This is a series of blogs that Dr. Dickinson wrote after returning from a recent trip to Africa. A few reflections, a few lessons learned. Enjoy the journey. 

Stories from Africa: Chapter 4
Learning From Community

After experiencing Kibera (or a slum in any location) it would be easy to walk away talking only about the negative; telling stories of extreme poverty, of hunger, of disease, and danger. However, I observed something that challenged me deeply and that I can’t stop talking about. So I’m going to tell you about it too.

I see many clients in Atlanta who, at the core, struggle with loneliness. Sure there are a lot of people who live around here, but when it comes down to it, it’s easy to live an isolated life – especially if you live alone, or work at home.

What I saw in Kibera that stuck with me was a deeply help sense of community. The people of Kibera pulled together. They helped each other. I’m sure that it is not true about everyone who lives there, but I saw it enough times to believe that it is a commonly held value. I saw it when I visited a home and asked a widow about whether she had community – she nodded vigorously. I saw it when the community rose up to defend itself from a thief. I saw it in the children who looked after each other on their way to and from school. The people living in the community of Kibera were connected to each other.

Maybe the connectedness comes from functioning in such close living quarters, or perhaps from growing up together. Maybe it is the result of a sense of impending doom, or simply out of shared necessity. No matter why it exists, there is something for us to learn from them.

Community is essential to life. We were not made to live isolated, independent, and lonely lives. However in our hustle and bustle world of modernized life, we have to be intentional to build community. We have to value being connected over being efficient. We have to look for ways to contribute. We have to allow the community to love us. We have to be available when someone asks and not just when it is convenient. We have to listen fully and well to others. We learn from Kibera the value of community. Intentional connection starts with you, and with me.

Wendy Dickinson, Ph.D.
WDickinson@ GROWcounseling.com