People have joked that if Jonah lived during our times and gets swallowed by a fish, he would have either whatsapped or called his roomie, "hey buddy! Prepare a good main dish; I'm bringing stew. In fact, I'm in its belly." Of course this would only happen in the world of impossibilities where the rat chases the cat but the joke ridicules the modern generation which has been completely swayed by technology that the normal human interaction has been overrun by it. I personally think the "world of idiots" foretold by 'prophet' Albert Einstein is here with us. Back to Jonah! I always ponder about how he managed in a fish belly taking into considerations all the acidic secretions within, the scorching temperatures and the pathetic aeration. It must have been lousy, to say the least. However, this ideology (which I have held so dear for so long) was altered last Sabbath.
I fellowshipped at a village called Karigu-ini (which literally means a place of bananas) in the fertile highlands of Kiambu county in central Kenya. The analogy of Jonah struck my mind because Karigu-ini church is structured in a design that completely resembles a fish. Throughout the service, the absurd perceptions I formerly had about Jonah in a fish belly were constantly being displaced by sweet feelings that enveloped my being. I realized something that happened within me which I haven't experienced for so long: the ambient serenity revived the pure humanity in me, a being that is absolutely free from technological corruption; the whizzing breeze hurled against my tender skin causing a honeyed sensation; the fresh air forced deep breaths paired with closed eyes and shrugged shoulders; and the lashing brook just next to the church made my heart throb rhythmically in harmony to its cascades. I couldn't understand why I had not thought of visiting such places often. Other than enjoying my stay there, I delved to know more about this village.
Karigu-ini is among the few villages in Kenya that begun in the '70s right after the landing of A.N. Dugger's emissary, Shoemaker. It emerged from very humble beginnings through efforts of a lady pioneer known as Hannah Wathoni Ngata in her own home. Actually, the exact place where the church stands presently used to be a part of her vast farm. She single-handedly started preaching to people about the good news from Jerusalem. Her neighbors feared about her sanity because a few meters from her house was a giant indigenous tree called Mugumo where traditional rituals and sacrifices would be conducted; the tree stands erect to date. They thought that denouncing her former faith was the highest degree of apostasy, something that almost got her ostracized. Her own family also approached her with caution especially when they realized that she had started blowing shofar every Friday evening in the name of welcoming a guest called Shabbat that they could not understand. As if adding salt to the wound, the lady would leave her home for a whole week twice an year to attend the feasts of Passover and tabernacles at a place called Ngarariga in Limuru within the same county which then served as the church headquarters.
Through determination, persistence and perseverance, she managed to spread the gospel alongside other people whom she had preached to such as evangelist Kimani (presently an outstanding evangelist on a local TV), Kariuki Njihia (currently a deacon), Muniu Ng'ang'a (church elder) and Kamau Muchiri (church elder). Their efforts bore many fruits that are manifest for all to see because they opened up other church branches such as Nyanduma, Githioro, Gitwe, Gacharage, Kamburu and Kagwe. Who wouldn't like to be associated with such successful people? No one! I marvel at their success and mind you, they haven't relented in this noble course. Today, Karigu-ini Church steams with vivacity and by looks, their youth look as determined as a mule to reach out places that their parents didn't and I say Bravo! That's the spirit, brethren... More updates later. Turus!
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