Forgiveness birthed my healing and prayer book
After facing numerous health challenges, Mumbi Wa Kimani, a journalist by training who dabbles as a gospel musician and entrepreneur, found the inspiration to write a prayer book titled Marathon Prayer Book, which was released in May last year to acclaimed reviews.
In 2014, Mumbi Wa Kimani, 34, was diagnosed with kidney stones during a business trip in Dubai where she was hospitalised for a month.
She continued with medication and believed all would be well, as it is human to make such assumptions after receiving treatment.
She believed that she had completely healed and continued with her usual business.
However, in 2016, Mumbi started having abdominal pains and later diagnosed with peptic ulcers.
Again, she was put under medication. The following year, she felt ill again, and decided to do some tests whose results indicated that her left kidney had failed.
“The doctor told me I needed a kidney transplant, which also meant I needed a large amount of money for the operation.
I discussed the challenge with my mum and we agreed to plan a fundraiser. However, not many people turned up on the appointed day,” she discloses.
Disappointed by friends, she decided to trust in God that He would create another way to her healing.
She discussed with one of her uncles about what had transpired, and he offered to pay for her hospital bill in Dubai.
Let down
“I was happy and grateful to God for answering my prayer. I requested my priest Fr Simon Kamomoe, to help me pay for the flight ticket. I thank God because he was ready to assist me.
But when I arrived in Dubai, the hospital could not reach my uncle who was to pay the bills. We kept trying to reach him for a week, all in vain,” says Mumbi.
At that confusing juncture, she decided to call Fr Kamomoe —a clergy at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi— to explain her predicament.
And with urgency, the man of cloth organised with the church community to raise money for Mumbi’s return to Nairobi, and also organised for her to see a doctor once home.
“I was happy and hopeful that everything would be well. Although the church was willing to pay for the treatment, I had to pay for the tests,” she says.
The next challenge was how to raise the large amount needed for the tests. The only option available to her was to take a loan.
Her other uncle John Mwangi gladly accepted to assist her, asking her to concentrate on the treatment and not to worry about the how she would repay the money.
Frenemies at work
Mumbi intimates, “Unknown to me, yet another terrible surprise awaited me. Once the tests results were out, the doctor declined to attend to me.
According to him, he had been told I was not sick and that all I was interested in was to raise money from the well-wishers. I pleaded with the doctor to look at the results test, but he declined.
I felt so bad, especially because the church was waiting for my results to help me start my treatment.”
She claims that she later learned that the doctor had been influenced by a church member to not attend to her.
She was infuriated and bitter, but through a psychologist appointed by the church, she went through a month-long counselling session.
“All that time, my priest insisted that I had to forgive the woman who had influenced the doctor.
I followed his advice and went for confession. I decided to forgive all those who had made my situation worse by frustrating the treatment process.
I learnt that the sacrament of confession is powerful in life. Through confession, my heart was healed.
I started believing that even my body would be healed. I thank God that after this, I went back to hospital where I was put on dialysis for three months and medication for two years, after which I regained my health,” Mumbi says.
Impacting others
It was during those trying moments that she decided to write a prayer book to help those who feel it is impossible to forgive.
“I was inspired to write this book by the situation I was in, to act as an inspiration to many people who are in difficult situations and those who need prayers,” she reveals.
Mumbi intimates that she encountered a few challenges during the process of writing the book, including rewriting it after she had thought she was done, and then taking it to church for acceptance.
She says, “I thank God the priests who were in charge supported me in good faith. I feel encouraged by them supporting my talent.
It motivates me to encourage other young people to use their talents positively to help the society and the world at large.”
Mumbi, who has had a stint working as an aircraft cabin crew, now conducts workshops and seminars in churches, schools and colleges on personality development and Christian faith.
She says her plans is to start a prayer day for the sick and suffering, and to engage young people in prayer and making them understand the power of prayers.
“We keep our faith and never to lose hope despite the challenges we may be going through.
In every situation, we should trust in God because He is faithful,” she says in conclusion.
