60 years ago Ephantus Thagana Njungu and Grace Wangechi Thagana from Cheru location in Mathira near Karatina Town, in Nyeri County, gave birth to a boy. This boy, the third born among three other boys and one girl. Little did we know that 60years later, this boy would be a husband, father, grandfather, a founder and presiding bishop of the Glory Outreach Assembly (GOA), the General Secretary of the Federation of Evangelical and Indigineous Christian Churches of Kenya (FEICCK), the International director of International Leadership Institute English and Swahili Speaking Africa , and the winner of the 5th Edition Diar Award for Peace and cohesion in Kenya. Little did we know that the boy would be blessed to be a blessing to the Nations. Little did we know that the boy would celebrate his 60th birthday in Djibouti, equipping leaders. “Everything rises or falls with leadership” (John Maxwell). The boy has had many falls and many rises within the 60 years.
The first 10 years the boy grew under the influence of both parents and grandparents who never cared either who or what they worshipped. Little did we know that Spiritual leadership was critical not only to the spiritual life of the family but also the physical, social and, economic welfare. So for the first 10 years this boy grew like any other boy attending Kiamwangi primary school near Karatina, with the grandfather as the male figure because the dad was a hustling in Nairobi as a hawker. He later attached himself in a garage where he was learning to paint cars and in the process he learnt how to drive. He held positions of a driver until his retirement at an income department driver in Nairobi.
Little did we know that conflict between the grandparents of the boy at ancestral home in Cheru and the the family of Mr. Thagana that lived in the same homestead would escalate resulting in Mr.Thagana buying land in Raichiri farm in Nyandarua County and moving his family in the hope of experiencing peace. In the past 60years the boy has seen many ways of resolving conflicts and many results of conflict resolution, Regardless of which conflict resolution method, is used the boy is convinced the parties involved must aim at a Win-win result. The exodus of the Thagana family from Nyeri to Nyandarua County would forever remain in the mind of the now 60years old. Little did we know that the experiences of childhood can shape the character of person forever. The experiences of the today 60years old in the first 10 years in this world have shaped this boy both for good and for bad.
The poverty experienced in the extended family living in the same compound, made the today 60years old desire to eradicate poverty in the family and beyond. While in class 2 at Kiamwangi primary school the 60 years old today planted one cabbage. He would run home after school to water the one cabbage. In 1972 the boy sold the one cabbage at 75 cents in Karatina open market and owned his first money. On 22nd August 1972 Thagana’s family work did not sleep. Everyone was packing, anxiously and left the home at 4am to catch the only bus called travelers that was transporting passengers from Karatina to Nyahururu. This day provided the 60years today with an opportunity to serve his family. Using the 75 cents the boy bought meat at Ngobit stop over for the whole family. After getting to Nyahururu the family realised that mum Grace Wangechi’s bag of clothes never made it with the family. Using the balance of the money after feeding the family, the boy bought a fashionable nylon dress for mum Grace Wangechi. Little did we know that this small gesture of serving the family would grow at 60 years to be doing more than meat and mum’s dress.
Life in Raichiri was difficult in many ways but more peaceful and that is what meant everything for this family. The boy joined Raichiri primary school. Later Leshau Secondary School, Kijabe High School, Siriba, EAST, Beulah Heights and PACU. In April 1st 1988 the 60years old today started teaching at Karima Girls High School in Nyandarua. Little did we know that teaching was a season of laying the foundation for the 60 years old to marry and start GOA ministry. Little did we know that through the extended family conflicts faced in childhood influenced the boy soo much that Peace building and conflict resolution would become a major pillar of GOA.
After teaching at Karima Girls High School for 10 years, the 60 years old today has resigned from teaching to join full Time ministry to build GOA to a vibrate global movement, making disciples, of all nations, creating employment, building the nation in many ways.
Little did we know that this 60years old would be the winner of the DIAR 5th edition, in Peace and Cohesion.
The 60years old feels very renewed and focused to empower the next generation of 7 mountains leaders around the globe. Life ahead looks bright. Come let us empower the next generation and we will not have a leadership vacuum. Look out for the next article coming soon in this blog. Thank you.
Bishop David M Thagana
This is very inspirational to the young people.Am loving it.