A Speech That Inspired Me

Because of the beautiful hymns we sang and the buddy-buddy fellowships we had, I loved being part of All Saints' Cathedral's 9:30 a.m. English service choir when I was a first-year student at JKUAT.

Come August 2008, I went astray at JKUAT and stopped going to the cathedral. Try as I might, I couldn't summon the will to resume going to the cathedral when Mum encouraged me to do so.

But the cathedral's 9:30 a.m. English service choir remained dear to my heart. I would think about its choristers and google some of them to find out what they were doing.

In 2011, I got in their bad books when I sent them silly messages. Since I was like the proverbial prodigal son, I continued annoying them even after they summoned me one Sunday and expressed their displeasure at my silly messages.

Later on when I was preparing to run for a political seat, I listened to Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1984 DNC speech. And wow! I loved the way Rev. Jesse apologized to those he had wronged.

Then I thought of using his words to apologize to the All Saints' Cathedral choir dear to my heart. So I listened to his speech over and over again till I internalized the words I wanted to use in my apology.

An opportunity finally came for me to deliver the apology. It was on a Thursday night in 2012. As we assembled for announcements that night after singing practice, the choir administrator asked if anyone had anything to say. Without hesitating, I began:

Hi Choir!

As you all know, there is a proper season for every activity under the sun: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to sow and a time to reap. And I think the author of Ecclesiastes would have agreed with me if I added there is also a time to argue and a time to apologize.

I'm Thuita, the guy who seems like he never has anything to do and so keeps sending you messages.

When I joined this choir in April 2007, I loved the camaraderie that existed among its choristers. And throughout my time in the choir, I've tried to be helpful.

If in my high moments, I've done some good, offered some service, healed some wounds, rekindled some hope, or stirred someone from apathy and indifference, or in any way along the way helped somebody, then my Christian faith has not been in vain.

For those of you who love and pray for me, for God who always spares me, and for Jesus whose life and teachings inspire me, I'm eternally grateful.

If in my low moments, in word, deed or attitude, through some error of temper, taste or tone, I've caused anyone discomfort, created pain or revived someone's fears, that was not my truest self.

If there have been occasions when my grape turned into a raisin and my joy bell lost its resonance, please forgive me, or charge it to my head and not to my heart, because my head is so limited in its finitude but my heart is boundless in its love of this choir...

That speech, which I've edited for clarity, made me a hero in the choir given the way some choristers spoke highly of me. And my good friend John Okoth told me the speech was scholarly.

Encouraged by how well I delivered the speech, I would listen to the original and mentally revisit the night I gave my version. Once when Mum heard me listen to the speech on my phone, she asked me whether I had recorded myself.

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