Simply Nirvana

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:05:20 +0300
From: “aristarchus munish”
To: nirvana@yes-us.net
Subject: Hallo

Hallo Nirvana,

I’m humbled to get this opportunity to know how you are faring. Hope all is well with you, your family, Sussie, Peggy and the rest. Back here I’m well.

You might have wondered why I’m not been communicating. I’m almost in a similar situation! Since the death of Hon. Mugabe Were, I have been in a moment of “darkness”. I simply couldn’t understand what was going on. I couldn’t put words together. I new I had a lot to share but I couldn’t have them flow as I normally do. I felt blank.

Even now, I’m not so sure I’ll be able to communicate.

Perhaps it may help to start by sharing one of my experiences lately. On 29th January I was called to give a talk on “the role of youth in peace building.” Young people had been invited from almost all the slum areas in Nairobi. The theme was: Be heard, be seen. As people gave their analysis of the situation and how felt about it, I was so moved and felt I had nothing to offer. Then after sometime I remembered one of your most powerful statements in your coaching; the degree of breakdowns is equal to the degree of breakthroughs. This has been like a memory verse to me. As I silently repeated these words, I felt new strength start engulfing me and I stood to share with them. I started by reapiting these words loudly to them and told them to close their eyes for a minute as they contemplated on these words. As they opened their eyes, I could see different faces from the ones I had watched as they shared their experiences. In tat mood, I gave them a scenario of Rwanda and told them to make an assumption that Rwanda was their father and Kenya was us (the youth). Since most of them are versant with what went on in Rwanda, they didn’t want a situation like that repeated wherever they were. I told them that as we were brought up by our parents there are some things that we wished to have but didn’t get. Our parents could not provide all we needed. And just like Rwanda, we need to learn from their mistakes and make a better future for our children. I told them engaging in violence is like repeating what our parents did (in this case like Rwanda).

At this point, they were in deeper meditations. Slowly, one by one they started asking questions. One asked “Munish, how can we forgive those who have destroyed all our property, who will compensate us?” I did not have an answer other than read to them part of an email a friend of mine sent me. It read “God made us in such a manner that when others are down, we are standing; when they stand, we standout; when they standout, we out stand; when they try to out stand, we be the standards they will use.” They all laughed and shook their heads. I added: don’t worry what others are doing, do worry whether you are doing anything to help (from the Leadership and self deception book).

Then the most crucial moment came - getting a way forward. I remembered the landmark forum lessons and what you took us through at Methodist in May last year - standing in front of a video camera and committing ourselves to the actions we would take after the workshop. I told them if they meant committing themselves to making a difference, then they should not leave the room without writing down or sharing with us what they would do after the session. Some felt bitterness in their hearts and to them I told them to write forgiveness letters to those they felt they had a grudge with. This really surprised them. For follow up, they suggested we have another meeting on the 16th February, which took place and attracted the Kenya Times media people. In this meeting, youth read out the letters they had written and it was so emotional as they made it real that they were committed to forgiving. They also invited us to the community level where they said such talks will really help in the healing and reconciliation. On the list is Dandora and Mathare.

Thank you so much for the books and the lessons.

Love,
Munish.