Always in my Heart

by Suzzanne Pautler

En route to the school which supports girls rescued from their tribe, the Necessary Arts team admired the peaceful landscape of the Maasai; the cattle, the fields, the colors of a morning just waking up. Upon our arrival, a few hours of performance work ensued, with the girls acting quite shyly.  Though in the end, a few girls took a risk and volunteered to share their monologues, describing a pivotal moment in their lives.

One dear girl explained the heartbreak she felt when she and her one year old brother were separated. She had acted as his caretaker and mother since his birth and she did not want to let him go.  Rather than allowing the sadness to consume her, she made a conscious effort to look for the positive in the situation; the positive being that her baby brother will receive total care and will live in a safer environment.  Although she misses him every day, he is always in her heart.  She is optimistic they will reunite one day.

Upon our departure, a protest took place between the Maasai and the police over a road that has yet to be built, despite years of promises.  The demonstration took place across the highway, stopping cars from moving in either direction. It lasted for 6 hours, but we were delayed by only 3 hours.  All around our van were trucks full of goats, police military, and pedestrians going about their business.  As I sat there, I recollected the peaceful morning.  What happened to that image?  How did the day change so quickly? No matter, I cannot allow the inconvenience of the protest to be my final memory of today’s visit. 

Two of the objectives of the Reach the Unreachable project are to promote personal development through creative expression and to promote successful communication in the English language. The girls achieved both objectives today through the monologue project. The students shared that they feel strong, secure, and brave while standing in front of a crowd. Their self-confidence is strengthening, while empowering them to realize their full potential. Let this be my final memory of today’s experience, while keeping the girls always in my heart.