Poverty

Ben came over to visit this weekend. Like many Kenyans, Ben is looking for a job. He has done many things and led an interesting young life. There is a good chance Ben will move to Kibera on Thursday. He has been staying with someone who has found employment in another part of Kenya and Ben can’t stay in that place. So Kibera slum is the place. He has dropped a lot of weight, eats poorly – when he eats. The drought, famine, joblessness is killing Kenyans. I can look at friends I’ve known since the beginning of my time here. They are thin, malnourished and some are homeless now. There are no safety nets like what I would have at home. Relatives are no help since they are in the same shape. When there are rains, there is food – somehow. But there has been no rain – some places for a year or more – no rain. The cattle we saw today at the Masai manyatta were lying down, emaciated. No water, no grass. We met today with the Chairman of the Education Committee we set up to help with school issues. He was waiting for our meeting and then taking his goats to the airport where there is some green grass. The airport is at least an hour away by car. It will take him forever to get to the airport but if he doesn’t do this, his animals will die.