Remembering, living and hoping for 'the good life'. Spirituality of youth that live on the streets in Nairobi.

Abstract: Striving to contribute to research on child- and youth spirituality and African theology with a contextually grounded, non-western, qualitative youth perspective, the aim of this study is to seek an understanding of the spirituality of male youth that live on the streets in Nairobi. To fulfil this aim, the research task carried out is an analysis of the source material from six focus group interviews with 27 research participants (14-34 years old). Given instructions, the research participants painted drawings that were used as base for discussions, thus drawings and transcribed speech constitute the source material. This is analysed with a model for picture analysis based on semiotics, tools for text analysis by Norman Fairclough and content analysis, and reflected in a theological, philosophical, and contextual theoretical framework, that perceives ‘the good life’, elaborated by Tanzanian theologian Laurenti Magesa, as the centre of African spirituality. The research participants’ spirituality is found to be relational, with an ethical focus, connected to material aspects, and with a holistic spectrum of time. The source material relates strongly to the understanding of ‘the good life’ in African spirituality and connects to characteristics of Christianity and Rastafarianism. ‘The good life’ is created in relationships to friends, parents, organizations, and churches where community is experienced through good actions of generosity, self-sacrifice, and sharing. Prayer sometimes characterizes the relationship to God, while on other occasions, God, church, and organization staff encourage a change of character. Material aspects create ‘the good life’, in practical mutual dependence among friends, and from organizations and churches, and in wishes for future improved material and social conditions; including a home for comfort. The wish for mobility and financial success portrayed by a car reflects the surrounding Nairobi context, rather than ‘the good life’ in African spirituality. The aim of the majority of wishes for the future is creation of ‘the good life’ in communities of friends or family. Remembering ‘the good life’ with parents in the past, living ‘the good life’ in the present despite difficulties, and hoping for ‘the good life’ in the future, are all identified as currently important, and the research participants’ strong focus on the future arguments for its importance in their spirituality.