Bits of the Gospel

Well, let me alert you that this is an emotional and personal confession. I did not want to write this. I did not feel like penning this post. In fact, as I key in this article, I have mixed feelings. I feel as if something big has suddenly dropped off my bag. I feel as if someone has snatched away my golden case. Yes, there is sorrow connected to detachment. Yet, I have another feeling of anxiety which is actually more pressing. I have this feeling that I am about to begin a truly exciting adventure. Yes, these two feelings are alternating frequently. I have been slowly persuaded to write this by my four friends, now mentored learners. I did not want to bid them farewell by they brought up the topic so frequently that I had to give in. When I celebrated a farewell mass on Thursday evening, I realized then that I was not alone in feeling that my imminent departure had caused pain to majority of pupils and staff in the school community. The announcement was taken by many as a conspira...

Mukethi smiles frequently. Her smiles are spontaneous, eruptive and broad. I'm writing about this for several reasons but especially for the fact that her genuine and beautiful smiles are contagious. Let me explain. Mukethi embodies beauty not because of her body complexion. In fact she has nothing about her that you could call physical beauty. Yet, Mukethi stands out from among her agemates some who have lost their natural beauty to creams and skin lighteners. I stand to take the podium in defense of grace! While I do the talking, I know that I am not fit to make a specimen. I will let Mukethi's beauty take that role. Without seeming petty, let me propose the measure of beauty. Physical beauty is skin deep. You can lighten your skin only for a day, I am told, by simply taking a tablet. That impresses the viewer only for a while. In that case, you rely on others for you to feel beautiful. So this kind of beauty is easily tampered with. It is actually commercialized, a target of...

This time round, I feel that it is good to shelf my fiery article on the attitude of Kenyans towards their own leaders and that of leaders towards their citizens. I have decided to post a prayer that has been in my heart for a couple of days. I know it is not just a prayer but a poem, an emotional presentation of my thoughts and feelings to the almighty. Lord, despite the darkness, I can see you clearly!  Your hands has not yet grabbed me, but I can feel your touch, your caress on my head. Lord, with all the darkness, I still see you clearly! You're in my thoughts, as I seek solutions to these problems. You're in all my imaginations, in all the vast horizons; like a small seed. You're there in the flowing rivulets, in the plains and mountains. You're with the children and their mothers, their siblings and their fathers. You're in all that's born and dies. Lord, I see you clearly, despite the dense fog of life! You're in the mind ...

I think several people have had the trouble of putting up with a lazy or uncooperative staff member or even a family member. This particular staff is a very intelligent lady but had not energies at all. She would not do more than clearly stated and when she had to do what has stated, she did it annoyingly slowly and without any motivation. Due to this attitude, anybody would have sought to eliminate her [read: retrench her!]. While I was pondering the possible ways of getting out of the quagmire, I landed into the book "the power to influence people" by O A Battista. He has given very practical tips on how to handle people. I thought of trying it. If I failed in changing the whole situation, I would grow in patience at least, I told myself. I began the journey one fine morning. I had just come entered my office and I received a call from another priest. This lady was there already preparing files for work. As I answered the call, I saw the perfect timing for the surprise ...

A few days ago, an old friend called me to inform me that he was back in the country and he was really longing to see me. I was excited. "When do you feel ready to come to see me? I am able to adjust my timetable to have a few moments of relax with you," I offered excitedly. "I have just arrived at home. My mother is actually arranging my holidays already. She wants me around for a whole week. I will have to go to Mombasa for a week rest. That way I will have a chance to meet my brother and sister who are both working at the KPA. Anyway, can I come this Sunday afternoon?" he queried. "I think that is perfectly fitting for me. I will have celebrated my two masses by noon. Then, I will also have met the Junior Youths who are organising a prayer day. All that means I will have all the time for you. I am just eager," I hinted again. "Come ready to chat yourself dry. I am all ears already."   My friend arrived that Sunday at half past noon load...

I am not writing about politicians and the political situation in this country. I want to write what is flowing out of my heart now. I want to write about life and its many ways of giving you directions, its own "screen tips". When you cannot do anything, as in when a friend is grieving a loved one, something tells you to keep your mouth shut. Follow that tip. Accept to suffer silently. Accept the insolubility of the problem. Whenever you come to a very hot debate, when you cannot agree, there is an inner voice that elbows you to remain calm and even to shut up. Yes, follow that life tip. There is no need to be bitter because you know you are right. Actually, since you are cock sure of your knowlegde, you should be all smiles. Why suffer for being right? Why suffer under your own wrath? The greater the obstacle, the more glory. When you feel down and almost giving up. That very time, call all your strength that you may soldier on. You are about to become a hero or heroine. It...

Anybody who has been following the predicaments of this beloved country of ours must have suffered to some degree. We watched, horrified and mesmerized to say the least, as our own countrymen butchered one another for a flawed election. We have seen leaders duping an entire population and brainwashing others. We have seen MPS fight outside and inciting us young people to fight while back in parliament they are friends who hike their salaries and argue over power sharing as if that is what we had sent them in parliament to do. In sum, we have seen all sorts of evils land into our territory to devour us. Kenyans are a people with a unique sense of hope. While the Rift Valley was burning and blood flowing in place of water, we saw people of good will gather lorries of food and other necessities to go and console our very own Kenyans turned refugees in their own country. While the leaders were busy arguing over who should address the public first, we witnessed a section of private sector l...