Pace, Power and Providence

Pace, Power and Provision

On Saturday, we enjoyed the Night of Champions Track event in Nairobi. It was the first international track meet that Kenya has ever hosted and drew some of the top runners from all over the continent. Although supported by Tusker (Kenya's equivalent to Budweiser), it was a big step for Nairobi as event planners have historically stayed away from large events at night because of the potential for violence. I have never seen anything like it before...they were hauling! 3:40 for the 1500 and 7:40 for the 3000 meter races. Can you imaging the kind of pace that one would have to maintain to do that? It's interesting to think about where sports have come from and where they have taken us. With illegal enhancers in the Olympics, the Tour de France and just about every major sporting league, one can argue that we are wasting our time and resources on such events. Our night under the lights was a refreshing example of how athletes can compete on behalf of a family, a tribe and a collective nation to share a talent with others, to overcome adversity and to combat the lies of unethical competition.

We have had several interesting conversations lately around some of the cultural differences of Kenya and the states. It has allowed us to understand a bit more about how to interpret cues from others, which areas to be sensitive to when interacting with Kenyans and has highlighted some things that many of us have never been forced to think about. In particular, I was drawn to an interesting conversation around the role of power in establishing independence. Let me explain. It is no secret over here that most western nations are independent in nature. We like space, freedom, fences and oppose carpools, sharing rooms and cell phones and sitting in the seat next to someone when there are others that will allow us to be further apart. Where did this mentality come from? The Native Americans didn't think this way, neither do some minority groups. It was brought to my attention that independence can often be equated with a certain amount of power. When one develops enough power, he or she does not feel the need to rely on others, to create a communal voice or to represent others in his or her opinion. I remember during the first day of classes when we were instructed how to contribute to classroom discussions by using statements like, “I feel that” or “I think that” as a way to make others feel comfortable, to not generalize on behalf of others and to make a clear distinction that it was my opinion that I was sharing. Even last week at a conference with 50-60 African leaders, I often heard the terms “we” and “us”. It was a collective plea for power, in community. The next time you are offended because someone uses you as a guinea pig and speaks on behalf of a collective, consider the implications. Most of the time, you can say, “I think...” but with that comes an understanding that you have somehow acquired the power to represent yourself...independently.

Yesterday morning, Mandy, Gideon and I sat down for 4 hours and spoke about what we were seeing and hearing as we begin to create a vision for our time in Kenya. It has almost been a month already! Our conversation was a reality check in that there is a lot to do, that American long range plans and agendas do not work over here and that our goal is to be adamant about finding ways to fill niches that exist in serving the least, last and lost of this community. In the context that I come from, there is an organization serving all of the needs that you could think of. Not to say that there aren't problems, but it is often not because of a lack of people trying. If you want to start something new, you find a specific area that you can dig into and stay focused. Well, let me welcome you to Kenya, where niches are enormous, needs are prevalent and all organizations do a little of everything. In some ways, this is daunting, while in others it is empowering. Gideon has a warm heart for this area and his gentle spirit has allowed him to encounter an array of people that will allow him to further his ministry. As we look ahead, we will be focusing on putting some structures in place that will allow CTM Nairobi to succeed in its mission to serve leaders in the slums, to raise up a generation of youth that can tell their story in a world that doesn't want to hear it and help mainstream churches and organizations see the value of those that are working in extremely difficult places...where the pay sucks, where the outcomes are often never seen and where it takes work to see Joy. We ask for provision in discerning these questions.

Peace,

joel