The late Thomas Kamau Kinyanjui . Pic from family file
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News
WORCESTER. Mass. , AUGUST 23_ A promising young Kenyan man who recently moved from Boston, Massachusetts to Manitoba, Canada for further studies passed away on Thursday last week from leukemia or blood cancer, according to family sources.
Thomas Kamau Kinyanjui, 32, passed away in the presence of his loving mother, Mrs. Jane Nyambura Kinyanjui, who had traveled from Kenya and spent the last two weeks with her ailing son, together with his fiancée, Mercy Mwangi, who traveled from Woburn, north of Boston in Massachusetts.
According to family sources, the late Kinyanjui suffered a sudden illness shortly after taking a summer vacation in May this year.
“After a rapid deterioration of his health, he was admitted at the Health Sciences Center in Winnipeg, Canada,” said Festus Kinyanjiu, his older brother who lives in Ware, Mass..
“It was here that he finally passed away on Thursday at 2pm,” added the heartbroken brother.
The family is now asking for help with funds to transport the body from Canada to Kenya for burial.
Before moving to Canada, the late Kinyanjui was a popular young man in many areas of Boston, who impressed many with his devotion to the word of God.
He served at the Rapture Harvest Mission International church, assisting the pastor with various ministry duties when the church was still housed at the Kennedy Longfellow School in Cambridge, Mass., before relocating to Wakefield.
“We are very saddened by the sad news of the death of Thomas. We loved him very much and wish his family comfort and peace at this sad moment,” said Bishop Joshua Wambua, pastor of Rapture Harvest Mission International.
Before relocating to Canada to pursue a Masters degree in Divinity, Bishop Wambua led the church in praying for Kinyanjui. During that service, Kinyanjui assisted in serving the Holy Communion to the faithful.
ful.
The late Kinyanjui, left, prays for the holy communion at the Rapture Harvest Mission church H.Maina/Ajabu Images
Born in October, 1977, the late Kinyanjui was the third born child of Peter Kinyanjui Ngiru and Mrs. Jane Nyambura Kinyanjui.
He attended his primary school at Muthaiga in Nairobi from 1983 and was later admitted to Dagoretti high school, completing in 1995.
After his high school education, Kinyanjui was admitted to Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya, but opted to pursue further studies in the United States, joining Worcester state college in September of 1996 for computer science studies.
In 2000, he transferred to Bridgewater state college in Bridgewater, a few miles south of Boston and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer technology in May 2002.
Since 1998 and throughout his studies, Kinyanjui worked as a computer Engineer for EMC, a software development company based in Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
However, after 10 years of working as a computer specialist, Kinyanjui decided to pursue a masters degree in theology in Manitoba Canada, starting in may of 2008 till the time of his death.
“He was a very smart, friendly and outgoing man,” said Anthony Kabuga of Randolph, Mass., a former classmate of Kinyanjui at Bridgewater State college. “We are all shocked at his death,” he added.
"I am very shocked by the death of Thomas. He was such a good friend and a nice young man", said Caroline Mbithi of Worcester, a popular Kenyan gospel worshipper who was a close friend to Kinyanjui for many years.
Kinyanjui is the second Kenyan to pass away this month from complications caused by leukemia.
Two weeks ago, Catherine Njeri Njoroge of Lowell passed away after a serious infection as she was recovering from leukemia treatment at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Several other Kenyans are currently hospitalized or recovering from similar blood cancer ailment in Massachusetts, as well as other forms of cancer. This prompted a bone marrow drive to search for a match for one Kenyan who is currently hospitalized at the same Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
The bone marrow drive, held at the Saint Stephen’s church in Lowell was funded by the Dana Faber Cancer Institute in Boston. It attracted over 150 Kenyans, among them many young Kenyans, who were eager to donate and join a donor cell registry for the sake of the next Kenyan who may get sick from Leukemia.
However, since the awareness of this bone marrow cells bank had not reached Kenyans and African immigrant community in the USA earlier, it would not have been possible to try and save the lives of both Kinyanjui and Njoroge by matching them with donated bone marrow cells that has high chances of success if retrieved from close family members or a patient's community with similar genetic characteristics.
Since the news of his death reached the family in Worcester, friends and family have been meeting daily from 6pm for prayers at 190 Millbury Street, Worcester, Mass.. Get directions.
The late Thomas Kinyanjui was a brother to Festus Kinyanjui, Charles Kinyanjui, and Anne Kinyanjui. He was an uncle to Yvonne, Hailey, and Nathaniel Kinyanjui.
The late Kinyanjui’s family requests the Kenyan community and friends in New England and from other states and countries to help them in raising funds to transport the body of their loved one for burial at their home village in Ruiru, about 30 Miles North of Nairobi, Kenya.
A memorial service in honor of the late Kinyanjui, and a fundraiser, has been scheduled to take place this coming Sunday, August 29 at the Divine Gospel Ministries in Worcester, where his family attends church. The church is located at 65 Tainter Street in Worcester starting at 2pm.Get directions.
Another brief memorial/fundsdrive will take place at the Rapture Harvest Mission International church at 33 West Water st, Wakefield, Ma on the same day, immidiately after the church service,(1pm) before mourners drive to Worcester for the main event.
For those who are out of state or from other countries, donations can be deposited at:
DCU -Digital Federal Credit Union
Name: Peter Ngru (This is the correct last name)
Member# : 5425513
Acct# : 14842405
Routing# :211391825
Or:
Bank of America
Name : Festus N Kinyanjui
Bank of America
ACCT # : 0046 1912 3028
Routing #: 011000138
Phone # : 508-847-4156
For more information, call: (508) 847 4156
The late Kinyanjui, right, distributes bread for the holy communion at the Rapture Harvest Mission church in Cambridge, shortly before he relocated to Canada, two years ago. pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Images
