Pastor’s family mourn death of mother, prayers planned
Friends and family gather for prayers at the house where an elderly Kenyan woman, Sarah Wangari Kariuki lived for 3 years before relocating back to Kenya. The deceased was the mother to Mrs. Jane Kihiko ( center in black pants) and mother in law to Rev. Charles Kihiko.To the far right is Rev. Samuel Kimohu who led the prayers last night. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu Media |
By Harrison Maina, Ajabu Africa, posted October 5, 2011
LOWELL, Mass.,_Unable to cope with life in America any longer after 3 years of trial, Sarah Wangari Kariuki, an elderly mother and grandmother of a Kenyan family in Lowell decided to return back to live a quiet and slower life in a house that her family had just built for her in Waithaka village, near Dagoretti Market, a suburb of Nairobi Kenya.
That was 3 years ago in 2008. However, on early Tuesday this week, Wangari Karikuki 69, passed away at the Kenyatta National Hospital from what family sources called liver disease citing reports from doctors.
She was the mother in law to Rev. Charles Kihiko of Calvary Evangelical church based in Dracut, a stone throw away from Lowell, Massachusetts.
During her brief taste of life in the west that started upon her arrival as a visitor to the city of Lowell back in 2005, the late Wangari Kariuki did all she could to fit in the fast paced society, occasionally babysitting for friends, cooking Kenyan delicacies for friends and visitors and attending church every Sunday.
However, according to family sources, the elderly grandmother constantly complained of the weather in the USA, saying that she felt cold most of the time.
“My mother always said she was feeling cold and really wondered how other people coped”, said Jane Kihiko, the youngest of the late Wangari’s 3 children and wife to Rev. Kihiko.
Eventually to make her happy, the family decided to let the grandmother relocate back to Kenya in 2008 where they built her a house to live in.
According to the family, the late Wangari has been very healthy and doing well until 3 months ago when she started complaining of pain in the stomach.
Frequent and costly visits to the Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi seemed to help the late Wangari manage the pain better for over the last 3 months since she fell ill in July.
However, on Thursday last week, this took a turn for the worse when the late Wangari fell seriously ill at home in Waithaka.
The late Sarah Wangari Kariuki |
She was rushed back to Kenyatta National hospital by her elder daughter who lives with her. Unfortunately, the late Wangari slid into a coma on Sunday that she was unable to come out of until the sad news of her death reached her family in the USA.
“We were all saddened by the sad news the death as the late Wangari. She was a very social person and liked to help in house chores without complaining,” said Anne Kamau, a family friend who had gone to console the family at their house in Lowell, Mass., upon receiving the sad news.
Prayers have been organized to take place daily at the family’s house on 44 W. Meadow Street in Lowell, Ma starting from today, Wednesday October 5 from 6pm to end with a memorial service on Sunday at the Calvary Evangelical church at 3pm.
According to the family, the late Wangari’s daughter, Jane Kihiko, had been told to rush back to Kenya when her mother got more ill and was scheduled to take a flight tomorrow, Thursday hoping to find her mother still alive. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kihiko will now arrive home to mourn her mother and attend the burial ceremony.
She will be joined later on Monday next week by Rev. Kihiko who has now been forced to make arrangements to travel for the unexpected burial.
All friends have been invited to attend both the daily prayers and the memorial service in remembrance of the departed elderly Kenyan who gave her all to cope with the life in the Diaspora although she did not make it.
Calvary Evangelical church is located on 1934 Lakeview ave, Dracut Ma 01826.
Daily prayers at: 44 W. Meadow Street in Lowell, Ma, from 6.00pm.
For more information, friends and well wishers can contact:
Anne Kamau : 978-996-6712
Rev. Kihiko: 978-996-2519
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