Good bye!

Every once in a while somebody comes into your life,
You don't know exactly how it starts but they bring so much joy and laughter,
They open their heart you open yours,
You listen to each others' troubles,
Rejoice in each others victories,
Pray for each other,
Reach out to each other.

Every once in a while somebody else takes them away,
for those who love the Lord we know to a better place,
It's hard to let go but it is the end of every one of us,
So we can only accept and remember how fragile life is,
They may be far in body but will live forever in our hearts.

Dear friend I will not forget the time we had together,
You came into my life when I wasn't looking and gave me the greatest gift,
That of a true friend,
one who cares, one who shares, one who loved her family and friends
One who is not afraid to speak the truth whether I wanted to hear it or not
One who knew to lift me when I was down
One who never lost her sense of humour despite all the odds
One who ate life with a big spoon, little did we know you were take your last scoop so soon.

Good bye dear friend, you memories will last
Never to be forgotten, ever to be cherished,
You loved and were loved by many,
Till we meet again at Jesus' feet,
Fare thee well Colleta Wanjiru Muchangi

Gituma Nturibi

What next for Us?

No doubt some of you may have noticed a political slant in the last few weeks on this blog. Part of my thoughts have been inspired by a book I was reading- The State of Africa by Martin Meridith which gives a brief history of the first 50 years of independence for African states. If you like history as much as I do you'll definitely enjoy the journey like I did. I've done a few movie reviews in the past so now it's time for an amateur book review...

Though the book is written by a British author it's not a condescending as you would think, it just details what happened in our continent over the last half century or so. Starting with the oldest member of the independence club Ghana with it's famous leader Kwame Nkurumah and ending with the goings on of the early 21st century. What's interesting to note is the numerous revolutions that have happened starting with independence which had so much promise- Africa finally in the hands of Africans. However in many countries those dreams soon turned to nightmares with the flurry of military coups which were quite popular during the cold war era with either Soviet or American support depending on their interests.

Many a time a revolutionary would come in with so much promise of ridding the country of the corruption of the past and handing over power peacefully. However more often than not the military leaders would end up being even more corrupt and adding other atrocities on top. A good example is Joseph Mobutu who was basically planted to deal with Patrice Lumumba who was considered to be an unstable socialist. In his first few years Zaire experienced growth under his leadership but he soon slid into corrupt and plundering ways and got his infamous name of Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga loosely translated as 'invincible warrior; cock who leaves no chick intact.' However one would take into account that the Belgians didn't invest much in the education of locals and when they left, the Africans were ill prepared to take over leadership. That may be true for them but even in countries with well educated people tsimilar things happened. It was like a case of same script different cast. Another point which blows the bubble of those who believe youth is the answer is that these coup leaders were young e.g Mobutu - 29 Gaddafi- 27

Due to this economic mismanagement by the 1980s many nations had become reliant on 'aid' from the west and with that came conditions which reduced decision making power. On top of food crises and tropical diseases the AIDS scourge also came to haunt us in a big way. We were basically running a very bad show. However there were a few highlights like the end of Apartheid in South Africa to smile about.

One statement which really hit home is the way African politicians have become 'ethnic entreprenuers' promising their communities all kinds of goodies once in power. We have seen the result of this ethnocentrism in Kenya after the last elections as well as other tribal wars, the most devastating being the Rwandan genocide. It's amazing how as people we focus on what makes us different so much.

I'd recommend the book to anybody interested in the history of our beloved continent

As I read I wondered what next for our continent will the youth take us to greater heights? We've seen them move governments in the North but now will we grow a new African order which will eradicate the vicious cycle of corruption and suffering in our land? Once again I talk to my fellow Kenyans, next year we have the chance to vote for leaders with vision and on a mission. I'm yet to see one who is articulating his vision as opposed to tearing into their opponents. The time is now, we can build a new future together for our continent!

God bless Kenya God bless Africa!

The Garden Route

Been a while since I did a photo post and this time I take you down south to the Eastern and Western Cape provinces. The Garden route has to be the most picturesque coastline I've seen so far, sampled our own flying coastwise from Mombasa to Malindi and it quite doesn't measure up to the time I had the privilege of flying coastwise from George to Port Elizabeth a couple of years back.

