Africa and Your Golden Ticket

By Bob Peters || April 17, 2023

Learning about countries and people

Jenny and I recently returned from a trip to Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.  We sought out a Kenyian based travel company to arrange for accommodations and logistics to see the wildlife located in national parks and conservation areas.  The trip afforded us a chance to view fauna and flora we had hoped to see and to learn about the countries and people. 

While reading and absorbing history is a terrific way to learn about people and places you may never visit, the ability to see, hear, smell and converse with people is a true gift.  We’ll leave the animal experience aside for now and instead focus on three interactions that are worthy of sharing. This post will start in Africa and end in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Believe it or not, the two are connected…by gratitude. 

The Ruben Centre

About four months prior to departing, we learned that our neighbors had been supporters of three schools in Kenya through a foundation that they created.  They offered to arrange for a visit to one of these schools located in a Nairobi “informal settlement” aka slum if we could modify our travel plans.  Suffice it to say that travel companies that establish itineraries for tourists to view wildlife do not offer trips to the slums and being able to visit in person is an enriching experience on many levels.  

The Ruben Center is an enclosed compound in the center of the Mukuru slum in Nairobi.  Ruben was founded by the Christian Brothers and provides a radio station, healthcare, maternity services, student education, meals, workforce training to a local population that works hard each day to survive. We met passionate workers and volunteers who make a meaningful difference in the lives of many of the 600,000 Makuru residents. Violet Kemunto gave us a tour of the maternity ward where over 5,000 babies have been brought into the world with a staff that includes two full time nurses and two midwives. 

The Esiteti Community in Amboseli 

Amboseli is located in the south of Kenya, near the Tanzanian border, and has been suffering from an extensive drought for the past 5 years. Driving through the Amboseli National Park and adjoining Conservancy lands it was common to see animal carcasses due to lack of food and water. We visited a small Maasai village, one of eighteen small villages of approximately 100 residents that comprise the Esiteti Community. The Maasai are traditionally nomadic cattle herders. Their wealth and food are tied to their cattle. Due to the multiple drought years the villages’ cattle population declined from 239 to 34. While there was optimism due to the construction of a well funded by a non-governmental organization (NGO), day-to-day survival of people, and their livestock, was evident.  

Rwanda: Recovering from 1994 Genocide 

It is estimated that between 10-13% (850,000-1,000,000) of the 7.9 million population of Rwanda were murdered during the 100-day genocide that began on April 7 1994 and ended July 18. This horrific story is difficult to stomach but worthy of understanding. We visited the Genocide Museum and learned what led up to the genocide and what the country has undertaken these past 29 years to provide accountability and reconciliation. 

One of the memorable stories we heard was a country wide participatory event known as Umuganda where citizens throughout the country meet, typically on the last Saturday of the month, to work on community projects and discuss important issues. The intent of Umuganda is to create community and understanding. Neighbors know each other and work together to improve their community. The approximate 850,000 children that were orphaned because of the genocide grew up with other orphaned children and there seems to be a sense of bonding in the society that may explain how the country has adopted Umuganda.

Whether it was young mothers receiving medical care for their children at the Ruben Centre, families carrying yellow 5 gallon jugs of water long distances in Amboseli or genocide survivors in Rwanda all experienced hardships unfamiliar in the United States.  Notwithstanding life’s difficulties there was evidence of gratitude and appreciation.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

Do you remember the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? The one where a poor boy finds a golden ticket in a chocolate bar and gets to visit the most amazing candy factory in the world? The one where he meets Willy Wonka, the eccentric and mysterious owner of the factory, and learns some valuable lessons along the way? 

 Well, I think that story has a lot to teach us about living a full life. To me, the golden ticket was not just a piece of paper that granted Charlie access to the factory. It was also a symbol of his dreams, his hopes, his curiosity, and his courage. It was a symbol of his potential to create something wonderful out of his ordinary life. 

 We all have a golden ticket inside us. We all have the ability to pursue our passions, to explore our interests, to discover our talents, and to make a positive impact on the world. We all can live a full life, if we are willing to look for it and claim it. 

But how do we find our golden ticket? How do we know what it is that makes us happy, fulfilled, and alive? How do we overcome the obstacles and challenges that might stand in our way? 

Here are a few thoughts: 

Be Curious

1. Be curious. Curiosity is the fuel of learning and growth. It is what drives us to seek new experiences, to ask questions, to challenge assumptions, and to expand our horizons. Curiosity is what makes us wonder about the world and ourselves. It is what makes us open to possibilities and opportunities. So don’t be afraid to be curious. Follow your interests, try new things, read books, watch documentaries, listen to podcasts, talk to people, travel to places. You never know what you might find or learn along the way. 

Be Authentic

2. Be authentic. Authenticity is the essence of being yourself. It is what makes you unique and valuable. It is what makes you shine and stand out. Authenticity is what attracts people to you and makes them want to support you. So don’t be afraid to be authentic. Express your thoughts, feelings, opinions, and preferences. Share your stories, experiences, and insights. Show your strengths, weaknesses, successes, and failures. Be honest, vulnerable, and real. You don’t have to fit in or conform to anyone else’s expectations or standards. You just have to be you. 

Be Courageous

3. Be courageous. Courage is the power of facing your fears and taking action. It is what enables us to overcome challenges, risks, and uncertainties. It is what allows us to pursue our goals, dreams, and visions. Courage is what makes us resilient and adaptable. So don’t be afraid to be courageous. Step out of your comfort zone, embrace change, take initiative, make decisions, solve problems, face conflicts, deal with failures, learn from mistakes. You don’t have to be perfect or flawless or fearless. Just give bravery a try. 

Be Grateful

4. Be grateful. Gratitude is the attitude of appreciating what you have and acknowledging what others have done for you. It is what fills us with joy and satisfaction. It is what strengthens our relationships and connections. Gratitude is what makes us humble and generous. So don’t forget to be grateful. Notice the good things in your life, big or small. Express your thanks to yourself and others. Celebrate your achievements and accomplishments. Give back to your community and society. You don’t have to have everything or do everything or be everything. You just have to be thankful. 

Finding your golden ticket

Finding your golden ticket is not easy or simple or quick. It takes time, effort, patience, and perseverance. It takes trial and error, experimentation and exploration, feedback and reflection. 

But it is worth it. 

Because finding your golden ticket means finding your purpose. 

And finding your purpose means living a full life. 

My wish for you

In visiting a class of 120 1st graders in the Mukuru slum of Nairobi, the Maasai villagers of Amboseli and the survivors of the genocide in Rwanda there are many emotions that come to mind. I am grateful for my life, my family, my friends and the many wonderful experiences I have had the good fortune to enjoy. I know that I benefited from the luck of the gene pool and hope to retain humility and a spirit of goodwill towards others. I appreciate my golden ticket and wish you the best as you tour your own version of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.