KITENGALA, KENYA (January 7, 2013) – Mathew Mchana Tumu, who served as the national treasurer of the Covenant Church of Kenya, was murdered Friday by thieves who stole two goats.
Tumu’s daughter had called him to let him know the thieves were taking the animals. He went searching for the thieves.
Villagers found his mutilated body in an open field near his home on Saturday. Tumu, 55, leaves behind six girls and two boys. Six of the children are school age.
In addition to serving as national treasurer, he was pastor of Hongwe Covenant Church Mpeketoni.
He was one of the founding members of the Covenant church in Kenya and had a long-standing Christian witness in his community, says Lisa Zepeda, a former Covenant missionary to Kenya.
“He was an extremely humble man and minister, content with his life and dearly loved,” she tells Covenant News Service in an email Monday. “He worked tirelessly to see the work of God move forward in his area and in the greater country of Kenya. He was dedicated to doing the best he could to help those in his circle of influence, and not once in the year we spent with him did I ever hear him complain about any sacrifice he made to see Jesus proclaimed. Many times the sacrifices were huge.
“His tragic death protecting his livelihood – his few livestock – will be felt very deeply in the community he served as well as in the greater context of the Covenant in Kenya. The greater Covenant has lost a true brother in Christ.”
Editor’s note: the accompanying photo is believed to be that of Pastor Mathew taken by David Husby during a 2007 visit.
