My Hero's Journey: How the monk achieved wisdom

Long, long ago in the land of Tibet, there lived a young monk named Shanti. Usually when you think of a monk, you think of a wise old man that is always meditating, but Shanti was not like all the rest. In fact, he was quite foolish and was always joking around when he was supposed to be meditating.

One day, Shanti was especially happy because he had pulled a prank on one of the older monks. He had slipped one of his father's goats into the monks temple room. Shanti had hidden outside of the building so he could see the monks reacton when he found the goat. As he was hiding behind a statue he overheard a conversation. "Oh, that Shanti. Always messing around and goofing off." "I agree. If he keeps it up he will never achieve wisdom and find true inner peace."As Shanti herd this, his heat sunk. He was very upset and he had never meant to harm anybody. At that moment, Shanti decided that he would stop all his foolishness and become a wise monk just like the rest. But how would he do that? Just then, Shanti remembered a story that his grandmother used to tell him when he was younger. In the story, it is said that if you want to solve a problem, you must trek the whole Himalayan Mountain range and along the way, you must find an offering to give to the Sacred God. Then the Sacred God will solve your problem. Shanti knew what he had to do.


The next day, Shanti set out on his journey with his robe, his straw sandals, his neighbors yak and a statue of a dragon that his mother had given him before she had passed away. As Shanti reached the base of the mountain, he thought "Why am I doing this? This isn't going to work, it was only a child's story anyways." But Shanti knew that he wasn't only doing this for himself, but also for his mother who would have wanted him be a wise monk one day. So, he started on the trek. He was walking up the snow covered mountain when suddenly he fell into a deep crevasse. At first he panicked, but then he thought "What would a wise monk do?" Luckily for him, his yak was in front of him , so maybe he could figure out a way to get his yak to pull him out. If only he could reach the rope. He slowly stepped onto a rock and then a higher one, until the rope was only a few inches above his fingertips. Shanti was a bit frustrated, but he knew that if he kept trying, he might be able to reach the rope. He then leaped off the rock, anticipating the rope in his hands, but it never came. He felt himself falling down to the bottom of the crevasse. Shanti was thinking that he was surely a goner, when he realized that the dragon statue  in his hand, had caught on a ledge and was somehow holding him up. Not only had it saved his life, but it was also glowing and lighting up the dark crevasse. He knew that it was his mother's spirit coming to save him.


 Slowly, Shanti found a small hole in the rock and then another. He was able to climb out of the crevasse. When he finally got out he picked up his yaks rope and kept trudging up the mountain. He hadn't been walking that long, when he heard a loud roar. At first Shanti was afraid, but then thought that a wise monk would face his fears. Shanti slowly crept around a ledge and saw what he was hearing. In front of him stood a a saber-toothed tiger and it looked hungry, too. The tiger leaped at him and yet again he anticipated the pain, but he never felt the sharp claw. He looked up and saw a dragon holding the tiger down in the snow. The funny thing was that the dragon looked just like his statue.

     
 He said "Thank you, Dragon," and she replied with a familiar sounding voice. Shanti didn't know where he had heard that voice. Then he realized it sounded just like his mother's voice. Once again her spirit had come to help him. They walked together for a a while, talking and catching up on the time that they had lost. 


Many days had past and Shanti was quite tired. He didn't know where the dragon had gone, but he wasn't really worried. He thought he would never make it to the top of the mountain, when suddenly he saw a peak above the clouds in front of him. He was almost there! Even though Shanti could see the peak, his body needed a break and he collapsed in the snow. He was cold, tired, miserable and thought he couldn't make it. Shanti wondered where his mother's spirit was when he really needed her, but she didn't appear. 


