Emily G.: After 12 days of work, exploration and warm welcomes, the first set of AYP Seva Safari participants have packed to depart Kenya. We'll take with us a strong sense of how impactful yoga can be on communities and individuals and the importance of personal action. A common theme of the experience was "if not us [leading the change], then who?" And it's one that will continue to be asked in our home communities.
As flights leave for everywhere from Ottawa to Austin, I'm especially excited about the opportunity to:
- Practice with Baptiste-trained AYP instructors in their local neighborhoods and homes;
- Learn how to mud and cement with the best of 'em to create a safe Kibera community space with Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO);
- Play "Yogi Says" with students at the Kibera School for Girls, another SHOFCO project;
- Dance with acrobats and yoga teachers at a Saturday AYP class at Sarakasi Dome led by Paige and Wapi Wapi crew choreographer Billy;
- Pick abandoned elephants to adopt at the Shedrick Wildlife Trust;
- Practice yoga under the stars in a Masai village in Amboseli Park;
- See the reactions of Bead the Change women when they learned that AYP was giving them their own motorcycle for deliveries and medical care;
- Acknowledge group members' contributions on the work site and our adventures with the very Kenyan "Ugali Awards" (because, just as a meal isn't a meal without ugali, the trip wouldn't have been the same without each of the 17 contributors).
The trip closed with us discussing our gratitude toward AYP teachers, seva safari organizers, and Paige as a leader. Contributions to AYP--whether they be in the form of administrative help, funds, or airline miles--are still needed. The power of non-violent communication has only begun to be realized in Nariobi thanks to AYP, and I couldn't be more excited for what comes next. Until next year...
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