The coastal breeze of Kwale County carries more than just the salty scent of the Indian Ocean these days. For Jennifer Ekitela, it brings the constant ache of a grandmother’s broken heart as she watches her daughter Faith Jerop struggle to reclaim her granddaughter from a Russian man who swept them both into an international custody nightmare.
“I was worried and asked why she chose to live with a man when she didn’t even know what kind of work he did,” Jennifer recalls, tears streaming down her weathered face. Her maternal instincts had screamed warnings that would prove heartbreakingly accurate.
When Red Flags Wave in Paradise
Faith Jerop, just 22 years old, met her Russian lover in the tourist paradise of Diani Beach. What began as a whirlwind romance quickly evolved into something far more sinister. The young Kwale mum fell pregnant, and their daughter Maya became the center of an elaborate deception that would tear apart their family.
Jennifer Ekitela, Faith’s mother, had harbored deep suspicions about the mysterious Russian man from the beginning. “I even felt the man seemed off, but Faith said he does online business, so I had to step back and say it’s okay,” she explains, her voice heavy with regret.
The Kwale mum says she questioned her daughter’s relationship with the Russian lover repeatedly, but young love proved deaf to maternal wisdom. Faith dismissed her mother’s concerns, believing her partner’s vague explanations about his work and intentions.
The Perfect Trap: A Father’s Dying Wish
When baby Maya was just a few months old, Faith’s Russian lover played his master card. He claimed his father was gravely ill and desperately wanted to meet his granddaughter before undergoing life-threatening surgery. The story tugged at Faith’s heartstrings – who could deny a dying grandfather his final wish?
“He said his dad wanted to give Maya blessings and inheritance, as he was about to undergo major surgery and feared he wouldn’t make it out alive – so we travelled to Russia,” Faith recounts, now understanding the calculated nature of this emotional manipulation.
Legal Deception on Foreign Soil
Once in Russia, the young Kwale mother discovered the true nature of her lover’s plan. While registering Maya at a hospital for medical care, he listed himself as a single parent without Faith’s knowledge or consent. This seemingly routine paperwork became the foundation for his custody claim.
The betrayal deepened when he brought in a lawyer who informed Faith that he had obtained full custody of their child. The woman who had traveled to Russia as a loving partner was suddenly transformed into an unwelcome intruder in her own child’s life.
Left without money, support, or legal recourse in a foreign country, Faith found herself begging for a return ticket to Kenya. Her pleas to say goodbye to baby Maya fell on deaf ears.
A Grandmother’s Plea Echoes Across Continents
Back in Kwale County, Jennifer Ekitela’s heart breaks daily as she thinks about her granddaughter growing up thousands of miles away. “The child is still very young. He has separated her from her mother – she needs her mother,” the devastated grandmother pleads.
The Kwale mum says she questioned every aspect of her daughter’s relationship with the Russian lover, but her warnings came too late. Now, she watches helplessly as Faith battles depression, sleepless nights, and the overwhelming challenge of international custody law.
Fighting an Uphill Battle
Faith Jerop hasn’t given up on reclaiming her daughter. She has reached out to Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contacted the Russian embassy, but her cries for help have largely fallen on deaf ears. The legal process requires approximately KSh 800,000, but Faith has only managed to raise KSh 60,000.
“I have a hole in my heart. I’ve become hopeless. But I will not give up on my baby,” Faith declares, her determination shining through her despair.
A Dangerous Game of International Politics
The situation has taken an even more ominous turn. Faith fears for her safety after going public with her story. She claims the Russian embassy contacted her ex-lover, requesting documents for both her and baby Maya. The man knows where she lives and even has keys to her home, creating a climate of fear that extends beyond the custody battle.
Lessons from a Mother’s Intuition
Jennifer Ekitela’s story serves as a powerful reminder that maternal instincts often detect dangers that love-struck hearts cannot see. The Kwale mum says she questioned her daughter’s relationship with the Russian lover from the beginning, recognizing red flags that proved tragically prophetic.
This heartbreaking case highlights the vulnerability of young mothers in international relationships and the complex legal challenges they face when things go wrong. It also underscores the importance of thorough background checks and legal protections before traveling abroad with children.
The Fight Continues
As Faith Jerop continues her battle to reunite with baby Maya, her story resonates with parents worldwide who understand that a mother’s love knows no borders. The young woman from Kwale County represents countless others caught in the crossfire of international custody disputes, where love, deception, and legal complexity create perfect storms of heartbreak.
The coastal winds of Kwale may carry Jennifer Ekitela’s tears, but they also carry her unwavering hope that one day, her granddaughter will return home to the loving arms of her Kenyan family.
