Illumine: What inspired you to volunteer?
Alexandra Murman: I wanted to experience Kenyan culture from the perspective of a local. I love children and have worked extensively with them. Volunteering in an orphanage seemed like a good marriage of my interests.
Illumine: Have you done anything like this before?
AM: When I was younger, I took several volunteer trips that allowed me to travel internationally and inexpensively while experiencing different cultures and offering service. I worked in a homeless shelter in Dublin, in environmental conservation in Greece and in structural preservation in Italy. None was like this trip.
Illumine: What was most memorable?
AM: The trip was challenging on many levels. It took a while to build trust and comfort with the kids and in the process, I often felt lost and inadequate. As a result, the moments of kindness, innocence and hope touched me deeply. The following memory was one of many that opened my heart in a huge way. As far as I could tell, the kids had few if any toys of their own. Although I brought lots of activities, crafts and toys (that quickly got destroyed from overuse) they played with empty bottles, old tires, or whatever else they could find. One night, one really sensitive, quiet 9-year-old boy who barely spoke English, came up to me holding something in his hands: two paper American flags and a Styrofoam airplane. I was impressed with his well-kept toys. After a few awkward moments of trying to figure out what he wanted to do with them, I got his intention. With humility and tears, I realized that he was giving me his toys.
Illumine: What made you feel connected to the people there?
AM: Most of the children spoke only limited English. Our connection came through presence, laughter and smiles, play, eye contact, shared activities, touch and energetic exchange. It is a great example of how much can be communicated without words.
Illumine: What part of home did you miss the most?
AM: My loved ones. Big time. The situation was such that contact with someone I could relate to, share with and feel supported by was not available. I came home with a newfound appreciation for my friends and family and the power of their presence in my life.
Illumine: What practice, tradition, characteristics or values from Kenya did you appreciate and/or incorporate into your life upon your return?
AM: Maybe faith. Prior to this trip, I was struggling with my connection to the “bigger picture.” For a few reasons, being there initiated a reconnection with my core beliefs and personal faith.
Illumine: Do you feel like you made a difference?
AM: In ways, their needs are so big that it would be easy to say I’m not sure if I made any difference. But I think it’s beautiful how in life, small interactions can often be unexpectedly powerful. We never know the effect our actions, care and intentions have on others. I can only hope that I impacted them half as much as they did me.
Illumine: Is it worth making a tiny difference in this big world? Or, is it better to make a big difference in your world at home?
AM: I think any effort done with positive intention is beneficial.
A yoga practitioner for over 20 years, Alexandra Murman has been the owner and manager of Namaskar Yoga in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood since 2008.
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