As he was lying on the ground, Shanti thought of his mother and how maybe the dragon spirit was guiding him in his mind and his heart. All that he needed was to think that she was there, and she was. Slowly he got up and kept trudging up the  mountain. As he reached the last little bit of the mountain, he realized that he had forgotten to find an offering to give to the Sacred God. Sadly, he walked up to the top, doubting that the God would solve his problem. He cried out "Sacred God. I am here to achieve wisdom." He couldn't think of anything to offer to the God, when he realized that he could give his mother's dragon statue. He held it out in his hands and closed his eyes for a while. He thought of his journey and all of his experiences. He wanted just to be home and over with this whole journey. A loud "BOOM!"  took him away from his thoughts. He opened his eyes and saw that he was no longer holding the statue, and in a flash, he was back in his room


Shanti wondered if he had even gone on a journey. He thought of how his mother's spirit had  come and guided him. He walked outside and noticed that his village was very different. He wondered how long he had been gone. He asked a street merchant if she had heard of a young monk named "Shanti". She replied saying that Shanti had wandered off into the mountains over ten years ago and never came back. Shanti was very shocked to hear this and said "I am Shanti the monk!" The woman gasped and quickly told all the villagers. They crowded around him and everyone rejoiced at Shanti coming back. He asked if anyone knew were his father was and they told him that sadly, he had died of old age. Shanti walked back to his room and suddenly, his eye caught something glimmering on his shelf. It was his dragon statue! 


Shanti, later fell to sleep and had a dream. His dragon spirit was there and she was telling him that he did achieve wisdom, but not by reaching the Sacred God. He had achieved it by going on a magical journey and taking on new challenges. In other words, the journey was more important than the destination. Now Shanti was a wise monk and knew that his mother's spirit would always be with him no matter what.


Shanti awoke and knew that he had reached his goal of achieving wisdom and that his journey was over.

My visit with Maruge: Day 7

Today I am leaving.


My time here with Maruge has been wonderful and Maruge has been very kind. As I am packing my clothes into my suitcase, Maruge walks in. "I have a goodbye present for you," he says. I wonder what it is and then Maruge tells me that he will give it to me as I am getting on the plane.


Pretty soon, my suitcase is packed and we are at the airport. We wait together as they board the plane and finally, they call me up. "Before you go," Maruge says, "I would like to give you my  first daughters only baby toy." In my hand he presses a small, yellow baby rattle. I look down at it and then up at his face. Before I know it I am giving him a great, big hug and crying out "Thank you! Thank you! Asante sana!" Not only for the baby rattle but for this wonderful experience. What an honor him to have given me his daughters only baby rattle. I knew that this small little object, pressed in the palm of my hand, meant the world to Maruge. As they call my name again, I wave goodbye to Maruge and tell him that I will write to him.


As I step onto the plane and take my seat, I think back to all the wonderful things we did, people I met and lessons  that I learned. Maruge has taught me to keep on trying, even when others say you can't do something. Maruge kept on trying to go to school even when many people told him that he shouldn't. He also taught me to not take what you have for granted and I think that is a very important lesson.


I look out the window and see Maruge standing at the airport window, waving good bye. I wave too and then the planes wheels begin to move.
     
   Good Bye, Maruge!    Good Bye,Teacher Jane!    Good Bye, Kenya!

My visit with Maruge: Day 6

Ever since we went to school a few days ago, I have been yearning for a chance to go back. Maruge wants to go back too, so that is what we do.


Again we take the long walk to school, but his time it doesn't seem so long. We reach the school and yet again, the children circle us. Since school doesn't start for ten more minutes, I play jump rope with the girls and a quick game of soccer with the boys. Since today is June 1st, we are going to celebrate the anniversary of Kenya's self government. It is called Madaraka Day. First, the kids construct and gather things for instruments. Some get tin pots and others make flutes and whistles. It is quite a scene! Pretty soon, I join in too and the teachers also join in.  As I am drumming on a big, tin can, I can feel the vibration of all the instruments collaborating. It is an amazing feeling. We are having a great time and dancing all around.

                                                   Here are some of the kids dancing.
I think it is pretty funny to see Maruge dancing, but come to think of it, it's probably even funnier to see me dancing!


Later we go inside for some snacks, even though there aren't many. Like the first day when I was here at school, the time seems to fly by very quickly and it is time for us to return home. I give the kids hugs and promise to write them letters when I get home. Since they can't read yet, maybe Teacher Jane will read it out loud to them.  I thank Teacher Jane and give her a hug, too. Someday I will come back and see them again!

