Rising Tides
The feeling of uneasiness is on the rise.. for me anyways.
And it has been rising since I landed in Canada like a dripping tap.
Perhaps its not even a rising tide that is occurring, maybe its Chinese drip torture
No matter what it is. There are drips. They are rising in numbers and they are torturing me.
The drips are translucent and when you look through them you see a blurred picture of what's really behind them - the source. I can feel the drops. I can feel them coming and I can feel them mounting. But I can only see a blurred picture of the source.
And this is why, with no particular conclusion in mind I am blogging again.
While I was regular in reflecting on my experiences in Kenya I have not allowed myself the opportunity to do so since back here at home. Of course for a long list of reasons, as their always is when your not doing what you want to be doing, are a clear to me in this circumstance. Puzzling though, is how I, and I am sure many others, have thought- in an moment lacking much reflection that life in Kenya was much more interesting and worth while to blog about then that in Canada (especially being my place of birth similar to many of my readers).
Yet, what was in Kenya as well as my existence there were clear to me. So to were my feelings and reactions. Here, at home this is no longer the case, and really never has been. And here, in the most simplistic of ways, leaning my realities side by side, it would appear something's up with life in Canada, and it needs to recognized. I am now only more concern and more puzzled about my identity. And this is not solely because of my experience abroad being contrasted to life here but truly by... life here. I am concern about being puzzled and puzzled about being concerned.
It might be thought that I just don't know what I want in life. But I do in fact. What I want in life is inner happiness and peace of mind. When it comes down that is all I want. I'm sure that things like good health is something I desire - but again - only if it brings inner happiness and peace of mind - because, yes, that's all that really matters to me.
People out there? Do you want peace of mind and inner happiness as much as I do? Can you ever imagine sieving through all the shit out there to make life all about peace of mind and inner happiness? It's what I dream about, but in reality there is a lot of shit out there that must be sieve out to achieve this, and perhaps removing all of it is just to large of an aspiration. But how close can one get?
While away in Kenya, I was able to think about my life as it existed in Canada in a very positive light. However I believed it was framed through the areas in which those I met in Kenya found value, such as education, government and job opportunities, in which Canada's resume was pretty sparkling. And yes, thank goodness for all of these things for they have opened the doors for many of us, but perhaps they haven't brought us to greener pastures in every way.
I have been leading and participating in a program called UNLEARN here at the University of Waterloo, in a community where educational resources are of plenty and job opportunities are well aligned. But what about the people? Many of the people are depressed, stressed out and in many ways unhappy. While UNLEARN gave me an opportunity to hear people share their insecurities, pains and frustrations, I always knew these existed in my peer community. How did I forget about what lay in front, beside and behind the golden door of opportunity in Canada. Pain and suffering still exists in Canada, but it is not decorated and shown off as opportunity is. However it is the exact opposite for Kenya as pain and suffering are decorated and shown to the world while opportunity remains hidden by the spotlighted gloom.
I believe I feel the rising tide and the pain of the drops in some ways because I have come home to the land of the golden door and left the land of the spotlighted gloom - only to feel as though I have left the land of a golden door opening to peace of mind and inner happiness and entered the world of hidden gloom.
I don't believe I have yet to explore or understand all of my sources of uneasiness but the things are becoming a little more clear.
A Breath Of Fresh Air
during a previous trek in Vietnam
Monday, October 17, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
When Opportunity Was at My Door
... the last thing i wanted was to get sick
It is not very often that i feel that i am working at 100% capacity (yes this make shock some of you who think i don't take time to breath) and perhaps no human being should. But it is my nature to rev my engine and step things into high gear when ever possible. Thus my usual aim: 80-90% just avoiding utter burn out. The last 2-3 weeks I have had to downshift into low gear. While being sick was a clearly uncomfortable experience the greater pain was being held back and forces to pull back on my involvement. I was forces to look for a balance between activity and recovery but found myself generally overly frustrated at the results (something to look into improving in the future? perhaps). I did decide to narrow my expectations and absorb 100% of the joy from each of them.
Changes/New Focuses:
-find even small joys in every moment
-make enjoying the process, and everything around me the #1 priority and the rest will follow
-when I am healthy again not to push to hard to arrive at the next level. (I think this worked!)
As I was sick for quite some time (from my first clinic visit to my final check up a total of 4 weeks) I had a fair bit of time to ponder about how I was feeling so for those who are interested I will proceed with my bed rest life lessons.
1. you cannot do it alone (anything really but especially this). My sickness (resulting from large amounts of gastro-bacteria resulting in ulcers) had really been crippling and in through it all I am so thankful to have 3 great roommates a caring supervisor and a wonderful Kenyan stranger who took care of me when he found me barfing at the side of the road (pleasant isn't it). HUGE shout outs to my dear friend and traveling comrade Conor who not only helped me get to the hospital in both urgent situations but returned to the hospital to pick up meds and made me feel comforted every other day along the way. THANKS EVERYONE (additional love shout out to my family at home who showered me with good wishes and love in the form of very informative e-mails)
2. The urgency of the situation. I was very lucky to be able to get a car to pick me up quite quickly and speed me off to the hospital. Having lost almost all the liquids in my body I was very dehydrated and ready to pass out. I am sure conditions would have worsened if I was not treated in good time. This has really made me think about the people of the slums - most who would struggle to pay for a car hire and would have to use much slower means. It's scary really.
3. I have noticed my, perhaps inherently human desire to see the fruits of my labour and weep some of what I sow. Pre-sickness I had laid the building blocks (with the help of others) for both our mothers gathering at the Afema therapy center and for our sports launch for the non-formal schools. Sitting in bed I knew they were now ready to go on without me but I still desperately desired to be out there with them celebrating in the moment. I felt slightly distraught at the thought that my involvement may be forgotten, slowly fading away, after i had worked hard to collect with the support of many donors to purchase the material for the sports programing. I know I need to work on giving myself internal praise and being happy with my accomplishments and the good that is done rather than looking to others for this.
Without a doubt the hardest thing about being sick was missing out on the moments that had passed. When every day here brings so much more knowledge, understanding, opportunity for change and happiness it is hard to be stuck inside for walls.
The good news is...
1. I decided to give a big internal push and get myself to the sports launch to see things for an hour or two - and i was very glad i did
2. We will be holding another mothers gathering at Afema at the end of this month.
3. I went for my final check up today and I am A.OKAY. although I will still have to be strict
with my non-acidic diet.
the future looks bright and full of opportunity
and in hindsight getting sick was a unique opportunity of its own.