What's particularly breathtaking is that there are mountain ranges like the Tsitsikama right next to the coast and you get some high cliffs and gorgeous (pun intended) deep river cut valleys like Storms river with it's bridge. Even before you get there there's the Beautiful Knysna lagoon and Plettenberg bay to feast your eyes on. As they say a picture is worth a thousand words so let's go to the eye candy... click for a larger view...

The Beautiful Knysna lagoon

Stanley's Island, Plettenberg Bay

The famous Storms River bridge

Cape St. Francis Lighthouse

Van Stadens close to Port Elizabeth not really on the route but threw it in

Here we go again?

Ocampo 6, deferral, hate speech, mudslinging, sound bites from the last couple of weeks in Kenya. The temperatures have already started rising and it's not even an election year! what's more if we are to follow the constitution as it is we're even closer to it than in other pre- election years.

When I look at all the dust that's been raised by the ICC process I look back to what started it all the 2008 Post Election Violence, and even further to the 2007 campaigns. I believe those two are connected somewhat but to what degree is another question.

Before the election I remember seeing a very worrying trend of hate speech I remember once reading an email and getting really worried about what would happen. The bile that was being unleashed about a certain community was simply worrying and it ended up manifesting itself in the PEV in 2008. Character assassination was flowing both ways against Raila and Kibaki until it looked no more like a political competition but a mud slinging match. More so were the texts that were being sent, the ones I got dissing Raila, they looked funny at the time but in hindsight very foolish. All these you may argue are just words but they are very powerful more so when they come from people who've been idolised by their communities.

A good development is that we now have the Cohesiona and integration commission to check on the hate speech coming from our leaders. However there's still our own role to play in refusing to forward hateful messages be it email, sms or on the social networks that are all the rage. We all have a role to play in keeping the peace in this ethnically diverse community of ours. I pray that we've learn from the mistakes of last time and will check what we say and write as we don't want a repeat of that dark hour in our nation's history! A few weeks back we rallied together to sing our national anthem let's keep that peace, love and unity going. Na ukinitumia some bure (useless) message it's going straight to the trash!

God bless Kenya!

Faith during difficult times

Today I'm going to share from a message I delivered in church this past Sunday. Basically from my notes with a few additions but I'd encourage you to go through the biblical references too. It's actually something that came to my mind about a year ago when I was going through the toughest season in my life so far and shares it during one of our small group fellowships. Hope it will be encouraging to you.

Scripture references

Hebrews 11:1-11

Ecclesiastes 3 :1-11

Psalms 37:4-8, 18-25

Genesis 37:3-10

Heb 11:1-11

The Nature of Faith- you can't see it , you hope for it. If you could see it it wouldn't be faith now would it?

vs 6 without faith it's impossible to please God for He who comes to Him must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Even the very act of prayer is one of Faith as we can not see God with our own eyes but believe He is there listening to us.

In this chapter we are given numerous examples of people from the old testament who exhibited this faith.

Noah- had never seen rain before, his contemporaries scoffed at him thinking he was crazy but he didn't waiver in following God's instructions to build the ark and when the flood came he was safe

Abraham- did not know where he was going. He was in Ur f the Chaldeans living his life but when called out to a land he didn't know he went ahead. Even when asked to sacrifice his own son he trusted God and went along anyway.

Sarah- received a child even in her old age. The very thought of conceiving made her laugh no doubt because of how ridiculous it sounded but she eventually received the son of promise

Eccl 3

There's a time for every purpose. There'll be seasons of waiting, trials, preparation but it is God who knows it all -verse 11 and He has made everything beautiful in His time. It may look during the season of preparation or of waiting that the destination seems far away but it's only for a time, a different time will come.

Ps 37- 4-8

Delight yourself in the Lord and Hill give you the desires of your heart, commit to Him, trust in Him, wait patiently for Him. The source of our joy is in God

Do not despair when you see the wicked prosper. It looks like that a lot, the guys who get ahead take short cuts, engage in illegal activities but what about the honest, hard-working people working so hard but not getting ahead? However the prosperity of the wicked is only for a while...

