Members of the Ushindi church in Lowell , together with the family and friends of the late Elam Mburu ( seated in front row), during a fund raising event at the church on Sunday. Over $10,000 was donated for the burial that will take place in Kenya. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu
By Staff, Ajabu Africa News, posted September 1, 2010
LOWELL & WORCESTER, Mass._ SEPTEMBER 1_Two separate fundraising functions in Massachusetts garnered , $30,000, the much needed cash to repatriate bodies of two Kenyans for burials in their motherland. The two were closely connected to the Boston community.
In Lowell, several dozen Kenyans, joined the family of the late Elam Mburu, a homeless Kenyan who passed away recently, in a last minute effort to raise needed funds after an initial funds drive that took place last Saturday failed to meet the target.
Meanwhile, in Worcester, at a second fundraising which took place at the same time, several hundred Kenyans joined efforts and raised over $20,000 to repatriate the body of the late Thomas Kamau Kinyanjui, a former Boston resident who passed away in Manitoba, Canada after a short illness.
Determined to raise enough funds and send the body of their family member back to Kenya for a decent burial, several members of the family of the late Elam Mburu brought $5,500, while the rest of the money was donated by members of the Kenyan community in Lowell who responded to the urgent plea for help, led by members of the PCEA Ushindi church.
Several Kenyan community churches sent donations, including the Christ is the Answer church from North Chelmsford, Saint Paul’s community church from Lawrence and Saint Stephen’s church from Lynn.
“I thank all the members of the Kenyan community, Pastors from the Kenya Pastors Fellowship Association and especially Pastor Karimi for coming through and helping us get the necessary funds to grant our family the wish for the body to be buried at home,” said Douglas Mbatia, after the successful fundraiser. “Our family sincerely appreciates,” he added.
“I would like to thank members of the Ushindi church and the Kenyan community who came to support this very important service to the community, in the hour of need”, said Rev. Dr. Mumbui Karimi , pastor of Ushindi church, who took the lead in the burden to seek funds for helping Mburu’s family. “May God bless you all”, he added.
Speaking in a brief word of God during the event, Bishop Jeremiah Kibobi, who has been in the US for several months on a preaching tour, reminded Kenyans that according to the teachings of Jesus, “it is better to be where there is crying than where there is feasting.”
Bishop Kibobi encouraged Kenyans to respond when they hear of a person or family suffering like Mburu’s family, and lend a helping hand, because that is what Jesus liked to do.
Bishop Jeremiah Kibobi, describing vividly the body of a human being as a vessel which will be thrown into the trash in due time
“Jesus mostly liked to be where there was suffering, not feasting,” said the Bishop.
He added that “what is more important to us right now is to safeguard the good things in us, because our bodies are just vessels that will have to be trashed once the content in them expires.
“A dead person does not care whether you bury him or not. You can not store their dead bodies in your house for the future because they will stink. What matters is what you are doing to serve God now that you have a life inside of you,” said the man of God.
Bishop Kibobi's words were echoed by Rev. Dr. Retired Major James Githetu of the Saint Marks church in Dorchester, Mass., and a close family friend who thanked Kenyans who came to the aid of the family of the late countryman.
Other pastors attending the event included Rev. Jeremiah Githere and Rev. Samuel Kimohu.
Worcester: Thomas Kinyanjui Memorial Fundraising
In Worcester, a large turnout of Kenyans helped raise over $20,000 for the burial of late Thomas Kinyanjui, a 32 year old Kenyan who passed away in Canada where he had relocated two years ago to undertake a University program in Masters of Divinity at a College in Manitoba.
Bishop Joshua Wambua of the Rapture Harvest Mission International church( far right) with former friends and prayer partners of the late Thomas Kamau Kinyanjui, during a memorial and mini fundraising meeting at the church located in Wakefield, Mass.. Pic by H.Maina/Ajabu
The event, that was also a memorial service, took place at the Divine Gospel Ministries church, hosted by Rev. Christopher Kamau, the pastor of the church.
“We thank God and all those Kenyans who responded and helped raise the funds to help the family,” said Rev. Christopher Kamau in a telephone interview with AjabuAfrica.com.
