Karani

Have you ever met someone for the first time and knew immediately that this person was going to be a close friend? I met someone like that here in Kenya—his name is Karani. The first time we met was my first Sunday in Mombasa. He shook my hand warmly and confidently introduced himself. As the Sunday School President he taught the Gospel Doctrine lesson and did a fine job. Over the last few months we have shared some fun times and interesting conversation. I'm grateful to have a good friend here that I know would lookout for me and my family if ever we needed help. 

A portrait I took of Karani for his Facebook profile.

Here are some of my favorite experiences we have had so far:

Standing for Something: 

Antony Karani is his stage name. It's something he needs as a radio personality. Karani hosts the morning show MegaBreakfast which airs on 95.5 FM Baraka from 6am – 10am. Since he was a young boy Karani has always wanted to be a broadcaster. His uncles tell the story of attending bull fights in his provincial home town where they watched young Karani standing on top of a nearby structure announcing to the audience the commentary. I'm impressed with the fact that he has chased his dream and is now hosting a radio show at such a young age. I can only imagine what opportunities may come to him in the future if he continues progressing. 

I recently gave Karani a copy of "Standing for Something," a book about important virtues by Gordon B. Hinckley. The book contains great stories told by Hinckley which emphasize the power of virtues in our lives. I shared a story from the book with Karani and said it might make for some good radio commentary.

Sure enough, the next time we meet Karani tells me that he shared a story from the book on the radio. It was the first time he ever spoke about his religion on the air. I'm not sure how risky that was for him but I respect the fact that he would stand for his own beliefs on the air. He shared a story about honesty in which a man took some money from Hinckley's home and 20 years later returned it in an envelope because he could not shake the feeling of guilt. 

Here is the news broadcast itself. Unless you can speak Kiswahili it will be tough to completely understand but there is enough english for you to hear how Karani weaves it in smoothly. Take a listen to just the beginning:

Soccer Game:

Karani's second passion is soccer. Using his press pass he can get into any game for free and because of his morning work schedule he often has time to make the evening games. I told Karani that I wanted to attend a game with him when two teams played which would yield safe crowd conditions. 

This week the match I hoped for came to town. The Kenya National team was playing Rwanda in the quarterfinals of the CECAFA Cup and Karani was confident it would be safe enough for me and my boys to attend. We had a blast. Karani proudly watched his hometown buddy playing on the Kenya National team and we all cheered our heads–off when Kenya scored the winning goal. 

Me, the boys, and Karani at the soccer match

Home Teaching:

Karani is my home teacher and I am also his. We see each other about two times a week but that doesn't keep us from fulfilling our duty to properly home teach. Last month I received two other home teaching assignments but I didn't know where they lived exactly and couldn't reach my companion. 

I knew how to solve this. My first destination was Karani's house where I taught him a short lesson and then asked him to accompany me to my next appointment. There was no hesitation on his part. He switched off his reggae music, listened to my lesson, then threw on some shoes and started out with me.

We walked and talked and eventually got lost. It was my fault. I had confused landmarks and we had to ask a stranger for directions. By the time we reached the home of Brother Richard it was dark. Inside the small mud hut, we taught a quiet lesson by the light of a tin can oil lamp. Karani assisted me with Kiswahili when it was needed and was first to ask about opportunities for which we could serve the family. It felt a lot like some of the sweetest teaching experiences from my mission and even though I exausted his whole evening, Karani had a good time too. 

Learning from Each Other:

Being a news presenter and journalist Karani is fascinated with the fact that I have a Bachelors in Communications and a Masters in Media Design. He wants to gleam as much information from me as possible. 

We have recently discussed things like Mommy Bloggers, Personal Branding, the power of Facebook in reaching niche audiences and many other aspects of what makes journalism in the U.S. so different from how it is here. Karani also teaches me about Kenyan culture, recent events, and Kiswahili. He's sharp and much more socially apt than the average person which makes it fun to converse. 

I have a goal to help him find a way to continue his education. Right now he is qualified to receive a certificate in broadcasting but cannot get it because he still owes school fees. He might be able to pay them off if his job paid him but due to issues with the station executives he has only received a little pay here and there. Yet he is dedicated to his job and to advancing his career, so he sticks to it every morning at 6am. 

About once a week I invite him to our place for some dinner, conversation, and planning on how we can help him get into a college where he can earn a bachelors in Communications. I sincerely hope we can find a way because of all the people I have met here in Kenya, he is the one who would make the most of it. And unlike so many others, Karani has never asked me for a single schilling. In fact every time I ask him how things are going his first words are, "I thank God I'm doing fine. I am so blessed."

I'm so grateful to have Karani as a friend and I hope these experiences have helped you understand why. It's pleasing to know that know matter where you go in the world, there are always good people.

If you are interested in helping me help Karani, let me know. There is so much that could be done even with small donations of time, funds, or contacts. (hsebresos@gmail.com)

-Hunter