Every Sunday Marion would beg me to accompany her to church ambayo ilikua side za Kimbo but nilikua nakataa, would wait for her hapo kwa railway crossing alafu nampeleka lunch in the only chips joint in githurai at that time wakiwa na bro yake, nikiomba slices nikimuescort home story ni ile ile, wewe haujaokoka, as a candidate nikaanza kumsaidia na maths, Swahili and English in the evenings, she would pass by my hse tunasoma kiasi alafu nampeleka home kaa na preachiwa, mdogo mdogo one Saturday nikaamua kuokoka, (dry spell ni mbaya) sikumuambia chochote, instead I convinced three of my mboys tuende church the following day, by 9am that Sunday tulikua church yao tumeketi, marion niliona akiwa usher, it was a mabati structure with about 150 worshipers.
Catchy easy to sing gospel songs were going on in fastforward mode drowning out the speakers, kanisa siku hizo hawakua na hizi mega systems za siku hizi, there was vigourous dancing and you could tell sisi ni wageni coz we were just clapping and staring (acheni munguu aitwe munguu acheni mungu aitwe mungu) nyimbo kaa hizo where the lead singer anaongoza na nyinyi mnarudia. Soon enough nyimbo za slowmotion zikaanza (niko chini ya mwamba na mwamba juu yanguuu, yesu nifiche niko chini ya mwambaaa…) and the tempo slowed down alafu tukakuja super slowmo mode (there is power power wonder working power in the naaaame of the Loooooord) for kindu 3 minutes and then all hell broke loose. Everybody started praying at the top of their voices as if on cue, wengine walikua wanarukaruka, wengine wanalia wengine wanaongea lugha zingine sijawai skia, later Marion aliniambia eti hivo hufanyika holy spirit akishuka, Yule alinibamba ni cucu alikua karibu nasisi alikua anasema Jesus on a bycycle, Jesus on a bycycle JEEEEEEEESUS ON A BYCYCLE alirudia hivi over and over again bila kusema kitu ingine. I gazed at her in wonder nikajiuliza hio alikua ameskia wapi, it was her way of speaking in tongues.
After like 10 minutes of pure drama the pastor took over lead us in prayers alafu tkaambiwa tuketi service inaanza but before that kama it was your first time in that church tukaambiwa tusimame tusalimie watu, maboys wangu wakaniangalia na macho mbaya regretting kwanini walinileta namimi nikaangalia around nikaona Marion amenicheki with encouraging eyes, mimi huyoo nikasimama, my mboys followed suit, I was glad to see we were not the only visitors na tukaitwa pale mbele. All we had to do was introduce ourselves, I was third in line kupewa mike nisalimie watu. “ Bwana asifiwe, kwa majina naitwa Mata, Meria Mata na ninampenda yesu, leo hii nina furaha kujiunga nanyinyi kumuabudu mungu” I was given a hearty clap as I went back to my seat. Yule alinishangaza ni Matoo, one of my mboys, after introducing himself he said he has a song akaambiwa aendelee, hehehe, huko nyuma nilikua naokotwa chini ya viti nikimskiza akiimba off key, bass tenor alto na soprano zote. Some guys were not meant to sing outside the bathroom.
Service iliendelea tukatoa sadaka na before pastor amalize akasema kaa uko hapa na hauja okoka huu ni wakati wako, ebu piga hatua uje mbele umpate yesu. This is the time I was waiting for, nilichomoka haraka sana nilikua wakwanza kufika mbele, I was surprised kuona mboys wangu walinifuata wote wakiongozwa na Matoo, siku hio kulikua watu wengi sana wanaokoka. The holy spirit ilishuka tena na ile maombi ikaanza, this time watu wote walikua ameelekeza mikono pande yetu, the pastor was moving round anakuja anakushika forehead na ile claw kaa ya Kerry Von Erch yule wa wreso
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anakuombea alafu unaanguka.
Kunifikia aliomba kaa 2 minutes na sikuanguka, akanishika nanguvu sasa akaanza kuifinya viserious, namimi nikaweka mguu moja nyuma nikajistabilize vizuri, by the forth minute pastor akaona sianguki akanipiga sweep lakini wapi, I was waiting for it, we staggered kidogo akaniachilia akaenda kwa Matoo, Matoo ata hakuguzwa, vile hio mkono ilikua yaenda forehead yake Matoo huyooo chini. Whenever I meet him hua twacheka sana tukikumbuka hio episode. After watu wote kuokoka we went back to our seats na kurusha macho kwa Marion kaona ameniangalia na very loving eyes kajua baaas, Thiga has circumcised. As I sat down sikua naskia any difference as a born again person kuliko vile nilikua nikiskia asubuhi nilipoamka but I was happy finally there was a light at the end of the tunnel. To my dismay the pastor said that all new converts were to remain behind after the service, I cursed the guy as in my mind Marion was already undressed ilikua imebakia kuingiza tu.