It is not very often that i feel that i am working at 100% capacity (yes this make shock some of you who think i don't take time to breath) and perhaps no human being should. But it is my nature to rev my engine and step things into high gear when ever possible. Thus my usual aim: 80-90% just avoiding utter burn out. The last 2-3 weeks I have had to downshift into low gear. While being sick was a clearly uncomfortable experience the greater pain was being held back and forces to pull back on my involvement. I was forces to look for a balance between activity and recovery but found myself generally overly frustrated at the results (something to look into improving in the future? perhaps). I did decide to narrow my expectations and absorb 100% of the joy from each of them.
Changes/New Focuses:
-find even small joys in every moment
-make enjoying the process, and everything around me the #1 priority and the rest will follow
-when I am healthy again not to push to hard to arrive at the next level. (I think this worked!)
As I was sick for quite some time (from my first clinic visit to my final check up a total of 4 weeks) I had a fair bit of time to ponder about how I was feeling so for those who are interested I will proceed with my bed rest life lessons.
1. you cannot do it alone (anything really but especially this). My sickness (resulting from large amounts of gastro-bacteria resulting in ulcers) had really been crippling and in through it all I am so thankful to have 3 great roommates a caring supervisor and a wonderful Kenyan stranger who took care of me when he found me barfing at the side of the road (pleasant isn't it). HUGE shout outs to my dear friend and traveling comrade Conor who not only helped me get to the hospital in both urgent situations but returned to the hospital to pick up meds and made me feel comforted every other day along the way. THANKS EVERYONE (additional love shout out to my family at home who showered me with good wishes and love in the form of very informative e-mails)
2. The urgency of the situation. I was very lucky to be able to get a car to pick me up quite quickly and speed me off to the hospital. Having lost almost all the liquids in my body I was very dehydrated and ready to pass out. I am sure conditions would have worsened if I was not treated in good time. This has really made me think about the people of the slums - most who would struggle to pay for a car hire and would have to use much slower means. It's scary really.
3. I have noticed my, perhaps inherently human desire to see the fruits of my labour and weep some of what I sow. Pre-sickness I had laid the building blocks (with the help of others) for both our mothers gathering at the Afema therapy center and for our sports launch for the non-formal schools. Sitting in bed I knew they were now ready to go on without me but I still desperately desired to be out there with them celebrating in the moment. I felt slightly distraught at the thought that my involvement may be forgotten, slowly fading away, after i had worked hard to collect with the support of many donors to purchase the material for the sports programing. I know I need to work on giving myself internal praise and being happy with my accomplishments and the good that is done rather than looking to others for this.
Without a doubt the hardest thing about being sick was missing out on the moments that had passed. When every day here brings so much more knowledge, understanding, opportunity for change and happiness it is hard to be stuck inside for walls.
The good news is...
1. I decided to give a big internal push and get myself to the sports launch to see things for an hour or two - and i was very glad i did
2. We will be holding another mothers gathering at Afema at the end of this month.
3. I went for my final check up today and I am A.OKAY. although I will still have to be strict
with my non-acidic diet.
the future looks bright and full of opportunity
and in hindsight getting sick was a unique opportunity of its own.
Reinventing Community ("Boma")
Every Wednesday I volunteer at Boma Rescue - a day center for youth who have been orphaned or run away from home at some time. The center incorporates counseling, studies, recreation and cultural dance. The key thing about Boma is it is a place where kids can be kids, be cared for and feel safe. Eventually after a year of rehabilitation Boma Rescue will work to find funds to sponsor the children to return to school.
Trying to describe the feeling the kids a Boma gave me I thought of 'happy tears' in the past.
Happy because the kids are (generally) so happy and making leaps and bounds in their personal development and studies. Tears because I know these things were stolen from them for far to long - taken at the hands of others.
Today I only feel pride when I think of the kids at Boma.
They have truly risen to the opportunity and are developing into bright thinkers with good character. While the challenges outside the walls of Boma rescue will surely bring many struggles I feel so compelled to believe they will continue to strive to rise to the many occasions ahead with a light heart, passion and confidence.
Quickly I will speak about what exactly I do at Boma Rescue.
1. Home visits. I travel with one of their two social workers to the houses of the youth that are attending Boma Rescue to assess the living situation and what role the family (sometimes youth return to their homes or may live with their aunts,uncles or grandparents). Sometimes we have to travel for around 45-1hr on foot to arrive at the houses of the youth (a trip they take twice every day).
2. School visits. We have visited St.Vincent de Paul's school to check on the attendance of the youth who had passed through Boma Rescue and been sponsored to go to school. *There were about 40 at this school that had passed through Boma Rescue*. We have also visited a school that the head of Boma Rescue is on the Board of directors with and spent the day with them. This is a non formal school. Like some others I have visited, was made of scrap metal with cardboard walls. This school was also unique as it a co-op project between the families and the teachers.
3. Recreation/HAVING FUN :) Today we played the game where you have to move from one side of the field to the other with your team using only a few mats and not stepping off them as you move towards the finish line. (this may only make sense to the people who have played the game). The best part about it was we had to play with news paper pages... which were ripped into small pieces by the time teams neared the finish line and were often found blowing in the wind, adding a whole new challenge! This of course is just one of the fun activities. Tire races, tire hopping, running races, human tug-of-war, some crazy long-jump like game and make believe house play are also favorites.
4. Cultural Dance. Originally this was just straight out embarrassing. Yes, I got laughed at a lot for my inability to shake my tush and wiggle my hips in African style. But now it is one of my favorite parts of the day. The youth at Boma Rescue absolutely love dancing so I am so happy to join in and it is one very good work out!
( I guess that wasn't as quickly as you may have hoped, but believe me I could go on forever about this place and the youth)
Beautiful Child: Internally Displaced Person. Following the post election violence this AMAZING child was separated from both of his parents. He is not sure if they are alive of not but he has not been in contact with them since nor does he know where they may be. He had been homeless for 3 years and was found sleeping in a gutter.
Beautiful Child: After his mother attempted to commit suicide without success she then attempted to poison her family. The one Beautiful child discovered that his mom had poisoned their food he stopped his family from eating it. The mom has now left but before doing so threatened negative action to the child who had spotted her.
Beautiful Child: Mother has HIV and father has passed away. The fathers parents (child's grandparents) which to inherit the child (potentially for child labour).
Beautiful Child: Escaped child trafficking (being used for child labour) at the age of 5. Was also drugged by an adult around this time
Beautiful Child: Father died and mothers where abouts are unknown
Beautiful Child: Escaped child trafficking where the child was making Changa (potent type of home brew) to buy food and soda. Current (not birth) father does not accept him as his own child.
many of these children have been on the streets for 2 months to 4 years - almost all under the age of 15.
