02 May 99
Subject:
Dear Friends and Family,
This past Friday, April 30th, Bill and I celebrated our one year
anniversary in Maua (we have been in Kenya for 14+ months but for 2
months we were taking Ki-Swahili in Nairobi). Wow! has time passed
quickly. In many ways it seems much shorter than one year and in
other ways it seems like we have been here a very long time.
Today we met very close Kenyan friends for lunch and had a most
fascinating visit with them. We talked about numerous topics that
literally spanned the globe. But a few things they shared were
particularly enlightening to us. One thing Bill had asked about was
who was responsible for keeping the roads repaired. All major roads
in the country, including roads through towns, are the responsibility
of the federal government. Many roads here are in horrible shape with
so many potholes that driving these roads is like driving a slalom
course. There is one area near where we met our friends that is the
major road in a city of 100,000 people and it is horrendous. Bill and
I have always wondered why some of the businesses a long that road did
not get together to at least smooth the road a bit. When we asked
about that we were told that a large company did spend quite a large
sum of money fixing the road and ended up in a court case. They were
sued for more taxes and told if they could spend money like that why
didn't they feed the street children. As we talked it became apparent
if you do good in public your motives are questions and you are in
trouble with the local and/or national politicians. Our friend often
feeds the street boys in the community in which he lives and this act
of kindness usually has him followed by the Special Forces, questioned
and bullied for this type of behavior. Our friend has been asked if
he thinks he is better than other people or what political office is
he running for. His home is on a small dirt road that he has always
worked on so that it remains open during the rainy season. On many
occasions he has been questioned about his motives in doing such a
thing.
Since we arrived we have wondered why so few Kenyan's reach out to
those in need. Certainly there are many people we know who do help,
but the average person in our area does not. We better understand
after our conversation this afternoon. It is tragic when corruption
is encouraged and helping others is discouraged. Please pray for
those who do good and for those who try to prevent them from doing
good.
This past Fri. when I came home from work and a particularly difficult
and challenging week, I plopped in a chair and picked up the Time
Magazine to relax. The cover of Time had the picture of two normal
American teenagers with the caption, "The Monsters Next Door". I had
not read nor heard about the Littleton, CO tragedy so I had no idea
what happened until I had read several pages. I am certain you have
heard far too much about the incident and are more than ready to let
it rest. I tossed down the magazine in utter dismay. I then picked
up the Nation, the Kenya newspaper we read. On the front page was the
story of a man married to two women. He had been living with his
second wife when he decided to take his first wife back into his home.
The second wife clubbed to death five children of the first wife and
two of her own and then set them and herself on fire killing 8. The
Kosovo nightmare continues with stories that leave you nauseated. The
world seems so filled with hate and anger.
I began to think of the sociology classes I recently taught. One of
the points I had made was that "monsters" are a product of the society
not their own creation or their families. When we had talked about
values, national values, I had pushed the students not to just give
words that really have no meaning but values that are actually lived
out in the lives of the people here. After they had given me some
values they asked me "Sister Jerri, what are American values"? My
message about "real" values was still ringing in my ears. There are
values I would have mentioned one year ago but they no longer fit ---
like honesty and trust (but obviously if we don't expect that from our
leadership we can't really say we hold it as a national value).
Individualism, freedom, and materialism were three I could name. As I
sat in my living room staring at the Time Magazine I wondered if one
of our values, most fought after value, was the right to own a gun,
and what that would mean in the long run.
I know I'm walking on dangerous ground right now because Bill and I
know such incredible people ---- you ---- who care in so many ways and
hold and live out values that would make anyone stand proud. So I
probably "preaching to the choir"!!!!!
Much of the TV that is here in Kenya is from America. We are shocked
and disgusted by what is shown here. Do you have any idea how much
influence America has everywhere in the world. The world is watching.
The world that so often has very few freedoms, whose governments are
corrupt and dishonest, where the majority of the population doesn't
matter and are treated accordingly. A world that rewards corruption
and punishes good. They are watching America because they hope we
play the game differently because we seem to be the best bet and if we
do, maybe someday, some way they will. (Aren't you glad I'm through
teaching sociology????)
Thank you for your emails, your support, your love and your prayers.
Please continue to pray for my father, Paul. Please continue to work
for values that fight hate and anger with the only weapon we have,
LOVE.
God is love,
Jerri and Bill
You can answer this letter at
savuto@MAF.org
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