Ever since we arrived at the school we have been witness to the students practicing for a competition with the other schools in the area highlighting their performance skills, choreographed dancing and singing. Kwamboka said that the song they chose was about someone coming to their farm and stealing their cows and she sang it as a little girl. The contest was scheduled for a short 1/2 mile away from the Okari school but due to the heavy downpour overnight the roads were washed away and the contest was moved to another location 5 miles away. The staff at the school was disheartened to hear this news but decided that it would not be fair to the kids after all their hard work not to participate so they decided to walk the 5 miles to the location of the new event. At 10am the students and teachers headed off to the muddy roads with no food or water but high in spirits. We were laughing because we were thinking - could you ever imagine students from Andover or anywhere else walking 5 miles to participate? (the question is - why wouldn't they?) At about 8pm we could hear some singing coming up the road and the cheers of "Okari! Okari!" getting louder as they marched into the school compound. One of the girls ran up to us and said that they placed 1st in all categories and would advance to the next round in hopes of making it all the way to performing for the President of Kenya.
We are all very proud of these hard working students and God has blessed the Okari School. The AYS will be throwing a bash for them in the dining hall at approximately 7pm Kenya time. Hope to see you all there.
We've continued to work with our six students on the environmental issues of the school and surrounding area. We have been extremely impressed with their knowledge of organic farming, greenhouse development, chicken farming, water conservation and catchment systems. adn the importance of creating a sustainable, effective community. Tonight at 6pm we will begin the World Wide Walden Youth Summit with the Team Kenya greeting. Our team is very excited to be involved in this project and look forward to talking with the students at the Thoreau Institute this evening.
If you are reading this blog, please check out the World Wide Walden website and take heart their message that they are conveying to us all. Live simply, everyone in Kenya already does.
The highlight of our day was our arranged meeting with the town fathers and mothers. It was held in a hut overlooking beautiful farmland and filled with historical artifacts from the Kisii area. It was an extremely powerful situation - we were asked to share with the elders our reason for coming and details of our lives. One after another, each person spoke about community, connection, brotherhood and sisterhood, and becoming a single family all with the sole purpose of helping the school and kids of Kenya. Bill was a little uncomfortable when asked to get up and speak because the person who introduced him to the elders recognized the fact that he was white and although the man's grandfather was killed by white colonists he said it was okay that Bill spoke here today. The elders were very impressed with Colton and his speech to the group. Colton's presence was important to them because they believe that he will be forever changed by his experience to Kenya and will serve as a link to the US and the community of Kisii.
Colton's Kenya Fact of the Day: the average woman in Kisii has 9 children and the area is one of the richest producing regions of Kenya. 80% of Kisii is under cultivation.
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