The good news is . . .

. . . I won't be killing any birds. The bad news is that I'm not going to Kenya at all. As the uncertainty of Kenya's immediate future grows and the country continues in its downward spiral, my postponement has turned into a full-blown cancelation as Dustin and I have decided the factor of uncertainty makes Kenya too risky at this point in time. While we feel we could make it to Mpala safely, the question of Kenya's stability (or lack thereof) in the weeks/months to come is reason enough to avoid going all together. Kenya has shown signs of improvement over the past few days, and things had been looking promising for my trip tomorrow. The crisis, however, has escalated once again. Too many ups and downs . . . too uncertain. The chances for a military coup or civil war may be slim, but they do exist as long as two very influential and heavily supported leaders claim to be president and refuse to works towards a peaceful, unselfish resolution.

It's a bummer. It truly is. The fact that I can't go to Kenya, which was supposed to be one of the continent's most stable democracies, because people are killing one another is simply sad. I feel for Kenya. I still want to go, but now not for research - rather in an effort to provide relief to the hundreds of thousands displaced by tribalism and violence. I'm sorry that I've given up on going, because it feels like I've given up on Kenya; it feels like I've give up on hope.

But I haven't. I still hope for peace in Kenya, and will continue to do so every day until it is realized.

---

---