My visit with Maruge: Day 4~5

Right now it is 12:18 pm and I am lying on the floor next to Maruge. For some reason I  just can't sleep, so I sit up.  Then suddenly I have an idea! Maybe tomorrow morning I can wake up early and go to the store.  When Maruge and I walked to school, I noticed how his shoes were very old and seemed to be falling apart. Since, I have some travel money with me, maybe I can buy Maruge a new pair of shoes. I can't wait to see the reaction on his face when he opens that shoebox! I set my watch for 4:35 am, so I will have enough time to walk to the store and buy the shoes. 

Next thing I know, I hear "Beep, Beep Beep, Beep...." and I realize my alarm is going off. I look at my watch and think " 4:35 already?!" I sleepily rub my eyes and sit up. I glance at Maruge, and he is sleeping very soundly. Quietly, I  change out of my polka-dotted pajamas and into my warm clothes. I tip toe across the room and out the door. The cool breeze feels very good on my face. Even though it is still very dark outside, I feel calm and filled with serenity. I love waking up early in the morning, before the rest of the neighbors are up.

It takes me about an 45  minutes to get to the store and I am very glad when I see that they are open. I look around the store until I see some shoes lined up on a shelf. Perfect! They don't have many choices, but I am sure I will find some. I see some nice, brown walking shoes sitting on the top shelf. I take them down and they look to be just Maruge's size! I look at the price tag and it says $29.95. I am very glad because  I have just enough. I take the shoes to the cash register to pay. I thank the cashier and I head out the door. 

                               

When I get back to Maruge's hut, I quietly, tip toe across the room so I won't disturb Maruge if he is still sleeping. I put the shoebox behind my small suitcase and wait for Maruge to wake up. Right now it is 6:30 and I am watching the sun rise from the horizon. It is a brilliant orange and I am amazed at the vibrant colors. Pretty soon, I hear that familiar sound of "cock-a-doodle-dooo!!"
                                   
 I then hear Maruge waking up and starting to get out of bed. He comes through the door and when he sees me, he gives me a big smile. We talk for a while and then Maruge says, "I'm hungry, are you?" Ever since I woke up this morning, I hadn't thought about my stomach, but indeed, it is growling, so we make breakfast. Maruge shows me how to make a dish called Githeri, which is a boiled mixture of corn and beans. It is very good and it fills my whole body with warmth. As soon as we finish breakfast, I tell Maruge that I have a present for him. A big grin spreads across Maruge's face and he looks so happy. I wonder when the last time was when Maruge got a present.

I run over and retrieve the shoebox from behind the suitcase. I bring it out to Maruge and put it in his hands. "What's this?" Maruge asks me.  "You'll have to open it and see," I say with a smile. Maruge slowly opens the shoebox and then unfolds the tissue paper covering the shoes. He looks down and his whole face fills with joy. I see a tear rolling down his face  as he holds the shoes in his hands. He strokes the clean, brown leather and slowly, slips one onto his foot. "It fits perfectly!"He exclaims.  " Thank you so much, asante sana." 

My visit with Maruge: Day 3

Today is my third day with Maruge. Since Maruge doesn't have school today, I wonder what we are going to do. 

A few minutes later, my question is answered. Maruge tells me that today we are going to go milk his goats and collect eggs from his chickens. I am very excited to get started, so I put on my tennis shoes and a warm sweatshirt. We walk outside to his small pen and over to the animals. "First we are going to milk the goats," Maruge tells me. He carries over a tin bucket and a small wooden stool. He puts the bucket under the goat and sits next to her. He tells me that the goats name is "Mtoaji" which means "Giver" in english. Maruge shows me how to milk the goat and then asks me if I want to give it a try. I am a little nervous at first, but Maruge reassures me that it is very easy and I will get  the hang of it. 

Maruge is right. I do get the hang of milking a goat and pretty soon the tin bucket is  full. Then,  Maruge asks me if I would like to try some fresh goat's milk and at first I am a little hesitant just like when I was deciding to milk the goat or not. Back home, we usually drink cows milk, and I have never had goats milk before. I try the milk anyways, though, and as soon as I take  my first sip, I love it!! The milk is very fresh and it tastes almost better than cows milk.  

I  see Maruge laughing and I ask him, "What's so funny?" He points at my mouth and says "You have a white milk mustache!" I laugh too, and then lick my mouth off. After drinking a glass of milk, Maruge and I go over to his small, dusty chicken coop and we collect some eggs.  I am amazed because one of the eggs is a light blue color. 

