Kenyans raise $30,000 for the burial of a departed colleague
A section of Kenyans who turned up for the burial fund raising of the late Esther Njenga, a.k.a Wa-Hilda at the Saint Michael's Catholic church in Lowell last Sunday. A total of 25,000 was raised , and another $5,000 raised by friends from the Kenyan Community in Dallas, TX. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Media.
by Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted June 29, 2011
LOWELL, Mass._The Kenyan Catholic community in Boston, friends and well wishers, raised $25,000 that added to another $5,000 from the Kenyan community in Dallas, TX made a total of $30,000 for burial expenses of the late Esther Njenga, who passed away suddenly last week after a short illness.
The solemn funds drive took place last Sunday at the Saint Michael’s Catholic Church on Bridge Street in Lowell with close to 200 Kenyans in attendance despite a day that had many community events scheduled.
It was the same day that a visiting Kenyan presidential candidate, Martha Karua, was scheduled to address Kenyans in a town hall meeting barely less than half a mile away at the Saint Stephens church.
However, since the Karua event was not scheduled to kick off until after 4.pm the burial fund raising went on smoothly as earlier planned as it was of paramount importance in the close knit community.
The Kenyan community in Dallas, where the step- daughter of the late Njenga lives, sent a total of $5,000 to bring the figure to 30,000 collected so far, with more expected to flow in.
The step-daughter was in Boston for the fund raising and mourning process.
“People are still calling me to send in their donations”, said Alloys Njenga, Chairman of the St. Michael’s Catholic Church during a post event interview with Ajabu Africa News.
The Kenyan community is currently hard hit with another sudden death of a 37 year old countryman, the late Maurice Omondi, whose body was discovered by authorities in his apartment in South Boston. It has not yet been determined how long he had been dead.
A burial fund raising for the late Omondi is scheduled to take place on Sunday July 3rd at the Rapture Harvest Mission Church in Wakefield MA at 2pm.
Father Protus Opondo
However, many members of the community refused to be discouraged by the tragic turn of events and turned up from many cities to raise funds to transport the body of the late mother and grandmother to her ancestral home for the decent burial she desired.
Speaking during the fund raising for the late Njenga on Sunday, Father Protus Opondo, a well known priest in the Kenyan Catholic Community in Boston, expressed sadness at the sudden illness and death of the late Njenga, asking well wishers to do whatever was necessary to honor her last wish which was to be buried in Kenya.
“We are here to celebrate the life of our dear sister who has just left us”, said Father Opondo.
“All I can ask everyone here today is to sacrifice something from what God has given us to make sure that the body of our sister goes back home for burial”, added the soft spoken man of God.
Father Opondo’s plea was echoed by other speakers at the fund raiser led by Dan Kurema, the Chairman of the Kenyan Catholic Community in Boston, Alloys Njenga, the Chairman of Saint Michael’s Kenyan Catholic community, Chris Kibathi, an outspoken community activist and renown event host from Worcester who served as the master of ceremonies hand in hand with, Sam Karoki of Lowell.
“Let us make it a call as the Kenyan Catholic community to make sure that her wish is fulfilled”, said Kurema.
On his part, Chris Kibathi , repeated his consistent call to Kenyans in the Diaspora to pause and give a serious thought towards purchasing cheap and readily available life insurance for the sake of those left behind when a Kenyan suddenly dies.
Dan Kurema( right), Chairman of the Kenyan Catholic Community in Boston and Alloys Njenga, the Chairman of Saint Michael’s Kenyan Catholic community in Lowell
“Let’s face it. Those 2 children and 3 grand children that Wa-Hilda has been supporting andhas now left behind will never see another dollar coming from her in life again- Never!”.
“Folks, it is therefore very important that all this life insurance thing that me and also my bother Ajabu here has been telling you needs to be taken seriously.
“Yes we will continue to do burial fund raisings when death happens because this is our tradition, but that won’t help much those who are left behind”, added Kibathi who is also a licensed life insurance agent.
The Co-master of ceremonies, Sam Karoki asked Kenyans to realize that the late Njenga was struggling through just like any other Kenyan in the USA and as such, well wishers needed to dig deeper into their pockets to raise enough money for her burial and leave something extra for the grand children left behind.
“As you come here to give today, remember Wa-Hilda was struggling through life like any one of us. She was moving from one job to the other trying to hang on, pay her bills and still send something to her grandchildren in Kenya”, said Karoki.
Karoki led the mourners at observing a moment of silence that the Catholic community in Boston has recently lost including the late Wainaina Ngotho a.k.a Mr.T, Patrick Mbugua a.k.a Kap- Kap, Stephen Ngaruiya, SJ. Father Ignasius Ikunza and most recently Teresiah Wa-Nguyaii.
Sam Karoki of Lowell
After the successful fund raising, a wake service and Holy Mass was conducted for the Late Njenga by Father Opondo on Tuesday.
“We thank all Kenyans both in Boston and in Dallas who turned up for the fund raising or who sent contributions and prayers during this trying time. May God bless you all”, said Njenga the chairman of the St. Michael’s church during a telephone interview with Ajabu Africa early today, Thursday.
The body leaves tonight, Thursday for burial at the final resting place at the deceased’s ancestral home in Kiambu, in central Kenya.
