This article is written by Guest Writer Steve – Head of Media at Home Of Transformation – H.O.T., Nairobi, Kenya.
I’m excited to introduce you to Steve; our new weekly KENYAN Guest Author.
Steve grew up as an adopted child (You can read his BIO at the base of this article) and knows firsthand what it is like to grow up without encouragement.
He is set to change Kenya. To change Africa. To change the world.
Please read this article he wrote exclusively for Exploramum.com.
We have chosen to commit long-term to support Steve as he sets to mentor Kenyan youths and also as he seeks to establish a Kenyan Orphanage, and we hope you will join us with partnering with him in the future too.
His wisdom, encouragement, and motivation are astounding.
When people forget who they are
Not so long ago, I was honored with a volunteer opportunity at a mentorship camp for adolescent Kenyan boys.
During the camp we taught the boys all they needed to know as they transitioned from being boys and into men.
During this time, there is an observation that caught my attention and that I am compelled to talk about today.
Some mentors decided to gang up against the financial controller, who they believed was too strict on them. For the sake of privacy I will call this financial controller Mary. In that moment of rage, these mentors talked negatively about the looks, smile and even speech of Mary. Unfortunately, they never stopped at that: they went ahead to talk about her son who also happened to be at the mentorship camp. Since his habits and character resembled that of a girl, they talked of him looking “gayish” and blamed it all on his Mom/Mum.
Yes, it is unbelievable that these fully grown adults decided to talk ill about a boy they were supposed to mentor.
For a moment, they forgot they were mentors who were supposed to work on every boy’s weaknesses, to help them leave the camp as better men. All they did was to magnify and laugh at a very innocent boy’s struggles only because they hated his Mom/Mum.
At that moment, I stopped and thought about the many times our attentions have always been diverted from sticking to who we are.
These times are often due to anger and strife among opinionated people.
In this case, it happened between the mentors, and Mary. It is, however, something that happens on a daily basis.
Here are some examples of how this occurs
Ateacher will get angry at a stubborn student and call such a student “stupid”, when she is supposed to be helping him be less “stupid”.
A doctor could also get angry at a poor restless patient and refuse to attend to him in time when such a doctor is obliged to avoid “discrimination” when handling patients. It is almost certain that we often have to ‘massage’ a person’s ego for us to get what is meant to be ours.
In Africa, the best example is some of the city council employees who would openly take bribes from businessmen and women (regardless of these businesses complying with the regulations stipulated in the law.) They forget that they are the guardians of morals. Making them angry would attract more fines and harassment, so they use their position of power without caring for those they are there to help within the capacity of their employment position.
I wish people would never deem their minds from constantly remembering who they really are even amidst adversities.
If that happened, then everyone would be able to ensure that work is done appropriately. Just as Martin Luther King Jnr. once said, “if you are called to work as a street sweeper, do it so well that after you die, everyone will pause and say ‘here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’.”
Don’t leave any trash of hate along the way as you sweep your way through life to greater heights of success.
Avoid bribes, talking ill about peers, or just being careless with the job you have been entrusted with.
Live an honourable life, and remember you are an example to others and you will be remembered long after you are gone.
Leave a positive impact on the lives you touch, and be remembered for someone who helped to make the world a better place, and who not just cared for their own needs, but who cared for others.
Read Steve’s articles here.
- Encouraging Children To Give Them A Future
- Are You An Introvert?
- When People Forget Who They Are
- Why Are Your Words Following Me Into My World
- Employers Are Becoming Cons : Don’t Let Unemployment Define You
Steve is serious about mentoring the youth of Kenya
STEVE’s BIO – About me
“My life seemed perfect until the age of 11 when I realised that I was adopted!
Such a realisation became a battle for me since I had to secretly change my perspective about the people who surrounded me.
I could even barely figure out what was right from wrong, since what I thought to be right was now being confirmed as wrong through the mouth of a stranger.
By the age of 19 years, both my adoptive parents had died, and we had to re-adjust to the reality of facing the world without them. They had been amazing and supportive people and I thank God for them.
Something surprising about me is that I was never bold enough to speak up for myself during my early stages of life. As a result, I took people’s insults and reproaches with no defence. Anything nasty that was said about me became a part of me.
I was never the most outspoken kid on the block and got compared on numerous occasions to peers who people thought acted cooler than I did. All these ‘reproaches’ and the ‘hate’ broke me into bits and for over 10 years, I cried secretly, no one ever understanding the reason behind my chronic gloom.
I thank God that regardless of the hard times He was there by my side, always encouraging me and telling me that I would one day be what everyone thought I would never amount to.
Today, my head is up high and I am seeking to uplift the spirit of every child or youth who has been made to believe less in him/herself. Now I have been privileged to speak before students and children alike, something that seemed impossible before.
I bet it is the reason why my dreams of starting an orphanage and mentoring as many children and youths as possible have lingered on – despite financial hardships and discouragements.
I feel like this is just the beginning of me.”
Hobbies: Walking in the park, Videography, Cycling Passion: Mentorship
We are looking forward to Steve being a regular weekly author on Exploramum.com, and we hope he encourages you with his passion to help the youth of the world.
NB: Any person captured in the photographs in this article do not represent anyone related to this story and are simply photographs taken on a crowded street.
