Veronika’s Place
It was a balmy day. The sky was grey,
very typical of a Nairobi winter day. No wind, a little cool, and the slight stench
from the nearby dump.
I along with my travel companions depart
from our bus, and we are greeted by mostly women, there are men and children in
the crowd. My hand is taken, and I spin like a ballerina. In fact we are all
dancing by now. Our hosts are singing in Swahili and in English. We walk to the
center of the grounds where we are seated as the guest of honor.
A presentation begins. A child seven
years old stands, I’ve seen him before. He says that he is alive because of us,
the visitors. He looks strong and healthy, just as a young seven year old boy
should look.
Then three ladies act in a skit, showing
the emotions one goes through: Beginning with going to the Testing Center; Receiving
a positive HIV diagnosis; Getting shamed and hit after sharing the news to her
husband; and finally, The compassion from a social worker, and the acceptance
from these strong women that have experience a similar sequence of events.
After the words of gratitude, we are
given an opportunity to hand out some food, talk one on one with the people,
and learn about each other. I shared about my own struggle in my world, and we
find common ground. We are one, hungry, sometimes alone in our hopelessness,
but comforted within communion with each other.
Our Need
Poverty
shows itself in various ways. I often remember my mom telling me we are rich in
spirit when I asked as a child if we were poor. Poor by my standards meant that
I didn’t get to enroll in gymnastics or that I didn’t get new clothes all the
time. I always had something to eat and I did get a proper public education.
I see
remarkable similarities in the human spirit with myself and the people I have met
in Africa. However, there is a stark difference. I have never seen poverty as
it is in the slums of Nairobi. The unfortunate reality is that this poverty has
deathly consequences. While I was ashamed in having ratty shoes, I see a child,
a little boy wearing girl’s sandals; and tormented by my own frustration with
my work, there is a mother without a means to feed her children, sell her only
possession only to be given HIV/AIDS in return.
We are the
richest nation and if we cannot solve our own problems with poverty, how in the
world can we help a child 9,000 miles away, on the other side of the globe.
I really
believe we can do so much more and banning together is our only hope. This is a
lesson I have learned through Veronika’s Place.
Veronika’s
Place not only provides food on a monthly basis, but people go for support,
council, education, and most importantly, for hope. Hope allows one to continue
the journey that is laid out before them and fight the necessary fight to
survive.
Race 4 Veronika’s Place is born
We have
struggled to collect funds to continue the food distribution for Veronika’s
Place. With droughts in East Africa, food prices soar. With the economy
tanking, people give far less.
Last year we
were given a gift. We became an official charity of the ASICS LA Marathon and
praise God; we were able to fundraise the annual budget for food to be given to
Veronika’s Place.
It is not an
easy task. First we must look for runners or walkers that will put their own
body to the physical task of training several months for a race. In addition, we
then ask them to find sponsors, and ask for money, truly an emotional and
humbling task. This is usually uncomfortable for everyone, including me.
Sometimes we
find a person that will do one or the other, but rarely do we find someone
willing to do both. However, that is where the magic happens. Last year we had
25 people join Race 4 Veronika’s Place and collected nearly $35,000. This gave us peace of mind that there would
be food to the recipients of Veronika’s Place for one more year!
I have a dream
I wish there
was a way to eradicate disease. I wish there was a way to eradicate hunger. I
become hopeful that soon there will be no need to Race 4 Veronika’s Place. But
I fear that I will not see this desired outcome in this life. And while I am
still here, perhaps my calling is to bring an awareness to those around me of the
conditions that no one should have to experience.
Race 4
Veronika’s Place not only promotes life in Africa, but here in my neighborhood.
I am helping myself by maintain a training routine. My husband holds me
accountable and gets me out so we can walk together. When I feel tired, I know
there is someone more tired. When I am hungry, I know there is someone
hungrier. When I have a difficult day, I know that there is some that is having
a more difficult day. My perception has widened and I find myself being more
than my struggle.
We all struggle
with disease and poverty, figuratively or literally. But perhaps you are one of
the few that is not affected by disease or poverty, walk in the streets in LA
and you are thrown into life with illness, brokenness, and hunger.
What is your
reaction? How are you meant to respond? That is a very personal decision and
there are many opportunities near and far. I would like to offer a challenge,
more than running a marathon, more than asking a friend to give monetarily. I
challenge you to leave this world better off because you are here. To touch at
least one person that may have a need only you can support.
To live in
the richest nation, in varying personal resources, we all have the ability to offer
support to one person, and I am not just talking about money. I know that my
own perspective is rich simply because I have looked outside myself. I have had
the benefit to look outside my country. I have been given the opportunity to
look outside my comfort zone. I to struggle, but I make my life work because I
have the support from people that care and continue to remind me that they
care, whether it be a text, a note, a flower, a meal together or a smile.
This human
connection helps me to move forward in my daily struggle. I do what I do
because I have people that lift me up and help me do the impossible. I do what
I do because a child 9,000 miles knows that he too has someone to lift him up
to do the impossible. You have more power that you know and even the smallest
act can turn a life on.
Thank you for reading. Happy Martin Luther King Jr Day.
If you can
sponsor our runners and walkers of Race 4 Veronika’s Place, please visit our
webpage:
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