A Team That Prays Together #UexpectedKenya

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We normally pray before we leave. Since Kevin started it, he normally leads the prayers. I know what you are thinking; that we hold hands in a circle and someone sings a short dull Catholic hymn before Kevin launches into serious prayer, where his lower lip trembles and he swallows hard in between verses. Naah. If Kevin were praying behind a curtain you would assume that he’s having a conversation with his boy. Like God is the kind of guy he asks if he received his WhatsApp. Here is how he prays and I’m not exaggerating:

“So Lord, we are about to set off on this awesome journey but usingizi huyoo, but it’s all good, I’m sure you will keep us on this course. We pray that you help Biko get anaa deadly story, Muiruri on the wheels to drive this moti safely, Lilian to organize this maneno of models flawlessly and…er…uhm…haiya how can I forget this guy’s name – ? [“Hussein!” sighs Hussein from the back] – Yeah, keep Hussein well pia.(We all chuckle). Also not to forget our other colleagues spread across the country, protect them, Lord. We are now headed to Taita to get a shot of the sun, manze it would be cool if you cleared those clouds so that we get a deadly shot that will make the other teams heshimu us. This is not about us, Jehovah Lord, this is about you because we are not worthy, Lord. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!”

The first time I heard him pray, I turned back to see if he was letting us on. He was as serious as Ebola. “I realized that God loves me unconditionally and knows me as Kevin, he knows my identity more than I know myself,” he explained to me. “Prayer is a conversation, like talking to a friend who knows you.” He says he grew up with the thinking that God was the kind of guy who walked around with a frown carrying a big stick, but when he grew up he realized that that didn’t sound like someone who would sacrifice his son for our sins. “The God I have come to know is the God who wants to embrace me for who I am.”

“Are you saved, man?” I asked him.

“Yes.” He smiled.

Sometimes you meet people and you make your judgments, and then you spend lots of time with them and they say or do something that makes you turn around and look at them with a fresh pair of eyes. Most saved people I know are a bunch of annoying segregating stiff folk who think they have complimentary tickets to heaven and look at us like we catch pints with Judas’s relatives on the daily. They are overbearing folk, unyielding and very judgmental. And to think we are the lost sheep and should be treated special! I honestly think we will find a lot of saved folk in hell and surprisingly it’s chaps like Timberlake who might just end up in heaven.

What I’m saying is that I’m honored that I’m in the same team with Kevin. He’s gracious and kind and respectful even though he bursts into random odd songs like Brian Adams. [Who sings aloud to Brian Adams?].

Yesterday we woke up at 3:45am because Kevin wanted to take a picture of Mwachora Hills in Taita. After picking up two cops from the cop station (security) and driving an hour from Voi, we were deposited by a dark roadside at the foot of the hill to commence a 25-minute climb to the summit. Because I’m a genius I only had a windbreaker on. Well, the wind broke through it – and my resolve – even before we set off.

It was pitch dark and cold. Kevin led the way, using a small flashlight, followed by me, then Hussein, Lillian, Muiruri and the two cops trailing behind. All around us Taita slept in this abnormal chill and silence. We trudged up, through the smell of dew, past the silhouettes of trees that now looked like disjointed limbs of extraterrestrials. We walked in silence, our breathing getting heavier as we gained altitude. We passed outside little humble homes without fences. The smell of the previous night’s fires followed us. That smell of shags. There was also the smell of wet grass and the exotic scent of flowers that blossom at dawn. An odd sounding bird called out. Cowardly dogs barked at us as we passed behind homes. At some point, Kevin and I stopped to pee, the sound of water on soil like miniature waterfalls. I bet Lillian envied us, peeing there while standing.

We summited at 5:33pm as planned and sat on the stones next to the cliff that plunged about 900meters into darkness below. A wind blew towards us, freezing our ears and exposed fingers. I don’t want to say I was miserable. Not yet.

Kevin checked his camera for the umpteenth time, one eye cast towards the east where the sun would rise. “You know,” he said, “This morning my wife called and we prayed that we get this shot and when the wife prays you know its going to happen.” I rolled my eyes in darkness. “How long have you been married, Kevin?” I asked.

“Two and half years?”

“Honeymooners. You wait, after five years she will be praying not for sunset but for lightning to strike your ass!” We chekad loudly in the cold, but fleeting dawn light. At 5:40am our model, the mzee I told you about yesterday – Benson- showed up.

5:45pm:

The clouds over the hills to the east started dissolving slowly. The greys eased up.

