I am just back from a week in Kenya and rather dazed, jet lagged and sleep deprived but a ride to work on my bike in the rain has raised curiously my spirits! Now for a tale from Kenyan.
I met up with an extraordinary Aussie called Jodie who has been living in Kenya for nearly 3 years. She does some work via a link with a local Christian church with orphans. Recently she had visited a village I think it was somewhere up the Rift Valley where some of the worst post election violence occurred just over a year ago.
She found a pastor in the village who had taken in 100 orphans whose parents had been killed. The villagers had rallied round, those who were teachers had freely given their time after work to set up a rudimentary school, others had helped with the care of the children and so on. Not noticing a dormitory she asked the pastor where the children slept. 'In the church' he replied. Now think about it, don't think grand English church think dirt poor Kenyan church probably with a corrigated iron roof, think of a 100 children bedded down.
It is a different culture. Kenyan are often in extended families with strong tribal loyalties and support. There is not a strong well resourced infrastructure that we in the West are used to, but nor do they wait around for the 'authorities' or the government to do something.
I have always avoided teaching in Kenya beyond a few workshops on spirituality. I certain have been very wary of teaching people to counsel there. (I am wary of doing the same in England but that is another story, another blog entry). This last week I have been teaching trained counsellors to do research. Or rather working with trained counsellors who already have some research experience. It still begs a lot of questions some of them related to culture, including both the nature of their proposed research compared to my UK students and the value or otherwise of my rather post modern approach! However they ran with much of what I gave them with an enthusiasm, engagement and a respect for me. All of which is rather less with my UK students. Some of the changes in my teaching that I did in working in Kneya will I think change my teaching in Britain. So I am learning and my British students will benefit too.
Best to all,
Bill-on-bike
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I use this blog to cover various things that interest and delight me. This includes creative writing: the adventure of the mystic detective, the lives of some imaginary characters (including my spiritual director Q who can be consulted by email) and some poems.
1 comment:
William, am feeling inspired to go and teach or offer something to the Kenyan colleagues at some point. The fact that i am a non-Brit (from a country closer to Africa...) who trained in British Institutions, both as practitioner and in research may have useful and interestings perspectives for them....if there is a 'waiting period' between my viva and my graduation next year, this may be the time for that, let's see!! just to say again, i admire what you offer to the Kenyans and i can see yoru concerns or worries, which are triggering the useful and relevant triggers for more insights anyway!!! keep going, F. the Greek
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