So much, So amazing, So Fortunate.....

One of the last things I said to Margaret after a tremendous and long day, " I am not sure we are worthy of this" and I mean it.

The recount of this day will begin with the end first. Being in the presence of greatness is a hard thing, then being validated for something you are doing even more amazing. After 4 years of delivering this program, we realized that we have never sat down and had dinner with Beatrice, the principle of St. Al's. She is an amazing woman who takes it all with stride and believes in the work of serving these students at the highest level from the deepest aspect of her core. Just being around her makes you realize that she is greatness and is making a difference in every one of these students' lives. She said to use, "I do not only serve as their principle and teacher, I also serve as their mother or father at times", she also said, it is sometimes important to unlock their issues with them before teaching or you aren't getting anything to sink in. This woman is fantastic and wise. In addition to being a successful teacher and principle, she is a wife and a mom to 3 ranging from age 11 to 9 months. She makes it all work well and balanced. She does it with grace.

As we sat at dinner we reflected on our 4 years with her thus far, our shortcomings, excitements, challenges, changes, and successes. She looked at us and said to us, you have changed peoples lives for the better through this work. You gave them a way to share and embrace something that makes them special; you help set them apart from others and you give them something that is so important to them. You give them something that is all theirs, their own creations. I looked at her and hoped that we were doing this. She also said something that made me realize that they look at this program as so much more than the 2 weeks we are here. They use this as a distinguishing aspect of their school, they can say that have an art program, although we are intensive for 2 weeks, they have a set time weekly to do continued exploration of their learnings with a teacher sponsor. Its called art club and has been in place since the day after our first year in 2008 and has continued ever since. She validated for us that what we are going is the right thing and that she wants us to continue. I am so moved, I am not sure we are worthy of these amazing gifts of being here with these beautiful students and taking part in their lives. This is when I am sure of a higher power, what ever that is. We even found out that one of the graduates and the St. Al's are working to get accepted to the Buro Buro Institute of Fine Art. The only art school in Kenya. One of our kids may go to art school and it started with this program. We cannot believe it.

Before Dinner and after class we went to hear a Kenyan Artist, Jay Patel, speak this afternoon at the Kouna Trust. He has had his art on display for 6 weeks at the gallery at Kouna that the students will be displaying starting on August 18. His work was of photos of the human condition and the acts of violence that is so part of the human condition. The unique element is that he used artist models, the wooden ones that you find in art stores that you can move and stand how you set them as he did in acts of violence. The interesting thing was that without the true human, but a model in the act of murder or violence, you were able to be disarmed by the pictures because the models seem so innocent until you are taking in the whole picture and you are a bit frozen by its reality. This all was spurred on by his 11 years in the US studying at Indiana where post 9/11 he was often accosted and told to go back to where he came from, and sometimes by non americans at this location. He is a Kenyan of Indian descent. This work exemplifies the violence in humanity. A very humble and shy man, extremely talented in the form of expressive story telling art as well as beautiful non violent themed photos. A great man and an art show of impact.

So lastly and most importantly today's class. Something that we discovered today is that since we are seeing this smaller group of 26 students 4 hours a day, this is equivalent to 4 weeks of classes. We normally teach each form 1-4 an hour a day for 2 weeks. Forms 1-4 is equivalent to freshman through seniors. As I said yesterday, this process is going so smoothly and when we arrived, the students had set up class and so where already well into creating. We started with our daily 7 minute meditation and then continued with more landscapes of the mind and use of color. It was great to watch everyone continue to develop. It is the most amazing thing that I have ever seen. Margaret and I put the canvass boards along the window frames of the room so you could span the room and take it all in and it was overwhelming. This students have done in a mere 4 days what it takes other students a semester, if not much much longer. They are intent in their work, they are focused, they ask lots of questions, seek feedback, look frustrated when they don't understand so you know they need you and are in a mode of exploration that is explosive. The energy in this room is enough to power the school. It could be cut by a knife. They learn from each other, they ask for guidance, they listen and they are present in a way that is unreal. This came clear to me when at dinner with Beatrice when she said to us that they anxiously await our arrival, they know that they are fortunate that we are there and want to get the most out of it. it is so obvious.

After we mediated with classical music at the start of class, I let the music continue with classical and its really enjoyable. Today I was bored with it so put other music from my collection on, some more fun and singable music. The students lightened up with this music and just started to sing as they were painting. It was so moving to witness this transformation. When a song came on that they really enjoyed, they reacted in their voice or movement. It was like magic. It was so exciting to see them intertwine their art creation with music. We paint along with the students so they see us work through some of the complex issues of the mediums and they also saw us sing and bop a little as well. The chuckle at us as the too sang and bopped, they are so warm and comfortable.

As I reflect on today and a few other statements Beatrice said, it is nice to know we are on the track and we feel this way too; she said "you feel like you want to do as much as possible for these students knowing how harsh their home lives and backgrounds are, some with no parents, some alone with people caring for them that are not their family, some that have more responsibility than adults" It never feels like we are doing enough, especially after you experience how happy, hopeful and engaged they all are. She also stated that we are showing them that they have something that is only possessed by them, there ability to create something that is uniquely their own. Giving them a voice through art.

With full hearts for the fortunate ability we have to be part of these beautiful students' lives.

Be well,

Charles and Margaret

ps--for those that were about to FedEx Margaret a round brush, no worries, the pharmacy finally got a supply in. She has a brush, I cannot wait to see how her hair looks tomorrow-smile.