Having waxed on endlessly about gardening, I thought it might be time to introduce a new theme and was thinking about describing some; ‘expat stereotypes’ in Kenya (rather than the ‘social stereotypes’ in the Sunday Times supplements (or is that in The Telegraph?).
Here is the first...published at my peril:
‘Judith is a missionary in her late 30s with four boys under four and a husband named John. They are from Texas. When spotted in the Karen supermarket she looks frazzled wearing a gingham loose fitting sundress and round, metal rimmed specs. She has mousey coloured hair and is devoid of makeup. Her fair haired boys are braying for lolly-pops, in fact Isaiah and Jonah seem to be coming to blows around her ankles as the baby then begins to scream. Through it all Judith is showing extreme patience with her brood. Her shopping trolley is groaning full with popcorn, crisps, bread and sausages which she pays for with wads of cash. Cookie and cake mixes, latest plastic toys and games, nappies, chocolate bars and cheese are all flown in by the church all the way from the United States on a monthly basis.
Judith takes time out to go to the most fashionable hairdresser in town, but insists that her rather severe style with ‘bangs’ remains the same each visit and she certainly never lets the stylist persuade her in the direction of ‘colouring’ or highlights. All her church friends go to the same salon but some of the banter and language used by other gossiping expat housewife clients can be deeply shocking.
She drives a white mini van with the words; ‘Kingdom of God - Bible Study’ emblazoned on the side and has lots and lots of like minded friends. She’s been posted to some pretty remote and harrowing African postings with her husband, but the family have remained united and the US food parcels and air drops have never failed them.
They do take regular extended trips back to the US on fund raising missions and last year returned with enough dough from their US compatriots to buy a six seater airplane and three new VX Landcruisers for penetrating the African bush and reaching remote tribal settlements. At home there is a constant stream of visitors, which can be wearing, but the children are happy and they have everything that they could possibly wish for in the way of toys, latest technology and friends.
(Sorry everyone, couldn’t resist! Next instalment: ‘the two year wonder’)
The diary of a British expat living in Kenya. News, views, debate and a healthy dose of trivia.
Stereotypes are just that: stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteHere is a blog from a missionary in Kenya. I've been here since 2000. I have 4 kids (good, you got that) but they are ages 18, 15, 12 and 6. The first car we bought in 2000 was $5000. It lasted 5 years. We sold it and after one of those, as you call it, "fund-raising trips for ourselves to the States" - we bought a different one at $7500. We don't eat crisps. But we do eat beans, ugali, spinach and the like - weekly. Meat --- twice a week. And ALL my friends in Kenya are Kenyan (including my best friend who is a Kenyan-Indian-Muslim.) We send Kenyan kids to private school. Help people with AIDS. One woman just had her appendix removed this past week to the tune of $1000 while the Kenyans thought it was a waste because she has AIDS, I believed she should live while she can in comfort and leave with dignity and not in extreme pain. Yes, I understand --- stereotypes are stereotypes. Ps : I have highlights.
www.heatheronthenet.com
I do beg your pardon Heather, and will be reading your blog with interest! Your work sounds invaluable and I humbly stand corrected.
ReplyDeleteMy slight ambivilence re: charity stems from working in a UK government aid organisation (as local hire staff) who seemed to sanction a lot of wasted expenditure on cars, business class flights, planning projects that never got off the ground, dicussion groups and conferences held in expensive coastal hotels to discuss 'poverty allieviation'
Like Heather, I also drastically break the mold of a typical missionary. In fact, I like to say I'm an "out-of-the-box" missionary.
ReplyDeleteAnd, like Heather, virtually all my friends in Kenya (I've been here six years) are black Kenyans. I don't even own a car. Rather, I get around with a bike, by foot, or on matatus. I know... I am a bit out of the ordinary. I even have my own mud hut near Kitale.
My "ministry" is basically one of one-on-one" friendship-style encouragement. I find myself in the urban slums and the remote rural villages.
Do check out my blog!
In defense of the poster, I think there are a ton of the other variety of 'missionaries' who revel in their 'sacrifice' with little care as to the actual needs of the people to whom they are preaching/helping. They can be quite patronising.
ReplyDeleteOf course there are exceptions, but I have met and heard of enough of the stereotypical ones.
first and foremost, i am kenyan, and love this blog and blogger-thank you woodham mrs!
ReplyDeletein all fairness, i have read widely and wildly abt mission trips to africa, penetrating the dark hinterlands n all, but, pls let me say this, missionary work is not bringing a bible in a local language, distribute, take pictures or go to a hospital in western kenya esp tenwik hosptal, take pix during surgery n put quivering living hearts on the web...this is not mission work friends, from my humble point of view, this is missionary work, if you got a computer, check out jamii bora,they help people out of crime, prostitution first b4 heralding the coming fire n brimstone, they dont live in downtown hilton or sarova stanley, they work in mathare n kibera, they give pple means to alleviate poverty they help themways to earn to buy health insurance, n i dare you to look up, the people they helped are successful now, if i had my money n as God sure lives i will, i will pour millions of it into jamii bora. heather...baby girl, thank your for saving the aids patient, thats what we need, for mrs woodham, tell it all girl, i love ur blogs.
sam, 22.
student.