Lawyers, a Jew, Presbyterians, and a Social Worker

Although I have never wanted to be a mediator, in all my walks of life, I have always found myself in situations that I needed to do some mediation. Even as a young lieutenant in the U.S. Army, I often mediated between soldiers that disagreed for one reason or another. Listening to each person involved, and then reflecting back to them what was said, often lead to much better resolution than the fist fight that might have ensued.

This past month the peacebuilding team was able to participate in six days of training on mediation skills. The training was sponsored by Family Mediation and Conciliation, a Nairobi based NGO, and the trainer was Michael Williams, a mediator for over 20 years from Ireland. Not only was it a good opportunity for the three of us to have common training together, but we met new people, and learned more about Kenya. And as mediation skills can be applied in many life situations, the training also deepened our well of resources for living in community and working with others.

But what made this experience most worth while was the community we created among the participants. Thirteen of us included the sponsors, trainer, and attendees. There were five lawyers – four Kenyans and one Irishman, a law student, also Kenyan, a Jewish arbitrator who has made his home in Kenya for 35 years, a Samburan tribesman who works with Christian Children’s Foundation, two Kenyan women from the Presbyterian Church of East Africa, and us, the “Catholic nuns.”

Creating our own scenarios for mediation practice led to familiar cases of land disputes, and tensions between cultural traditions and modern necessities. Pershaps it was the unique nature of our group that brought us to mediate a conversation between Sarah, wife of Abraham, and Ishmael, eldest born son of Abraham. Mediation draws on the openness of participants which is why our Jewish friend readily stepped up to role play the part of Ishmael. Several hours of listening and telling and bringing Isaac into the process ended in an empassioned plea from Sarah for Ishmael to come live among the descendants of Abraham, in co-existence and tolerance.

Kenya has not yet incorporated mediation as a legal option for settling disputes, but the process is underway. As a member of the committee to make it happen, Joy Mbaabu, Director of FAMEC, has committed her organization to training mediators for the future. When the judicial system is ready for mediators, she wants them to be available. So far, just over 30 people have participated in the training.

For the peacebuilding team, we have met new friends that will broaden our experience of Kenya, deepen our understanding of other religions, and expand our web of relationships.