Cabbage will never look the same again

Cost of living is something that affects everyone, whether you are in Canada or Kenya. I had a conversation a couple weeks back with our day guard about the cost of living in Kenya. Something I found interesting is that we usually determine in Canada that life is expensive when the cost of gasoline goes up. I am speaking generally here, but when gas hits 1.20 a litre we start thinking wow life is expensive I need to cut back.

In our conversation the guard explained to me how the cost of everything in the market has been going up. A cabbage is going for 80 shillings in some places, a tomato could be going for 10 shillings (when before you could maybe buy 3 for 15 or so), when you only make 200 or 300 shillings in a day this is very bad news. As the guard explained your whole paycheque for the day goes to just feeding the family one meal. So, what do you do when the kids are crying and hungry in the morning and at lunch? How do you find a way to pay rent? Let alone school fees for the kids? Kenyans eat simply but when the staples of their diet are too costly what are they to do? These are the challenges people are facing here. He explained to me that in some places duka owners were not even stocking things like tomatoes because they knew there was no point their clientele could not afford them at present time. He tells me all this while I stroll in happily with 6 tomatoes in a plastic bag. It shocking how insulated one can become from the daily struggles that are happening to people right around the block from you.

The cost of fuel versus the cost of basic daily survival really impacted me. When life gets expensive at home we cut down on our driving. Instead of making 2 trips to town in the week, we make one. Instead of eating out once a week, we stay home. But, here for so many there is no buffer. Most people are already living on the edge. People get by day to day that is how life is lived. They don't know where the next meal is coming from tomorrow. They are completely dependent on God to provide. As many people say in Mombasa, "Inshallah" which is an Arabic term for "if Allah wills, or if God wills." We hear Mu$ lims and Christians both use the term.

So, I know I can't look at a cabbage the same now. It is a symbol of what the daily struggle is for many here in Kenya.