Massai

As we leave Nairobi the air becomes breathable and the landscape abundant. Dust begins to cover the windshield as we head out to Massai country. The land is dry but the beauty of the open landscape is overwhelming. There is nothing for hundreds and hundreds of miles only sparse acacia trees and cows, and lots of them. When we arrive we are greeted by the sweetest Massai woman,their is one woman in the group who looks like she must be 100 years old, with each wrinkle showing the hardships of her nomadic life. Her ears are stretched and filled with heavy beaded earrings elongating her fragile earlobes. A permanent smile is upon my face as I sit with these wise, untouched souls. They speak of their challenges, the lack of water in their area and their concern for the young girls of their community. Many girls are being forced into marriage as young as 12 years old due to lack of any other option and the need to sustain their families. The issue of female genital mutilation arises and the desire to bring more awareness to this taboo issue. We do not speak the same language but when they touch my head I know we are communicating on a deeper level. The group gathers to sing their songs of praises for we (HUB) have come their to buy their crafts and provide a market for them.
This is a day that will forever be embedded in my soul, for the Massai represent to me a link to the past, one that has been forgotten and struggles to remain.