Kenyan Pastor attains Doctoral Degree, pledges free service

By Richard Mutumba and Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa News, posted June 24

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. _A renowned American author and theologian, Roger Williams once said, “The greatest crime in the world is not developing your potential. When you do what you do best, you are helping not yourself, but the world.”

More than three centuries later, Williams’ philosophy is not only being put to test by many but indeed being practiced by those like Rev. Dr. Joseph Kimatu, who maintains that people should not struggle alone when there are others who can help them out of their predicaments.

Well-known in Massachusetts for his contribution to community service, Rev. Dr. Kimatu, who is also the senior Pastor of Tumaini Community church in Springfield, Mass., graduated on May 15, 2010 with a Doctoral Degree in Pastoral Care and Counseling (D.MIN.) from Erskine Theological Seminary, South Carolina and has pledged to use that knowledge to help people in need for free, without spilling their private and confidential details to the public as has been the case with some Kenyan community leaders in the USA.

The eldest child in a family of eight children (two other brothers and five sisters), Kimatu was born at Mugumo-ini in Gatanga Location, Thika District, in central Kenya in 1955 to Mrs. Rebecca Muthoni and the late Mr. Peter Mbugua. “We were brought up in a strict Christian way,” said Dr. Kimatu during an interview with Ajabu Africa.com.

Kimatu went to Gatunyu Primary School, Kirwara High School and later joined Kamwenja Teachers’ College where he excelled as a Science/Mathematics teacher. He later taught at four different schools in central Kenya until 1989 when he joined the Presbyterian Pastoral Institute – Kikuyu, under the auspices of St. Paul’s United Theological College – Limuru, now the Presbyterian University of East Africa.

“I graduated three years later with a Diploma in Theology. I was licensed by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa and ordained by the same on May 22, 1993. I am very proud of that day because that is when the regional church recognized my ministry, training and contribution,” said the man of God.

He said that he served in one of the parishes in Nyeri district, and then moved to Gatundu Presbytery before joining Thika Presbytery where he was clerk and moderator successively.

Kimatu said that it was in 2001 that his church sent him to Atlanta, Georgia as a student of Johnson C. Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center under a Presbyterian Church (USA) scholarship, where he graduated in 2006 with two Masters: Master of Divinity (M.DIV) with a concentration in Psychology of Religion, Pastoral Care & Counseling, and Master of Arts in Church Music (MACM).

“In the course of my studies, I enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and did internship as well as Residency with two CPE agencies (Emory Pastoral Care and Counseling System and Georgia Association of Care and Counseling Center). I have 5 units of CPE to my credit,” said the Pastor.

Rev. Kimatu said that at the turn of 2006, before graduating from ITC, he enrolled for the Doctor of Ministry program at Erskine Theological Seminary, South Carolina, where just last month, he completed his four-year Doctoral studies.

His thesis for Doctoral program focused more on pastoral care; “Mourning Without the Body; Pastoral Care and Support to People Grieving in Isolation.” This study was prompted by the many deaths of close relatives (back home) that many Kenyans living in the Diaspora have faced. The sad fact is that not many of these Kenyans can travel back home to participate in the funeral and burial processes for reasons we are all aware of.

We are therefore left hanging in there, mourning and grieving without the support that comes from close family members. How we can go about helping ourselves grieve in a more healthy way is at the heart of this Dissertation.

Asked to explain the motivation behind his achievements, Dr. Kimatu said, “The driving force behind all these achievements has been loving doing what I love most and that is helping people by equipping them with knowledge in order for them to better confront their challenges.”

“Knowledge is the greatest asset that any person should possess. Don’t give up once you set to achieve something. If you want to excel, better educate yourself. The US is a country with many opportunities especially in education. Riches can go, but knowledge will never be gotten out of you,” advised Dr. Kimatu.

He also cautioned the youth against being taken away by the power of the dollar, stressing that there is much more to life than the mere dollars. “The fear of God is the beginning and the cradle of every success.”

“When you do well, God provides,” Dr. Kimatu said when responding to the question as to where he got funding for all the training he has undertaken. “I paid very little from my pouch. Most of the funding was provided through scholarships from J.C. Smith Seminary and partner churches. I would say it was all possible through and by the grace of God". With God, all things are possible (Matt. 19:26).

