As Chris was growing up, he wanted to know how his late father the Rev.C.K.Rapasi (1914-1999) and his colleague both of who were carpenters with only basic academic qualifications ended up becoming extremely effective Church Ministers of the nascent Church of Scotland Mission in Kenya, the precursor of the presently huge Presbyterian Church of East Africa.
From his search he was able to learn how they were headhunted by subsequent Scottish Missionaries who succeeded the pioneer Rev.Thomas and Minnie Watson who are credited with the founding of the seemingly immortal Church of the Torch in Kikuyu. Naturally Chris was curious to find out what happened to these pioneers. Did they go back to the UK/SCOTLAND or are they still with us here? This Search led him to various historical/burial records etc and he was able to establish the fate of the majority of these men of God.
It's during this search that he first visited the Church and other Cemeteries around Nairobi to see for himself the final resting place of these heroes who did not emigrate but chose instead to remain in their beloved adopted country.
What he found was so depressing and gut wrenching because most of the graves in the 'civilian ' section although sited on serene location are so neglected if not almost derelict he shuddered to think if this is what the people buried there would have expected their surviving kin to treat their final resting place!
Yes they may be gone , but are they really ever forgotten?
Fast forward!..One evening four years ago Chris received a call the son of his fathers colleague aforementioned, who had moved illegally to America about 34 years ago! In his absence from Kenya, his mom had passed away but he couldn't attend her funeral for fear of not being allowed back in America.
He had a simple request. He wanted Chris to buy a bouquet of roses and place them on his mothers grave. Suffice it to say that when he eventually got to their rural home, they couldn't find the grave. It had since 'disappeared ' under all manner of thickets and bushes. Chris took photos of the site before they began to clear the site to possitively identify the exact spot. The job took three hands and most of the day and the next before Chris could place his roses! He then took pictures of the completed job and mailed them back to his friend. He was naturally grateful that we had relieved him of his guilt and immediately sent me a thank you card together with a re-embursemnt of his expenses.
It was then that the thought entered my mind that there must be many well intentioned people who for various valid reasons (like his friend !) are unable to care for their departed ancestors final resting place. This prompted Chris to register a small outfit and to hire a few qualified masons who under his supervision and guidance, have created a viable option to surviving family who might need a reliable service to 'RESTORE ' not 'RENEW ' these hallowed places.
There is plenty of history in these places and although these folks may be gone, are they really ever forgotten?
We serve both family and diaspora and would be grateful to hear from those of you who might be interested in
our service.
Below are an example of people who may have family that could be interested.
|
1-
Foster George
Born c.1869
Died 25/12/40
|
2-
Wilks Grace Winifred
Born c.1899
Died 4/4/1940
|
3-
Carnelly Ivy Dalrymple
Born c.1893
Died 23/8/43
|
4-
Longmate James
Born c.1965
Died 25/12/39
|
|
5-
Milne Geoffry
Born Hull c.1899
Died 16/1/42
|
6-
Pyecroft Arthur
Born c.1876
Died 25/2/40
|
7-
Cox Walter
Born Leicester c.1888
Died 27/9/52
|
8-
Bradshaw Robert Mackey
Born c.1886
Died 20/5/1939
|
|
9-
Campbell Theresa Marie
Born c.1880
Died 6/4/43
|
10-
Roberts Albert Edward
Born c.1889
Died 24/4/40
|
11-
Galvin Benjamin
Born c.1880
Died 27/3/43
|
12-
Greene Patricia Lilian
Born c.1891
Died 27/8/41
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Kindly contact me at my email Chris Rapasi.