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Archive for August 31st, 2010
DFW Kenyan Catholic Community & Friends
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
Posted in Announcements | 3 Comments »
PARABLE OF THE PENCIL
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.
Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.
And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.
The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.
Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.
One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.
Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.
Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them.
Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.
And Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.
By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.
– Author Unknown //
Posted in Inspirational | Tagged: Inspirational | Comments Off
New Cash Transfer Platform For Kenyan Diaspora Launched
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
The software will come built in with new yu lines and will provide access to cash through Yu-Cash. Photo/CHRIS OJOW
A new mobile money transfer platform targeting Kenyans in the diaspora has been launched.
The new system involves Heart of the City, a Christian organisation, in partnership with yu.
The payment service dubbed Ushindi Mobile Money runs on the web and WAP through java and GPRS capable phones and is also available as a software download.
The software will come built in with new yu lines and will provide access to cash through Yu-Cash.
“Today marks a new milestone in the information and communication industry; 12 years ago, we began to create a secure platform that would enable Kenyans to access various mobile payments services through the internet. Today we see UMM come to life,” said Dr Lukas Njenga, Heart for the City CEO during the launch.
The firm has partnered with local banks, insurance companies and investment banks to enable those in diaspora access their accounts, pay insurance premium and invest without using middlemen.
“This allows Kenyans outside not only to send in money but also get involved in investment and development,” he said
Service providers have given a uniform introductory fee of $5 for sending money from the US and 5 pounds for those sending from Britain.
“Local transfers will be free for customers, we are looking to drive revenues through the services to our corporate partners,” said Rev Njenga.
Posted in Diaspora News, Kenya | 1 Comment »
Kenyan Priest charged with sex assault in Va. served as chaplain in NH
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
Felix Owino
MANCHESTER – A priest who had served as chaplain at a small New Hampshire Catholic college was arrested in Virginia last month and charged with sexual assault against an 11-year-old girl, two activists organizations said yesterday.
The Rev. Felix Owino was arrested in Herndon, Va., which is about 25 miles west of Washington, D.C. A Fairfax County police spokesman said Owino was considered a longtime friend of the alleged victim’s family.
A native of Nairobi, Kenya, Owino served as chaplain of Magdalen College in Warner from June 2005 to October 2008, the college said yesterday. He was a member of the Africa-based Apostles of Jesus missionary worder.
Yesterday, New Hampshire Voice of the Faithful and Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests picketed outside the Diocese of Manchester offices yesterday to demand better efforts to find potential victims in the Granite State.
Diocesan spokesman Kevin Donovan said there are no allegations against Owino in New Hampshire involving sexual abuse of a minor. He said he was unaware of any allegations of improprieties against Owino.
“We’ve reached out to the college to offer pastoral and counseling support,” Donovan said.
College spokesman Jim Van Damm said Owino was a part-time teacher and chaplain at the college, which had 68 students last year. The college never received any complaints about Owino when he was stationed there, he said.
“He was an excellent teacher and a pious priest,” Van Damm said.
At the time of his arrest, Owino was on summer break from his duties as a philosophy instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. He also served as associate pastor of St. Paul Parish in Weirton, W.Va.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston suspended Owino from his priestly duties pending the outcome of his trial in Virginia. He had been scheduled for court Thursday, but that has been postponed.
In Manchester yesterday, Carolyn Disco urged the diocese and Magdalen officials to reach out to alumni and other participants in Magdalen programs during the Owino’s years in Warner.
“We are well within the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution,” said Disco. “That’s not to say there’s something here.”
The diocesan website yesterday made no mention of Owino, or any priest accused of sex crimes. Donovan noted that the website includes a link on its homepage on how to report abuse. The diocese also runs notices in church bulletins about how to report abuse, he said.
“We don’t put up (information about) specific priests,” Donovan said. “This priest was never assigned a ministry in a New Hampshire parish.”
Disco said the groups want more than a generic notice about reporting sexual abuse. Most victims, she said, do not report abuse, and proactive outreach by the diocese would encourage any possible victims of Owino, or other priests, to speak up instead of suffering in silence.
Disco said Bishop John B. McCormack has a poor record of outreach.
“It’s about outreach,” she said. “You do more than just a one paragraph boilerplate (notice).”
Earlier this month, McCormack announced he had submitted his resignation to Pope Benedict 16th. No replacement has been named, and McCormack continues in his role as shepherd of New Hampshire Catholics.
Donovan said Magdalen College is a private Catholic entity that is not overseen by the bishop. Magdalen brought Owino to the college, and all McCormack did was verify that he was a priest in good standing with his order, Donovan said.
