It has been a week since we pedaled into Tacoma. To be honest with you, I miss our cycling gig. There was something about the routine of oatmeal, pitstops, looking at maps, setting up the tent, and daily trips to the grocery store that was appealing-although probably unsustainable. This past week has been a bit of a whirlwind for me as I catch up on all that I have neglected over the past month.
There were several themes that emerged for me as a result of the trip, most notably what it means to accommodate and actively welcome the stranger. We encountered individuals who perfected this ability, and others who were paralyzed by the thought of deviating from their norm. I don’t think that American culture lends itself well to shaping interactions that allow us to engage the unexpected. I know that for me, I will pay much closer attention to the strangers in my own midst…among friends and family, through my job, through church, through schools, and the broader community. This trip also helped me understand that the only way to understand what it means to embrace the outsider is to put ourselves in situations where we are the outsider, leaving us more attentive and raising the urgency in how we interact with others.
I also can’t ignore the privilege that we experienced throughout the trip. To me, it represented a delicate intersection of a hobby/personal interest/fun and our commitment to an amazing group of leaders and kids in Nairobi. Often times, dad and I thought about the wind/rain/challenges as elements that we could escape if we needed to…we had a way out. For many, this is not the case. The only way to proceed is to push on harder and further, not knowing what obstacles lie ahead. I cannot fathom the fatigue and frustration that this might bring.
Finally, I look back at this trip as a true testament of what it means to come together as a supportive global community around important issues. Financially, we doubled our initial goal and raised $12,440 to sustain the work of Dagoretti 4 Kids. Many of you also sent text messages, emails and blog comments that encouraged us in this venture. According to the blog statistics, we had between 100-300 people looking at the blog daily. This is not because of my thoughtful writing via ipod, but rather your collective ability to embrace an organization in Kenya who to many of you is seen as a stranger. As I look at the people involved with the trip, I am struck by the diverse perspectives, backgrounds and commitments that have allowed you to enter into this joint venture.
On behalf of myself, Mandy, Reuben, dad, and the leaders and kids of Dagoretti 4 Kids, we leave you with the only gift that we can offer in return: gratitude.
Please keep in touch!
Peace,
joel
Great trip. Thanks for writing. I can’t feel it like you do, but I definitely sense something from your words.
Welcoming the stranger, even to acknowledge the stranger in our midst, is a great insight.
God bless Kenya!
Hi Joel! It’s been great reading about your journey!
I wanted to let you know that I am reading something right now for my independent study on college students and politics that links to what you wrote about regarding “strangers” in America. Harry Boyte’s “Everyday Politics” makes the argument that society’s privatization has hurt politics because we’re all conditioned to be fearful of the stranger; so, instead of learning how to negotiate our differences with diverse others, we are increasingly relying on interactions with people with which we have things in common. Thought you’d be interested.
Glad to hear you made it through – congratulations!!