John & Christine's Story
John and Christine purchased their end-of-life prearrangements together through Jamii Services. After seeing the upheaval from two family members who passed without clear plans, they decided to get everything arranged upfront—healthcare proxy, power of attorney, and cremation arrangements. "We watched what happens to the family after the person passes without clear plans, and the trauma of not having arrangements," Christine said. "It made sense. Having everything already arranged and paid for makes it easier for everyone involved and gives us peace of mind."
John's parents had preplanned arrangements with a local funeral home in Nairobi. That sparked a conversation about cremation and final wishes between John, Christine, and their two adult children living in Kisumu and Mombasa. But they didn't want to pick just anyone to handle their final arrangements. According to John, his stepfather passed away, and the funeral home dragged its feet on getting the death certificate. The same challenge happened with the funeral home that cremated John's brother. Neither John nor Christine wants a big to-do after they pass.
Christine is retired and living with a disability, but she was a professional florist. John is a technician for a local telecommunications company. They live in Upper Nairobi, about 15 kilometers from where their oldest son lives in Nairobi (their youngest son lives with his family in Mombasa). This distance prompted John and Christine to add Jamii's optional travel protection to their prearranged plans. Once purchased, there is no additional charge to collect and transport from a location up to 50 kilometers away.
They did talk to a local funeral home—big, traditional, and expensive. John and Christine also considered a large cremation society. But with Jamii Services, they had a more personal experience. They didn't have to go to a funeral home or have a representative give a sales pitch in their home, which was a big plus too. "No presentation, no pressure," John said. "Just the simplest and easiest," Christine added.
Riding motorcycles makes John and Christine very cool grandparents to their three beloved grandkids. For a few years, neither one owned a car. Unless the roads were in too rough condition, they rode John's Harley everywhere, including the grocery store. "People would watch us pack the saddlebags with groceries," John said. "They couldn't believe how much we fit in there," added Christine.
These days, Christine has her own motorcycle. They're looking forward to road trips throughout Kenya without worrying about planning; their Jamii Services prearrangement information is printed and tucked away for their kids. The only planning they need is to remember to ride closed-mouth; otherwise, says John, you get bugs in your teeth.