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Rael Kirema: My children keep me going, they are my pride and joy

 

Rael Kirema carries fond memories of her wedding day.

On that Saturday, December 22, 1959, friends and family gathered at Uringu Methodist Church in Meru to witness the young couple exchange their marriage vows. Her husband, Henry Kirema, looked dashing in a crisp suit as he waited patiently for her to walk down the aisle.

The bride wore a sweeping white gown with a lace veil.  A necklace made of white pearls rested on her chest. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

“It was my dream to wed in church. I had 12 bridesmaids by my side.”

The highlight of the day for Rael was getting married to a man she knew and loved.

“We went to the same primary school, Uringu Primary. Our paths crossed again in 1956 after I joined Kangaru Agriculture College in Embu. We were both studying agriculture. After college, we worked together as field instructors in a place called Mituntu in Meru County. During this period, we fell in love and sealed it in marriage in 1959.”

 

Rael Kirema

Ms Rael Kirema with her grandchildren, Peter Mutethia, and Phiona Makena and great grand-children,  Angel and Fidel at Mituntu. She has 24 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
Second right is her daughter Catherine Gacheri. 

Gitonga Marete | Nation Media Group

Before meeting her husband, Rael had trained as a nurse in 1955 shortly after completing secondary level education at Kaaga Girls High School in North Imenti.  However, a few classes into the training, she had a change of heart and decided to pursue agriculture.

“We lived in Ntombo village in Tigania East. My parents were Christians. This made it possible for my elder brother and me—we were just two-- to access good education. I remember at Kaaga Girls, my teachers were British. My best subject was Geography.  I loved to read about distant countries and spot them on maps.  My favourite destination back then was Jamaica.”

 Rael, now a retired teacher, has always been an education enthusiast.  For this reason, shortly after settling into married life, she was back in the classroom.

“I enrolled at Mbooni Teachers College in Makueni to train as a teacher, I was in the first cohort of 1965. My husband continued to work as an agriculture instructor for a while. Then he became an administrative chief at Mituntu location. He was a far-sighted man and was well travelled. In fact, by 1967, he had toured America, Germany, Italy and Spain. He was passionate about education and helped many needy children in the village get into school.”

On June 21, 1980 will forever be engraved on Rael’s mind.  It is the day she lost her beloved husband.

“Henry had been ailing for some time. He succumbed to liver cirrhosis while receiving treatment.” 

Life, as Rael knew it, took a dramatic turn. She began an uncertain journey of raising her children single-handedly.

“At the time of my husband’s death, we had been blessed with 10 children. Our eldest child was 23 and in college. The last born was barely eight months old. I had children in secondary and primary school, and three of them had not yet joined school. I was frightened about the future. It seemed like a blur, clouded with uncertainties.”

Rael was widowed at the age of 46.  She wondered how she would support her children with only one salary.  The savings left behind by her late husband were wiped out in less than a year.

“I faced some tough years after my husband passed on. At one point, I couldn’t afford clothes for myself. I had to make do with two dresses and one pair of shoes, we called them sandaks, just to be presentable before the students I taught.”

Thankfully, the stormy season passed, as all storms do. Her first sigh of relief came in the form of her eldest child, Cecilia Gaki.

“My daughter completed her college training and got a job as a teacher. She began supporting me financially as soon as she got her first salary.  ”

 After a short while, Rael’s second born, Aggrey Mutirithia, completed his postgraduate studies and secured a job as an engineer at Unga Limited.

“My son was very hard working. He constructed a house and bought a car, he also teamed up with his sister Cecilia to help me raise the younger children. ”

Sadly, Aggrey developed some chest complications that led to hospitalisation. His dreams were cut short by the cruel hand of death. Aggrey’s sudden death dealt a big blow to the Kirema family.

The tragedy of losing yet another member of her family brought untold grief to Rael. However, she found strength in her faith in God to keep moving because she had children to take care of. That was the harsh reality of life.

