The Kenyans, joined by friends from other communities jam-packed the St. Stephens church where the event took place, forcing church leaders to scramble and bring in extra seats from the basement to cater for the unexpectedly high number of guests, an action that nevertheless still left many more standing in the back isles.

Coming from all backgrounds, including the young, the old, the clergy, entrepreneurs, churches and more, the mourners donated handsomely in solidarity with the family of the late Kenyan.

 The late Muchai had been a resident of Lowell since 2003 when she emigrated from Kenya until this month when she passed on due to complications from Pneumonia, family sources disclosed.

Several friends and family members speaking during the memorial praised the deceased for her humility hard work, and love of her family.

“I met Beatrice when she joined our company and went out of her way to help us look for good staff for a new house we had just started in Haverhill. She was my good friend and I will miss her a lot,” said a teary Jeninna Brown, manager of the Fidelity House, a Human Services company with operations around the Merrimack Valley region.

“Beatrice attended our Sunday services and Thursday morning bible study on a regular basis. I can still see her favorite seating spot. That seat will now remain empty. She was an exceptional church member and we are saddened by her sudden loss,” said Rev. Samuel Kimohu, pastor of the St. Stephens church during remarks before the fundraiser kicked off.

The family of the late Beatrice Muchai gathers at the front of the church for a family prayer led by Rev. Charles Kihiko of Calvary Evangelical church in Dracut (with Mic).AJABU PHOTO/H.MAINA

“When we are alive, let us consider giving time to God like Beatrice did even if we have such busy schedules,” added the pastor.

Beatrice Ngaruiya, a cousin of the deceased eulogized the late mother of two, saying that she loved and served her family well in all the 53 years that God gave in this world. 

“It is God who gave us Beatrice and it is God who has taken.”

Leading in the brief memorial sermon titled “To die is to gain”, Rev. Dr. Mumbui Karimi from the neighboring Presbyterian Neema church sought to comfort the mourning family and friends of the late Muchai, saying that human beings should not be so much afraid of death as it brings a better life for those who believe in the word and promises of God.

“When we come to trying moments in life, when things get so difficult, be like Apostle Paul and say that those things can be turned around and used for the furtherance of the gospel of God,” Dr. Karimi said, quoting from the book of Philippians 1: 19-26.

He added that among good things that come with death include a new, better and glorified body, a better home in Heaven that cannot be destroyed by forces of nature, better inheritance from the heavenly father as opposed to problems laden properties inherited from earthly fathers, better fellowship with other saints in heaven, and everlasting joy as you dwell with Christ forever.

Thanking Kenyans and friends for their generous contributions and words of encouragement, the chairperson of the funeral organizing committee, Salome Njoroge said that the money raised was beyond the expectations of the family.

“Thank you so much for hearing God’s word that encourages is to go and cry with those who are crying.”

She said that very many Kenyans, even those who did not personally know the late Muchai responded to the call that resulted to the large amount of donation.

She also thanked the Kenyan community pastors through the Kenyan American Pastors Fellowship for supporting the family during the trying moment. Salome also thanked Rev. Kimohu for providing the organizing committee with guidance on how to approach the mourning and funeral planning process.

“When Beatrice dies and we met for the first time, we did not know where to start. Rev. Kimohu came in and really guided us on how to proceed.”
 
Among other speakers at the event included Rev. Joseph Waiyaki, the Secretary of the Kenyan American Pastor’s Fellowship. Rev. Waiyaki thanked Kenyans and friends for attended the memorial in large numbers, and asked them to continue praying for the unity of Kenyan pastors and churches in the region.

The fundraiser was coordinated by Stephen Njoroge Kanyoni, an elder at the NEEMA church.

A wake was held last night for the late Beatrice at the Morse Bayliss Funeral home, pending the repatriation of the body to its final resting place at Kambugu village in Embu County, Kenya, accompanied by some members of the family.

And in a post event interview, Rev. Kimohu,  pastor of the St. Stephens church where the late Beatrice used to worship and the venue of the event, praised Kenyans who  responded in a big way to the very short notice for funds in aid on the passed on Kenyan mother.

“We haven’t seen this kind of action where Kenyans from such diverse backgrounds all walks of life come together to help one of their own who is in such a need as they did on Sunday. I hope this event helps us turn the page to big and better things when our community is so united,” he added while thanking all and sundry for their moral support and financial donations.