A Glimpse at the Real Kenya

It was a remarkable day. The Coates family, here in Kenya for 11 years now, has many Kenyan friends; among them is a remarkable family living in a remote area near Kimende, an hour outside Nairobi. The beloved matriarch of the clan, Mama Susan (“Mama of Susan”), is now 83 years old and still working a large hillside farm producing potatoes, kale, cabbage, plums, corn, avocados, bananas, spinach, and more.  

We visited Mama Susan, bringing up two guests (one of them her daughter Susan) with our group of 8.  Among local relatives, at least four more joined in for a meal together in their tiny house.  

Electricity came to this village only a couple years ago, and an 80-foot hand dug well is also a new development.  Before then, all water was collected from the metal roof or hauled up from the river (80 meters down a steep hill). 

Many of the group spoke little Swahili, even less or no English, and so a lot of the conversation was translated from Kikuyu, a tribal language common in the area.

Welcoming guests is a great privilege for Kenyans, and having a large party with several foreigners coming up their little road in two shiny Toyota Land Cruisers was likely a huge event.  We were treated to a delicious meal of hand-made chapattis (nothing like what is bought in a store…), rice, zucchini, and potato/meat stew.  While the food was excellent, even more remarkable was the fact that it was cooked over a small fire in an adjacent building called a kitchen, equipped with wood, a blowing tube to stoke the fire, and a hen in a roost.

Afterwards, we were given a tour of the property, introduced to more neighboring family members, served chai (yes, tea with milk—or maybe more precisely milk with tea), and heard some songs in Kikuyu language.

These people smile. They are profoundly happy.  Though poorer than anyone I have ever met, they are full of life, joy, peace. Their Christian faith, combined with their intimate connection with the land and their love of extended family is without question a treasure far beyond that of many with wealth and comfort. Kenyans love their country, and they are so happy to share their joy.  I have touched, and been touched by, I believe, a piece of the real Kenya, and I will be a different person forever because of it.