Lela Goldsmith, author of Bibi’s Blessing and Not too Little to Make a Difference, grew up in Lamu an island off the coast of Kenya. The island is an artifact of the past, a mixing of many cultures from sea voyagers of the past. The island has a special flavour, with its sandy beaches, Arabic influenced architecture, donkeys in every corner, and freshly baked mofas for sale!

Lela’s Bibi, which means grandmother in Swahili, made mofas everyday. She lived off of her mofa sales and it was a full day of work, but for Bibi it was a labour of love.

Bibi made her mofas the old fashioned way. The process began when she bought sorghum grain and ground it at the millers. Then she would carry water from the well and make a dough from the sorghum flour. After that, she would gather firewood to make a fire in her clay oven to bake the mofas. At Asr time, one of her children or grandchildren would take the mofas and sell them at an outdoor food market near the mosque

The story Bibi’s Blessing is based on Lela’s Bibi and how she lived her life

. She gave unconditional, wholesome love and was always so happy to see her grandchildren. She gave generously to her community. Her door was always open, She would help set dislocated bones, massage away aches, and was a hub in her community.

Lela describes her Bibi as having “abundance,” because she had true trust in Allah. She lived a very simple life, owning only two pots, an aluminum one and a clay pot. Yet she never turned a visitor away and always hosted them generously with whatever she had.

Would you like to experience life in Lamu through story? Click here to purchase Lela Goldsmith’s book Bibi’s Blessing, or here to purchase Not Too Little to Make a Difference.