On the theme of FEAR

Dandora slum youth group

Are you one of those blessed souls that slip instantly and easily into lala-land each night when you hit the pillow and then makes it through the recommended 8 hours in a state of unconscious bliss, waking refreshed and bright eyes to the new morrow? 

Or, are you one prone to bouts of ceiling gazing and fretfulness? 

....that would be me 

So, I'm curious...what is it about 3am that makes the mind think it can behave with such blatant disregard for ones mental health and decide to take one up onto the high wire of worry in the wee small hours?

When the night-vultures come to perch on the high-rise buildings of your inner life, they seem impossible to scare away. And even when you ask them what the heck they are doing trespassing at such an ungodly hour, they just hunch their shoulders further and dig their claws deeper for better purchase.

Worries come in a variety of disguises and some don't bother dressing up at all, they just shout in your face. But the weird thing is they all think it's ok to swoop in and hassle you when you're well off your guard and obviously undefended. Why don't they gang up on you some other time when you're more prepared and have mates and lovers around to playfully distract you. But oh no, they come to rob you of sleep, wobble your heart and generally get you all flustered up....it's just not cricket.

And now I'm ready to mention my theme word....FEAR. My mother told me it was a sin to worry and be fearful. But it didn't stop her being one of the biggest worrier I ever met.

So, I've been asking myself today, how do we get worry under control?

I can worry myself sick about global warming or no end of issues, great or small. My mind is an awesome bit of kit which loves to be overactive, just because it can, but it only serves me well if I keep it at peace and under control. It needs to be helped to slow down and learn to be at rest.

I was once amazed by a 5 year old girl I was working with in play therapy when she stopped one day and said, 'My head is like a tree full of noisy monkeys and sometimes I just have to yell at them and tell them to shut-up and stop. And then I can get some rest'

Two days ago we arrived back in Kenya, this time for a whole year. And there is much to do. The needs are great wherever you look and we have to learn to use our time well; to be an asset not a hindrance. We will be working on farms and in slums, with tea pickers, rose pickers and those living in extreme poverty on less than 1$ a day.

Dandora slum is built alongside Nairobi's City rubbish dump!

Two young entrepreneurs 

The needs here could cripple your very soul.....60% of Nairobi's population of approx 4 million live in slums that cover only 1.5% of the city's available land; 94% of all these slum dwellers do not have access to toilets or fresh water; child mortality rates in the slums is 15% (150 out of every 1,000 children die in the slums) this is compared to a shocking 6 in every 1,000 in the rest of Nairobi. In Kibera, Kenya's largest slum, there are 250 houses per hectare, home to an estimated population of 500,000 people.




Enough to keep one awake at night? But what use is fear if it isn't used as fuel for the journey. The journey towards hope and prosperity of body, mind and spirit.

And that's what the work of Emerging Leaders is all about. We're here to bring HOPE in any way we can. Change doesn't come about through tears, worry or forelock tugging. It calls for action.

Braam Malherb, the extreme adventurer says, "Live a purpose driven life. Train yourself to dream. Focus on Gratitude and DO LOVE"

...Love is an action word

- JB

One Maasai lady gets into action making & selling her bags