That allowed Owino to celebrate Mass in the diocese.
Donovan said the diocese would report to authorities any allegations of child-sex crimes involving an outside priest to authorities.
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Liza Mucheru-Wisner, a 30-year-old from Corpus Christi, TX
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
Liza Mucheru-Wisner on Apprentice 2010
Mucheru-Wisner, born in Kenya, was part of the Kenyan National Golf team and was recruited to play golf at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. She completed her education and received her Masters degree while simultaneously starting an educational technology company. However, her business venture fell victim to the recession and she is struggling to make it a success. Mucheru-Wisner, now a wife and mother of two, works hard to stay connected with her family in Kenya and Ireland and is looking for opportunities to grow and expand her business. She is an avid fan of golf and is a belly dancer and aerobics instructor on the side. -NBC
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Kenyan ‘Apprentice’ has all the answers
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
CORPUS CHRISTI — It would be hard to trump Liza Wisner’s summer, but you can judge for yourself by watching “The Apprentice.”
Wisner, a Corpus Christi entrepreneur seeking to expand her computer education company, competed against 15 other contestants hoping to land a six-figure job with business tycoon Donald Trump.
How did she do? You’ll have to watch and find out. Wisner, 30, said an agreement with NBC prevents her from discussing details of the show.
The 10th season of the reality TV series, filmed this summer in New York, premieres Sept. 16. An NBC news release described the 16 contestants as being hit hard by the economic downturn.
Trump, the show’s executive producer, has shifted the show’s focus to rewards aimed at improving the lives of the competitors, including one-on-one meetings with well-known business executives, according to NBC’s website.
Such networking opportunities could be valuable to Wisner, who started Texas Techies in Corpus Christi with hopes of expanding technology education for children. Wisner said she isn’t permitted to discuss how business is going.
Wisner, a native of Kenya, had a golf scholarship at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, where she received a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s degree in education. Wisner also works full time as an associate director of a graduate student retention program at A&M-Corpus Christi.
The mother of two said the birth of her first son, now 4, made her recognize a lack of computer education opportunities for very young children.
“I was proactive about it and decided if it didn’t exist, I was going to bring it,” she said.
Texas Techies focuses on children beginning at age 3, integrating computer classes into daily schedules at area community centers, day cares and kindergartens. At age 7, Texas Techies offers a computer animation class.
Wisner said she was amazed when she realized how quickly her son could learn to operate a computer, and how well he learned to read and solve problems using computer games based on the public school curriculum.
Wisner said she and her husband, Denis, are looking for ways to expand the business to reach more children, especially those whose families can’t afford to pay for the extra lessons.
“I’ve been trying hard to get the funding, but you know how it is,” she said. “Everything’s difficult when you do it on your own.”
Source: http://www.caller.com/news/2010/aug/30/apprentice-has-all-the-answers/
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Wedding day turns tragic as bride dies after tying the knot
Posted by Administrator on August 31, 2010
An illustration of a wedding couple. Two families that had gathered for their children’s wedding were left in shock after the bride died just hours after the ceremony. PHOTO / FILE
Two families that had gathered for their children’s wedding were left in shock after the bride died just hours after the ceremony.
Kilifi police boss Grace Kakai said that the bride, Ms Esther Mwenda, died after she was given an antibiotic soon as she finished her first lunch in her new home. She had complained of discomfort after eating the food.
She said officers had launched investigations to establish the cause of her death. At the time of the wedding the bride was in good health, she added.
“We treat this as sudden death and I have instructed officers to take the body to the Kilifi District Hospital mortuary for postmortem before it is released to the family for burial,” Ms Kakai said.
According to Vitengeni councillor Teddy Mwambire, the couple had had a colourful wedding at Saba Saba Church at Madamani in Vitengeni and exchanged vows before Pastor Stephen Luvi.
The couple is said to have gone to the groom’s village at Dege-degu in the same division, where the celebrations were held.
“At the height of the celebrations, soon after she ate lunch, she developed discomfort that led the family to buy medicine from a nearby shop,” Mr Mwambire said.
“The groom (Mr Joseph Sanga) discovered the death at around 6pm when he went to wake her up after she took the drugs,” Mr Mwambire added.
The groom, a farmer, had gone to check on his new bride in the evening when he discovered she was not breathing. He later alerted other relatives before they called in the police.
According to one of her elder brothers, Mr Lawrence Kahindi, the bride had not been in good health for a long time.
He sought the help of area MP Francis Baya after the police were through with the post-mortem examination.
Source: Daily Nation
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