The safari (journey) which they have traveled has been marked not by merely bumps in the road but barbed wire and treacherous paths and yet they have not stoped or given up hope. I wish that they may be able to take their futures into their hands and out of the hands of medeling others and reach each of their true potentials.
please send your thoughts of compassion to these children so that they may feel the love that so many people around the world have for them- not because you pity their situation but because you are proud of all they have done.
if you wish to sponsor this program or any others that have been mentioned through my blogs please do not hesiate to let me know through confidential e-mail at erglofch@uwaterloo.ca and we will see what we an do :)
Sunday, May 22, 2011
To Delight in the Life of a Child
Three days a week my heart is re-opened to be shaken and stirred by a select group of individuals.
Each time my heart returns changed. At times for the better and at times for the worse.
Dadashe, St. Maurus, Afema are the places at which physical strengthening is facilitated and emotional well being can sprout. These three organizations cater to the youth and the families of the slims that without a doubt face the greatest struggles of all. Mentally and/or physically these children are unlike the 'normal' child. They are unlike the 'normal' child who assists in the physical livelihood of the family. Where money really does buy the pillars under which happiness may grow (medicine, food, a roof over your head) these children are seen to be of little value as their ability to provide such are slim.
Both Dadashe and Afema are therapy centers which I am working at, providing therapy to youth between the ages of 5 months to 11 years of age, along side an occupational therapist. St. Maurus is a 'special school'. While I am there I am also working along side a occupational therapist from 9:30-1:00 and from 1:00-4:00 I spend my time in the classroom assisting with what ever programing they have running or spearheading some activities on my own.
I have now been working a these facilities for two weeks, and slowing the idea of what it means to be disabled in Kenya is emerging. Early on in this journey of discovery I found myself asking; what makes a child beautiful? Where does the love for a child come from and through what can this love persevere? What role does the life of the mother play in the life of the child ('take care of yourself, take care of others')?
When I think about the relationships which I have developed and greatly cherish in Canada I think about the celebrations. What others may deem to be small achievements we recognized as huge mountain accents and celebrated as celebration was due. The things these youth accomplished were grand feats in a environment and history that continually pulled them back. Such celebrations are not alive and well here in Kenya. The reality is that the environment is more harsh and restricting for these youth and the damaging negative stigma towards these youth (and adults) seems to continue to engulf all that is life. This stigma, which I feel should be referred to as a misunderstanding, keeps these children indoors, isolated and lacking socialization. The stigma is not isolated in the youth but spreads to the whole family leaving what I see to be over 50% of mothers as single mothers, and also isolated by family, friends and neighbors.
I hope to in time write a full blog focused on the topic of religion, as it is a very powerful, governing force in Kenya. In the meantime I wish to share a few thoughts about religion as they connect to the lives of these children with disabilities and their families. As I have openly shared with many very curious people in Kenya, and I will now share with the cyber world - I do not consider myself religious nor do I tie myself to one religion. I find value in many of the teachings of religion, but I also see the damage that seems to result of religion as well, thus I choose to internalize teachings, pulling from them what I believe to be powerful positive aspects and finding a more spiritual route. Religious beliefs in Kenya are without a doubt having a negative impact on the lives of the children I am working with (I cannot say for certain that there are not some positive impacts of religion too, but to date I have not seen such things). Following the belief that God is our creator, some mothers I have the opportunity to speak intimately with relayed that children with disabilities (specifically their child with a disability) was a punishment from God. What is the reason for accepting such a belief when it is pulling a good woman down? In many cases I have seen that religion exists as a force to provide hope and promote good doing in this area, however in this case this is far from the truth.
This week my colleague at Afema embraced a new idea of mine with open arms. We will be holding a small gathering, not for therapy for the children, but for therapy for the mothers and fathers. The mothers (primarily) and fathers need to be the fighting force which believes in the success of their children and breaks down the existence of stigma. This gathering will be an opportunity for mothers to openly share the struggles they face, and the success they have had with other mothers. For mothers to find a source of support in a community which continually shuts them out. As well as an opportunity to educate the mothers on basic therapy activities and socialization. The mothers and fathers will be the changing force in the lives of the children and they need to be helped as much as their children. I will be purchasing milk for all of the families who attending this gathering (yes a bribe) because the truth is that if we do not offer something to the mothers they will not come. They are in such dire need to put food on the table that spending time on anything else to them seems insignificant and useless. I can't blame them for this (although I do see fault in this belief) and have committed to provide maize and flour next month if it means the opportunity to educate mothers.
One mother in particular that has driven me to action told me that she has lost hope in her child, she is unable to see any improvement in her child, or delight in their life - it was very clear that she felt she was at the end of the road and her care for her child was a river running dry.
On a more joyful note I had a euphoric moment this week at St. Maurus School that I am so grateful for. While sitting at the teachers table, listening to Swahili gospel music, and looking through the window. I saw nothing other than a beautiful environment where kids laughed, shared and learned. Inside the walls of St.Maurus nothing else mattered than the lives of those children and celebrating the moments we were able to share together. At that moment I happily ignored the world beyond those walls. For that moment I delighted in remaining blissfully unaware. With the departure of a German volunteer, we celebrated the moments he had shared within those walls with soda cheers, chappoo and the continuous blowing up and popping of balloons. I will in time have some pictures of this day to share with them and I promise you when you see these pictures you will wonder how someone could ever hate such a child, see them as a punishment from God or choose to shun them from their lives. Although I know we cannot ignore the world outside of those walls, for that moment it was a absolute joy to say to hell with them - lets celebrate and cherish these children as beautiful as they are.
Like a fountain may we bubble over and release the nourishing entities which fill us so that others may be flourish in their gift, knowing that again we will be filled so that again we may bubble over on the people surrounding us.
Each time my heart returns changed. At times for the better and at times for the worse.
Dadashe, St. Maurus, Afema are the places at which physical strengthening is facilitated and emotional well being can sprout. These three organizations cater to the youth and the families of the slims that without a doubt face the greatest struggles of all. Mentally and/or physically these children are unlike the 'normal' child. They are unlike the 'normal' child who assists in the physical livelihood of the family. Where money really does buy the pillars under which happiness may grow (medicine, food, a roof over your head) these children are seen to be of little value as their ability to provide such are slim.
Both Dadashe and Afema are therapy centers which I am working at, providing therapy to youth between the ages of 5 months to 11 years of age, along side an occupational therapist. St. Maurus is a 'special school'. While I am there I am also working along side a occupational therapist from 9:30-1:00 and from 1:00-4:00 I spend my time in the classroom assisting with what ever programing they have running or spearheading some activities on my own.
