In the Kenyan community, the word “welcome” was never just something people said. It was something they handed to you in a warm, steaming cup. The very first time someone offered me tea, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure what the local custom was or how I was supposed to act. But then, someone told me gently that the only way to say “thank you” for the welcome was to take a sip. So, I drank.
That first cup of chai (tea), turned into hundreds of others. I saw the same pattern everywhere I went, from small family homes to visits at the local church. I would arrive as a complete stranger, someone would say “welcome,” and suddenly a cup was in my hands. But I eventually realized it was never really about the drink itself.
At the start, I actually worried about how much tea I was drinking. I wondered how many cups my stomach could handle or how many visits I could fit into one day. But over time, I saw that every cup was an offering of trust. Every time I took a sip, it was like a quiet agreement between us. It was their way of saying, “You are welcome here,” and my way of answering, “I am happy to stay.”
Each cup of chai taught me that working together doesn’t start with big projects or fancy plans. It starts by just showing up and staying long enough for people to get to know you.
By the time I stopped counting how many cups I drank, I finally understood the lesson. The tea was a way of belonging. It was a simple act that turned a basic visit into a real relationship, and turned me from a stranger into a partner. By sipping what was offered, I wasn’t just drinking tea, I was accepting an invitation to walk, work, and build a future alongside them.