So it’s just under a month before I leave for my once in a life time trip and I feel so overwhelmed and happy it’s hard to put it into words.
I have wanted to go volunteering for about 5 years, and although I have travelled to many countries I have never been able to afford the £1g plus trips that are available. So I thank God for the lives and blessed souls of those at Platform 2 who are making the dreams of young people reality.
I am going to Kisumu in Kenya for 10 weeks to volunteer at a school. I will be teaching English and Arts and also developing the infrastructure of the school through construction and painting. Good thing I’m a DIY whizz!!! I will also be learning about Kenyan culture, living and the problems they face. I will be living with the other volunteers so I’ll learn to share, be humble and truly love, I trust. And I will hopefully get to interview and talk to loads of adults and children from Kenya.
God tells us in the Quran that this world is a resting place for us. And what a beautiful world He has created but what an ugly nation we have become. Harsh words, but they bear so much truth. We (and I don’t mean me and you) as a human race have truly worked (consciously and unconsciously) to help ruin the world as we know it.
And the saddest thing is us in the west do the most damage but our brothers in the developing world bear the burden of our mess. And that is simply an injustice. Now let me give you an example. In Kenya, where I will be going there has been draughts for over three years. Now it’s funny, because in England probably the most talked of issue is the weather. We complain when it rains, snows, is hot, and is cold. And ironically our climate causes nothing more than some floods here and there and transport delays. Now I don’t mean to play down British weather but it could be worse. When countries in the West have natural disasters, and I know we do and I feel for everyone who has lost a loved one or home in these conditions but fortunately being in the west means money is poured into developing lives quickly. Poorer nations can’t and sometimes sadly just won’t put in the same resources. So the burden and disaster is greater.
In countries like Kenya the weather is imperative to livelihood. Literally. Most people live on agriculture and farming. If there is no rain, there are no crops to grow. No crops means nothing to feed the cattle or trade. Cattle starve and eat up whatever is left of vegetation in the fields. Once the cattle dies for many people their sole source of income dies with it. Nothing to trade means no money. No money means no education for the children of the future. No money also means no food. No healthcare. Death.
The disturbing thing about this is that in a country like Kenya they emit about 0.3% of the carbon emissions in the atmosphere. In the UK we emit about 10% and in America the figure is doubled at approximately 20%. The more carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere t, the more the earth’s core heats up and the more the climate changes and causes natural disasters. In effect the two ‘superpowers’ of the west emit 100 times more than Kenya yet Kenyans suffer every day due to our waste. If that’s not injustice, I don’t know what is. And it’s more of an injustice because we can and should control it better.
There are so many areas that need to be developed in this world. And yes while I don’t want to make anyone feel guilty for being blessed I just want us all to take a look at ourselves and our lives and realise how fortunate we are. It’s all good comparing yourself to the celebrity or millionaire or whoever but why not compare yourself to the millions who live on £1 a day and less. Why not compare yourself to those who have no access to health care. No access to clean water or water at all. Whose infant mortality rates are 1 in ten. Whose prospects of ever seeing the kind of money we live on in a year, in their lifetime, is next to no chance. Then think about the little you could do to make a difference.
God so loved us that He gave us all we have. I don’t believe this world was meant to be perfect but we should always strive to prefect our actions, no matter how farfetched that aim. Let’s be grateful and do a truly Godly act and share. And if we can’t share lets reduce.
Turn off the light when you leave the room. Even if you’re just going to the toilet. It will cost you nothing but costs others so much more. Don’t leave your laptop on all night to die out or worse yet plugged in. Turn off all your appliances at night. Ride a bike rather than drive short distances. Recycle everything you possibly can. And just be more conscious of the effects of your actions.
Do everything in love.
I will continue to blog while I am out there, though this will be limited to weekly posts as I have to travel to Nairobi for net access.
I really hope and pray this trip does what I want it to. I want to feed my mind spiritually and mentally. I want to learn about development and really helping to make poverty history. And most importantly I want to see if this trip will give me the courage to alter my career plans and go into development law which God has shown me my heart seems to be moving in.
Peace and Love to you all.
