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I received an email from my friend Mwololo at the Athi River Masai project. He informed me that another child died last night, this time because of a fire. A twelve-year-old girl with mental challenges apparently tried to cook in the house and a tragic fire started. All cooking is done within the Masai houses made of branches and mud. She died in the fire and the funeral is today. So sad. This is the fourth death in the Masai village since I have been involved with them… Two children died from eating poisoned meat. One other drowned. It reinforces the fragility of life in Kenya. These are not the only deaths I have been close to in Kenya. You’ll remember that two boys drowned at the Village last year. I also came upon a man dead in the streets of Nairobi. And then there were the thousands who died in the post-election violence – some of whom were family members of Kenyan friends. A couple of the day workers died of malaria in the Village as well. Life is short. Love hard.
As my time to leave for Kenya nears (I will fly Friday, Feb 28) I am very excited about my new living situation. I will have my own place, one room, cloister-like I assume. I want that. My friend Mwololo is buying me a bed and a tank of propane gas and cooking burner. That’s about all I need to start out. Everything else I will need I can gradually gather. I look forward to a more monastic lifestyle. That will take some work since my contemplative side needs some help! My room is close enough to the manyatta that I can yell to the Masai houses and can walk to the site. I was promised by a couple of the Masai men that they would take me out with them and the herds as they search for grazing land. Sleeping under the stars, keeping a lookout for wild animals, eating meat as a white Masai . . . who could ask for a greater experience? They said I could go for 28 days. I’ll take two or three! The tribe has also promised that I could live with them in the Manyatta as a Masai. I look forward to the experience of living in a traditional mud house . . . at least for a few days.
I have packed, unpacked and packed several times. I am convinced I can get all of my belongings into my one big suitcase. I also want to take a sheet, towel, computer printer, laptop, etc. I’ll keep packing.
I am trying to make email contact with a Nairobi Rotary Club. Together with the Florence Kentucky Rotary, we are trying to get some partnering to fund the Masai project. I will be talking with parishioners at a Brooklyn parish as I travel through NYC to London, to Nairobi. I love New York.
All else goes well. Thank you - thank you!
