Our final day in Nairobi has arrived. Before this day ends, our group of 10 who flew out of Atlanta 12 days ago will board our fight to Amsterdam and head for home.
I believe it was Stephen Covey who once wrote that the four basic human needs are: to survive, to learn, to love, and to leave a legacy. I believe we have done all that ... and more. We also have all been reminded that the best things in life aren't things. That was proven to me very early in the planning process when I first began working with my co-team leader DGE Connie Spark (D-7390). For the past seven months, she and I have worked six to eight hours
a day (and sometimes more) for at least five days a week to put this project together, including an hour (or two) each day, collaborating on the phone. I'm sure those who know us would agree that we are both very strong personalities, yet in all of that time, not a single cross word passed between us. I feel very blessed to have worked with Connie and I hope we will do many more projects together.
A heartfelt THANK YOU to my long-time friend Peter Sotheran, who threw himself into this project and did such a great job of arranging our hotel accommodations, ground transportation, daily lunches at the campsites, and many more nitty-gritty details.
There are many more people who deserve special thanks and we'll do that privately. Meanwhile, there's one more day to take in the sights and sounds of Nairobi before we fly out tonight. Some of the group will head downtown for a bit of last-minute shopping. For me, it will be one last Rotary meeting to attend at noon, after which I think I'll have enough make-ups to last for the rest of the year.
I don't think any of us will ever eat another sandwich without remembering lunchtime in the camp at Mukuru. Try as we might to find a secluded spot to take a quick lunch break, we could never escape the hungry gazes of the little ones who typically get only one meal a day. Tired and famished as we were, we couldn't bring ourselves to eat in front of them, so many of us gave away at least part of ou
r lunches and contented ourselves with sneaking bits of granola bars when no one was looking. I found one wee tyke eating toothpaste after her dental check-up and slipped her a granola bar, too, which was mowed down in an instant.
Students from the vocational school across the road brought us steaming cups of chai tea and sweet pastries every morning. For some reason, those didn't appeal to the children, so we enjoyed them without feeling guilty.
Many times I wished we could have brought along a supply of soccer balls. Surely I could have found a tire pump somewhere to inflate them and what a wonderful novelty that would have been ! Kids here enjoy playing soccer and in the absence of real soccer balls, a wadded up bundle of old plastic bags tied up with strips of cloth becomes a make-shift ball. Unfortunately, we can't do everything that needs doing here, so perhaps this time it was enough to come and do what we do best.
I must take a moment to apologize to friends and family for not bringing home any souvenirs to share. All of you know me well, so it should come as no surprise that I have spent all my free time here networking and "Rotarizing" rather than shopping. Opportunities like this don't come around every day and I will find other ways to repay your many kindesses and magnanimous support.
To my second family, the Rotary club of Marietta Metro, and my extended family in District 6900, a thousand thanks for making this mission possible. I hope we made you proud!
Now we must say "Asante sana" Nairobi. Thanks for the beautiful memories, warm hospitality, treasured friendships and special times of fellowship and service together. Mission accomplished; it's time to go home.
I believe it was Stephen Covey who once wrote that the four basic human needs are: to survive, to learn, to love, and to leave a legacy. I believe we have done all that ... and more. We also have all been reminded that the best things in life aren't things. That was proven to me very early in the planning process when I first began working with my co-team leader DGE Connie Spark (D-7390). For the past seven months, she and I have worked six to eight hours
a day (and sometimes more) for at least five days a week to put this project together, including an hour (or two) each day, collaborating on the phone. I'm sure those who know us would agree that we are both very strong personalities, yet in all of that time, not a single cross word passed between us. I feel very blessed to have worked with Connie and I hope we will do many more projects together.A heartfelt THANK YOU to my long-time friend Peter Sotheran, who threw himself into this project and did such a great job of arranging our hotel accommodations, ground transportation, daily lunches at the campsites, and many more nitty-gritty details.
There are many more people who deserve special thanks and we'll do that privately. Meanwhile, there's one more day to take in the sights and sounds of Nairobi before we fly out tonight. Some of the group will head downtown for a bit of last-minute shopping. For me, it will be one last Rotary meeting to attend at noon, after which I think I'll have enough make-ups to last for the rest of the year.
I don't think any of us will ever eat another sandwich without remembering lunchtime in the camp at Mukuru. Try as we might to find a secluded spot to take a quick lunch break, we could never escape the hungry gazes of the little ones who typically get only one meal a day. Tired and famished as we were, we couldn't bring ourselves to eat in front of them, so many of us gave away at least part of ou
r lunches and contented ourselves with sneaking bits of granola bars when no one was looking. I found one wee tyke eating toothpaste after her dental check-up and slipped her a granola bar, too, which was mowed down in an instant.Students from the vocational school across the road brought us steaming cups of chai tea and sweet pastries every morning. For some reason, those didn't appeal to the children, so we enjoyed them without feeling guilty.
Many times I wished we could have brought along a supply of soccer balls. Surely I could have found a tire pump somewhere to inflate them and what a wonderful novelty that would have been ! Kids here enjoy playing soccer and in the absence of real soccer balls, a wadded up bundle of old plastic bags tied up with strips of cloth becomes a make-shift ball. Unfortunately, we can't do everything that needs doing here, so perhaps this time it was enough to come and do what we do best.
I must take a moment to apologize to friends and family for not bringing home any souvenirs to share. All of you know me well, so it should come as no surprise that I have spent all my free time here networking and "Rotarizing" rather than shopping. Opportunities like this don't come around every day and I will find other ways to repay your many kindesses and magnanimous support.
To my second family, the Rotary club of Marietta Metro, and my extended family in District 6900, a thousand thanks for making this mission possible. I hope we made you proud!
Now we must say "Asante sana" Nairobi. Thanks for the beautiful memories, warm hospitality, treasured friendships and special times of fellowship and service together. Mission accomplished; it's time to go home.
