Ajabu Africa News

PHOTO:

Orphaned daughter of the late Nancy Givens, left, holds a wreath as Kenyan pastors lead the final prayers during the funeral of her late mother at the Edgewood cemetery in Nashua, NH. PIC BY COURTESY

By:

Harrison Maina

Posted:

Jul,14-2019 00:00:24

A shocked Kenyan community in Lowell near Boston gathered Saturday and Sunday at the St. Stephen's church in Lowell near Boston to mourn the deaths of a long time assistant pastor, Rev. Leonard Ngarama (80) and a parishioner, Nancy Givens (56), both who just passed away recently in a span of one week.

According to close sources, the late Rev. Ngarama passed away in his house at Mwimuto in Kiambu County Sunday May 8, barely 6 months after he relocated back to Kenya following a church dispute that left him sidelined from his clergyman duties. He left behind a wife,several children, and many grand children.

About 40 Kenyans gathered at the St. Stephens church on Saturday for memorial service to honor the late pastor in a ceremony led by Rev. Josephat Kamau , the new pastor of the church and Canon Peter Gachathi, retired pastor of the St. Paul's Kenyan Community church in Lawrence.

An Anglican church of Kenya ordained pastor, the late pastor Ngarama had served the St. Stephen's church as an assistant pastor for close to ten years since immigrating to the US around the year 2000. He had also served in several other Diaspora churches including the St. John's Kenyan Anglican church, a Kenyan community church initially founded in Worcester MA but later relocated to neighboring city of Sutton.

The late St. Stephen's Lowell Kenyan community church pastor, Rev. Leonard Ngarama.. Pic by courtesy

He was laid to rest last Friday at his farm in Mwimuto, Kiambu, Kenya but memorial service by the church he left behind in Lowell was held the next day, Saturday May 18. About $2,000 was raised towards the bereaved family by the handful of parishioners and other mourners gathered. Pastor Josephat Kamau, together with master of ceremonies, Thuo karugu thanked Kenyans who attended.

Several clergymen, among them former St. Stephens church pastor, Samuel Kimohu, Rev. Dr. Joseph Kimatu,Rev. Njuguna Ngotho and Rev. Gathogo attended the memorial.

24 hours later, several hundred Kenyans streamed back to the same church to mourn the death of the late Givens, a long time member of the church who resided in Nashua NH passed away Friday May 3 from colon cancer. Speaking to Ajabu Media, close sources said that the late mother of three been struggling with the deadly cancer for 3 years since late 2016.

Mouners during the memorial service for the late Rev. Lawrence Ngarama. AJBAU AFRICA NEWS PIC/H.MAINA

She had also lived through two other difficult tragedies in her life when her elder son was jailed for life for the murder of his ex- girlfriend back in 2011. Her husband had also suffered a stroke in 2013 that left him paralyzed until his death in 2015. Due to the severe difficulties the family had gone through, members of the Kenyan community in Lowell and New Hampshire had been supporting the late Givens with finances, companionship and other support through each hardship.

During the memorial service on Sunday, her now orphaned daughter sat quietly between friends and other close relatives as different Kenyan churches, welfare groups and individuals rose to the occasion to raise $25,000 towards funeral expenses.

Among them was the Dynamic Women group of Lowell who has been alternating shifts to care for the late Kenyan mother as her condition deteriorated and unable to work any longer. The Dynamic women together with the St. Stephens church organized another fundraiser earlier in the year where about $35,000 was raised towards living expenses for the struggling family.

The late Nancy Givens. PIC by courtesy.

Other groups that played a key role to raise the funds last Sunday were the new Murang'a Welfare group, Neema PCEA Presbyterian church of Lowell, the Christ Is the Answer church of North Chelmsford, as well as the St. Michael's Kenyan Catholic community church.

"I would like to thank each and every one of you who came and the donations you have brought. What you have done here today is completely amazing to me and for the child who has been left behind by our late sister Nancy", said Rev. Njoroge of St. Stephen's church.

The late Givens hailed from Mathioya village of Kangema, Muranga County and lived in New Hampshire for the 30 years since she immigrated to the USA in 1989.

She was laid to rest in a sorrowful ceremony at the Edgewood cemetery in Nashua yesterday in a ceremony attended by hundreds of mourners.According to reliable sources speaking to Ajabu media on condition of anonymity, before her death, the late Nancy Givens had made peace with the family of her son's late ex-girlfriend , a development that allowed the son they had together to attend his grandmother's funeral.Sources also indicated that concerted efforts to have the son attend the funeral hit a road block due to legal hurdles that were difficult to overcome.

Mouners during the memorial service for the late Nancy Givens. AJBAU AFRICA NEWS PIC/H.MAINA

However, during a life celebration ceremony held at the St. Joseph's The Worker church hall soon after the funeral, the late Givens daughter, Lillian Givens, pleaded with members of the Kenyan community in the Diaspora to pay attention to regular colon cancer screenings that would save more lives in the event such conditions are caught at early stages. She said that had her mother receive a screening a year or two before the grim diagnosis, she probably would have had better chances of survival.

According to the American Cancer Society, "Surgery is often the main treatment for earlier-stage colon cancers. The type of surgery used depends on thestage(extent) of the cancer, where it is, and the goal of the surgery".

"Please have your colonoscopy and other medical checkups regularly and don't delay for any reason. This could save your life," Lillian told Kenyans and friends gathered as she thanked them for standing together with the family thought the death of her mother and other past tragedies.

Source:

AJABU AFRICA NEWS