Friend

Of Children Broken by Parents and Teachers in the name of Education

My heart is broken.

My heart is heavy.

These past two weeks, children have reported back to school. I teach a daily Bible Study at my house and most evenings I get to hear how the children spent the day and how school was like for them.

I enjoy teaching these children God’s Word.

However, how their day’s are turning out is of great concern to me. And I see the trend replicated all around me.

It would seem that a majority of parents and teachers have made it their life long mission to break children and conform them to some set standards all in the name of education.

January 20, 2020 0 comment

Friend

Tell, do not assume that they know

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

Last week I was facilitating our closing retreat for the Integrated Living Stay Home Mum’s Journey Season 4 Nairobi class group. As with most retreats, they is something about being together and relaxed; hearts tend to open up very fast. We had a lovely time.

One of the lessons I left with was: Tell

Yes! Tell

I had shared with the ladies about a woman, whom I do need to Tell, who prayed over me more than 2 decades ago and her prayers have continuously been answered in my life. The lady who encouraged me to go ahead and Tell said:

When people grow old in age and faith, it is easy to begin doubting whether they have had any impact. Whether they have influenced anyone. Whether their life counts for anything.

As I reflected on these words, I began to see truth in them. Especially in dark days, as people go through the valley of the shadow of death, such questions swirl in one’s mind. Have I lived well? Many times, the answers are not forthcoming, especially if you have not had anyone to Tell you so. So I made a commitment to call that particular lady of decades ago and Tell her, how that prayer she made, that Children’s Sunday so many years ago, that day when I had my hair braided falling over my shoulders in my black t-shirt and screaming blue ankle length wrap around skirt; how that prayer has been fulfilled over the years.

In my reflections on Tell, two men in the Bible came to mind: Elijah and John the Baptist. I actually chuckled when I remembered that John the Baptist had the spirit of Elijah. So I could say Elijah 1 and 2 or Old and New Testament Elijah . . .

November 15, 2019 0 comment

Friend Mother

Not Forgotten

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

Today is Tuesday, 15th October 2019

To many people it is just a day.

But to me and many other parents around the world, today is not just any other day.

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.

October 15, 2019 0 comment

Friend

Holy Conversations

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:28-30)

For the last two decades or so, I have felt a drawing into silence, solitude, meditation on Scripture and prayer. Coupled with this has been a desire to walk with others into the same. When I reflect even further back to my mixed high years, by mixed I mean I oscillated between lost and found, between the black book and top 10 in class, between sneaking out of preps to sleep and raising my voice and hands under the Mugumo tree behind the labs in total surrender; I reckon that this desire for silence, solitude, meditation on Scripture goes way way back.

I can see y’all who know my extrovert, yellow dressing, sunshine, energy bursting ways double checking if indeed this is me writing or a guest blogger. It’s me alright.

Welcome to my introvert side!

October 14, 2019 0 comment

Friend

The week I will never forget

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

The week had began on such a high note. All my efforts to learn how to swim were finally paying off. Nilikuwa nimevuka sakafu, kwa mwendo wa aste aste from the team that rolls up their trousers and dangles legs at the edge of the pool to the maestros who dive under the water and float on it at will.

Little did I know my happiness would be short lived.

August 30, 2019 0 comment

Friend

I Wonder

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

I wonder if I am good enough

I wonder if I measure up

I wonder if I will ever be good enough

I wonder if I will ever measure up

June 21, 2019 0 comment

Friend I am a

I Desire

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

I Desire to be SEEN

To be seen for who I am

To be seen for who I am and not what I should be

To be seen for who I am and not what I used to be

To be seen for who I am and not what you want me to be

I desire to be SEEN

June 8, 2019 0 comment

Friend

Dream Funeral

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

When I was young I had a dream of becoming a lawyer then becoming the first female Chief Justice of Kenya. I was very determined, ok in my words, but my actions were not collaborating with me. You see I am a versatile learner. I get easily bored of doing the same thing over and over. So even though I have an absorbing memory and was able to easily regurgitate in the exams what the teachers had said during the term, I never kept still. If I was not skiving off to buy mandazi through the school fence in Primary school, I was skipping classes in high school and missing evening preps all together.

April 19, 2019 1 comment

Friend

Shame that leads to death: Femicide

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

The last couple of days and weeks, in Kenya, women are being killed by their husbands, lovers, husband’s lovers or unknown people almost on a daily basis.

This killing is a process, it doesn’t just happen. It is a vicious cycle of abuse.

When that woman is being choked yet again,

When her children are being banged against walls,

When she is tied up and beaten with all sorts of objects,

When she is screaming her lungs out for hours and neighbours close their ears,

When she rolls over all black and blue,

When she rolls over all bloody and somehow manages to clean up,

When she cooks up a story and plaster a smile on her face as she walks into Church/Work/Meeting,

When her abuser come crawling back,

When he says sorry and showers her with gifts.

Then the cycle repeats itself . . .

Some make it out walking dead,

Some make it out dead.

Every time femicide is reported, a common question unites the observers section:

Why did she not leave?

And my answer is:

Leave and go where?

March 8, 2019 0 comment

Christian Friend

And Daniel Resolved in his heart not to defile himself . . .

written by Wanjiku J. Mwangi

But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs (Daniel 1:8-9a)

You and your friends have decided to confront the class, work, neighborhood bully who has been bullying one of you. You have sat down and strategised on how to tackle this bully. So the day comes, and you all gather and march towards the bully.

You know what you should do/say. You know why you should do/say it. You know how you should do/say it

But when you stand in front of the person you freeze . . .

February 13, 2019 0 comment