I have now been working a these facilities for two weeks, and slowing the idea of what it means to be disabled in Kenya is emerging. Early on in this journey of discovery I found myself asking; what makes a child beautiful? Where does the love for a child come from and through what can this love persevere? What role does the life of the mother play in the life of the child ('take care of yourself, take care of others')?
When I think about the relationships which I have developed and greatly cherish in Canada I think about the celebrations. What others may deem to be small achievements we recognized as huge mountain accents and celebrated as celebration was due. The things these youth accomplished were grand feats in a environment and history that continually pulled them back. Such celebrations are not alive and well here in Kenya. The reality is that the environment is more harsh and restricting for these youth and the damaging negative stigma towards these youth (and adults) seems to continue to engulf all that is life. This stigma, which I feel should be referred to as a misunderstanding, keeps these children indoors, isolated and lacking socialization. The stigma is not isolated in the youth but spreads to the whole family leaving what I see to be over 50% of mothers as single mothers, and also isolated by family, friends and neighbors.
I hope to in time write a full blog focused on the topic of religion, as it is a very powerful, governing force in Kenya. In the meantime I wish to share a few thoughts about religion as they connect to the lives of these children with disabilities and their families. As I have openly shared with many very curious people in Kenya, and I will now share with the cyber world - I do not consider myself religious nor do I tie myself to one religion. I find value in many of the teachings of religion, but I also see the damage that seems to result of religion as well, thus I choose to internalize teachings, pulling from them what I believe to be powerful positive aspects and finding a more spiritual route. Religious beliefs in Kenya are without a doubt having a negative impact on the lives of the children I am working with (I cannot say for certain that there are not some positive impacts of religion too, but to date I have not seen such things). Following the belief that God is our creator, some mothers I have the opportunity to speak intimately with relayed that children with disabilities (specifically their child with a disability) was a punishment from God. What is the reason for accepting such a belief when it is pulling a good woman down? In many cases I have seen that religion exists as a force to provide hope and promote good doing in this area, however in this case this is far from the truth.
This week my colleague at Afema embraced a new idea of mine with open arms. We will be holding a small gathering, not for therapy for the children, but for therapy for the mothers and fathers. The mothers (primarily) and fathers need to be the fighting force which believes in the success of their children and breaks down the existence of stigma. This gathering will be an opportunity for mothers to openly share the struggles they face, and the success they have had with other mothers. For mothers to find a source of support in a community which continually shuts them out. As well as an opportunity to educate the mothers on basic therapy activities and socialization. The mothers and fathers will be the changing force in the lives of the children and they need to be helped as much as their children. I will be purchasing milk for all of the families who attending this gathering (yes a bribe) because the truth is that if we do not offer something to the mothers they will not come. They are in such dire need to put food on the table that spending time on anything else to them seems insignificant and useless. I can't blame them for this (although I do see fault in this belief) and have committed to provide maize and flour next month if it means the opportunity to educate mothers.
One mother in particular that has driven me to action told me that she has lost hope in her child, she is unable to see any improvement in her child, or delight in their life - it was very clear that she felt she was at the end of the road and her care for her child was a river running dry.
On a more joyful note I had a euphoric moment this week at St. Maurus School that I am so grateful for. While sitting at the teachers table, listening to Swahili gospel music, and looking through the window. I saw nothing other than a beautiful environment where kids laughed, shared and learned. Inside the walls of St.Maurus nothing else mattered than the lives of those children and celebrating the moments we were able to share together. At that moment I happily ignored the world beyond those walls. For that moment I delighted in remaining blissfully unaware. With the departure of a German volunteer, we celebrated the moments he had shared within those walls with soda cheers, chappoo and the continuous blowing up and popping of balloons. I will in time have some pictures of this day to share with them and I promise you when you see these pictures you will wonder how someone could ever hate such a child, see them as a punishment from God or choose to shun them from their lives. Although I know we cannot ignore the world outside of those walls, for that moment it was a absolute joy to say to hell with them - lets celebrate and cherish these children as beautiful as they are.
Like a fountain may we bubble over and release the nourishing entities which fill us so that others may be flourish in their gift, knowing that again we will be filled so that again we may bubble over on the people surrounding us.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Mtu ni Watu 'persons are people'
this saying stands strong even when vast spaces of land divide us
the needs of people, the wants, the emotions, the friendships, the desire for love, hope and compassion
but it is amazing how differently we live out our lives
I have been able to draw so many parallels between the triumphs and defeats of the people of Kenya and the people of Canada; we our proud of our countries, strive for positive change, want to share and learn from others to better ourselves and our communities, we have areas of segregation and anger, we have youth who have negative experiences with traditional education and on wards. Yet, Kenya has opened my eyes to how our countries are in different stages of development and so very different..
Myself, Sam-antha, Sebastien (said with a french accent) and Conor have settled in the community of riverside, in the Baba Dogo slums, Kenya. This is an apartment community which would be considered one of the better off areas. Surrounding us is Kariobangi which borders us, Mathare also borders us and is home to approximately 500,000 people. With the work we do we will be traveling into all of these areas.
Education for Life's 2 offices are found in Kariobangi. They are a 20 minute walk down the main road and are on the 3rd story of a building shared with a VERY wide variety of companies, shops, and even a school, all in the midst of what seems to be a high concentration of welders *who weld with no or little protective equipment and send sparks flying into the path of passer byes*. Mathare looks like it goes on forever, it is a sight I never quite imagined.
One of the first questions we were asked by George, the organizer of Education for Life, was 'what did you think Kenya would be like?' and I don't think I ever had one clear vision of what Kenya would be like. I saw it as a diverse land of green open areas where there was beauty and freedom to roam, but lacking opportunities. In Nairobi I saw a booming area of prosperity which many people desired but few attained. In the slums I saw a slow life, with few possessions and little opportunity. My view of Kenya was shaped by movies, books, the internet and discussions. I think these things together created a fairly accurate depiction of the Kenya which I have thus far got to know. What is changing about my view of Kenya are these stories and teachings are coming to life before my eyes. I have to understand their ways, their reasons, the structure, how I fit it and where change must come and where change is already in progress.
I have already learned a lot from the short period of time I have been here. Most of this knowledge has been from observation or from my fellow co-workers at EFL. I would like to share with you some insights which I thought were very valuable (just a small hand full of all I have learned):
1. Child Laybour: trying to define child laybour in the slums of Kenya is no simplistic task. But it is rather interesting. To increase meaningful and productive young lives it is important to draw the line between work and laybour. When there is such a need for money, and where school (secondary) can be an added cost to a family it is not unusual for families to keep children out of school and put them to work instead. The definition for child laybour that is being formed is that when work takes away from a child's learning or opportunity to be a child.
