JOURNEY OF A PEACE WORKER

Tribalism is pervasive.  It controls our behavior It overrides reason  It makes us feel better than others Violence and wars are tribalism  Genocide is tribalism  Religious extremism is tribalism Bigotry is tribalism They wipe out other groups  To keep our group safe – 'tis madness.  In Kenya's land, a tale unfolds Of perversity, a poisonous hold Tribalism grips the nation tight A curse that blinds, a plight The people once united, now divide Along lines of tribe, a deadly tide Their differences, a wedge so wide A chasm that cannot be glossed The air is thick with hatred's stench As tribes turn against each other's trench Their cries for justice drowned in blood A never-ending cycle of flood Their leaders, once united in hope Now fractured, each one a scope For power and wealth, they'll do and say To keep their grip, night and day The people suffer, lose, and afraid Caught in the crossfire, they're betrayed Their rights and freedoms, denied and oppr...

It was a bright morning in 2006 when I boarded a Cebu Pacific flight from Davao to Cebu City. It was only my second trip outside Davao since I arrived in the Philippines a year earlier for an international development assignment. My destination was Dumaguete City where a workshop at Silliman University awaited. The prospect of reconnecting with fellow development workers some of whom I had not seen in months filled me with genuine excitement. The flight itself felt special. The crew greeted us with warm smiles and soon we were soaring above Mindanao’s lush hills and winding rivers. From my window seat I watched long stretches of white sand and caught sight of Bohol’s Chocolate Hills in the distance. In that quiet moment I felt completely present. When I landed in Cebu, I chose a scenic countryside bus ride to Dumaguete rather than a boat. The journey was long, so I drifted in and out of sleep until a gentle tap on my shoulder stirred me. A soft voice then asked “Hey you look new he...

Fall 2013 is a season I return to often in my memory—not because everything was easy, but because everything was real. That semester, I left the comfort of theory-driven classrooms and stepped into Gulu, Northern Uganda, a place still carrying the scars of a brutal conflict. I arrived with an open mind and a head full of peacebuilding theories, but I didn’t yet understand how different lived experience would be from what I had studied. Arriving in Gulu: When Theory Meets Humanity Before traveling, I had read about the Lord’s Resistance Army and the years of violence and displacement that followed. But nothing prepares you for meeting the people who lived through it—the mothers rebuilding homes, the young men seeking identity after war, and the elders trying to reweave their communities. Gulu changed me. Everyone I met carried a story of loss, but also a level of resilience that humbled me. They didn’t speak about theory; they lived it. And I quickly realized that my peacebuilding...

Dear Florence, Colleagues, Apologies for this long email. From the distance, it is the least I can do to mourn and celebrate Doreen Ruto. I learnt of Doreen's passing with a deep sense of loss and sadness. It is a truly confounding loss: for her family, country, and professional colleagues around the world.  I extend my condolences to all her work colleagues, friends and family. I particularly convey my sympathy to her children Biko and Kiptoo. Their pain and bewilderment must be profound. May we all embrace them with supportive care. I got to know Doreen in early 2008 when she called me on phone and introduced herself. At the time Kenya was in the throes of the unprecedented post-2007 elections crisis and violence. Working out of the Serena Hotel for most of that period, I was part of a group of Kenyans who quickly came together under the banner of Concerned Citizens for Peace (CCP) to try whatever we could do to pull the country back from the precipice. During that season ...

My personal leadership vision My leadership development plan is based on the reflection of my leadership competencies analyzed through feedback from colleagues and friends. There are obviously some areas that I am strong, areas that I need to improve, and opportunities for development that are coupled with my career development. In my view leadership at the individual and interpersonal level involves leading people and ethics is important. Servant leadership is my working theory of leadership as I consider both people and ethics. From this standpoint, I will describe my plan based on my values, traits, attributes, behaviors, and competencies that are compatible with this frame of leadership. My ideal leadership is more than the position that I am seeking for in my organization, CRS. I believe it requires a willingness to sacrifice for others, model, motivate, mentor, and multiply others. It is also a relationship of influence, to keep a team together and is based on trust, respe...

Have you ever wondered what life will be like when you turn 40? Well, let me share what’s happening to me right now. People say that when you hit your 40s, you start looking at your life with a new perspective, questioning the choices you’ve made. And let me tell you—it’s true. Suddenly, you start measuring your life not just by your job, family, or what you’ve accomplished, but by what you haven’t done. It’s like waking up and asking yourself, *“Is this it?”* Now that I’m 41, retirement is on my mind. Nineteen years to go until I hang up my hat—can you believe it? But here’s the catch: I feel like I haven’t even built the life I dreamed of yet. Sometimes, it feels like it’s too late to start something new, and I catch myself regretting the things I didn’t pursue—the dreams of becoming successful, known, or influential. Yes, I’ve traveled the world, built a respectable career, and raised a family. Yet there’s this lingering feeling that somehow, it’s not enough.   When I was y...