“Kinyanjui’s father and the entire family are very happy with the support form the Kenyan community,” added the pastor.
Prior to the Worcester event, a brief memorial service and mini fundrasing was also held at the Rapture Harvest International Ministries in Wakefield, where the late Kinyanjui was serving before he relocated to Canada for further studies.Mourners then proceeded to Worcester for the main memorial and fundrasing event .
During the Rapture Harvest Mission church event, many Kenyans expressed their shock at the news of the death young Kenyan who had a very promising future and a definite desire to serve God with all his heart.
Several speakers at the event said that Kinyanjui was a very humble and friendly young man who knew how to push people to perform at their best without offending them.
In the process, he made a lot of friends and loved to enjoy outdoors life very much.
As a testimony to his love of life, mourners at the church were told of how the late Kinyanjui participated in the 2008 Boston marathon and completed the race.
A brief video presentation prepared by Ajabu Africa.com using pictures emailed by the late Kinyanjui’s friends showed him enjoying horse riding, hunting and other sports with friends from different ethnic backgrounds during his stay in Canada.
“As the Rapture Harvest Family, we are shocked at the sudden death of Thomas,” said Bishop Joshua Wambua, pastor of the church, who guided Kinyanjui on how to get better at serving in the church.
A man of great education and vision, the late Kinyanjui gave up a prime job with a reputable computer software manufacturer in Boston just to go learn how to serve God better.
“I first met Thomas at the Spencer fellowship and what surprised me most is how devoted he was when it came to prayer. He used to face the wall and speak to God with passion,” said Margaret Wanjiru, an elderly woman who was a prayer partner with the late Kinyanjui, her voice breaking with emotion, shedding tears in the process.
Margaret Kamau, decribes how the late Thomas Kinyanjui use to face the wall to speak to his maker during prayer meetings
Cross Roads
The two unexpected deaths, including a third death two weeks ago, which saw another $17,000 raised for the burial of a young mother in Lowell, brought to reality the long awaited fear of a day when several Kenyans will die in the same period , in the same area, straining the community with the need to fund raise for their burials.
As a result , many members of the Kenyan community in New England and other states have said that it’s finally time to come together and mobilize the community to have a form of life insurance that can take care of deaths in a more organized and economically sound fashion.
"We are getting worn out by these unending fundraisings", said a Kenyan community leader who prefered to remain to remain annonymous during a telephone survey by AjabuAfrica.com on the effects of the fundrasings.
Many Kenyans surveyed have indicated a willingness to participate in a monthly contribution program that would see each Kenyan contribute a minimum amount of about $10 a month, or $120 a year into fund overseen by a wide ranging commitee for accountability.
According to survey respondents, if a large number of Kenyans join into the program, it would wipe out the need for the ever increasing and recurring fund raising events for members of the community who may pass away before they get a life insurance coverage.
“We are getting worn out by these fund raisings. One is easily spending over $300 a month just for fund raisings while we are still struggling with other bills ”, said a survey respondent.
The program, which is one of the several being discussed by members of the Kenya Christian Welfare Association(KWA), has been viewed by some as a cheaper and more uniting alternative a severely divided community that nevetheless unites quickly in times of tragedy.
KWA is a group that was formed several years ago with the goal of finding solutions to the problems faced by the Kenyan community in New England. The organization is still in the process of getting things in order as goes through the normal process of growth.
However, for such a plan to plan to succeed, various competing interest groups and churches in New England will have to put their differences aside, if they truly mean what they say about caring for the community and it’s pride.
Ajabu Africa.com will bring you the details of the program once they becomemore clear and available.
A wake and memorial service for the late Mburu will be held on Saturday,September 4th, at the Casper Funeral home in South Boston
starting from 9am-12 pm, after which the body leaves for Kenya for burial.
Is there anything you think can be done in the search for a common, unifying solution, that would be acceptable by the majority of the members of the Kenyan community in the Diaspora that would take care of a member who passes away without life insurance, yet you have to bury them regardless? Post your comments here.
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