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| Lois Knapton |
Derby Public Schools
While all of you are roasting in 90-degree weather, I am sitting in 55 degrees at night and sometimes 70 during the day.
It seems odd that I am just skipping summer all together.
My seasonal clock is a little tipped… some of the things I miss are camping, watching the campfire burn, eating s'mores, looking at the stars and full moon, swimming, boating and kayaking, lounging by the pool, and especially ice cream cones, bummer…
But it is OK, because I am truly making a difference in many lives and I am sure I will have plenty of summers to enjoy in the future.
And I really hate the heat anyway. At least I will not have to pay an air conditioner bill!
The other day, as I wound around the unpaved, side roads of Kenya, on a six-hour journey going to safari, I sat in the back seat of a beat up old van, jostling up and down as we navigate our way over the speed bumps and around the many potholes (nothing compares to them in America), donkey carts, mattatus, motor bikes, and people, I wondered what it would feel like to drive again. What if I forget? And I am kind of getting used to driving on the left side of the roads.
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| Baboon walking along the road. |
But I did have a scary experience last week: I almost got mugged by slum thugs. We were walking through a slum on our way to visit a child at a school. The day had started with the matuttu driver charging us double the fare because of the white girl. He drove off with our change.
There were three of us, Isabella, Anne, and myself. These girls are tiny little girls, size 0 or one. The road was muddy so we were forced to walk single file. We got separated and I was a bit nervous. But God always has a plan. Isabella was four people ahead of us. She is alert, and always paying attention to her surroundings.
She heard two guys saying, “Let’s attack this musungo, I will take her earrings, you get the necklace, and I will try to get the shoulder bag”…. so Isabella waited for me to catch up then she pushed me in the opposite direction, through the muddy street, and said, "Go that way," and off I went, followed by Anne, as Isabella yelled at the men.
By the way, the earrings, were simple costume jewelry and the necklace was a African one I bought for $200 shillings, or about $2.37.
The hand bag was a small cloth bag wrapped around my shoulder. After we were safely out of harm's away, we were all clearly a bit shaken, but we found a friendly vendor to sit by and collect our wits.
This kind of thing happens in many cities, not just Kenya…but the color of my skin really makes me a target over here.
If you have ever been part of implementing sustainable, systematic change, you know that on a daily basis, it just feels like another day.
We need to get done what we planned to get done for the day.
But over time, when you look back over the road, you say, "Wow, how did we get here already?” The change process is a funny thing. Do not ever doubt yourself.
I had vision over a year ago and I felt a strong need to pursue it. I just felt like I had something to offer, I could develop a system of referral, assessment and supports for children with special needs, in a country where there is none.
And look at me. I never dreamed in a thousand years I would be here in Kenya, doing this. Never doubt yourself. If you believe something, especially if it comes to you in prayer, sit up and listen, reflect and see what it might mean for you. Too often, we are too busy to listen. Be still. I have learned that over the last seven weeks.
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| A Masai Warrior who worked at the Leisure Camp we stayed at for Safari. |
I am totally integrated into the Kenyan lifestyle and these people are so gracious, loving, and protective.
It feels like they would lay down their life for me, they are that loving.
And it is genuine.
The thought of integrating back into America with its culture is already scaring me. I will never be the same person as the one that left in May.
Editor's note: Knapton is on a three-month mission to Kenya. She is writing about her experiences here each week.
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