5:49:

Kevin briefs the old man on how to pose on that stone. He moves dangerously close to the cliff and lies down. I can’t even look. I have a phobia of heights. The only sound is his clicking camera.

5:51:

Benson tells us about a woman who fell off these cliffs. “We picked up pieces of her at the bottom.”

“Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill.

5:54:

It’s clearing. On top of the clouds in the horizon we start seeing a slight glow of deep orange. The clouds below seem to curdle like sour milk. “We are almost there guys,” announces Kevin. He steps too close to the edge and lies down. I can’t bear to look, I feel like throwing up in fear. “Come on, man! We want the shot of sunrise, not a tragedy!” I whine far away from the cliff.

“I’m good.” He says.

I wouldn’t lie down there, at the edge of that ominous cliff; if the New York Times offered me a weekly byline and a Brazilian model for inspiration for each week’s story. No story is ever that serious.

6:01 She’s coming out. Look at her. The tip of the ball lights up the landscape below in deep orange and crispy browns. The sour clouds seem to disentangle and scatter in her presence. She rises, majestically, like she knows she’s the main act. Although it’s still freaking cold, we stop feeling it because the scene fills our bones and hearts with warmth.

Kevin clicks frantically.

6:12: She is now suspended above the landscape, a large perfect ball of deep orange. “How often do you just come out here and watch the sunrise?” I ask the old man, and he turns to look at me like I just spoke in French.

He says he doesn’t.

“Never?”

He says he only comes during the day to relax once in a while.

“Have you ever gotten tired of this view?”

“No.”

“So what do you think about when you come here?”

“I don’t think. I just look at the scene, it’s the best place to take in the whole region.”

But seeing this sunrise wasn’t even the true beauty of this story. The beauty is that after waking up at 3:38am, walking up the mountain in the cold, in pitch darkness, and then waiting for the sun for half an hour, with our ears and fingers frozen Kevin decided that the pictures he took weren’t “good enough” and didn’t submit them.

Jehovah Lord, this is not about us. This is about you. That’s all I will say.

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66 Comments
  1. “Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill…” This nailed it…Good stuff, woke up waiting to read about you guys..nice!

  2. “Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill” that killed me…too funny..sounds like humpty dumpty feel down the wall

  3. wow! wow! perfecto! That prayer and the explanation! cant wait for the whole post about Kevin . I love the way you have documented this exercise . Its teaching a lot : from team work, resilience, being the best at what you do , dealing with let downs ,,,,the list is endless. God bless you Biko . You are one of a kind

  4. I couldn’t agree more.”Most saved people…are a bunch of annoying segregating stiff folk who think they have complimentary tickets to heaven…..I honestly think there will be a lot of saved folk in hell…”

  5. Kevin seems like a cool guy….There is something unique about a prayerful guy. I hope he gets the shots he is looking for.

    1. Dondi Rosie, i would like to think of myself as a cool guy :), yes i got some good shots,ahasante 🙂

  6. Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill” yenyewe this line did it for me. one thing i admire about your writing is your ability to bring words to life…awesome!

  7. A team that prays together does #Unexpected stuff…..
    after waking up at 3:38am..the sunrise want good enough??????oh well…….as always,wonderful read!! #TeamKevin

  8. “He was as serious as Ebola.” LOL! sir, you sense of humor is amazing! so glad i discovered your blog!! – New avid reader

  9. Wow, Kevin. I wonder if he will sing aloud to Bryan Adams again when he returns home and his wife moved his shirts from where they always are…Can’t he fn add a bit of light to this pic? Looks fine to me. But then again, perfectionists are perfectionists — Inly he understands the shot he wants, in his head – they usually know it when they see it, perfections. Sometimes they can’t explain it, but they know it when they see it. Pray he doesn’t brood all day today as you head to your next destination. That is if he comes at all…he just might decide to capture that sight tomorrow. And poor you, all of you, will have another night in Taita…

  10. I envy you guys.Believe you me;Lillian was full of envy when you guys stopped to pee.They all are.

    After another 2 and a half years,get in touch with Kevin and ask him if he still prays for a perfect shot( or anything else) with his missus.Hehe

  11. Most saved people I know are a bunch of annoying segregating stiff folk who think they have complimentary tickets to heaven and look at us like we catch pints with Judas’s relatives on the daily. They are overbearing folk, unyielding and very judgmental. And to think we are the lost sheep and should be treated special! I honestly think we will find a lot of saved folk in hell and surprisingly it’s chaps like Timberlake who might just end up in heaven.

