Finally, I have a Boshori!

“ I’m finally legit. I have a Boshori”, I was telling my mum the other day. She asked me where I got it. I told her that one of our patients who is a mother to my friend and a former colleague of mine gave me. It’s blue with white stripes and part of a set. It came with a pair of trousers, sweater, booties and mittens. It’s not the usual bright coloured Boshori’s. A Boshori is like a mavin with a strap around the neck a pompom puff like thing on the head; almost looks like ski mask but you can see the whole face.

Us in Ukambani we love shouting colours especially if they have a luminous hue. Most of the Boshoris I have seen are green, orange, and yellow. The ones used in older nursery going children, even in the hot Machakos January sun, match their school uniform. I wonder if it’s a requirement by the school or it’s the parent’s initiative. My husband and I didn’t think we would own a Boshori. This is not because it’s hot but both my children somehow hats could not sit on their heads, they would miraculously wriggle themselves out of it, so Boshoris we were not sure, maybe its because we really didn’t think much about it unless it snows.

So back to my conversation with my Mum, I tell her it was from a patient. She tells me that these days’ things have changed. She says most grand mums would knit a sweater with a Boshori for their grandchildren as a gift. These days the gifts have changed but the theme is that there is something practical for the cold. And I agree with her that it was indeed a labour of love by our patient. I have used the Boshori to shield my baby from the cold evening wind when I was going home. It was so helpful, he was nicely warm.

Now I want one for myself. It can get cold sometimes and you wish you could cover your ears, neck part of your face in a way that a mavin cant but a ski mask is too excessive.

As I reflect on the Boshori that came just on time, I realised that God provided for Levis and I in our clinic. Numerous patients who would shower us with gifts have blessed us. We are not the greatest doctors so we feel so humbled by their blessings. We wish we could do so much more for them. We only thank God for them, that’s the most we could do.

The blessings and gifts would arrive just on time. I remember telling one it like she had a telescope into my freezer and would send greens, pigeon peas, cow peas just when they were about to be over, just when I’m writing these items on my shopping list. God cares about us so much, even about the contents of my freezer so that we don’t lack.

We once needed femur instrumentation set at the time our clinic began. The quotes we were getting were so high and it felt out of reach. We looked for the money in the usual ways but somehow it was not possible. Then out of the blue, when we had gone an outreach to work at a very far remote place, our friend gives us a gift. The money was just enough for the set including enough for its tithe. That was almost three years ago.

If my God cares so much to provide a Boshori for the cold, restock my freezer and provide a femur set for us, he can do the same for you. Just ask Him. He will do it in His own way, His Time according to His will.