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$28,000 Contributed for Burial of Kenyan Mother in NH

Rev. Samuel Kimohu of Saint Stephens church leads hundrends of Kenyans in a song during the memorial service and burial fund raising drive for the late Teresia Wa-Nguyaii who passed away last week after a long battle with cancer. H.Maina/Ajabu

by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted December 14, 2010. Updated 12/15/10, 4.30 pm

LOWELL, Mass., _In what Kenyans hoped could be one of the very last burial fund raisings in the area, $28,000 was raised last Saturday for the burial of Teresia Wambui Nguyaii, a Kenyan mother of one who passed away last week after a short battle with cancer.

The funds drive that also served as a memorial service, took place on Saturday at the saint Stephens church in Lowell where the deceased mother and her ailing husband, Stanley Nguyaii Wa-Mbarii frequented for worship.

Several hundred Kenyans attended the event where moving recollections by various people about the last days of the late Teresia Nguyaii were told.

Speaker after speaker said that the late Teresia was graceful and extremely brave in the face of the painful situation she was undergoing with cancer treatment.

“When you visited her at the hospital during the last days, you thought you are going to comfort her but to your surprise, you found yourself being comforted by Teresia”, said Priscilla Mbugua a very close friend who described her herself as more than a sister to the departed friend.

Mbugua, who has been contributing immensely at taking care of the late Teresia's son, occasionlly she wiped off tears as her voice broke down with emotion.

"Teresia had a unique gift of connecting with each person on a personal level, uplifting their spirits even when she was nearing her end", said Njeri Muite of Nashua New Hampshire.

"When i saw Wa-Ngiyaii's picture and story on Ajabu Africa, i was shocked. She was like a mother to me and many of us", said Moses Gathu from Seattle Washington on a telephone call to Ajabu Africa News.

Gathu , who said he was a former resident of Massachusetts before relocating, said that he knew Wa-Nguyaii since he was a 17 year old Kenyan who had just immigrated to the US.

"She used to go out of her way to get us traditional food like Mukimo and Chapati to make us feel like we were back home", said Gathu.

He added that Wa-Nguyaii was also a great boss as she also used to give him tasks as his supervisor at t at the Sunbridge Nursing home in Methuen Mass.. where Gathu used to work as a Community Nurse Assistant (CNA).

"She used to insist politely that we make sure we wash the clients the right way because she will check them out.I wish i was able to attend her burial and talk about her", said Gathu , who sent his $120 donation to the funeral organizing.

An equally moving Eulogy was read by Sylvia Wa-Joshua, a thirteen year old girl who had been mentored extensively by the late Teresia.

Wa-Joshua described Teresia as a loving wife to her husband, a loving mother to her son, Wilson Mbarii and her step - daughter Rebecca Mbarii.

Although ailing with fatal blood cancer , the late Teresia’s husband Stanley Nguyaii attended the memorial cum funds drive service displaying a lot of courage in the face of a tragic family catastrophe that saw his dead wife’s mother pass away one week prior to her own demise, leaving him alone in the search for a life saving bone marrow match donor.

Stanley Nguyaii Wa-Mbarii, the surviving husband of the late Teresia wambui Wa-Nguyaii during the memorial and fund raising drive. Nguyaii is urgently looking for a matching bone marrow donor save his life as he is fighting blood cancer.

Many Kenyans present expressed sympathy at the family and vowed to do whatever they can to drive up support for the upcoming bone marrow donations drives to help the surviving husband.

“We have to do whatever is necessary to pass this information to everyone around”, said Chris Kibathi, the master of ceremonies at the event.

Two events for the bone marrow donation have been planned, with the collaboration of the Dana Faber cancer institute and the local population .

Dana Faber, an institution that specializes in cancer treatment and research is keen on working with the African community in the USA to establish a bone marrow bank for the sake of those who may fall sick with blood cancer.

One of the upcoming events, dubbed “Ann’s be the match registry” will take place at the at Saint Francis church on 115 wheeler road, Dracut ma 01826 on Saturday December 18 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Another event has been slated to take place at the Kenyan PCEA Ushindi church on Sunday January 9th, 2011 starting from 1pm to 2pm. Ushindi church is located at , 452 Chelmsford street, Lowell, ma. 01851.

Other guests to address the mourners at the fund raising cum memorial event were Rev. Samuel Kimohu of the saint Stephens church, the host of the event, Bishop Joshua Wambua of the Rapture Harvest Mission International, Bishop David Karaya , chairman of the Kenya Pastors’ Fellowship, Rev. Joseph Waiyaki of CCF church, Kariuki Kimungu, chairman of the funeral and bone marrow fund raising committees and Mrs. Njeri Muite, a woman’s representative from Nashua, New Hampshire among others.

Teresiah Wambui wa-Nguyaii hails from Nakuru District in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. She immigrated to the USA in 1987 where she attended college and became a nurse.

A wake in her memory will be held at the Davis funeral home 1 Lock Street, Nashua NH 03064, on Thursday, December 16, 2010 from 5:00PM to 8:00PM. (Directions).

Sylvia Wa-Joshua reads the eulogy

This will be followed by a Funeral service the next day, Friday, December 17 at a newly announced venue at the Trinity Baptist Church, 3 Lund Road, Nashua NH 03062 starting at 10.00 followed by a burial ceremony at 107 Amherst St, Nashua, NH 03064.

Many Kenyans in New England are hopeful that the late Teresia Nguyaii’s burial fund raising can be one of the last ones to take place since a serious discussion is taking place where a benevolent fund can be established within the community for the minimum affordable fee to take care of the final expenses of uninsured members of the community like it happens in many other immigrant communities in the USA.

An open to all meeting to discuss a $10 a month fund and other options available has been scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 19 at 2.30 pm at the Best Western Hotel in Woburn Ma. Many concerned leaders have confirmed their willingness to put their differences aside and attend for the sake of the community.