 

Rael Kirema

Ms Rael Kirema and her children in an undated photo. Her husband died on June 21, 1980 and left behind 10 children. 


Pool

“I was earning about Sh2,000 each month as a primary school teacher. Of course this was not enough so I supplemented my income with farming. We grew maize, peanuts and beans that were eaten at home and the surplus traded at the local market. Thankfully, the yield was often good and we earned enough to help us sail through.”

However, in 1984, a biting drought struck the region and for the first time, Rael didn’t have enough to feed her children let alone trade in the market.

“That was a tough year. The drought persisted, but I kept my hope steadfast in the Lord. God blesses those who keep their faith in Him. He sent us help through my late brother, Samuel Kilebua who brought us food and helped me pay for household expenses.”

In addition, Samuel offered words of encouragement to his sister.  

“The moral support gave me hope that everything would be alright in the end.  Some people in the village said very unkind things about me.  Perhaps they expected me to run around after men in the village so as to feed my children.  But I worked hard with my own hands and my brother commended me for that.   ”

Rael’s family survived the drought. The rains came and once again, their farm brought forth bounty harvest. Her children cheerfully helped with farm work saving her a small fortune in workers’ wages. The ones who left the nest and got jobs sent some money home to take care of their younger siblings. The wagging tongues went silent.

Henry Kirema

The late Henry Kirema and his wife, Rael Kirema on the wedding day on December 22, 1959.


Pool

“I am glad God gave me obedient children who listen to me. When I told them to take their education seriously, they did exactly that. Today, I have among them, three teachers, an astute farmer, a prominent business lady, a media company administrator and a renowned building contractor.”

 Rael can’t help a smile when she talks about her children. She speaks glowingly of how they have supported each other through the years. Their bond seems to strengthen as they get older, each child trying to help the next sibling achieve their dreams.

 Supporting one another

“They help light each other’s candles. When I see them supporting one another like that, I feel at peace and know that the future of the Kirema family will shine bright.”

After Aggrey, Rael lost two more children.  Her daughter, Florence Kamathi, died of breast cancer.   One of Rael’s children, Solomon Munene, was living with Down syndrome and was born with a hole in his heart. He died at 35.

Although Rael has endured much pain in her life, she counts herself blessed in every sense of the word.

“My children call me on the phone every day. They built me a stone house, my retirement home. I enjoy living in it. They buy me shoes and clothes. Lots of dresses. What a joy!”

Now that the children are all grown, how does Rael, who is now 87, pass her days?

“I keep myself busy. Remember when I told you how my late husband loved to take care of the needy? As soon as I was stable, I took up his projects of educating less privileged children. Some of those I took under my wing are now teachers and doctors. Another one is in the university.  In addition, I distribute food and clothing to the needy.  As a philanthropist, I am committed to do God’s work in church and in society until the day I breathe my last.”

Rael also enjoys family time. She is blessed with 24 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren who she loves and dots on.

Her secret to good health is open:

“I am surrounded by a big warm family, they give me strength. I am an avid reader of the bible and newspapers. I am fond of the Psalms and Isaiah, these two books in the bible contain great teachings. I read the newspaper to keep up with current affairs.  Reading keeps my mind alert.”

Rael is quite in shape, with a surprising burst of energy for a senior citizen. She credits this to maintaining a healthy diet.

“My staple meals are natural and organic. I eat green gram, githeri, kienyeji chicken, full cream milk, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and lots of fruits. For vegetables, I love the traditional ones like managu and terere. Simple chores around the house keep me physically active. ”

At the end of the interview, Rael pauses reflectively, clears her throat and speaks rather quietly.

“I urge widows and widowers not to rush into relationships. The fear of facing life alone after the loss of a spouse is real, but don’t let it push into remarrying.  Think about your children, focus on being there for them. Bring them up until they can stand on their own two feet. If it’s God’s will, you can consider marriage once the children are independent. This way, you will avoid complicating things for yourself and the children. It could even protect them from harm or negative influence.”   BY DAILY NATION   

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