  12. Boring saved folk here loving what Kevin is doing as he shares his faith and talent… by the way Biko tickets to heaven are all complimentary, you can RSVP on eventbrite chapter …

  13. Lonhro House. 20 stories up. Osborne lies on the edge of the building, his head hanging out. All he wants is the shot of a bicycle guy doing stunts with a cockerel. I agree, it is never that serious. But what the hell, we are only here for the stories.
    Godspeed wishes from #TeamOsborne
    http://www.magunga.com/unexpectedkenya-day-5-the-art-of-seduction/

    1. Thanks for this, I was wondering where I can get to read the other blog posts from the other writers covering the unexpected Kenya journey!

  14. “I wouldn’t lie down there, at the edge of that ominous cliff; if the New York Times offered me a weekly byline and a Brazilian model for inspiration for each week’s story. No story is ever that serious.”- Biko you always make such a serious thing look like a child’s play toy.

  15. Biko, you guys are doing a great thing. Showing us the unexpected side of kenya like this. I had no idea that such breathtaking beauty resided in such places.

    Like, kelvin, I feel like a prayer but i know it will sound blasphemous. I let that rest. All I can pray (and i hope the rest of the gang too), is that the Lord gives you enough inspiration to write one awesome blogpost that captures the whole of this capturekenya excursion.

  16. Haha! Yenyewe you guy! Love this one. “Jehovah Lord, this is not about us. This is about you. That’s all I will say.”

  17. If we follow the work ethics of this team as Kenyans no mountain will be insurmountable, waking up at 3AM, doing what they know best and not accepting mediocre results but still looking forward to their next task, unbelievable, not forgetting Biko’s sense of humor.

  18. “Most saved people I know are a bunch of annoying segregating stiff folk who think they have complimentary tickets to heaven and look at us like we catch pints with Judas’s relatives on the daily.” …..had to read that part outloud for my colleagues!!

  19. Benson tells us about a woman who fell off these cliffs. “We picked up pieces of her at the bottom.”

    “Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill………………. My ribs still hurt

  20. I have summitted, watched the sunrise and all things in between. You sure are king of imagery!
    Now I have your blog ‘pinned to start’ on my phone. Never a dull moment! Where have I been all this time? Catching up on previous blogs

  21. Too on point! I love how Kevin shares his faith. I just discovered your blogs with the ‘visa denied’ piece that I sambazaad even to pals at the FCO in London- it cracked them up by the way. You are talented MADD and we thank God for you—- been catching up on blogs and cracking up a good one. keep them coming….new avid reader.

  22. That view above is just to die for!We do forget what beautiful country we have..And Kevin is not the only one who sings aloud to Bryan Adam songs ….and may I add hastly ,off pitch:)He he.Thanks Biko for making me chuckle this morning.

  23. Great read as always. I have become attached to the whole team. Tell us more of each person too. That phrase about saved people though, wacha tu. For real we’ll find the likes of Judas in heaven already forgiven.

  24. “Jesus, she died?” Some moron asked. (Me). As if they picked her pieces, put them together, superglued her back together and now she sells eggs at the shop at the foot of the hill. I have teethed the whole day today, I am sure I am looking stupid but this is just so funny. Yes Biko you are a moron. You have such a wicked sense of humor! New Ugandan fan.(except they are not posting my comments I wonder why? Do you not like Ugandans Biko? Plus I am a christian lock, stock and barrel! and everything that goes with it.

  25. As usual brilliant piece. Kevin looks like just the kind of a guy I might invite for my next Bible Study group meeting. tell him to send me a text if you see him

  26. Beautiful writing, Biko! Kevin is my neighbour and the camera is like a part of his body. He just wields it naturally.

  27. I like Kevin, he is the kind of person who takes the serious things seriously and doesn’t sweat the small stuff. If the photos ain’t good enough, they ain’t worth submitting. That sunrise though, niiice. Did I miss the link to his blog, somewhere here?
    Really, “Jesus, she died?” ? Maybe just maybe,in your defence your brain was thawing? Loved climbing the hill with you!!

  28. Hahaha Biko this one has totally made my day ati saved people with complementary tickets n super gluing the lady hilarious!!! Great!!!

  29. Eish! kweli a team that prays,it went a long way for all of us.Those pictures will be great on that calendar,the team made it happen and God used us exceedingly.