Kangemi church labourer can't wait to meet the Pope Francis

Esther Gathoni, an employee in Kangemi, says the Pope’s visit will be a blessing. [PHOTO: ANGELA MAINA/ STANDARD]

NAIROBI: Esther Gathoni, a casual laborer, is among the chosen few who will meet Pope Francis during his visit to the country.

The mother of two is overwhelmed with joy, and has committed to memory a phone call she received three weeks ago.

Noting that she well remembers what she was doing when the call came through, the 31-year-old says she is counting down to the day the Pope will arrive.

"I had just poured detergent on the toilet seat and I was about to embark on cleaning it when someone called and introduced himself as one of the organisers of the Pope's visit to Kenya. They wanted me to be among the people who would meet Pope Francis," says Ms Gathoni.

Gathoni believes that when she meets the Pope on November 27, she will leave a different person.

She says that the Pope's visit to Kenya shows he has identified the country as one of the nations that need divine blessings, which are long overdue.

Wycliffe Wende, a 29-year-old chef, agrees with Gathoni's belief that the coming of the Pope will bring blessings to those who believe in what he symbolises.

He will not be among those to meet the Pope, but he has a role, which he describes as very special.

"I am the one who will be the cook for the people who will come to see the Pope. I will be the main chef on that day," he says with a chuckle.

He adds that he has been in the business for a long time, but the thought of him one day cooking for the head of the Catholic Church is unimaginable.

"I work in Kangemi, and when I heard that the Pope was coming, I thought they would bring renowned chefs from big hotels, but they chose me. Can you imagine?" he pauses.

He has already shopped for the ingredients. He wants the Pope to eat traditional food such as githeri.

However, there are some who believe the Pope's visit is insignificant, and they will treat the visit just like any other day.

"I am not a Catholic so I do not understand anything about the Pope's coming. I do not even know what he is coming to do, but I know it will not affect me in any way," said Isaac Wanyonyi, who operates a motorcycle.

He does acknowledges that boda boda operators have benefited especially with the tarmacking of roads in Kangemi and the surrounding areas.