07/30/2026
One of the biggest lessons Kenya has taught me is this: simplicity and poverty are not the same thing.
Today I learned a little more about everyday life here.
To help put it into perspective for my friends back home…
Someone earning around 8,000 Kenyan shillings per month is making roughly $60 USD per month.
A salary of about 100,000 Kenyan shillings per month—around $775 USD—is considered a very good income in many parts of Kenya.
And earning 1,000,000 Kenyan shillings per month—about $7,750 USD—would place someone among the wealthy.
Those numbers stopped me in my tracks.
As Americans, we often think in terms of bigger homes, newer cars, faster internet, and packed schedules.
Here…
Life moves differently.
Time is less about the clock and more about people.
Homes are modest. Many families live with very little compared to what most Americans would consider “normal.” Yet those homes are filled with conversation, laughter, children playing outside, neighbors stopping by, and hospitality that is almost impossible to describe.
People don’t seem to be rushing from one appointment to the next.
Children spend hours outside playing soccer, volleyball, laughing, exploring, and simply being kids.
Community isn’t something they schedule…
It’s simply how they live.
What has challenged me the most isn’t what they lack.
It’s what they seem to have in abundance.
They notice people.
They welcome strangers.
They share what little they have.
If there is food on the table, you’re invited to eat.
If there is a chair, they’ll insist you sit in it.
If there is a home, they’ll tell you, “You are at home here.”
I’ve also learned that while incomes here are often much lower than in the United States, comparisons aren’t always straightforward. Much of rural Kenya operates differently than our economy. Families often grow food, live in multigenerational homes, and depend heavily on community support, even as many still face significant challenges accessing healthcare, education, clean water, and stable employment.
This trip has made me ask myself a question.
Have we confused having more with living better?
I’m incredibly grateful for the blessings we enjoy in America. I wouldn’t trade the opportunities we’ve been given.
But I do hope I bring something home from Kenya that money can never buy.
A slower pace.
A greater appreciation for people.
More gratitude.
More generosity.
And a willingness to open my home—and my heart—the way these families have opened theirs.
Kenya has reminded me that wealth isn’t measured only by what’s in your bank account.
Sometimes it’s measured by how quickly you’re willing to share your table, your time, your joy… and your love.
❤️🇰🇪🙏
