i don't know why its been difficult for me to come back to this blog, to share my heart about whats going on in kenya presently... maybe its because it was such a powerful platform for me to share my journey there, my experiences, and my journey back here... and now i'm seeing everything i experienced unravel and get lost in the chaos plaguing the country. it is so painful to watch.
julius's brother was murdered - its all over the news, the first politician who has been targeted since the post-election violence began. now he's making his way to kenya to bury his brother and try to bring the rest of his family to safety. how do you help in a situation like that? its not just julius's family who is hurting, there have been around 900 deaths since all of this started and hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their home. the country i consider my second home is in flames with mobs swinging machetes and tear gas and screaming.
i feel like i'm trapped in one of those dreams where you try and scream and its just silent. why won't the leaders in kenya just do something to fix this... enough talking about the supposed peace talks... just do something, do it for real.
i can't explain the heartache that soulfari kenya, as an organization and as a family, is experiencing right now. i'm trying to keep the soulfari kenya blog going and more information about julius, his family, and the situation in kenya can be found here. SFK will also be using all donations collected thru february to help the welfare of the were family, so please donate if you are able to.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Kenya's Growing Pains: A Note from SFK's Executive Director
Do you remember having growing pains as a kid? I remember lying in my bed at night, legs aching so badly I couldn't sleep. The pain never lasted long, but it reminded me that my body was becoming an adult, full, it's whole self.
This is the only way I can view the current violence and aching in Kenya. Relatively, they are still a new country, only recently playing by their own rules, not the colonist's. The rules are set, a few people are not playing by them, and the masses suffer. I won't go on about the details. As of this morning, a second rally of protest has been stifled by the police and Kibaki is softening toward a recount. Transparency of this recount is the only thing that will ease Kenyans back to their daily lives. The media source I am following is BBC radio and internet. They are actually interviewing Kenyans, not just showing the "slum-dwellers" running amok as Kenya is "convulsed".
I talked for a long time with Julius on the phone last night. He, like the rest of us, is helpless to do anything tangible for our friends and family in Kenya. He spoke with passion about the situation, and I listened and asked my questions like a good sister, like a good executive director. Emmanuel and the kids are OK. They are in Dandora, a predominantly Kikuyu (Kibaki) slum and they are essentially Luo (opposition). Shops are closed, there is no transport, they are staying indoors. Florence is a sister living upcountry, closer to Uganda. There is even police presence there, in the country. She lives in a predominantly Luo area and reports Kikuyu's fleeing into Uganda. Other friends and family members are OK. I am not concerned about the Missionaries of Charity. They have built a fortress of a compound and can lock the 15 foot gate anytime. I am more concerned about Villa Teag in Dandora. The kids are safe inside, but I don't know about Zaria and the workers who usually come and go and do not actually live there.
As an organization, Soulfari Kenya will move through this with our Kenyan friends. We are in this for the long haul. None of our work is in vain. Meaningful relationships are never in vain. The trip for July 2008 is still on. We will make a final decision in April when it is time to purchase airfare. One week of political turmoil does not change the personal friendships we have forged with Nelson, Kym, Kwame, Gloria, the kids of Huruma, Emmanuel, Franci, Mary, and Kevin, Helen, Pamela, Salim etc etc.
In this present moment, money won't help. Shops are closed. But there will be some rebuilding to do. We want to be able to help in this process. If you are interested in donating specifically to rebuild the livelihood of our Kenyan partners, let us know. Meanwhile, you can also purchase a beautiful calendar created for Soulfari, filled with the faces and service that define us. Hang one where you will see it every day, to be reminded of the growing pains of our Kenyan friends, that it will pass, that there is health, hope, and happiness around the corner. You can order it here.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and concerns. Continue to be informed, and hopeful.
