He prefers the title bookkeeper for its literal meaning.
The story of the bookkeeper starts off with Ngong road matatus hooting as his alarm at 9:15 am to get up on a random Sunday morning. He wakes up, mutters a complaint under his breath, and looks under his bed. There the brown bag full of Christian literature books and musters strength to carry it to the display section of the Medical School’s Sunday service. He wasn’t alone in this task but the task seemed arduous for him then. He had others who were part of the team, namely, his friend Z, three spectacled ladies, Je, L and the chairperson of the committee, JC. They seemed to exude more gusto in their service than him and he often wondered their source of motivation sometimes. He knew the Source to be fair, only that, he hadn’t experienced it fully yet. Therefore, in the middle of the year, he thought out a prayer to the most High. To embellish the thought process, it went like this
Oh to have the joy of service to You be restored
And to experience you anew in my life Oh Lord
I do not understand why my heart has run cold
Yet I know that in your service I am called
(Inspiration Psalms 51:12- restore the joy of my salvation……)
A week or so went by and suddenly Z and JC couldn’t store the books anymore due to unforeseeable circumstances and the responsibility fell on him. He grumbled a lot more in that period but he showed up regardless every time. He did not notice the work of the Lord in him continually transforming him through his casual peeking into the books and his eventual growth of discipline in displaying the books. When Z and JC were capable again, he took a step back but it resulted in too many steps back and again, he disappeared from service once more. He had a self-sabotaging behavior (that some of us may have) of bare-minimum serving (enough to be noticed but not enough to be given more responsibility), amongst other flaws. So, what changed him?
Inspiration by Z
Z was a fellow who legitimately crazy for God. Z was also the bookkeeper’s close friend as they played in the same football pitch for years through campus. His favorite book was, “Walk with me God” by Kivutha Kibwana and if you knew him well, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. His passion for service was especially evident when he was selected as the interim chair as JC was on holiday. Z gave it his all and part of the bookkeeper’s revival came from working with him.
Working under JC
JC was and is very disciplined when it comes to service. She was younger but her silent and orderly authority, coupled with dedication would keep the committee in line, and with frequent meetings. After working closely with Z, the bookkeeper then understood how much JC was taking up on herself and realized how much he was complacent.
He therefore decided to turn over a new leaf.
The last three months of service moved like a breeze because the bookkeeper finally understood what it meant to serve and tried to give his all. He saw God’s strength in people around him including LM, an honorable mention, who could show up in the subcommittee despite having a myriad of more responsibilities. When the team’s tenure ended, he felt as though he needed one more year in the Literature subcommittee to give his all and the Lord granted his prayer.
Working under LM
LM became the chair of the subcommittee and took the responsibility in great stride. She showed a caring side to the subcommittee that even the new members, HN, CM, EJ, IK, JO and the youngest, PD, found more of a home than a subcommittee.
Through such influences and many more unmentioned, the bookkeeper decided to live out Colossians 3:23-24. “whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord, you will receive inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”
It’s now 2026, a random Sunday morning, the bookkeeper is awake by 8:00am (mostly). There are days he still feels a bit lazy but the newfound strength is nothing short of a testament of God’s work in him (that together with the consistent book bag workout package and a multitude of more responsibilities). Along with his joy this morning is a bit of sadness that the tenure is almost coming to an end. He wishes to have done this till the end of school; but it is clear that this time he has to let go. He encourages himself with 2Chronicles 20;12, something about fixing his eyes upon God and shrugs the negative feelings. He then stands, takes a deep breath, balances the two book bags and races downstairs imagining himself a Levite with the Ark of the Covenant.
Yours truly, D.