Endangered Beauty

“I Scarce Can Take It In,” the line from that beautiful old hymn, “How Great Thou Art,” keeps running through my head. As soon as one leaves the bustling streets of Nairobi, there is almost an inescapable connection to nature in this country. There’s the beautiful slopes of Mt. Kenya, the rolling foothills that have a range of their own (which is where I live), pastoral deserts in the northeast, the 2nd largest freshwater lake in the world in the west, a breathtaking coastline in the east, and the vegetation is usually lush and green wherever you go: tea plantations, rice fields, banana trees, flowers everywhere. One is surrounded.

I was especially overcome by it when I went on a field trip with my students to Hell’s Gate and Mt Kenya National Parks. Hell’s Gate, so named for its geothermal hot springs and volcanic rock formations, provided us with a terrific hike. Through rocky streams, narrow crevices, and slippery foot holdings, we made our way to the springs (where you can boil an egg in the water) and the obsidian caves. We couldn’t imagine this being anyone’s hell when we made our final ascent and took in the gorgeous view.

At the foot of Mt. Kenya was an educational center called the William Holden Wildlife Reserve. I was proud that this effort is in partnership with a center in the states founded by the above named man who was a documentary film-maker who couldn’t take in the beauty of the wildlife without also doing something to preserve it. It serves as a wildlife refuge for rare species, among these: the white rhino, the water bongo (a type of gazelle with a unique coat that poacher’s like), and the albino zebras. We spotted all of these on our game drive. Possibly more impressive was the center itself. It stood as an example of sustainability- as in, nothing used there went to waste. They had solar panels for electricity, bio-fuel for gas, an organic garden for food, composting everywhere… In fact our human waste didn’t even go to waste, as it was converted to make fertilizer for the flower garden! The kids also learned how to set up similar projects in their own schools. I’m excited that we’re putting what we learned into practice this week by starting a charcoal making project using all organic materials.

All the beauty, but I can’t help but feel a tension in Kenya currently: between development and tradition, consumerism and conservation. As Kenya is “coming up” as they say, there is question over whether its culture and environment will be preserved, or whether the propensity towards materialism will reign. The education, then, at the center, was for the children to take stock and appreciate what they have so as to do their part to protect it. Unfortunately, we don’t usually appreciate what we have until its gone. It’ll be up to these kids to have a voice.

Our guide throughout the center talked about interconnection, a new English word for most of the students: that our actions in one place inevitably affect another. I wish our country would talk more about that concept, and admit our sins of making countries suffer around the world due to our consumption. And I hope and pray that the generally sustainable ways of life here (like growing your own food in organic gardens, walking most places) will remain and not be tempted towards our example. Nature is a powerful force that has the ability to truly unify us. We can all experience it. Hear God talking…if we will only listen…

I’m definitely feeling a clock winding down to the end of my time here. So much is special and different, that I’m doing my best to stay rooted. Taking walks during sunrise and sunset has definitely helped. Simply “Be-ing” as this YAV program continually reinforces is a tremendous gift when it’s in such awe-inspiring beauty.