Josie Mai
Executive Director and Founder
Soulfari Kenya Inc
This is the only way I can view the current violence and aching in Kenya. Relatively, they are still a new country, only recently playing by their own rules, not the colonist's. The rules are set, a few people are not playing by them, and the masses suffer. I won't go on about the details. As of this morning, a second rally of protest has been stifled by the police and Kibaki is softening toward a recount. Transparency of this recount is the only thing that will ease Kenyans back to their daily lives. The media source I am following is BBC radio and internet. They are actually interviewing Kenyans, not just showing the "slum-dwellers" running amok as Kenya is "convulsed".
I talked for a long time with Julius on the phone last night. He, like the rest of us, is helpless to do anything tangible for our friends and family in Kenya. He spoke with passion about the situation, and I listened and asked my questions like a good sister, like a good executive director. Emmanuel and the kids are OK. They are in Dandora, a predominantly Kikuyu (Kibaki) slum and they are essentially Luo (opposition). Shops are closed, there is no transport, they are staying indoors. Florence is a sister living upcountry, closer to Uganda. There is even police presence there, in the country. She lives in a predominantly Luo area and reports Kikuyu's fleeing into Uganda. Other friends and family members are OK. I am not concerned about the Missionaries of Charity. They have built a fortress of a compound and can lock the 15 foot gate anytime. I am more concerned about Villa Teag in Dandora. The kids are safe inside, but I don't know about Zaria and the workers who usually come and go and do not actually live there.
As an organization, Soulfari Kenya will move through this with our Kenyan friends. We are in this for the long haul. None of our work is in vain. Meaningful relationships are never in vain. The trip for July 2008 is still on. We will make a final decision in April when it is time to purchase airfare. One week of political turmoil does not change the personal friendships we have forged with Nelson, Kym, Kwame, Gloria, the kids of Huruma, Emmanuel, Franci, Mary, and Kevin, Helen, Pamela, Salim etc etc.
In this present moment, money won't help. Shops are closed. But there will be some rebuilding to do. We want to be able to help in this process. If you are interested in donating specifically to rebuild the livelihood of our Kenyan partners, let us know. Meanwhile, you can also purchase a beautiful calendar created for Soulfari, filled with the faces and service that define us. Hang one where you will see it every day, to be reminded of the growing pains of our Kenyan friends, that it will pass, that there is health, hope, and happiness around the corner. You can order it here.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and concerns. Continue to be informed, and hopeful.
Josie Mai
Executive Director and Founder
Soulfari Kenya Inc
Thursday, January 3, 2008
without words.
i've been trying to begin a post for the past several days, but there are truly no words to describe the way i'm feeling now. as i watch the violence in kenya continue from my television screen, i worry for my friends. thankfully, along with the other travlers and soulfari kenya founders, we have managed to make contact with several of them, but still... we find ourselves unsettled. knowing they're ok now is a blessing and a relief, but during a time when things seem so chaotic, it is difficult to remain content. i am always waiting and watching for more news, or for another email to appear assuring me of their safety. please keep the people of kenya in your thoughts. i hope if you are not familiar with the situation there, you'll do some reading and view the pictures...i've posted some links below to get you started.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
face.africa 2007-2008
the 2007-2008 face.africa show opens next week! join us for the opening reception and prepare to be blown away by another amazing set of portraits. this time, all of the artists are high school students from the missouri fine arts academy and wow... their work is incredible. read some of the recent press regarding the event here.
this portraits from this show, along with the 2006-2007 face.africa portraits have been published in books and you can purchase both online here and here. each book displays full color copies of the original portraits.
with the holiday season here, we hope you'll consider purchasing the face.africa books as gifts for your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. in addition to raising money for soulfari kenya, we hope each book sold will raise awareness and make these beautiful faces a little more tangible for each person who stares back at them.
with the holiday season here, we hope you'll consider purchasing the face.africa books as gifts for your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. in addition to raising money for soulfari kenya, we hope each book sold will raise awareness and make these beautiful faces a little more tangible for each person who stares back at them.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
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