Centenarian woman opts for baptism to mark Easter

By STANLEY ONGWAE

Kisii, Kenya: A 109-year-old granny stunned residents of Getengereirie in Kisii County when she offered to be dipped in a river to mark Easter.

Askah Kemuma said she wanted to be baptised in the river during Easter as a way of celebrating this year’s holidays.

According to Pastor Andrew Nyambane who conducted the baptism, Kemuma had made a request to the local church elders to be baptised in a nearby river as a way of renewing her vows of commitment to God.

“Despite her age, we had to fulfill her desire as well as accomplish our duty as God’s servants to baptise those who wish to renew their relationships with God,” said Nyambane.

The elderly woman on her part said she had longed to be baptised and she could not let this Easter season pass without fulfilling her spiritual ambition.

SPECIAL CEREMONY

“For all this years I have lived, I wanted to make a lasting impression of the Easter holidays as I prepare to re-unite with my creator,” said the granny.

The centenarian, who walks with the support of two walking sticks, had to be supported by her grand-children as she walked down to the river where a special baptismal ceremony was held.

The elderly woman was immersed into the river before she was received into the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the area.

One of her sons and three grandchildren were also baptised at the ceremony.

The woman is amongst very few Kenyans who have live beyond 100 years even as demographics experts continue to indicate that life expectancy in the country was getting to lower age brackets of 60.

Kemuma has a rich history that dates back to the time of the First World War and events that used to unfold in villages.

She vividly recalls how men from her village were captured by white army officers and chained to be taken to fight for the colonial army during the World War.