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Throughout the past couple months we have seen a new side of the American election process… from absentee voting to political conversations with a multitude of nationalities. It was no longer how a candidate would effect the community, state or country it was listening how the candidates could impact other countries and peoples all around the world as well as how they could make changes within the US. There is something very different about experiencing our electoral process from the other side of the planet! Every Kenyan you talked with spoke of Obama - and what it would be like when (not if!) he won. This country is crazy for him.
As a staff, we’ve been praying for yesterday for many, many weeks. It was strange not staying up to watch the results to come in last night. Instead, we went to bed knowing that the nation was still voting. Many woke up early to get glimpses of election results before classes began. As our fellow Americans went to bed knowing that Obama was the new president-elect we began our days (and some classes) with discussions of what the results meant and listening to various opinions regarding the outcome.
The whole experience has been like none other. The strangest part is the unique way that American politics impacted Kenyan culture. Not only the countdown to the election, but the response to the outcome as well. Tomorrow has now been declared a national holiday here in Kenya - just because Obama won! Incredible. That won’t impact the students too much as we will still have our classes and activites, but it does mean that all the Kenyan workers will not be here nor will all of the dukas (stores) in town be open. A national day of celebration for the result of the US elections!
Thinking of the celebrations that are happening here because of Obama’s win makes us realize that just the opposite could have happened had he lost. We are safe, but very aware at how volatile this beautiful land still is.
Thank you for your continued prayers…
~brooks
Comments (1)
Hello Ms. Brooks,
You made your site simple yet elegant. The pictures are a nice touch. I see that you have a strong desire to serve God. Now is a good time! I recommend the one true God, Jehovah. He has an important message for all of us: 21 YOU cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; YOU cannot be partaking of "the table of Jehovah" and the table of demons. (1Corinthians 10:21) (NWT)