Machakos -off the tourist trail.

Machakos was originally considered by the colonizing Brits to become the capital city for the “Protectorate of Kenya”, but when they found that Nairobi had potentially better water resources, Machakos was left to become a regional centre. It comprises a compact business area with banks and shops, and the once glorious Garden Hotel. Bernard Matolo, a former colleague from theological college in Bristol is now the Bishop for the African Episcopalian Church in Machakos, and has responsibility for 22 congregations covering a vast area, including parts of Tanzania and the Embu region of Kenya near Mount Kenya.

He gave up three days of his time to host us, and using a hired car, drove us from Nairobi to Machakos and then around on some long and eye-opening trips. We met some truly wonderful people, including his wife Josephine who we knew from Bristol, and two of their sons Jonathan and Danny boarders at separate secondary schools, and their daughter Patience, still at primary school near to their three room rented home. No fine Bishop’s palace or office for Bernard. No support staff either, and at the time of our visit, not even a functioning car.

Nevertheless we were treated regally and had wonderful meals served for us all along the way, which took us up hill and down dale, into parts of the world where there hasn’t been rainfall for 5 YEARS, and where subsistence farming is the norm. I will write further about Machakos in the near future, but for the time being, for the thoughts and prayers of anyone following this blog, four potential action points:


• The Cathedral has just been built and has no electricity, nor a house for the pastor in charge. It is also in need of seating and musical instruments. This could be something St. Cuthbert’s would give consideration to.









• The Girls secondary school at Kayata is operating out of rented shacks which serve as dormitory and teaching room, but has just had a dynamic young head teacher appointed: Mrs Margaret Muli. She has brought water onto the site and would love to connect to the electricity system which has only just arrived at the nearby village. This could be something that schools in Fulwood might like to consider supporting.

• Bernard is keen to encourage wise use of the environment where each of his churches are planted, and depending on research I am to make at the end of my visit to Kenya, would really value some kind of bursary support system being set up that would enable him to send individuals from his congregations to learn how to farm with appropriate care for the environment. More on this later, but this could become something the Halliwell / Paton Philip family might like to consider.

• Bernard’s lay pastor in Machakos, Stephen Kisulu is a full time science teacher at the prestigious Nairobi school for boys, and some kind of dialogue with the science department at Archbishop Temple School, Fulwood, might lead to a international relationship of considerable quality and mutual benefit – and this initially does not have any financial implication, only a desire to foster a global community link between educational establishments.


Another cultural boundary crossed

After so many new experiences, it was good to sit in the domestic departure lounge at Nairobi Airport for a few hours to wait for our flights to the coast for the final part of our family holiday. Kenya Airways had deleted me from their passenger list because I was a no-show on the flight they had changed to be a taxi ride and flight! So after a frantic call in the morning – I am so grateful for Megan having given me a spare local phone company sim card for my mobile – I was given a seat on a flight out one hour earlier than the rest of the family, but we eventually all met up together again, and reached the Sun n’sands resort at Kilimani, north of Mombasa at 9 p.m. Time for rest and recreation – surrounded by package tour Brits….. but also many more interesting folk. Watch this space.