"For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." 1 Corinthians 15:53

On Saturday the 27th of October 2001, Peter Njoroge, a beloved brother in the Nairobi Christian Church fell asleep and went home to be with the Lord, after a long illness. He was 32 years of age at the time and had been a disciple for 5 years. Peter was well known for his compassion and concern. He was a man who loved children, cared for disciples and reached out to the needy.

Peter and his wife Linda were appointed to head the children's ministry for the Nairobi church's Middle East Region in 1996 and did a stellar job. Through diligence and dedication Peter and Linda raised up an exemplary ministry before handing over the reins to others when they took on the role of HOPE worldwide program coordinators for the Middle East Region. Peter's heart was never more evident than in his commitment to the children at the Bethlehem Children's Centre, which doubles as an orphanage and a primary school for the underprivileged. The disciples in the Middle East Region visit the centre and help out in many different ways. On his own Peter would go there to spend time with the children and find out the needs at the school.

At the time of his death Peter was organizing the purchase and installation of a water tank for the centre. Richard Ahenda remembers how Peter constantly gave his time and attention and "became a good friend to many of the children at the Bethlehem Children's Centre." Richard also recalls Peter's love for God that was obvious from the time Peter got baptized, having overcome a deeply religious background and the opposition of his family to become a disciple. Peter then helped Linda become a Christian and proceeded to reach out to many of his former classmates at the Utalii College, the premier institution in East and Central Africa for training in the hotel industry.

A few years ago when the Nairobi congregation was having its Sunday services in homes, Peter and Linda gladly opened up their house as one of the venues to have services. Later they moved to a bigger house so that even more people would be able to attend. During the last few months of his illness Peter was increasingly weak and less mobile. Yet he would go over to visit disciples who were weak in their faith in order to encourage them. He also used this period to get deeper into his Bible and draw inspiration from God.

Peter Njoroge was "social, friendly and calm", recalls his good friend Jeremiah Otwoma, also a brother in the Middle East Region. Peter's love for his wife was outstanding. In 1995 he quit a job in a hotel in the coastal town of Mombasa in order to return to Nairobi and marry Linda.

The following year they were baptized. Peter and Linda were from different ethnic groups and in their 6 years of marriage did not have any children. Both these facts could have been sources of tension, strain or even break-up, as is commonly the case in African society. But Peter was a man of God, and in fact he and Linda's marriage was radiant and effervescent!

On the morning of Saturday October 27th 2001, as Peter lay in bed, encouraging Linda, who sat in a chair next to him, the Lord called him home. While trained professionally in the art of hospitality, Peter Njoroge's greatest distinction was as a man of spirituality. As was said in the sermon at the funeral, "we can all learn from Peter to be like Christ, looking after the poor." His life has been a light, his marriage has been a model and his example has been excellent. Goodbye, Peter, we'll see you when we get there!