A policeman is riding with us. Another is in the lead van. they are looking after us really well. Simon asked if he could come to AB to help us in Cycle for Life in June. But he makes only 312.00 per month, before taxes. He would sacrifice two years of his salary, he thinks, to fly to Alberta and back. What is tragic is that he is making a reasonable living in Kenya, and has a stable job (though they are transferred every 6 months). But the cost of a liter of gasoline here is 117 cents. How they eat at all! What sobers is that we, Canadians, relatively wealthily, are here encouraging peace to and with people who have so little that it is hardly surprising that the violence erupts. Joseph asked this morning ... "who implements peace??". In the end, it is the people of Kenya to implement it, in the midst of AIDS, relentless poverty. But we are players, we are present, we cannot, as Christians anywhere pretend that we cannot or should not find ways, always, to participate with each other in the building of God's kingdom, in the saving of lives, in the hopeful improvement of how people live with each other.
Just left Nakuru. A good send off ceremony at the governors office again. The press was there doing interviews. The Peace Cops (who have the two reps riding with us) were there. They have people all over Kenya working at monitoring situations that may erupt. They welcome the participation of MCC and Lari and any peace building organization.
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