“Happily, we do the work.” 

-Lailah Gifty Akita, Beautiful Quotes 

Today we visited Gracious School in Huruma. Jeff and I have been there on each trip to Kenya with the Africa Yoga Project. The project has done many things to support Gracious including building a new school in 2014. Gracious is a school with no electricity, but it has so much light inside of it. The children that fill the classrooms, the teachers, the spirit. This year the classrooms needed an update, fresh paint on the walls, blackboards painted, some skylight's put in and toilets built.

Our Seva Safari team, Skill in Action, arrived this morning ready to work. Samson, the organizer of the service project divided us up, gave us tasks and brushes and we began. It was inspiring to work in a space that is so important to me. Teacher Happiness, the head master was so excited to see us. She is full of energy and inspires the students to set goal, intentions, to vision and to dream.

We finished the first coats of paint and will return tomorrow for more.

During dinner this evening we debriefed the first day of service. For some, being in Huruma, which is an informal settlement, was overwhelming because the needs of the community seem vast. We discussed how a school can change a community and I was reminded of an organizing tool that we talk about in Dismantling Racism work. We talk about moving from the inside out. Work with who is aligned with you and then ripple out into the community. Gracious is the center, or heart and the community is changed for the good because of the presence of the school and the Africa Yoga Project.

I am inspired by my team, they are some of the most compassionate people I know. Full of heart.