Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Our Bond With Kenya

by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist

Last night I commented on some of the scenes that were playing out on television immediately after Barack Obama was declared winner of our presidential election. One of the most moving scenes was of Kisumu, Kenya, where Obama's African relatives and their neighbors were joyously dancing and celebrating their American cousin's political success. It was morning in Kenya, and most had been partying around the town's only television since the previous day.

President-elect Obama's paternal step-grandmother had been at the celebration earlier and lead the group in prayer. Sarah Obama, a spry eighty-six-year-old farmer, didn't stay up dancing all night. She probably had to get home and start packing for the inauguration!

Today I heard that a neighboring village has offered up ten bulls for a feast to celebrate the good fortune of the Obama family. And there was also a story about locals decorating the grave of Barack Obama's father and chanting (in Swahili), "Obama, you have sired a King!"

The election of Barack Obama is a very big deal in the United States. It must be truly enormous in rural Kenya where his grandfather was herding goats just a few years ago. The new leader of the free world belongs to us all. May he deliver our hopes and dreams, and may he be worthy of those ten bulls in rural Kenya!

No comments: