We gathered in our outdoor dining hall for a delicious spaghetti lunch. The dining area had a small bar off to the side where we would gather for a drink before dinner every evening. This building would soon become the place where we got to share the highlights of our day and bond with our fellow group members over some amazing dinners. After lunch we were treated to a bit of a Swahili lesson hosted by Peter, one of the Maasai Warriors. He taught us some basic words and phrases that would help us show our appreciation for the staff at Bogani and the people welcoming us into their community.
Later in the afternoon we set out for our first ride in the wonderful off-road bus, where Gravol became quite popular. Our destination an elementary school, built by Free the Children, volunteers and members of the community. Among all the new buildings, still stands the skeleton of an old school house. The walls were built with sticks and mud, there was no floor. The desks were nothing more than a small wooden bench attached to a narrow shelf. One of these desks would often be shared by three or four students at one time. These desks are where we sat while Elizabeth, Ryan and Justus spoke to us about Free the Children. They told us about the origin, the history, and what they are currently doing in Kenya. I strongly urge anyone reading this to visit the Free the Children website and learn more about what they are doing, not only across the world, but right in our own communities. Hearing our facilitators speak from the heart about a foundation they are believe in was touching and their message had more of a personal impact than I could have expected.
After that humbling experience it was time for some fun. We were invited to roam the school yard at get to know some of the students. The children were all so excited to show us their classrooms and tell us about their favourite subjects. We quickly learned how much they love to have their picture taken. I met a group of boys who were a little apprehensive about talking at first, but as soon as they saw my camera their eyes lit up. The next ten minutes went like this; I would take a photo then the boys would run over to see it on the camera, say “One more!”, and run back for another pose. Even though we didn’t talk much, I felt a connection with these boys. The innocence of the whole experience reminded me of when I was that age.
As the rest of the group started to board the bus, a few of us decided to hang back and listen while the principal addressed the students. He started by thanking us for coming to visit the school and told us we are always welcome. Then he thanked the students for coming to school and reminded then how important it is to always ask questions in life. Seeing this commitment to the future of this community was truly inspiring…and it was just the beginning.
After an amazing dinner we went around the tables and gave everyone the opportunity to share the highlight of their day. This would become a nightly tradition which went well with my other nightly tradition; a couple bottles of Tusker. I didn’t know what to share the first night, it was such an overwhelming day. All I could think about were those children and how easily their happiness became my own. I feel like this is exactly where I belong, at least for right now.
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