Peace.............and tears...........

Today was another incredible day..............
We visited a school and the Lari Memorial Peace Museum. This is one of the peace projects funded by MCC dollars. I have to say that this was a very impressive and innovative program. I love the passion of the national staff. It will be hard to communicate all that I saw, but I will try.........

A while back MCC collected used computers and sent them to Kenya. Our country reps got them ready for distribution and they are being distributed to schools in cooperation with the Lari Memorial Peace Museum. The purpose of this venture is to help connect the young people of Kenya with other Kenyans that may be from a different ethnic group. They want this generation to build relationships across the traditional ethnic lines to assist in breaking down ethnic barriers that lead to the internal division and conflict among Kenyans. We heard from the students themselves the clear message of how positively these computers impact their lives - they articulate very well that they are not only grateful for the computers, but for the potential for peace that they represent. Computers.......peace? Yes, it is clear that the computers can connect them with other Kenyan ethnic groups and help them to overcome the long-standing barriers between groups.

Waihenya - passionate about peace

Peace tree - unfinished symbol of  peace

Waihenya, the founder and currator of the Lari Memorial Peace Museum is a passionate and charismatic young man. He lights up when he talks about the desire for understanding and peace among the various Kenyan ethnic groups. He shared with us about the massacre in 1953 in his home village - killing of fellow Kenyans from the same ethnic group - why? - the position the individuals took regarding colonialism. This was at a time that Kenya wanted independance.........simply put, the division among brothers was about whether you supported the colonists or the nationals. They are still documenting the number of people massacred in the Lari area. The story of the massacre is the only thing that takes the sparkle from Waihenya's eyes and the enthusiasm from his speech - his passion remains, his love for his country and people remains clear! He is speaking to us as we stand in the Peace Museum - it is a small room - maybe 10'x12' lined with photos, lists of names of those killed that have been documented, and a few artifacts. We stand around the outside of the room while he talks and in the middle of the room on a table sits a hand built 'tree' with branches that are fashioned from beads - the top of the tree remains plain and unbeaded. Waihenya tells us that the tree is a peace tree. It is a symbol of the desire for peace of Kenyans. There are 42 'tribes' or ethnic groups in Kenya - each of them have their own traditions and customs - each of them have their own stories to tell of life and death...........this peace tree is intended to be a platform for people to tell their stories and as they do to bead a branch of the tree - each branch symbolising one of the ethnic groups, the colourful beads a way for them to represent their feelings. In the telling of the stories and the beading of the branch each ethnic group is saying.....'we are forgiving and giving our peace'. It is powerful to stand in this room with such a simple but profound image...........however, the tree remains only half completed - not because of the lack of will or passion, but funds - so as they continue their work they continue their commitment to finish the tree - the Kenyan Peace Tree. A younger generation commited to ensuring that their past does not haunt them or repeat itself in the future...............I am humbled to be here and to have witnessed this - to have heard for myself Waihenya's story, to have felt his passion, to have sensed the peace that could be and to have caught a glimpse of his vision...............

I will have to come back to this.........I have to say that on a very deep level these first 2 days of visits have moved me to my core. I think I need some Healing Rain (Michael W. Smith song that I love to listen to or watch on youtube)...........I think though tonight the Healing Rain will actually be some of my own tears.......you know the kind that flow  without identifiable reason......they just flow and the only thing to do is to let them flow and cleanse.........yeah.........

Peace.........forgiveness..........understanding...........
What's your motivation or drive for your life? I know that I am asking myself this question? Is it a material quest.......possessions? Is it acknowledgement.........promotion, recognition? What is it? Why do you get up in the morning? Do you even know?

Waihenya knows....his motivation is a passion to make a difference in his world......peace for his generation and for his Kenya!

I pray that I may learn to walk in this same kind of peace.....forgiveness....understanding!

Until later my friends.............