Machakos School for the Deaf

Like I mentioned in the previous post, we are in Machakos. This past week was spent improving our Kenyan Sign Language, meeting children, meeting teachers, and learning about the education system of Kenyan, especially as it relates to the education of the deaf.

I mentioned earlier that we would staying in Machakos for two weeks. Well, the plans have changed --at least for Kristiann and me. We are going back to Loitokitok on Monday to join our fellow math and science volunteers. The Peace Corps will be sending a car for us Monday morning. I am excited to be reunited with the other volunteers. It is amazing how quickly we all bonded. But I guess it is expected, seeing how we have to travel to Kenya by ourselves. There was no Peace Corps staff to accompany us.

My time in Machakos has been wonderful. The children are full of so much joy. They have big hearts and made us feel very welcomed. This is why, when asked, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?", Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. . ." These children have made no assumptions about us, they welcome us with open arms, and are just so happy to be alive. They are not yet corrupted by the world. It really lifts your spirits being with such loving children. Even with sweaters with large holes and worn out shoes, these children wear beautiful bright smiles. They almost seem to know really what matters in the world: taking care of people (not to be confused with "person," namely one's self).

I know there are some people confused about me leaving my phd program to teach children in a developing nation. I'm going to try to explain it here:

I received my bachelors in 2006 and my master's in 2008. I started my phd when I was only 24. Because of this, I received a lot of praise from family and friends. But after a friend of mine was killed in a car wreck, I was slapped into reality. . . The reality being that I, and everyone else for that matter, is not guaranteed a tomorrow. Think about it; if all my goals are for the future, I'm not living in the now. If something happens to me, I wasted my whole life trying to achieve something that now seems pointless and superficial. I looked back on my friend's life and thought that he had an amazing life. He was kind, loving, and caring, and his life was proof of this. I thought about my own funeral. What would people say: "Beau sure was smart. He started his masters by age 21 and his phd by age 23."

You let everyone know what is important to you, not by what you say, but by how you live. My life told everyone that I really cared about mathematics and statistics. I was talking to my friend Sarah about this one day. She has worked with me for the past 6 or 7 years at a camp for children of all abilities, and more recently at a pre-school. So she knows more than anyone else that I love children more than anything. I told her that I didn't want people to say that I was smart at my funeral. She that I was being ridiculous because of all the work I have done with children, and my wanting to do more. I agreed that people know what kind of people I am. But I realized that my entire life needs to be a billboard displaying what is at the core of my heart.

I think ultimately, the decision to leave school to help a developing nation was due to a new understanding. People don't try to get to heaven and end up slipping and going to hell. People choose to be with their Father in heaven or they choose not to be. I will try to make it a little clearer. In the Lord's prayer, we ask for the "Lord's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven." There people who flat out do not want to earth to be like heaven. They want the flashy car. They don't want to take care of their neighbor. They look the other way when someone is in need. Therefore heaven is not a place they would enjoy. I don't think that hell will be a fiery furnace, not exactly at least. It is written that the flames of passion (and desires) will be fanned out of control (metaphor, even though some churches don't see it this way). I see God saying, "you want to live for yourself, and put yourself first? . . . ok, I will give you your own place. There everyone will be at odds trying to acquire superficial things and go after superficial desires. "

I also knew I had to pick one. . . . . Do I continue pursuing a peice of paper, then live a life of my own? Or do I listen to my Father and dedicate my life to something greater than myself?

Also, I knew I couldn't ride the fence on following Christ. I couldn't profess God with my lips and then deny him with my life. I can't pick and choose which teachings of Jesus to follow and which ones to ignore. Please don't think I putting a certain group of people down. This is just how I felt. I knew I had to decide once and for all to follow Christ with all of my heart, soul, and life, or not to follow Him.

This is how I came to choose to dedicate my life to serving people and my Father. I'm not sure what is after Peace Corps, but I'm not going to concern myself with that right now.

I hope this helps. I know that I will be just teaching math and science at a secondary school in Kilifi, but this will provide opportunities to preach the gospel by my actions and life. As St Francis of Assisi put it, "Preach the gospel alway, and if necessary, use words."

I hope this wasn't too scattered. I am not good at organizing my thoughts as they come.