25th September 2025 marked the beginning of a beautiful journey; a new life in Tharaka-Nithi, located many kilometers from the capital city. This not only marked a new environment but also signified a need to transform my lifestyle, mindset, and life objectives. Among the many changes I have experienced since moving to volunteer here, the one I love most and have been impressed by is how often we have dinner outside with my host family outside the house under the stars and moon.
Like the sun rises, it surely does set. After a long day of work, which entails a lot of movement, talking to people, and involving myself in communal activities, I do look forward to coming back to the house for rest and silence as I reflect on the day. On most occasions I would find my host mum, who is kind enough, has already prepared food and is setting plates outside for dinner. This is something that has rarely happened in my many years in Nairobi. We enjoy our dinner as the cool night air breezes through us, sweeping away the day’s heat. We can hear the sounds of branches and dry bushes as the wind softly goes through them. We sit there enjoying our meals, looking at the wide-open sky and admiring the stars and the moon as we share stories and laughter.
These simple acts of eating together when unwinding the day make me feel at home, even though I am many miles from mine. Our host mum is filled with warmth, humor, and motherly love. During difficult periods, when the sun is harsh and unrelenting, when the roads and air we breathe are dusty, she will receive me with open arms, a genuine smile filled with care, and assure me everything will be okay. The kindness she has shown me is enough to outlast any drought. She is just a representation of the community we are in; people filled with life, laughter, and generosity.
In the past month, I have learnt and experienced so much more than I could have imagined. I have learnt a community is not built by comfort, but by care and showing up. It is in the resilience of people who find joy even when the rain forgets to fall, when the sun forgets to dim its harshness, and a place you call home can be created anywhere hearts connect.
As I look ahead to the coming months, I am filled with gratitude, hope, and optimism that better is yet to come. There is still so much to learn, so many stories to listen to, and countless stars yet to sit beneath. If the first month has been about finding family, I can only imagine what the rest of the journey will teach me about love, service, and belonging under the Tharaka sky. I really cannot wait to see how my journey continues to unfold here in Tharaka-Nithi.