A LIFE GIVEN FOR OTHERS

ISOBEL MUGURE CHEGE - 1924-2010 is the Mother of my dear wife, Esther, and of cause also my mother in law. She is photographed here with one of our grand-daughters, Tonia Green, taken in 2006. She was still living in her own little home at the time, but already beginning to lose her memory. All her life she had worked hard and industriously, mainly as a house servant. But by the time I met her for the first time - in 1971 - she had started her own little business, sitting on a pedestrian walkway in a Nairobi street, making pullovers, cardigans and so on with a hand knitting machine. She also managed to build herself a simple brick house to which she added extra rooms for Rental. In this way she managed to support herself, and help her three children, and other members of her family. Her husband had deserted her, so she could only look to her own effort to provide for those she loved. She had joined a Baptist Church, and was regular in her attendance, and generous in her community support and activities that this involved her with. She was of a quiet and thoughtful nature, always ready to listen to other's problems, and to lend a hand to help those in trouble around her. Very loving and affectionate towards children, and especially her grandchildren, who without exception grew to love her and to value her.
She had three children - one son who sadly died in a motor accident in his teenage, - and two daughters, Esther my wife, and Mary, her sister, married to Joe Kibe. Esther and Mary gave birth to 4 boys and 3 girls between them, and at the time Mother Isobel died, there were 18 grandchildren, and more than 10 great grandchildren. Her Funeral, held last Wednesday, hosted more than 1000 friends and relatives. A beautiful and joyful day, full of good memories of a very memorable lady.

I met her first the day after I had proposed to Esther! Esther arranged for us to meet in the Nairobi Whimpy Bar for a burger lunch together. It was packed with people. I had no Swahili or Kikuyu with which to communicate - my prospective Mother in Law had no English!

Thus it was that in that very busy lunch hour a rather nervous white man called Green, had to explain - in English (with Esther translating word by word to her Mother) that I wanted to marry her daughter! I had to SHOUT because the place was crowded, full of people! Esther's Mother was a well built lady of some 47 years at the time. To me she looked quite fierce and formidable! She decided to find out all she could about me, and asked question after question (also VERY loudly)- to which of course I had to give reply. BUSINESS in that Whimpy Bar virtually stopped as everyone - waitress ad customer alike turned to look and listen, laugh and clap...........I wished the ground could have swallowed me whole - BUT in the end the Formidable Lady smiled, and delightedly accepted my request for her daughter's hand in marriage........ We never did learn to communicate directly, but from that day we were friends, and there was ever a deep and loving bond between us. As Alzheimers took it's toll, she came to not know who I was. But she remained very special and when it became possible for us to take care of her for the last years of her life, and we were able to bring her to Eldoret we took it as a special privilege and Thanksgiving. The Lord helped her not to suffer unduly, and she remained a peaceful and quiet person right to the end.

Comparing notes before the Funeral, my brother in law, Joe, and I realised just how many of the good qualities of their Mother our wives both have within themselves. Indeed we realised just how much we had to also appreciate Isobel Mugure in her daughters and grandchildren

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AS FOR ME ? Well I spent last week-end a little uncomfortably, but little by little things improved. I was far from feeling myself, but the important issues were better. SO I felt I could not let Esther travel up to Ngong for the funeral alone - well, without me. In fact Daryl, Carol and the children drove up with us. Daryl drove of course. But the road was quite rough in places and although perhaps not more than 30 kilometres, it really seemed to affect me. I managed to last out through Wednesday, the day of the funeral, including making a short speech, but then I had to lie down. Just had to rest. My Doctor said I should not have made the journey, but it was worth it, and I am feeling fine now. I am glad to even feel refreshed today. Still grappling with a small cold, as Esther is, but all in all we both feel that things are WELL with us both. Thank you again for all your prayer and concern for us. We HAVE been so comforted and encouraged.

The Week has ended! One more to go before the month ends, and we shall then soon be in MAY! SIX commencing College next week, and of course it will also be time to pay our workers ..... There are always challenges. HE walk with us by our sides. How truly wonderful it is to KNOW this as fact rather than fiction.

Affectionately - John and Esther