2. The reality for persons with disabilities: I am sure that what I have read about online about persons with disabilities being hidden from the public, tied up, shunned and sent away to institutions is the reality of the area (although I have yet to see this with my own eyes). The amazing thing is that I have been connected to a group of parents who have children with disabilities have formed a support network together. I will be working with them so that they can understand their children's needs and how to facilitate holistic wellness with their children. I am happy to see a group of parents showing interest in bettering the lives of their disabled children. * I will be working with 3-4 different organizations, providing physical therapy to persons with disabilities - with this particular group I seem to be the only one providing this service).
3. Involving the Parents: involving the parents in the education of youth is big on the agenda of EFL and I think this is a great thing that is not often looked into. They are working towards facilitating active involvement of the parents in their youths education. This is currently no existent and because of this their is a lack of support and inspiration spread from the parents to the youth. I agree and believe that is important that not only are the youth inspired by their elders so that they can have the inspirational support network they need.
4. Empowerment: The focus of primary and secondary schools in Kenya are the basics of math, science and english.For EFL this is not enough and with their school programing (which all of us will be involved in *primarily sebastien) they strive primarily to inspire the youth to work hard achieve their dreams and break the mold. In their sessions they speak about real life. I am a huge believer that education will not go far without empowerment and I am so glad that EFL beliefs are in line with mine so well on this topic.
While I continue to learn lots I think I am continually struggling with a ying yang war between a head full of bad and a world full of good in many instances of life here in Kenya. While I know that neither will ever triumph over the other, a balance must be achieved. It is hard to trust people enough to make good friendships and connections with people outside of EFL and while I want to open up and befriend people here it is also very necessary to have a very watchful eye (for instance in some areas for work with delinquent youth in a Very low income area we have been advised to not carry anything, even of modest value with us). I want to give to the children and believe that they will respect what the share with us, but from experience we know that this relationship does not always work as we would have hoped as these children so desperately want the things we bring with us.
but for now this must be goodbye. I hope this small view into the lives of the people of the Kenya slums and the future ahead of them was helpful for you and you are excited to see my journey begining.
Again thank you for tuning in :)
goodbye for now for now from this mzungu 'white people'
with love from Kenya
the needs of people, the wants, the emotions, the friendships, the desire for love, hope and compassion
but it is amazing how differently we live out our lives
I have been able to draw so many parallels between the triumphs and defeats of the people of Kenya and the people of Canada; we our proud of our countries, strive for positive change, want to share and learn from others to better ourselves and our communities, we have areas of segregation and anger, we have youth who have negative experiences with traditional education and on wards. Yet, Kenya has opened my eyes to how our countries are in different stages of development and so very different..
Myself, Sam-antha, Sebastien (said with a french accent) and Conor have settled in the community of riverside, in the Baba Dogo slums, Kenya. This is an apartment community which would be considered one of the better off areas. Surrounding us is Kariobangi which borders us, Mathare also borders us and is home to approximately 500,000 people. With the work we do we will be traveling into all of these areas.
Education for Life's 2 offices are found in Kariobangi. They are a 20 minute walk down the main road and are on the 3rd story of a building shared with a VERY wide variety of companies, shops, and even a school, all in the midst of what seems to be a high concentration of welders *who weld with no or little protective equipment and send sparks flying into the path of passer byes*. Mathare looks like it goes on forever, it is a sight I never quite imagined.
One of the first questions we were asked by George, the organizer of Education for Life, was 'what did you think Kenya would be like?' and I don't think I ever had one clear vision of what Kenya would be like. I saw it as a diverse land of green open areas where there was beauty and freedom to roam, but lacking opportunities. In Nairobi I saw a booming area of prosperity which many people desired but few attained. In the slums I saw a slow life, with few possessions and little opportunity. My view of Kenya was shaped by movies, books, the internet and discussions. I think these things together created a fairly accurate depiction of the Kenya which I have thus far got to know. What is changing about my view of Kenya are these stories and teachings are coming to life before my eyes. I have to understand their ways, their reasons, the structure, how I fit it and where change must come and where change is already in progress.
I have already learned a lot from the short period of time I have been here. Most of this knowledge has been from observation or from my fellow co-workers at EFL. I would like to share with you some insights which I thought were very valuable (just a small hand full of all I have learned):
1. Child Laybour: trying to define child laybour in the slums of Kenya is no simplistic task. But it is rather interesting. To increase meaningful and productive young lives it is important to draw the line between work and laybour. When there is such a need for money, and where school (secondary) can be an added cost to a family it is not unusual for families to keep children out of school and put them to work instead. The definition for child laybour that is being formed is that when work takes away from a child's learning or opportunity to be a child.
2. The reality for persons with disabilities: I am sure that what I have read about online about persons with disabilities being hidden from the public, tied up, shunned and sent away to institutions is the reality of the area (although I have yet to see this with my own eyes). The amazing thing is that I have been connected to a group of parents who have children with disabilities have formed a support network together. I will be working with them so that they can understand their children's needs and how to facilitate holistic wellness with their children. I am happy to see a group of parents showing interest in bettering the lives of their disabled children. * I will be working with 3-4 different organizations, providing physical therapy to persons with disabilities - with this particular group I seem to be the only one providing this service).
3. Involving the Parents: involving the parents in the education of youth is big on the agenda of EFL and I think this is a great thing that is not often looked into. They are working towards facilitating active involvement of the parents in their youths education. This is currently no existent and because of this their is a lack of support and inspiration spread from the parents to the youth. I agree and believe that is important that not only are the youth inspired by their elders so that they can have the inspirational support network they need.
4. Empowerment: The focus of primary and secondary schools in Kenya are the basics of math, science and english.For EFL this is not enough and with their school programing (which all of us will be involved in *primarily sebastien) they strive primarily to inspire the youth to work hard achieve their dreams and break the mold. In their sessions they speak about real life. I am a huge believer that education will not go far without empowerment and I am so glad that EFL beliefs are in line with mine so well on this topic.
While I continue to learn lots I think I am continually struggling with a ying yang war between a head full of bad and a world full of good in many instances of life here in Kenya. While I know that neither will ever triumph over the other, a balance must be achieved. It is hard to trust people enough to make good friendships and connections with people outside of EFL and while I want to open up and befriend people here it is also very necessary to have a very watchful eye (for instance in some areas for work with delinquent youth in a Very low income area we have been advised to not carry anything, even of modest value with us). I want to give to the children and believe that they will respect what the share with us, but from experience we know that this relationship does not always work as we would have hoped as these children so desperately want the things we bring with us.
but for now this must be goodbye. I hope this small view into the lives of the people of the Kenya slums and the future ahead of them was helpful for you and you are excited to see my journey begining.
