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Published: February 25th 2009
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Matthew
together with one of his camels I have just spent the last two weeks plus in Kenya. I have just spent the last six days of that time riding in the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser (aka ambulance) with a black man with whom I have laughed, cried, told jokes, prayed, and discussed politics. He is a camel herder who lives 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) from an 800-person Samburu village which is in turn a three hour drive from the nearest town of 10,000 people -- and has no paved streets.
Matthew lives in a hut built of sticks although he could afford to live in a much nicer dwelling. He has four children. The oldest is a boy who is a high school freshman at a private boarding school. His second is a girl, a first grader, also in a private boarding school. The other two are preschoolers at home with mom, dad and the young men who sleep in another hut and tend the camels during the day. He speaks six languages fluently.
Matthew is from the Rendille tribe, a group that is very friendly with the Samburu and the Masai in northern Kenya. The three tribes have totally different languages, each unintelligible to the other two, but similar customs and beliefs. His wife is Samburu and they live on the Rendille/Samburu border. There is no defined border, it’s just that everyone knows that on this side it’s Samburu and on that side it’s Rendille. No one really minds if Rendille live on the Samburu side, or vice versa, no problem it’s just where they arbitrarily draw the line.
He invited my wife and me over to his home last Friday evening to watch the camel milking. I got drawn in and actually got to milk one of the camels. Not only did it milk the camel (pretty inexpertly as it was), I was offered a cup of her milk. Delicious! I should add that I later bought a half liter (about 1 pint) of camel milk in a store in Nairobi. It was homogenized, pasteurized and totally suitable for American consumption. The resulting liquid was disappointing. I’d go back to Matthew’s camels any time.
As we progressed on our motor trip, Matthew brought up the subject of Kenya’s favorite son, Barack Obama. He, as most Kenyans, idolizes the man. He said that he was sure that America would be far more secure now that we have elected a black man.
I should probably confess at this point, that Barack Hussein Obama was not my choice as president of the United States. I had and still have reservations about his experience as a leader given his short tenure as a member of the US Senate. He is my President and as such I pray for him daily and I wish him and his (and my) country every success.
I told Matthew that I too, am very please that we, the people of the United States of America have elected a black man. I’m just not sure that President Obama is the right black man to lead our country.
As a traveler in foreign lands, particularly in Africa, I feel much safer knowing that my country’s voters have elected a black man. A couple of years ago, my wife and I travelled to Turkey and encountered a couple from the east coast of the US with a summer home near Toronto, Canada. They wore Canadian pins on their hats, clothes and backpacks so as to not be branded “Americans” by the locals.
I think that people throughout the world view us Americans differently since last November’s elections. As Matthew put it, “America has been preaching democracy for many years. Forever, America has been ruled by white men. Now we can believe it!” The implication here is that it took the election of a black man as President to prove to the world that America means what it says. Freedom is for everyone. Democracy is to be desired and strived for. Equality is possible no matter what the odds.
I still do not agree with many of the major precepts of the Obama presidency. I still do not agree with most of the planks of the Democratic Party’s platform. However, I do believe that by electing President Obama, America has gained the support of many nations that would not have otherwise supported us. I think if Al Qaida or any other terrorist group chooses to attack us, they will be met with much greater resistance and alliances from countries and peoples than had we elected a white President.
Is Barack Obama my President? Absolutely! Will I pray for him? Absolutely! Do I consider him a god? Absolutely not! Will I follow him unconditionally? No! Does he deserve my support as an American citizen? Absolutely! Will I always agree with him? Probably not. Will I agree with and support his policies which not agree with my views? No! That is my right and my obligation as an American.
However, is he my President? Absolutely! Will I pray for him and for his success in leading our nation? Absolutely!
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Jennie
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Sounds like all is well there we look at all of your entries and can't wait to hear more. Love you both and miss you lots. see you soon Love you Jennie