'Happinnes is felt interiorly, not exteriorly, and therefore it doesn't depend on what we have, but on what we are.''
It seems convenient to begin my story with this sentence as this feeling invades my mind and my heart with a stronger force each day. Throughout the years, I have commited multiple errors that have made me suffer and made others suffer, when, really, my biggest problem was the absence of happinness. Having everything is not being happy. Happinnes is only felt with small things.
My first day, walking through the streets of Kibera, I felt a hole in my heart seeing the extreme poverty in which these people live in, even though their situation is of little or no importance to them. They fight only to overcome each day, always keeping a smile on their face. They have taken me into their culture, into their life, even into their house (a small room made of adobe which they call house). It´s impossible not to appreciate the kind and generous gesture they make when they offer me a plate of food, as simple as ''matoke'' (bananas, potatoes, tomato and onion) which for them is a luxury and which only costs one euro. It's incredible to discover that those who have less are the most generous. Without having anything, they have given me more than anyone will ever give me. It also amazes me to see how they walk through rivers of feaces or between mountains of rubbish, which must weigh a ton, just to look for anything that may give them a few coins to last for the week. Rusty nails, pieces of plastic or even broken shoes that can be sold on the street. Knowing that children choose to sniff glue in order to escape their daily hunger as it's cheaper than a simple plate of rice, makes your heart shrink.
They live under inhuman conditions and meanwhile, in other parts of the world, other people are drinking champagne which has a price that could feed a whole family; sad, but true.
This makes me give thanks to God for the family I grew up with and especially, for the luxuries with which I've lived, although I must say; always eductated to be generous and respectful to others, as we are priviledged to have what we have.
To help these people it isn't necessary to come here and see the suffering first hand. What IS necessary is that we ALL are aware of this situation and that we ALL contribute to erradicate this human punishment. If you think about it, any one of us could have been living in this situation.
To blind eyes; all human beings are the same in body, lets make it possible for them to also have a minimum of dignity, eating and living conditions.
Coco Diaz Merlo
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