Again thank you for tuning in :)
goodbye for now for now from this mzungu 'white people'
with love from Kenya
Sunday, May 1, 2011
steps
is this an end or a new beginning?
I have most definitely reaching a new landmark on this journey of mine, and thus I would like to take this opportunity to do a quick recap on what has been and how I got myself to this spot.
I am impulsive, I like to dive into things (with some logic and a lot of heart) and make action happen. Thus when I applied to be in the Beyond Borders program I was doing just that... DIVING IN, again with some logic and a lot of heart. I still have no clue what part of my interview made our program director decided to accept my application. Was it my previous travel experience? My interest in helping others? My interest in working with people with disabilities and making prosthetics? I am not sure I will ever know, but I would like to think that she saw a glimpse of great potential for positive change within myself that would benefit from some direction. When I look at the other members of the program I see great diversity among us but perhaps that thread that ties us all together is the interest in developing our natural gifts and selves so that we can better serve others.
One of my fellow students once asked me (for a video he was putting together) what were three words I would use to describe the Beyond Borders program, and I think I came up with something like this...
- Connections
- Insight
- A-breath-of-fresh-air (I know not quite one word)
... looking back I might also say.... A-lot-o-hurdles (one word)
This program really has been a lot of things to myself. It's focus started on the issues of the past and some present around us in the world. While these things were complicated they were also for the most part historical fact (although in some cases intertwined with bias) and thus were easily tangible. As we continued to read through the course material, lead presentations and discuss what we had read we began to see gaps and areas of improvement both locally and abroad. These gaps seemed often vast and solutions were less tangible and hard to fathom. Following, we saw the development of red tape, not so much in the bureaucratic sense but rather red tape created by cultural norms, varying opinions, values ect. Will there ever be a solution that is acceptable to all and effective? That is hard to say, but what most people strive to find when attempting to make change.
I began to understand the world around me and value not only the 'doing' and act of making action but the value of learning and understanding the process and letting your understandings and your formation of solutions naturally evolve from the world around you. I can't deny the fact that I really do not enjoy reading about things... but I have seen its value and will strive to involve it continually in my learning process.
While this stage (which was pretty much our first term) was interesting I have a very hard time committing to it and immersing myself in it... although I knew the placement abroad which I wanted so much was riding on my mark from this course. There were a couple road blocks in my way in this stage of my journey. Firstly, was my self induced stress and lack of time. This passed fall term myself and a couple other students from uWaterloo started up a club, Right to Play, where I became the lead, during this same period of time I was working a full time job and volunteering as a coach with Special Olympics. Being busy seems to be my nature but mid way through this term I was quite aware I had overexerted myself. In the span of about 10 days I was overseeing/running Think Pink activities, the lead organizer on a fundraiser for RTP and assisting in our Beyond Borders Music for a Mission night. E GAD. I had taken on a lot of responsibilities and was in deeper than I had been for a long time. The other reason that I had a hard time committing myself to the first term of Beyond Borders class was that I didn't want to risk investing myself in a cause that I might never get to experience. I really don't fully understand my reasons for this but I think I just didn't want to get my heart broken if it didn't work out.
The second term was a term of experience and more self discovery. We spent out time volunteering and blogging primarily with some group discussions here and there. Our volunteer placements were at the working center (a place I have grown to absolutely love and respect) in various areas. I was stationed at the Queen St. Common's Cafe. I can see reasoning behind the inclusion of a local volunteer aspect of the portion: learning about stepping outside of our comfort zone.. and the now famous phrase 'getting comfortable with being uncomfortable'. I think one of the things that really sticks with me about my time with the working center is the new prospective I was given from my time there. What do you think about when you think of Kitchener? I think a lot of people, especially those who were raised in Waterloo, see Kitchener as a run down and slimy. While some of this may be due to town rivalry but i think a lot of this stems from the fact that there are a lot of people who are begging on the streets. I saw that as a bad thing as I am sure a lot of other people did... but from my volunteer time with the working center I saw this situation in a totally different way. These people are in Kitchener because they have people in Kitchener who see them as people and open their doors to them and thats a beautiful thing. I think its interesting how we judge who is deserving of love and appreciation and who is not. I started thinking about this more to while at the working center and talking to my Beyond Borders friends about my experiences and theirs. Just because people may have mad some wrong choices, been taken down the wrong path or had unfair road blocks or experiences thrust into their life doesn't make them less worthy of love and appreciation. Our worries and insecurities should not keep us from reaching out to others who are different than us.
After all, as they say in Kenya "mtu ni watu" (a person is people)
I am very in tune with my emotions and accepting and understanding of them, however looking ahead the thing that worries me most is how my low moments will be interpreted by others. I hope that like I try to be, others will understand that I have my imperfections and that makes me no less of a person.
-------------------------
on another note
-------------------------
with the help of LOTS OF AMAZING people I have not only raised the $2000.00 to the Beyond Borders program I needed to go on this international placement but I have raise an additional $1400.00 !
I am VERY proud of everyone who made a contribution and happy to say your money will go towards great things for people who are in great need.
With this additional money I have been able to purchase a bunch of sporting equipment (jerseys, balls, pumps, pillions, goalie gloves) and equipment for the rehab clinic I will be volunteering at (braces, bandages, gauze, assistive devices, tensor bandages, resistance bands). I also have received a huge pile of shoes, some rugby balls and jerseys and shirts from special olympics. I also still have $300 which I will be using where I see fit while in Kenya. I really hope that we find a great way to use these materials fairly and in a way that is as sustainable as possible.
---------------------------
on another note
---------------------------
The one thing that I am still most worried about is how I will act to the ill treatment of people who I will grow to care about or even to people that I don't know at all. As I felt before I feel as though my approach will be to empower those who are being dis-empowered to the best of my abilities rather than confront the people who are dis-empowering these persons. There will be lots of updates on this topic to come.
Flying out in 2 days :)
Cannot wait to experience the world.
