Finally, a Book About Faith on All Levels
Shiko Clayton’s memoir, Awakened Faith: How a Grandmother’s Wisdom Made All the Difference, takes readers into the past and details two generations of her Kikuyu-Kenyan family. It tells the story of how her grandmother’s faith and resilience instilled a sense of individuality and hope in her two daughters, Josephine and Mercy, which then trickled down to Shiko.
The memoir portrays a trail blazing real-life story in East Africa from the far slopes of Mt. Kenya in Kirinyaga County where her grandmother lived, to Thika in Kiambu County, where Shiko grew up, to Greenville County in South Carolina, U.S. where she now lives.
This heartfelt memoir focuses on faith and how it has shaped her life. Faith in Shiko’s context is not just a singular narrative of religion. It is all encompassing from a religious perspective (Christian faith) to faith in herself and others (family, friends, and even strangers) as well as faith in the process: the cultural dowry process before and after marriage, and the American immigration process.
Beginning with Shiko’s grandparents’ polygamous marriage and rural life, to her parents modern, military driven lifestyle, then to her own international journey to interracial marriage and motherhood, Shiko shares how her faith has been awakened and inspired by the words and deeds of her grandmother through different phases of her life.
Moreover, her story is a rare, modern-day war bride love story, where she met her husband, Josh, in an American military base in Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Her personal story encapsulates universal issues of: cause and effect of childhood trauma, broken romantic relationships, dynamics of military life as a service member’s dependent, interracial marriages, loss and grief due to miscarriage; immigration and assimilation to another country.
Shiko documents how her grandmother’s wisdom has impacted her life, how it is still relevant, and how it can benefit readers. Each chapter is graced with nuggets of wisdom learned.
You, dear reader, will learn:
To understand that faith is bigger than any one religion and how to apply faith on a wider scale. Faith not only in God but also in oneself, faith in others, and faith in the process.
How to manage and cope with temporary separation (deployments) because of one’s parents’ or spouses’ military career.
To understand and navigate the complex American immigration dynamics based on marriage through the spousal visa process.
.The highs and lows of relationships and how the relationship evolve from friendship to courtship, leading to marriage and parenthood.
TESTIMONIALS
“The contents of the book are timely, especially on issues concerning understanding the challenges of immigration and the ease or difficulty in assimilation in America. The book explores Shiko’s decision-making between getting employment or being a stay-at-home mom, to tend to her children. The reality of her husband’s military career with a growing family influences her decision where her career aspirations take a back seat. Filled with nuggets of wisdom, Shiko’s book will be one of the best collections anyone can benefit from.”
- Ms. Noreen Musinya, Logistics Manager- KBR inc. Camp Lemonnier USA Naval Base Djibouti, Africa
“The personal stories of life as seen through the eyes of the (Kenyan) immigrants, or the natives are seldom told. Shiko documents real life, vividly describing how the settlement by the British and the Indians impacted her community. She gives her account of the integration with Indians in the public school in Thika, Kiambu County, Kenya in the late 1980’s. Through the eyes of an African Kenyan born after the colonial period, Shiko’s book contrasts her grandmother’s life with hers, as she shares her struggles, joys, and achievements.”
- Dr. Jaihind S. Sumal- Author of Leave Only Footprints and Kartar-An Indian Immigrant in East Africa 1927 to 1949. Charleston, South Carolina, USA
“Shiko’s memoir addresses issues that affect the military service members and their families. She narrates the challenges in her childhood that affected her family in Kenya when her father was deployed. She marries an American soldier and faces similar challenges when her husband is away from the family, while serving in the South Carolina National Guard. Though her book accounts for experiences in two nations (United States and Kenya), all service members in the military around the world have similar, fundamental challenges due to separation from their loved ones. This makes it necessary for a robust psychological health strategy to be implemented, especially after deployments. There is no health without mental health.”
- Dr. Susan W. Gitau, Director of International Professional Counselors Center- Kenya and Lecturer at Nazarene University/ Trauma Expert- Nairobi, Kenya
“In her memoir, Shiko Clayton narrates the challenges that she and her siblings went through when they missed their father’s presence when he was deployed for long periods of time in his military career. From a child’s perspective, readers learn how the community around Shiko helped her overcome anxieties through the Jumuiya (small Christian community) members’ encouragement and support. Shiko Clayton’s memoir is inspiring and can impact lives.”
- Dr. Ephantus Kariuki- Reginal Lead, Southern Africa Region AstraZeneca- Johannesburg, South Africa
“I am glad that Shiko gets to share these nuggets of wisdom with the world. Despite the differences in culture, her message is timely and deeply resonates with grandmothers who are instrumental in shaping their grandchildren’s character. Like Shiko, I grew up as a dependent in a military family and later married a soldier. Military families learn to be resilient and to persevere through long-distance relationships with weeks, months, and sometimes years apart. Shiko’s memoir is a must-read book!”
- Ms. Sabrena Spearman. Human Resources Generalist, Greer, South Carolina USA
