Kenyan memories

Last year in Nairobi Cecilia took Colin and me on a visit to an open market near a shopping mall in a fairly well off part of the city. There were crafts stalls with loads of lovely carved African animals, clothes, and all manner of stuff.

I was overwhelmed and just could not deal with the over eager but extra ordinarily polite traders trying to get my and Colin's attention. I felt a panic rise within me. No great experience and its pretty common to tourists and visitors to 3rd world markets.

But, these are the better off traders with their wares on brightly coloured blankets. They looked healthy unlike the rather thin listless old but probably young men minding the mangy goats by the main road side hovels made out of a few pieces of tin thrown together and everywhere the bright almost orange coloured dry earth.

Admidst this poverty, and in many ways Kenya is better off than some parts of Africa, and at least it has not had a recent civil war, but it gets a HIV/AIDS epidemic instead. What kind of justice is that? Jesus should be weeping.

No wonder I wanted to hire a plane and bring out some of the bright young men and women I met before they lost their sparkle. It's desperate. And others have felt this same human response.

I don't know if my puny attempts to support KAPC in their work through my teaching and fund raising will make that much difference. I just know I can't live with myself if I don't try.

Best to all,

Bill on bike