Returning to my Kenyan Home

My Nakuru Hope office here in Perth is in the garage where I live. I converted it some time ago so as to be just a little away from the front door of my home as it felt as if I never left the ‘office’ otherwise. Now with a view of the front garden, noises from the street, as quiet as it is, my dogs laying asleep, snoring, oblivious to my thoughts of my impending return to Kenya.
For the past 9 years I have been making the trip, now to what I feel is my ‘other home’ a family there so far removed from my own its always new and different every time I visit.  There are no pretenses is my other world, those I work with and for are truly themselves, no shame in being destitute as that is all that they know. Knowledge of charming restaurants servicing delectable morsels of tantalizing foods, no stores full of objects that are wanted but really never needed, drink brands fulfilling dreams of becoming healthy or enjoyment, for them there is no water. The clothes on their backs and little food in a weevil ridden jar looking down from a dusty and sooty shelf upon a mattress rotted by urine and wear from the many that it is slept upon each night.   My world differs far from the one I have here and even I at times I too am easily caught up in the wants rather than the needs.

My biggest gift that I have is the support from my two children Adam and Sarah, who had not really seen what their mother was really doing for the past years until they to came into my other world last year to open my school. Now these two strong supporters of all that I do, do not warn me not to go back when the media bombards us all with the horrific news from Kenya on those whose lives have be torn from them through acts of terrorism.  I cannot be swayed not to go, nor do they try to change my mind, its certainly not my heroism that urges me on, indeed far from it. I cannot imagine the enormity of the suffering and terror of those who were shot down or being held hostage, it is incomprehensible that human beings can act against others. But it is the need to go where the need is great, my work is within me and within those volunteers that will accompany me on this next trip.
Volunteers whose own family and friends warn them not to go, but the human spirit to be there for others is simply amazing and inspirational, and I am thankful that they have decided to come.
Kenya is an enormous country, so little is really known as to where on an actual map the senseless acts of cruelty occurred, it is far from where we will be our only area of concern will be the airport as we arrive, but sadly in these days of travel there are far too many airports that are unsafe, but we still travel. To be dissuaded to discover our most marvelous globe would be giving in to those whose lives are far too small to consider the passion of travel to so many, travel to be with friends and family, visit a sick or dying relative, to discover a new culture, to learn, to be part of another’s life.. we become ourselves smaller if we do not travel, living in our own backyards is good for some but not all, so we are compelled to use airports.
Now the day  before I leave, I need to think about packing, tidying up little loose ends, and yes I do plan in case I don’t return, this is just me, organized having everything in its place. I do not need to let my family know that they are loved, they know that and that they inspire me and wherever I am, I’m right there with them. They do not need to be concerned after all I am just going back home.
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