Minnie Watson

Minnie Watson

Minnie Cumming came to what is now Kenya, Africa, from her native Scotland in 1899 to marry her fiancé, missionary Thomas Watson.  The young couple began the work of planting a Presbyterian church in a city called Kikuyu.  Soon after she arrived, the town was hit with a locust swarm, resulting in famine, which was followed by a severe Smallpox plague.  The back-to-back disasters resulted in hundreds of people dying, many dropping in the fields where they labored and expiring there.

Thomas and Minnie labored tirelessly to minister to the sick, but before the crisis had passed Thomas contracted pneumonia and passed away - less than a year after their marriage - leaving Minnie, a young widow, to run the entire enterprise on her own - a task she performed with energy and enthusiasm.  A year later, the Presbyterian Church of Scotland assumed responsibility for the effort.  Minnie was asked to stay on and supervise the refugee school established by the mission.

She adopted two children and ensured their education.  She became a fearless advocate for the education of girls in Kenya, something that aroused opposition, sometimes the form of violence.  She also advocated against the cruel practice of female circumcision, a practiced which declined steeply in the country under her influence.

One of the children that attended her school was a boy named Jomo Kenyatta.  Five years after arriving at the school in 1914, Jomo came to faith and was baptized at the local church.  This young man became the founder and the first president of the modern nation of Kenya, serving in that role from 1964-1978.  

Minnie stayed in this role for 32 years, establishing an extensive network of schools in Kenya and laying down the standards that guided Kenyan education for generations.  Minnie had the nickname "Granny Watson" among her pupils.  She was remembered by her students as the model of a Christian lady: strict when necessary but always loving, humble, and patient.  Her diligence in her task blazed the trail for many missionaries who followed her.

Minnie retired to Scotland, where she lived the last few years of her life.  When she passed away in 1949, her ashes were returned to Kenya and were buried beside her husband.

Feb 13, 2022 Christian History E-mail

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-39351913