Kawira Baraka’s Writing Journey

My first writing left teachers in awe
My name is Kawira Baraka, I was born and schooled in Meru County. I am a farmer and a trained journalist, I love translating materials from English to Swahili and vice versa. My first school language was Ameru which was allowed for use until class 3. In class 4, a wooden object was introduced and given to the perfect so that whoever found speaking in mother tongue was given the wooden material and would be punished at the end of the day. There was an issue, we had spoken in our mother tongue all our lives and what was of much concern was how were we going to evade punishment. The whole of that year was much of drama, to redeem myself I decided to read many English books so that at least I can get to speak a little English.

My dad was a librarian at KNLS Meru, and he would go to work with me on weekends and take me to the children’s books section. I could now read because I loved the books and not because I wanted to know how to speak in English. Afterward, I wrote my first composition which was titled ‘My Best Friend’ and my English teacher was so happy about what I wrote that he took it to other teachers for assessment. I believe that’s when the seed of writing was planted in my life. Throughout my primary school years, my compositions and Kiswahili Insha’s would be read by the teacher in the staffroom, during parade days, and taken to other classes as examples.

My journey of impediments to publishing
Fast forward to many years later, I visited Kigali-Rwanda and upon my return, I did a story about the genocide, sent it to a Media Station only to find it on the Editorial with no by-word. This discouraged me so much that I stopped writing. My husband kept encouraging me to keep writing but I would keep going back to the discouragement and so I stopped writing.

In 2013, I was expectant and at 36 weeks we lost our son. I was devastated, frustrated and angry. I didn’t know what to do with my time and I was just idle. I remember vividly asking God what He would have me do with the time I was to be with the baby and what I should do for money. The answer I got was “write books”, write books yes! Write books for money? I didn’t get this but I knew my spirit caught it and my mind would follow. I’m not at that place yet but I stayed in prayer because even though He said it, I wanted to get to a place where my driving force is His leading and not the money. I started writing and I found out that each time I sat there would be a flow of content, hence I wrote about six manuscripts and I didn’t know what to do with them.

The first manuscript was ‘my first-born son’s gift’ on his fifth birthday, and I felt that I needed to share the same with other children. I didn’t know how, and when I was introduced to Pastor Vincent he helped me with the first book that was published through CLC’s Print On Demand in 2017. It is the first of all the titles I have received during prayer, worship, and my travels. I’m grateful to God for connecting me to CLC Kenya. His plans for me will surely come to pass- a book at a time.

My book is a Children’s Devotional for ages between 3-12 years, its title is “My Time with God”. We are working with CLC Kenya to have my book on Amazon and other online sites for access. I thank the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that He has helped us all until this far, I pray for each one of us that every book that is in the volume of the books in heaven for us is written and that God will help us with everything needed to bring them to reality. May His joy be your strength always.

Check my book here: https://africanauthors.net/shop-east-african-christian-authors/my-time-with-god/

At CLC Bookshop: https://kenyaclc.org/shop/my-time-with-god/?v=be7f575c3bc9

You will find it on Facebook under the name, Kawira Baraka.

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