Reflecting on Eldoret

There are literally a billion things to write about and I have my mind going 200 directions, so I'll try to keep this post organized.  I returned to Nairobi on Thursday night after spending about a week and a half in Eldoret and a small town called Iten, which is really close to Eldoret.
While in Eldoret, I stayed at the nyumbani (kiswahili for home) of my friends Kevin and Felix.  Leaving those two was the first time it hit me--I'm really going to struggle when I return to the States.  I realized and reflected on how much I love it here in Kenya and how many authentic friendships I've made.

In Eldoret (Eldy) I helped out with an organization called A-STEP, which stands for Africa Sports and Talents Empowerment Program.  Essentially it's a group of young adults who have started an organization to utilize the talents of young people and use them to empower themselves and their communities.  These young people I worked with have a vision for their homes, communities, and their country.  It was remarkable to see.  In 2007, after the election, violence broke out throughout Kenya, but especially in Eldoret.  Many families are still recovering after their homes were burned and their loved ones were killed.  A-STEP unites young adults from different tribes (who were fighting against each other) and they play in the same football (soccer) league together.  Kids who have been taught not to hang around the kids from other tribes are now playing together.  It's a really cool thing to be a part of.

Perhaps the most share-worthy story from my time in Eldy is that of Timothy, the man who founded A-STEP.  He spent the early part of his life growing up in the slums of Nairobi, not far from where I type this.  He was raised by his mother, and spent a lot of his time in the slum living near the largest trash dump in Nairobi, where he sifted through trash each day to find food to eat.  When I heard this it really shocked me--just one week before I rode a motorcycle past that very trash dump and watched speechlessly as many people searched for food and other things of value.  Meeting Timothy, I could immediately put a face and a story with the heartbreak I felt driving past that trash dump.
But Timothy's story continued--in 2007, he became a victim of the post-election violence that broke out in Eldoret.  Because of the dangers around, most of his neighbors left their homes for a safer place, but Timothy was taking care of his sick mother.  They were trapped in their house as their next-door neighbors house burned down, but Timothy refused to leave his mom alone.  Unfortunately, his mother ran out of medication and there was no way of getting it to her because of the violence outside, so Timothy lost his mother in 2007.

Given his story, it's no surprise that Timothy has poured his heart into A-STEP.  He is a product of youth empowerment, and his own life has been affected by tribal wars in Kenya.  United youths from various tribes and empowering them through sports to support their communities is a passion of Timothy's, and it was an incredible experience to be a part of.