Farewell

Our dear friends. It has been a great pleasure meeting and knowing you during the 19 months that we have spent in Germany. Our only wish is that we had spent more time with each other. When we arrived here, we little could have imagined how fast time would fly. You have showed us great kindness and we remain forever grateful. Our son had many of you to play with. You opened your homes but more importantly your hearts to us. You have given us the opportunity to learn from you but also to share with you what we knew.

Be it in the university where we lived and studied or in the church where we shared in our faith, you did not fail to support us. We encouraged each other to do our best and sought God's guidance in our lives. For others we interacted in social forums where we discussed that which concerned us most. We remain grateful to you for helping me to see the world from other angles. We have enjoyed your beautiful country despite the cold weather. We have enjoyed your trains and buses, your cities and land, your bahns and bicycles. Yes ours has been an enjoyable time in Deutschland.

Now comes the time when we must go back home. While it would be desirable that we stay, it is of necessity that we should go. That we should go to join our fellow country women and men in delivering the promise of our generation. That we should go and share with them the ideas we have accumulated during our stay here. That we should take our son to see the great country where he was born. Some of you have expressed your concern as to the state of our country Kenya and of Africa at large. Indeed challenges do abound and I must not pretend that the road ahead will be easy. But as we have suggested before the opportunities far much out way the challenges. Our brothers and sisters have what it takes and are making a difference for good. It will take time but it shall surely come to be. The fact that the past has been bad does not mean that the future is hopeless. Just like you my friends, we are not so proud of some of the pains that we have inflicted on each other through self-centred leadership. And now that we know that which inflicts us then we are better placed to deal with it. This is the generation that shall see our country turn towards prosperity for all.  

What we ask of you is to support our country where you can. Not much with money and techniques but more with space and freedom to invent our solutions, make our mistakes and build our legacy. With the encouragement and moral solidarity that seeks to bring out the best of what we have. With  fair trade conditions that see both sides benefit. With time and patience that has been known to bring out all solutions to bear. This we ask of you and this we shall hold ourselves to. To build our country for the common good. To advance justice for all within and beyond our boarders. To support the weak and encourage the faint. To be all we can as God gives us the strength to be. We wish you well and hope to remain in touch.

Abraham, Faith and Amani Rugo.

Thursday, October 25, 2012