Kenyans meet for prayers Friday night after the death of Paul Mungai Thairu. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa, posted December 3, 2011
LOWELL, Mass.,_A Kenyan man died in Lowell, MA Thursday after a battle with colon cancer.
Paul Mungai Thairu, 60, passed away at 7 p.m. in his house surrounded by his wife and two of his children after several months battling the disease.
According to family sources, Mungai started complaining of stomach pains in July this year. Later, he checked in the Boston Medical Center where he was diagnosed with an untreatable late stage colon cancer.
“After extended efforts to treat him, the doctors told us that the disease was at the last stages and that there was nothing the doctors could do to reverse the situation,” said Kungu Thairu, the late Mungai’s older brother.
Consequently, Mungai was placed under hospice care and sent home where nurses continued to see him.
Mungai is survived by his wife and 7 children.
Family and friends gathered at the late Mungai’s apartment in Lowell for prayers and funeral arrangements Friday night.
Mungai immigrated to the US in the summer of 2006 leaving behind five of his children in Kenya. He hailed from Karura Ka Nyungu village in Kabete location of Kiambu County in central Kenya.
Mungai’s burial wishes will be honored according to family sources.
“His desire was to be buried here since he also has a family here. We wish to honor that,” said Thairu.
A fund raising event to cover burial expenses is planned for tomorrow, Sunday December 4th at the PCEA Imani church in Lowell where he worshipped. The event will be held at 3 p.m. following the memorial service. The church is located at 6 Rock St. Lowell, MA.
The fund raising committee Chairman, Peter Gaitho appealed to the Kenyan community in Lowell and elsewhere to help the family raise about $10,000 needed to cover burial expenses
“As a community, we always support one another when these situations happen,” said Gaitho. “I would like to appeal to all members of the Kenyan community, both individuals and churches to come and help this family at this critical hour of need.”
The late Paul Mungai Thairu
Kenyans who attended the meeting at his residence offered condolences and spoke about the power of prayers. “There is power in Jesus resurrection,” said Peter Maina leading a prayer. “Anything you think will end in this house with the passing away of your husband and father will be available to you as Jesus said he will send us a helper when he ascended to heaven as long as you trust Him.”
There is a growing fear among Kenyan community in the US that cancer has become one of the leading causes of death both here and in Kenya. Several deaths associated with cancer have recently been reported.
A wake for the late Mungai is planned for Monday, December, 5th 2011 at the Morse Bayliss Funeral home at 122 Princeton Blvd.in Lowell from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The funeral service is planned for Tuesday, December 6th at the Christian Community Fellowship church located at 105 Princeton Blvd. from10 a.m. to noon.
The burial will take place at Edson Cemetery on Plain St.
Friends and well wishers are invited for daily prayers at the family’s residence in Lowell every day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The address is 3 River Park Place apt. 2107.
For more info, contact:
Peter Gaitho: 978-328-3149
Kungu Thairu: 781-640-5493
