Kenya
Kenyan minister, single father shares a day in his life
“There are lots of challenges as a single father,” Moses Gitau acknowledged in a recent account of a day in his life.
Gitau, evangelist for the Kisauni Church of Christ in Mombasa, Kenya, lost his wife, Jane, to breast cancer last year. He compiled the hour-by-hour account, at the request of the Memorial Road Church of Christ, a supporting congregation in Oklahoma, to give American Christians insight into his daily routine. Following are a few entries:
5:30 am.: I wake up, pray for my family and the church and read the Bible. This gives me energy and encouragement to handle the challenges of the day.
5:30-6 a.m.: I wake up the kids and prepare breakfast. One of my boys, Mark, had a fever last night. Now his condition has worsened and he needs more medicine. I have to call my sister to come care for Mark.
6-6:30 a.m.: I give the kids breakfast and then they are ready to leave for school. It is hectic to arrange the house, prepare the boys for school and plan for the programs ahead.
6:30-7 a.m.: I escort Matthew to school, helping him to cross the busy road. I make sure he enters the school compound. The safety of the children is paramount and time has to be observed.
7-9 a.m.: I clean the dishes, take my own breakfast and prepare for the next program. I feel worn out, but I am really happy because God will reward me. I am late leaving for the office due to Mark’s sickness.
9-10 a.m.: My sister arrives and I discuss Mark’s condition with her, giving her instructions on how to care for the sick boy. I leave money for the house budget and prepare to leave. I have employed her to care of the boys and the house from the time Jane was sick.
10-11:30 a.m.: I leave the house, greeting the neighbors on the way. I take time to speak to some unemployed youths to encourage them. On the way to the church I go by one of the church projects on the new plot to check the facilities that we have rented out. A roof is leaking. I discuss with the tenants and note their grievances. When we have funds we plan to transfer the church there and develop the old plot for the school.
11:30 a.m.-noon: I drive to the church compound and greet the teachers, staff and children of Tumaini Academy. We are very happy about the development of the church and the school.
noon-12:30 p.m.: I conduct a lunch fellowship/worship with the teachers and staff.
12:30-1 p.m.: I leave the church for beach evangelism, checking on Mark’s condition on the way. I have been evangelizing and encouraging them to be firm in the Lord.
1-2 p.m.: I take lunch in a local restaurant. Sometimes lunch gets me away from the house, but I have to spend un-budgeted money, but that’s ministry.
2-2:30 p.m.: I drive to Mtwapa to buy drinking water from a water company. I think it would be a good idea for the church to be able to start such a project to create employment for our members.
2:30-3 p.m.: I go back to the house to check on Mark. He was doing well, but still taking medicine for malaria.
3:30-4 p.m.: I drive back to the church for volleyball evangelism at 5 p.m. However, it is raining heavily so the volleyball evangelism has to be canceled. This outreach has helped many come to the church so we have resolved to sustain it.
4-5:30 p.m.: I visit with and encourage those who are there.
6 p.m.: I leave for home.
Gitau, evangelist for the Kisauni Church of Christ in Mombasa, Kenya, lost his wife, Jane, to breast cancer last year. He compiled the hour-by-hour account, at the request of the Memorial Road Church of Christ, a supporting congregation in Oklahoma, to give American Christians insight into his daily routine. Following are a few entries:
5:30 am.: I wake up, pray for my family and the church and read the Bible. This gives me energy and encouragement to handle the challenges of the day.
5:30-6 a.m.: I wake up the kids and prepare breakfast. One of my boys, Mark, had a fever last night. Now his condition has worsened and he needs more medicine. I have to call my sister to come care for Mark.
6-6:30 a.m.: I give the kids breakfast and then they are ready to leave for school. It is hectic to arrange the house, prepare the boys for school and plan for the programs ahead.
6:30-7 a.m.: I escort Matthew to school, helping him to cross the busy road. I make sure he enters the school compound. The safety of the children is paramount and time has to be observed.
7-9 a.m.: I clean the dishes, take my own breakfast and prepare for the next program. I feel worn out, but I am really happy because God will reward me. I am late leaving for the office due to Mark’s sickness.
9-10 a.m.: My sister arrives and I discuss Mark’s condition with her, giving her instructions on how to care for the sick boy. I leave money for the house budget and prepare to leave. I have employed her to care of the boys and the house from the time Jane was sick.
10-11:30 a.m.: I leave the house, greeting the neighbors on the way. I take time to speak to some unemployed youths to encourage them. On the way to the church I go by one of the church projects on the new plot to check the facilities that we have rented out. A roof is leaking. I discuss with the tenants and note their grievances. When we have funds we plan to transfer the church there and develop the old plot for the school.
11:30 a.m.-noon: I drive to the church compound and greet the teachers, staff and children of Tumaini Academy. We are very happy about the development of the church and the school.
noon-12:30 p.m.: I conduct a lunch fellowship/worship with the teachers and staff.
12:30-1 p.m.: I leave the church for beach evangelism, checking on Mark’s condition on the way. I have been evangelizing and encouraging them to be firm in the Lord.
1-2 p.m.: I take lunch in a local restaurant. Sometimes lunch gets me away from the house, but I have to spend un-budgeted money, but that’s ministry.
2-2:30 p.m.: I drive to Mtwapa to buy drinking water from a water company. I think it would be a good idea for the church to be able to start such a project to create employment for our members.
2:30-3 p.m.: I go back to the house to check on Mark. He was doing well, but still taking medicine for malaria.
3:30-4 p.m.: I drive back to the church for volleyball evangelism at 5 p.m. However, it is raining heavily so the volleyball evangelism has to be canceled. This outreach has helped many come to the church so we have resolved to sustain it.
4-5:30 p.m.: I visit with and encourage those who are there.
6 p.m.: I leave for home.
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