This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
Located just 12 kilometers from Kisumu city center, the Abindu caves in Nyahera Village have been a revered site for both Christians and Muslims seeking spiritual enlightenment.
According to 70-year-old Naftali Omedo, locals prefer visiting the caves over traveling to holy places in Israel or Saudi Arabia, citing the site's proximity and perceived divine presence.
Residents believe that writings on the gigantic rocks are a sign of God's presence, with the letters inscribed upside down said to be written by God himself and only readable by those with spiritual powers.
It is claimed that a former University of Nairobi student, Aboro Adete, deciphered the letters in the 1970s, revealing the word 'D-A-A-L-M-O-N-H-A-M', although the meaning remains a mystery.
Locals have avoided farming around the caves, heeding Adete's warning against cutting trees and cultivating land near the site, as those who defy the warning experience mysterious happenings.
The site attracts around 50 worshippers daily, with numbers increasing to 200 on weekends, and can accommodate up to 2,000 people at a time.
Visitors pay Sh50 to residents, which goes towards conserving the caves, and many have reported experiencing immediate results after praying at the site.
