holding out hope some of us can come back in two months if things turn around. I do not know what my future holds today, tomorrow or for the next several months. I do know WHO holds my future and as Mother Teresa said, He does not change. My secondary projects with the OCV and Weighbridge and the Women’s group will go forward with the help of a few trusted friends here in Kenya and God’s grace. I will continue to update you on the progress. LifeWorks will also continue on. The Production Manager has been a good student these past few months and I am confident he can help it move forward. I probably will be working on US sales from the US! My fellow PC who has been at LifeWorks for two short months is considering whether to stay on without the PC. She has done a great job in jump starting the marketing and sales and it would be a great gift to LifeWorks for her to continue her role. The business is at a critical time in its growth.

So, kwaheri, for now. I hope to see you in the next few months as I travel back around the country before settling down. Thank you for all the love and support each of you has shown me. My fellow PC volunteers have been jealous of the cards, letters and packages I have received from you. You have big hearts and I am glad you have shared yours with me so freely.