See you soon Kenya
- Connections
- Insight
- A-breath-of-fresh-air (I know not quite one word)
... looking back I might also say.... A-lot-o-hurdles (one word)
This program really has been a lot of things to myself. It's focus started on the issues of the past and some present around us in the world. While these things were complicated they were also for the most part historical fact (although in some cases intertwined with bias) and thus were easily tangible. As we continued to read through the course material, lead presentations and discuss what we had read we began to see gaps and areas of improvement both locally and abroad. These gaps seemed often vast and solutions were less tangible and hard to fathom. Following, we saw the development of red tape, not so much in the bureaucratic sense but rather red tape created by cultural norms, varying opinions, values ect. Will there ever be a solution that is acceptable to all and effective? That is hard to say, but what most people strive to find when attempting to make change.
I began to understand the world around me and value not only the 'doing' and act of making action but the value of learning and understanding the process and letting your understandings and your formation of solutions naturally evolve from the world around you. I can't deny the fact that I really do not enjoy reading about things... but I have seen its value and will strive to involve it continually in my learning process.
While this stage (which was pretty much our first term) was interesting I have a very hard time committing to it and immersing myself in it... although I knew the placement abroad which I wanted so much was riding on my mark from this course. There were a couple road blocks in my way in this stage of my journey. Firstly, was my self induced stress and lack of time. This passed fall term myself and a couple other students from uWaterloo started up a club, Right to Play, where I became the lead, during this same period of time I was working a full time job and volunteering as a coach with Special Olympics. Being busy seems to be my nature but mid way through this term I was quite aware I had overexerted myself. In the span of about 10 days I was overseeing/running Think Pink activities, the lead organizer on a fundraiser for RTP and assisting in our Beyond Borders Music for a Mission night. E GAD. I had taken on a lot of responsibilities and was in deeper than I had been for a long time. The other reason that I had a hard time committing myself to the first term of Beyond Borders class was that I didn't want to risk investing myself in a cause that I might never get to experience. I really don't fully understand my reasons for this but I think I just didn't want to get my heart broken if it didn't work out.
The second term was a term of experience and more self discovery. We spent out time volunteering and blogging primarily with some group discussions here and there. Our volunteer placements were at the working center (a place I have grown to absolutely love and respect) in various areas. I was stationed at the Queen St. Common's Cafe. I can see reasoning behind the inclusion of a local volunteer aspect of the portion: learning about stepping outside of our comfort zone.. and the now famous phrase 'getting comfortable with being uncomfortable'. I think one of the things that really sticks with me about my time with the working center is the new prospective I was given from my time there. What do you think about when you think of Kitchener? I think a lot of people, especially those who were raised in Waterloo, see Kitchener as a run down and slimy. While some of this may be due to town rivalry but i think a lot of this stems from the fact that there are a lot of people who are begging on the streets. I saw that as a bad thing as I am sure a lot of other people did... but from my volunteer time with the working center I saw this situation in a totally different way. These people are in Kitchener because they have people in Kitchener who see them as people and open their doors to them and thats a beautiful thing. I think its interesting how we judge who is deserving of love and appreciation and who is not. I started thinking about this more to while at the working center and talking to my Beyond Borders friends about my experiences and theirs. Just because people may have mad some wrong choices, been taken down the wrong path or had unfair road blocks or experiences thrust into their life doesn't make them less worthy of love and appreciation. Our worries and insecurities should not keep us from reaching out to others who are different than us.
After all, as they say in Kenya "mtu ni watu" (a person is people)
I am very in tune with my emotions and accepting and understanding of them, however looking ahead the thing that worries me most is how my low moments will be interpreted by others. I hope that like I try to be, others will understand that I have my imperfections and that makes me no less of a person.
-------------------------
on another note
-------------------------
with the help of LOTS OF AMAZING people I have not only raised the $2000.00 to the Beyond Borders program I needed to go on this international placement but I have raise an additional $1400.00 !
I am VERY proud of everyone who made a contribution and happy to say your money will go towards great things for people who are in great need.
With this additional money I have been able to purchase a bunch of sporting equipment (jerseys, balls, pumps, pillions, goalie gloves) and equipment for the rehab clinic I will be volunteering at (braces, bandages, gauze, assistive devices, tensor bandages, resistance bands). I also have received a huge pile of shoes, some rugby balls and jerseys and shirts from special olympics. I also still have $300 which I will be using where I see fit while in Kenya. I really hope that we find a great way to use these materials fairly and in a way that is as sustainable as possible.
---------------------------
on another note
---------------------------
The one thing that I am still most worried about is how I will act to the ill treatment of people who I will grow to care about or even to people that I don't know at all. As I felt before I feel as though my approach will be to empower those who are being dis-empowered to the best of my abilities rather than confront the people who are dis-empowering these persons. There will be lots of updates on this topic to come.
Flying out in 2 days :)
Cannot wait to experience the world.
See you soon Kenya
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Opening Minds to Unconventional Thinking
The world is a crazy diverse place!
The issues faced by the world are complex!
Solutions don't have to be complicated although they need to be wise, carefully thought out and most of all creative!
It would surely take a much longer time than that allotted to writing one single blog to get a good idea of all of the 'development' ideas (to use a very umbrella term) that have been implemented around the world .. None the less I think it is safe to say that there have been A LOT of them. Also it is my understanding that a lot of the projects and endeavors that have a significant amount of money backing them are government funded projects. Like many government run initiatives the processes are slow and restricted by tight red tape. Whats 'safe', whats 'right' whats 'efficient' ect. These things need to be strictly adhered to in their way of operations.
Strict definitions of what is RIGHT and what is WRONG allows little room for development and growth.
I think creative spice has been missing from the development recipe for a long time and needs to be reintroduced. One such spicy man by the name of Michael Reynolds has opened his mind and in doing so created a NEW normal. He did so after the realization that houses hardly suited humans. He believes houses have become merely mass produced, bare minimum, poor quality housing units. In his mind mind there was much to be improved so that houses could begin to support humans again.
How is Michael Reynolds making a difference?
Michael is the designer of the species of houses called Earth Ships which are continually growing in popularity after after designs were halted after running into much red tape back in 2006. Earth Ships are self sustainable houses designed to live in eco-harmony. They incorporate their own solar heating (not solar panel... just straight up sunny rays), cooling, water, electricity and on site sewage systems. All of the sudden with Michael's Earth Ship your house is actually providing for you and you no longer have to work your ass off merely to live. All of the sudden you can live off the earths resources.. like good old times! go figure! Another interesting part about the design of these houses is that they use waste products which are in surplus as the main building material for the walls. Inside the walls are beer cans, car tires and water bottles! Although it does seem to take a fair bit of time to assemble an earth ship I believe it is time well spent as it takes a huge weight off the shoulders of our planet and the human. These houses strengthen the human - earth connection which has becoming increasingly distant in recent years. No longer will copious amounts of timber being used to build houses and will a power supply needed to support them. No longer will houses be dependent on the 'system' which is out of their control. I believe these houses give the power back to the people and our respect back to the environment.