Altogether we collect 4 eggs which is a lot compared to what Maruge usually gets.  Today has been really fun and I hope we will be able to come back out here again! 

My visit with Maruge: Day 2

Today is my second day with Maruge. I wake to hear the sound of "Cock-a-doodle-doo!"  I then smell a wonderful aroma coming from the kitchen. I follow my nose to find Maruge cooking last nights dinner. "Good Morning!" Maruge says to me. I can tell that he is very excited because he is going to take me to school with him today. We eat our breakfast, and then head out out the door. I am glad that I put on good walking shoes, because it is a few miles just to get to school. 


As we walk down the dirt road, Maruge and talk about the difference in our countries. 
"How can you always be so happy, even when you have so little?" I ask Maruge. He took along pause and then responded."Well, right now, I am getting a great education, I have good friends, and I am free. When I was held and beaten, in the detention camps, I had none of those, but now I have learned not to take any of them for granted." I think about what Maruge just said, and a tear comes to my eye. Maruge is a true hero, and I hope that when I go back home, I will be able to take some of his wisdom with me.


Pretty soon, the  small, school house comes into view. 

We walk through the wooden gates to enter the schoolyard and as soon as we do, We are surrounded by a group of kids. Some of which I recognize from dinner last night.The are all smiling and laughing, and pretty soon I am smiling and laughing, too. Then a woman dressed in a pink suit comes out of t he classroom. She must be Teacher Jane. She walks over to us and introduces herself as Jane Obinchu. She is very kind and I can tell, that she is very smart too.             

Since it is time to start class, we head inside. The first lesson for today is to recite the alphabet.

Teacher Jane is a very fun teacher and she seems to make the day just fly by. Pretty soon it is time to go home. Today I learned many new things, made new friends and had a n experience that will last in my mind forever. I thanked the teachers, especially Teacher Jane, for letting me come visit their wonderful school. I waved good bye to all my new friends, I hope that I will be able to come back here in a day or two. . .

My visit with Maruge: Day 1

As I step off the plane in Eldoret, Kenya , I am overwhelmed with joy because I am going to visit my friend, Maruge.
Maruge lives on a small farm. He has a few animals and a tiny garden.  I am taking a van over to his farm. Since they have dirt roads, the ride to Maruge's farm was very bumpy and dusty. A few hours later, we pull up in front of his farm leaving behind a big, cloud of dust as we park. I glance all around his property and I see Maruge working in his garden. "Maruge!"I call out and give a big wave. I am very happy that I get this opportunity to visit. Maruge waves back to me and walks over to me with his walking stick for support.




                                                                                                               Karibu!" He says, which means "welcome" in Swahili. Maruge leads me over to his garden, and I ask what he is growing. He tells me that he has corn, potatoes, beans and cassava, which is a big, brown root . Even though there isn't much in his garden, all the plants look very healthy. He offers me some green beans growing from his garden. I haven't  eaten since the plane ride over, so I try one and it is very fresh, being that he had just picked it. We then walk over to his small pen where he keeps his animals. I see some goats and chickens. After watching the animals wander around, Maruge brings me over to his hut and shows me his mattress.  Pointing, he says "You will sleep right here." I ask "Where will you sleep then?" "I will sleep on the floor," he replies. After a long conversation about who would sleep on the mattress, we decided that we would just both sleep on the floor. Later that day,  I helped Maruge make dinner. We picked some cassava, corn and beans from his garden. We also made ugali and and a vegetable sauce. Maruge also invited a few of his friends from school over with their families. Everyone contributed something to eat and we had an amazing feast.

The  wonderful aroma of the food filled the air and everyone looked so happy. Maruge and his friends showed me their before-meal rituals which included giving thanks for  their wonderful meal, their family and their friends. Before we knew it, the meal was over and it was time for everyone to go home. We thanked everyone for coming and contributing to a great feast  as they walked out the door.  Pretty soon, Maruge said "I think we should start getting ready for bed. After all, we do have school tomorrow." So that is  just what we did. "What an amazing day," I thought as I lay on the floor next to my friend, Maruge. . . . .

MY STOP IN ELDORET, KENYA

On my way home from visiting John Bul Dau, I stopped in Kenya. I was invited to the village of Eldoret.

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