18-25

The steps of the righteous are ordered of the Lord. He will not forsake his righteous, neither shall their children beg for bread vs 25

An example of a man in the old testament who endured a lot in his faith is Joseph- let's see what we can learn from him

The Life of Joseph

1. He received a vision Genesis 37: 3-10
   Joseph gets 2 visions and shares them with his brothers but they are angry and plot against him and he ends up being sold into slavery in Egypt
2. He remained faithful and diligent at all times
   In Potiphar's house he was hard working and loyal to his master- exhibited by his resisting His wife's advances.
   In the prison he was also exemplary
   In Pharoaoh's service he carried out his duties well
3. Things went from bad to worse but he did not lose his vision
   chapter 37: his brothers plotted against him and sold him as a slave
   Chapter 39 he is in Potiphar's house as a slave but he is made overseer vs 1-5.
   He is Falsely accused and thrown into prison but even there he was elevated vs 22-23
   ch 40- he interprets the butler's and the baker's dreams but it took another 2 years for the baker to remember his promise.
   He is raised up by Pharaoh after interpreting his dream 41:39-40
   Whenever people tried to pull him down he still ended up rising to the top- you just couldn't take the favour away from him!
4. He had to wait 13 years for it to come to pass
   41:46 He was 30 when appointed by pharaoh, 17 when he had the vision 37: 2. Sometimes it's going to take time for you to reach your goal kind of like his father who had to wait 14 years for Rachel.

Be blessed

Poly-ticks and Poly-tricks

We love to hate them don't we? Those smooth talkers who come to entice us every five years promising us heaven on earth and and end to all our problems if only we give them a vote. Hearing some of them talk you would think every valley would be filled and every mountain made low if only we gave them the chance... Funny that's not peculiar to Kenya, I remember in university one of our lecturers telling us how politicians in Japan pull the same trick when campaigning. Anyway wouldn't blame them for wooing us with sweet words of a better tomorrow, we all want an escape and they offer it and we unwittingly swallow the bait. The campaign period is always very interesting- everybody's an angel, singing funny campaign songs, a lot of hope and euphoria is whipped up. A popular line is change! Change you can see! change you can believe in! etc. Now that's what we call the 'advertising phase' kind of the way dating is referred to as that before marriage. Good they do the dance and we give them the chance to emancipate us from 'slavery'

Now after the elections the real work begins- or does it now. I'm amazed at how quickly in Kenya whenever a  proposal for increase in salaries is put forward it passes in record time whereas some other bills  have barely enough quorum to pull them through. Increase allowances- yes! Cars- yes! Retreat at some posh hotel- oh yes! Tax their salaries- errr errr. Very interesting but then again if given the power to raise your own salary what would you do? However I wonder sometimes whether if it's only self interest that motivates our politicians, what about service. For instance right now we are on the brink of famine but somehow the priority ends up being how to raise money for the Ocampo six... Anyway their days are numbered 2012 is just around the corner. Let them enjoy what little time they have up there, just hope our eyes have been opened and we'll be welcoming them back home... Then these poly-ticks will stop sucking our hard earned money.

Now now these politicians always have a bag of tricks with them. During campaigns they dish out money for votes- I wonder why people fall for that after all you can still vote against even after taking their money. One of the popular lines is 'I was misquoted' even when is was very clear what they said, remember the 'weka tyre' incident? Guy even had the audacity to say 'weka tyre gari ipite' Our latest circus comes from one who suggested that people living with HIV be quarantined... though in retrospect it looks like the clever work of news editors but then again I could be wrong. I think that the microphone has some magic powers over our politicians as when they grab it they tend to say some very strange things indeed!

It's not only what they say, some have made a habit of diversionary tactics to get the heat off their scandals. Common ones 'money has been pured', 'they are targeting my community' and such like excuses- like the whole community was there doing the crime! Yet somehow it works and their 'people' congregate around them.

Politics is a game of perceptions, there are many tricks that are carried out to pull the wool over our eyes and we will see very many in the coming days, more than ever before as there'll be more seats on offer. However I really pray that we Kenyans may vote in leaders who have a proven record of serving us not those who have a CV full of scandals in which they have been swindling us. Leaders who will be good custodians of the resources and responsibilities given to them. Leaders committed to taking us to the next level in all spheres and break the cycle of poverty, disease and hunger. Leaders who are wise and God fearing who do what is right for the country and are ready to make unpopular decisions to move us forward!

Each and every one of us with a vote has the power to make the choice please lets make a wise one in 2012 and lets us not fall for the poly-tricks that we so often fall for...

Road rage- addendum

Still on that road rage theme here's an old Disney clip on the same