Tuesday, September 10, 2013

September 10: We are all the same

Fundamentally we are all the same. Though our appearances are different, on the inside we all have a heart to love, a brain to think and eyes to see the world. We all have desires, needs, hopes and dreams. The want to do our best and succeed whether it’s personally or professionally. No matter who you are or where you’re from, we are all the same at the core. This is something I’ve always known.

When we first arrived in Maai Mahiu we took a walk through the city. It was something I had tried to prepare for but seeing it in person still shocked me. The homes look like slums, there was garbage everywhere from glass to plastic bags and even barbwire. There were children walking through the streets alone and dirty. It nearly broke my heart when I saw the most beautiful little girl with no shoes walking through what we, in shoes, were trying to avoid. It almost seems like everyone is just hanging around with no work. Everything and everyone seemed to be on top of one another like chaos. It was overwhelming and left me trying to catch my breath. I wondered how are we so different than the people here?

It’s been a week now and the perspective has changed. When you look harder and peel back the layers you begin to see just how similar it is to your own home. The slums no longer look like slums. The homes closer together and on top of each other are just like our town homes and small apartments. The shopkeepers are sitting outside their shops talking to their neighbours waiting for patrons. The children walking alone through the streets are nothing but smiles, happy with what they have and seem to have the community keeping an eye on them. Yes, there is still garbage all over the streets but the dirt itself, well, think back to a time when you had a summer with no rain. How dry everything was. How dusty and dirty everything felt and looked. With little rain to wash it all away you can begin to see where the feeling comes from.

Roads, shops, homes, families and community. Heart, brain and eyes. When you look at us all and peel back the surface we are all the same. For me this trip has made me see that more than ever before.

Tara Bradbury
DWC Softchoice Cares Participant
Kenya, September 2013

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