Healing at the ‘Foot of Jesus’ in Meru County

 [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

In one of his speeches, CS Najib Balala announced that post-pandemic, there would be a new twist in the tourism industry – tourism and travel would focus on experiences.

I am in Meru to have a taste of this – to “discover Meru”.

Bathing in the forest

John Njoroge, Ecosystem Conservator, my host for this activity explained the experience was born from a new transformative way of putting the non-consumptive part of the forest into use by incorporating recreational and leisure facilities.

The all-inclusive approach, he explained, will create awareness of the importance of forest conservation, while at the same time giving the visitor, and the local community a chance to benefit from the forest.

The “forest bathing” experience a “feel good’ activity calmed my mind, as I walked through the forest amidst the chirping of insects and birds, as I stopped to touch a plant, a branch, or gaze at the huge trees. These trees found in Imenti Forest are among the last remaining alongside those found in the Congo forest.

Cycling for leisure. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Cycling for well-being

Meru’s newest cycling track cuts across the indigenous Imenti Forest. One can either do leisure cycling or participate in a cycling event.

Playing hide and seek with the baboons of Gitoro

About two kilometres from the Meru Technical National College-Southern Bypass is a spot, that is a favourite to both locals and visitors. It is a meeting centre for the baboons of Imenti Forest and fun-seekers.

Visitors come here to play such games as ‘monkey (baboon) business. The games vary from the baboons snatching a meal from the sly visitors to playing hide and seek with the shy baboons who will do ‘tactful’ and calculated moves to snatch a meal from the scheming visitors.

I learnt from Ecosystem Conservator, Njoroge that the baboons have transformed the sport into their permanent residence and all attempts to relocate them back to the forest have failed. “This is because they (baboons) have discovered it is easier to get a meal from this spot as opposed to doing so in the forest,” he explained.

Foot of Jesus and tasting the healing waters of Mwonyone in Meru County. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The mysteries of Mwonyone, Riarera

At Ruiri Town, we branch off to the Ruiru-Timau bypass and after a 500m drive, we take a detour to join the Ruiru-Isiolo Road.

After a 20 minutes drive, Kariuki takes a detour, suddenly bringing us to beautiful scenery covered with green grass – an oasis in the middle of a desert.  

The sweet smell from the vegetation is so inviting, just like the terrain stretching beyond my eyesight within a one-kilometre-wide stretch. Tens of tiny pure clean water jets flow in a systematic pattern endlessly

“Karibu Mwonyone, the mythical place that is home to marked footprints attributed to those of Jesus and his donkey,” announces our guide as he looks for the footprints.

We hop from one spring to another scanning the ground for the footmarks. Kariuki seems to be enjoying the search as he takes us in circles. I am about to call it a fake search, when I hear a voice advising us to go further down. I ask the man if he could guide us to which he gladly accepts. He and his two companions volunteer act as our “residence guides”.

A short walk brings us to what looks like several small springs. The trio gets down in an attempt to clear the water. John Kamau, one of the guides, points to a spot, announcing it to be the left footprint of Jesus.

He clears some water from an adjacent spot, excitedly saying it is the right footprint. A further search brings out what the trio declares are the footprints of the donkey.

Then the mythical drama starts with the trio trying to outmatch each other in narrating the mythical story. In the end, I learn that the footprints are timeless, testimony from many generations.

The story is that Jesus was walking with his donkey (no disciples or multitudes mentioned) and when he got to this spot, the donkey was so thirsty Jesus turned to this stony place, and hit a rock and magical springs of water sprung from underground.

The water, they said, has healing powers. One guide, Thomas Matu, narrated how he had foot sores, but when he stepped on the footprints (which continuously emit water), he was healed.

“This place connects you with Jesus and when you visit and step on the water or drink it, you are healed,” said Peterson Muraguri, a 58-year-old resident, who confesses that he had stomach problems, but got healed after drinking the water.

Muraguri tells me he has used and fetched this water for his domestic use and for curing his and his family’s illnesses for the last 40 years. His ancestors, too, used the same water that they believed was a blessing left by Jesus and his donkey as he sojourned to Ethiopia.

Further, down, we come to “the drinking spot”, a tiny jet of clear water. This spot is the attraction to hundreds of pilgrims, who come to partake of the holy water, which they believe is a cure to many diseases.

At the mouth of the spring is a plastic cup strategically placed for the use of pilgrims who use it to drink the water that tastes like sprite soda. Weekends and Sundays, says Kamau, are peak days when visitors from near and far visit the spot. Some drink and carry the water in containers for their loved ones.  

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