I accompanied my boss, Dan, and our driver, Andrew, to the Rift Valley today to a small school. Some time ago, they had provided funds to help establish the school in the land of the Masai, where education is low and most of the adults are illiterate. A gal in the U.S. decided that for her Bar Mitzvah, she would have all her presents go towards donations for school supplies to these children. Today we delivered those supplies to the teachers and students. Unfortunately, many children were not there because their families had migrated in search of water for their livestock.
Much of the rural areas in Kenya are suffering from a prolonged drought. While rains are expected soon in this area, the earth dams no longer hold water and women trek 15 kms to fetch water from a river. While they gratefully accepted our gifts of paper and pencils, what they really could use is water. I interviewed two women, Annette and Christine, about the situation. This information will be used in a proposal a group of churches is submitting next week for funds to combat the impending crisis. I only hope we're not too late.
Mary Manjiru, pictured below, is one mother living near the school. Her son, Jonathon Moses, also pictured below, is able to attend school during the drought, unlike many of his agemates. Jonathon was one of the few people I spoke to who understood my English quite well.
On the way back, we stopped at a quaint hotel for lunch. I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. I let the water run through my fingers, washing away the dust and grime. I paused only a moment to reflect on where that water was running to, and where I might be running from. Abruptly, I turned off the water, leaving my hands still cool, wet and slimy from the remaining suds.
There is water here. It's just not available to those who desperately need it.
No comments:
Post a Comment