Groping for Support
When Death Strikes Far Away
by
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Preface
This book is a result of a project that the pastor (the author himself) mutually carried out with a group of some church members who had suffered losses of loved ones and they were not able to be there when they died and what followed after that.
The project proper involved eight members of a church and their pastor who facilitated the process. The group met on six occasions and went through a series of activities. The group members and the pastor had one thing in common. Each had lost a member or members of their family and were not able to be present to see the body/bodies or participate in the funeral and burial processes.
The group met and went through sharing and discussion sessions. The group performed some rituals and observed moments of high emotional outbursts. At last, a sample list of some ways to assist those in similar circumstances was compiled and a desire to form support groups after undergoing training was expressed.
A major part of the book comprises a lengthy explanation of the understanding of death, funeral, and burial process within the Kikuyu group of peoples. Included also is a chapter on the main resources used. Another chapter contains a discussion on the best way to approach the project. A chapter on the theological rationale for the project is included and finally an evaluation section concludes this work.
My hope is that this book will help in the process and bring better results to pastors and other religious leaders. It will be a useful tool to help those of their members who mourn and grieve without the body and in isolation from the rest of their close family members. The reason being because, they are either undocumented immigrants or immigrants who have lost their statuses.
They have lost the capacity to travel back to their country, but one thing is for sure, they have not lost the capacity to grieve and mourn. They are human just like anyone else. When calamity comes to their shores, especially when their loved ones die abroad, they deserve support. Sometimes it is not forth coming or is not enough, so they are left groping for it, hence the title of this book, “Groping for Support.” The title of this book alludes to that very fact.
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About the Book
This book is a part of Rev. Dr. Kimatu’s effort to “Take Care” of those in the Diaspora who look for elusive suport when they lose their loved ones and are not able to travel to bid them goodbye.
These people deserve support, which at times is not forth coming or is not enough, so they are left groping for it, hence the title of this book, “Groping for Support.”
It is a useful tool to help those who mourn and grieve without the body and in isolation from the rest of their close family members.
About the Author
The Rev. Dr. Joseph Kimatu was ordained by the Presbyterian Church in East Africa (PCEA) in the early 90s and served the church for several years before moving to the United States for further studies. He is an alumnus of Johnson C. Smith Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia and Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC.
He has a Dual-Masters (MACM, M.DIV.) and two Doctoral Degrees (D.D., D.Min), all with a concentration in Psychology of Religion, Pastoral Care and Counselling. He has 5 Units in Clinical Pastoral Education awared at both Emory Healthcare (internship) and the Care and Counseling Center of GA (Residency).
He is also a Board certified chaplain by the Atlantic Seminary and an instructor. He runs a program on Jambo Radio Network called “Menyerera” which translated loosely in English means, “Watch Over” or “Take Care of”.