The Global Neighborhood

After a long journey, with much preparation, time and effort, we finally landed on the moon. We are now in the world of the global neighborhood. Because of the efforts of Susan Frey and World Wide Waldens, we overcame our technical difficulties and at 6am Kisii time and 11pm Concord time, we connected the Kenyan students with the Walden Youth Summit Team and it was undoubtedly a great success.

The Kenyan team in Concord, led by our good friend Kate, greeted our Okari School students with a few verses from "This Land is Our Land". The Okari students sang the Kenyan National Anthem in return. The Concord team opened the summit with some great questions for our team. They wanted to know what projects have been going on at the Okari School, an explanation of the water catchment systems, tree planting, organic farming, and the importance of the chicken farming. Our students were a little shy at first and did a really awesome job explaining each of the projects to the young people in Concord. We are proud of them because English is their second language and they practiced hard to prepare their answers in English for those listening in at the Thoreau Institute. It was then the Okari students turn to ask questions of the Walden group. They asked about sustainable projects going on in the US and there was some funny conversation about the issue of water - one of the Kenyan students asked the kids in Concord if they had to "walk to the river" to get their water. They also asked if the students in America eat snakes - which made everyone laugh. Somehow there is rumor going around Kisii that Americans eat snakes. We think that it was Mike, the President of the Board of the Margaret Okari School, spreading these tales to the kids at the school.

After much discussion on sustainable communities, the importance of water and food, we lightened up the summit and let the students go freestyle back and forth with questions about their respective lifestyles. Vincent, one of our Okari students, asked, "What do you do in your lazy time?" Which brought about laughs on both continents. But it was clear that in two different parts of the world and different cultures, they had a lot in common as young people. Both groups loved music, sports, and an interest in making this world a better place for all those in the present and those to come in the future. We commend both groups for doing an outstanding job and being the pioneers in creating the global neighborhood.

For us it was inspiring to see the young people connect and share common goal and purpose. You have to understand that our group had never seen a computer until we showed up. They had never used a keyboard, the internet, google or skype. The Okari students were extremely happy that they could see and talk with students all the way in America. They thoroughly enjoyed their part in the youth summit and the connection they had with other students. They felt like they had learned a lot about what is going on in America and felt pride about all the projects that had been taking place at the Okari School in the last year. We hope that this will inspire the students to continue to work hard and help Mother Earth and we hope anyone reading this will take action in their own town, neighborhood, or city.

You have done a good thing at World Wide Waldens and thanks for making us a part of it. One thing is for sure - we have found our next project at Andover Youth Services. Our World Wide Walden is the Margaret Okari School. We have made lots of powerful connections with the students, the elders of the community, and Kwamboka Okari - our dynamic, thoughtful, and visionary leader. We have been welcomed into the community of Kisii and we are now family. We have worked hard the last 15 years to create community in everything we do at the Youth Services and we will now take that experience, strength and hope to our beautiful new friends at the Margaret Okari School. We hope you come along for the ride because if you know anything about us, we believe that people are everything. Our hope is to help this slice of heaven continue to operate, get the resource it truly deserves, help thousands of kids who are now orphans get a chance to live a purposeful life. Please call us or email us at the Youth Services and become part of the AYS Team that will give Kisii an endless stream of support and love.

We are preparing to leave which will be a huge challenge for us. In a very short time we have become connected to the students and teachers in an indescribable way. Both sides are not going to want to say goodbye. Colton has had an amazing experience and we are contemplating leaving him here and coming back next year to see how he is doing. The funny thing is: he is okay with that. If you are reading this, it should help you get a greater understanding of what has occurred this week. For now it is easier for us to say, "Asante sana kwaheri."

Bill, Colton and Glenn

The final Colton Fact is: Kenya has changed him for the better. He is an expert in Swahili and made many new friends. And that is that.