Hopefully you see some promise in this unconventional thinking! :)
Hopefully you see the benefits that come from living in such a way! :)
... of course you may want to check things out a little before you agree with any of these points ... and thats fine too :) I encourage you to give it a look over for yourself. When you do so, please strip away your conventional thinking, what you consider to be your 'normal' and start asking yourself why that is your normal and is there something better out there? I agree that the Earth Ship name has a pretty 'hippie' peace and love ring to it and because of that many people may feel uncomfortable with the idea and bring pre-constructed prejudice to the table. But I think these are houses to be proud of and houses deserving of even 'professional' habitants.
Unfortunately bureaucrats were not able to open their eyes and see the Earth Ship idea without seeing all the red tape. It took numerous years of Michael to get them to see the great promise of what he was doing! years! Their issue was mainly that the buildings were not 'up to code' and thus not safe. If it were not for one lady in the bureaucracy who was able to see the power of this type of housing it would have surely taken years if not longer to have his Earth Ships allowed under building code. In Michaels long battle to have the building of Earth Ships allowed he began to gain a great deal of publicity. Interestingly enough while long debates were going on in the US about earth ships people in developing areas hit by natural disasters were quick to act - make the call - and start the building of earth ships on their land. The Earth Ship design allowed people to become self sufficient and amazingly - turn rubble into beautiful housing. Haiti is one of the areas that has received the gift of the Earth Ship design and I encourage you to learn about the success of this project by following this link : http://earthship.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=736 which will bring you to a great short video documentary.
One man was brave enough to open his mind and embrace unconventional thinking. Some were brave enough to open up to his unconventional thinking. For those who have, have felt the power of these gifts and seen good emerge from them.
Our worlds changing - in some ways for the good and in some ways for the bad.
We have to continue to change and reinvent ourselves and our practice
We have to re-evaluate our norm
I believe this must be done with Creative Unconventional Thinking
If you wish to learn more about Michael or his earth ships I suggest purchasing or downloading the video documentary "Garbage Warrior" or checking out his website http://www.earthship.org/
Thank you for your open minds.
Please share with me some unconventional ideas you have come across or some of your own! Or even spill the beans and let me know what you think about unconventional thinking!
The issues faced by the world are complex!
Solutions don't have to be complicated although they need to be wise, carefully thought out and most of all creative!
It would surely take a much longer time than that allotted to writing one single blog to get a good idea of all of the 'development' ideas (to use a very umbrella term) that have been implemented around the world .. None the less I think it is safe to say that there have been A LOT of them. Also it is my understanding that a lot of the projects and endeavors that have a significant amount of money backing them are government funded projects. Like many government run initiatives the processes are slow and restricted by tight red tape. Whats 'safe', whats 'right' whats 'efficient' ect. These things need to be strictly adhered to in their way of operations.
Strict definitions of what is RIGHT and what is WRONG allows little room for development and growth.
I think creative spice has been missing from the development recipe for a long time and needs to be reintroduced. One such spicy man by the name of Michael Reynolds has opened his mind and in doing so created a NEW normal. He did so after the realization that houses hardly suited humans. He believes houses have become merely mass produced, bare minimum, poor quality housing units. In his mind mind there was much to be improved so that houses could begin to support humans again.
How is Michael Reynolds making a difference?
Michael is the designer of the species of houses called Earth Ships which are continually growing in popularity after after designs were halted after running into much red tape back in 2006. Earth Ships are self sustainable houses designed to live in eco-harmony. They incorporate their own solar heating (not solar panel... just straight up sunny rays), cooling, water, electricity and on site sewage systems. All of the sudden with Michael's Earth Ship your house is actually providing for you and you no longer have to work your ass off merely to live. All of the sudden you can live off the earths resources.. like good old times! go figure! Another interesting part about the design of these houses is that they use waste products which are in surplus as the main building material for the walls. Inside the walls are beer cans, car tires and water bottles! Although it does seem to take a fair bit of time to assemble an earth ship I believe it is time well spent as it takes a huge weight off the shoulders of our planet and the human. These houses strengthen the human - earth connection which has becoming increasingly distant in recent years. No longer will copious amounts of timber being used to build houses and will a power supply needed to support them. No longer will houses be dependent on the 'system' which is out of their control. I believe these houses give the power back to the people and our respect back to the environment.
Hopefully you see some promise in this unconventional thinking! :)
Hopefully you see the benefits that come from living in such a way! :)
... of course you may want to check things out a little before you agree with any of these points ... and thats fine too :) I encourage you to give it a look over for yourself. When you do so, please strip away your conventional thinking, what you consider to be your 'normal' and start asking yourself why that is your normal and is there something better out there? I agree that the Earth Ship name has a pretty 'hippie' peace and love ring to it and because of that many people may feel uncomfortable with the idea and bring pre-constructed prejudice to the table. But I think these are houses to be proud of and houses deserving of even 'professional' habitants.
Unfortunately bureaucrats were not able to open their eyes and see the Earth Ship idea without seeing all the red tape. It took numerous years of Michael to get them to see the great promise of what he was doing! years! Their issue was mainly that the buildings were not 'up to code' and thus not safe. If it were not for one lady in the bureaucracy who was able to see the power of this type of housing it would have surely taken years if not longer to have his Earth Ships allowed under building code. In Michaels long battle to have the building of Earth Ships allowed he began to gain a great deal of publicity. Interestingly enough while long debates were going on in the US about earth ships people in developing areas hit by natural disasters were quick to act - make the call - and start the building of earth ships on their land. The Earth Ship design allowed people to become self sufficient and amazingly - turn rubble into beautiful housing. Haiti is one of the areas that has received the gift of the Earth Ship design and I encourage you to learn about the success of this project by following this link : http://earthship.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=736 which will bring you to a great short video documentary.
One man was brave enough to open his mind and embrace unconventional thinking. Some were brave enough to open up to his unconventional thinking. For those who have, have felt the power of these gifts and seen good emerge from them.
Our worlds changing - in some ways for the good and in some ways for the bad.
We have to continue to change and reinvent ourselves and our practice
We have to re-evaluate our norm
I believe this must be done with Creative Unconventional Thinking
If you wish to learn more about Michael or his earth ships I suggest purchasing or downloading the video documentary "Garbage Warrior" or checking out his website http://www.earthship.org/
Thank you for your open minds.
Please share with me some unconventional ideas you have come across or some of your own! Or even spill the beans and let me know what you think about unconventional thinking!
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