Letter from the Executive Director - January 2020

Why We Do What We Do

Does anyone ever do anything from pure motives?  I think not. Purity would require a person to know him or herself much better than the average person does, AND then to override the muddled morass of one’s feelings, biases, and ego needs.  Perhaps it’s best to say we can only work to be more conscious and aligned with our better selves.  

Why did I go to Kenya for the first time?  I went because someone invited me to go. I went because my personality craves the adrenaline of the next adventure.  I went because I imagined meeting people in “need”, and I am guaranteed to learn more about the world and myself from their mirror.  I also went because power and privilege are largely indifferent to the suffering of those without power. That truth impedes the spiritual evolution of the human family.  

​Why do I keep going back to Kenya, and remain committed to taking others on the journey?  Well, I go because I have a love affair going with our school directors and the children in our schools.  I go because too many white-faced people arrived in Africa as takers, not givers. I go because every year too many tourists come without any real exposure to the plight of the average person.  I go because talent requires opportunity, and opportunity requires each one of us to do our part.

How would I summarize my motivation for traveling to another part of the world, and offering myself to the needed work?  I don’t know. It’s hard to summarize. It’s not really guilt. It’s not any illusion that I can save another person. It’s more a conviction – that every human being is responsible for creating a future that pulls hard for the underdog.  If we ALL gave our mixed motives to that project, can you imagine how much joy and hope would be unleashed?