Kathleen Harrison's blog

A child was kneeling in the dust on the dirt floor of the school next to Adonai Children’s Home. With head bowed her gesture was saying “thank you” for the small gift from HARAMBEE she’d chosen. Every child did the same. I asked who taught them to do this. Our host Aloysious Luswata said “It’s a sign of respect.” OK. “It dates from colonial times.” Not OK. Clearly a symbol of subjection and subservience, it made me very uncomfortable. Anthropologically correct or not, I showed an alternative and we all happily switched to a “high five” ‘til day’s end.

The following is an email received from Stephanina Kuria, who administers our projects at Upendo Village in Naivasha, Kenya. 

Lack of access to medical care is a very serious problem in many African countries, where large populations live in rural or bush areas. Some have never seen a medical caretaker; disability and death commonly occur  from medical problems considered minor or nonexistent here in the U.S.

 “Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.”
                                                      Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

Who am I before the face of God? What am I known as? How will God define me as unique and yet as one with all? What is my significant feature in the mind of God? 

    
To see this report with photos, click here

Each year of HARAMBEE’s short existence has been different from every other; flexibility & openness, after all, are gifts of being young and small.

Awhile back an acquaintance suggested that instead of doing the work of HARAMBEE, I could work in my profession full-time instead of part-time, and donate more money for Africa, thus accomplishing more in the long run.  This is logical and efficient and would work well for some.