Rev. Dr. Kimatu also called on Kenyans to understand that there are people who can provide them with critical services when in need, adding that resources are within the community. You do not need to look far to find someone who can be of help when you are in need. Seek and you will find (Matt.7:7).

“You should not struggle alone when there are people who can help you. I have been freely given and freely I will give,” said Dr. Kimatu of his professional services which include pastoral care and counseling among others. Any Kenyan out there who is grieving or going through a hard time and has no one to talk to can call Dr. Kimatu either on his cell phone, home phone or church office for counseling.

Rev. Dr. Kimatu welcomes Kenyans to cut the ribbon and officially commision the new Tumaini Community church he helped start in Springfield, Mass. H.Maina/Ajabu

Asked about how to handle the confidentiality of the sensitive information that those in need of support will share with him during the counseling sessions, Rev. Dr. Kimatu said   that it is regrettable that our community is growing less and less faithful with other people’s information. A number of our Kenyan brothers and sisters complain of a breach of trust that has been caused by a few of our leaders, which unfortunately does not exclude some of our spiritual guides, who have leaked confidential information of help-seekers who have sought counseling with them. We have therefore rightfully so, become very suspicious and sensitive of each other.

 The pastor said that such incidences occur when the confidants (client and counselor) differ on non-related issues some time later. There has been a tendency of some people spilling private and confidential information, to settle scores/grievances very much unrelated to the information they gathered from those they counseled with in the first place. Sometimes the information gathered is too juicy to resist talking about and so those entrusted with it spew it out in the wrong places and to the wrong people”. In some cases, the counselor could be downright evil and ill intentioned.

 Various such incidences have been voiced by Kenyans from different cities whose private information has surfaced in public soon after holding counseling sessions with some untrustworthy care-givers, much to their utter dismay. It hurts deeply when problems shared about family issues (especially where couples are concerned) leak out from the wrong mouths and becomes the talk of the city, neighborhood, church or nursing home.

Eventually, when some members of the public have no one to talk to, their problems are compounded, leading to disastrous results, some of which are manifested in the many mysterious deaths of young Kenyans found dead in their apartments  coast to coast,  with  others committing violent  acts on others like murder or severe domestic abuse.

Many of these deaths are suspected to be suicide, but because the final reports on the causes are usually given to the deceased’s family, the public will never know for sure what the real causes were.

This has seriously eroded the public’s confidence in the ability of some pastoral care-givers to be trusted with intimate details as effective counselors or even to oversee other sensitive issues within their constituencies. 

“However, the actions of one or two who have violated the confidence with those in need cannot be generalized to all pastoral and spiritual care-givers”, Nyanja imwe nditiragia itega. Dr. Kimatu added. The fact that police in a country are corrupt does not mean when people are in danger, they do not turn to the same law-keepers for safety. You know this better about our country of origin.

The man of God talks highly of his family. Married to Jane, Dr. Kimatu is blessed with three lovely children namely; Sylvia, Dominic and the youngest, MaryLily, who is graduating from High School this June.

Dr. Kimatu says he is yearning to leave behind a legacy for his church and family. He loves his family. He loves his church. Both have special slots in his heart. Both have been sources of inspiration for him. “You can climb to any height if you have faith, support and the will to achieve what you desire. This has been my guiding principle in whatever I do.”

The Pastor has invited everyone to come and celebrate his achievements in a thanks giving ceremony to be held on Saturday July 3, 2010 from 2 pm at his residence at 106 Emersion Street, Springfield, MA 01118.

He has also been nominated for an Ajabu Award for his community work in Springfield and raising awareness of the Kenyan community about Kenyans in and without his area. The award ceremony will take place on August 1, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in Woburn, MA.

To reach Rev. Dr. Kimatu with any counseling need, please call, text or email to::
 (404)  384-1729 (Cell)
 (413)  301 5291 (Home)
Email: kimatuj@hotmail.com

For comments, click here

Other Top Ajabu News
Kenyan Pastor attains Doctoral Degree, pledges free service
Kenyan in Boston imprisoned for life, Family in mixed Emotions
Ushindi Women’s Guild celebrates week, promises restoration of lost things
"If you are a Kenyan in Distress, Dial 9"; says outgoing Ambassador





Photo Gallery

AjabuTV

Back to Home page