I am not an expert in death or dying in fact I have never died. But as an existential being I am fully aware of the reality of death, that as existential being I will one day die like others who have died before me and who will definitely die after me. Like others I have at one time been mystified by the reality of death as I sought to understand its origin, essence, nature and destiny in human life, in particular my personal life.

I am fully aware of the existence of various philosophical schools of thought on death and their divergent views concerning death. My own perception of death and dying are influenced by Christian religious faith. As I experience the death and dying of others while I await my own death. I know that death is does not in any way limit my own existence but rather affirms the continuation of my existence.

 The continuation of my own existence is confirmed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, the son of God who conquered death by His own resurrection. By conquering death Jesus Christ assures me that my life as a Christian just like His own life is not limited by death. As a child of God I will live with God eternally and my relationship with God will continue. As I live every moment of my life I am dependent of God’s love and grace.

I am fully aware of my total dependence on God, that as a finite being I am nothing without God the source of my being and those of other beings. I keep on asking God to grant me a holy death so that I may live with Him eternally.

One of the things that fascinate me about our brothers and sisters who smoke cigarettes is their gift of sharing. I have witnessed on many occasions smokers sharing cigarettes with out discrimination or even being related to each other or knowing each other personally. The same thing can also be said to our fellow brothers and sisters whom we commonly refer to as ‘street children.’

Street children are popularly known among other things for sniffing glue used by shoe cobblers. For street children sharing glue with their friends who do not have any glue is not a big deal. This sharing is not limited to glue but includes the human basic needs something many a people would find difficulty in sharing or providing basic human needs to their family members, friends, colleagues and strangers who are in need. It is not that the street children have much in terms of material possessions to live but they strikingly live out love.

The love and concern that street children have for one another is so amazing. Their love transcends all social barriers such as ethnicity, religion, age, race, and nationality among others that continue to be barriers in our mutual co-existence to those of us who are not street children. The street children mutual bonding is not faked but real, they live their authenticity to the full in their essence and existential existence.

We may consider ourselves privileged as we consider them an out group and try to avoid them. But in other many ways they stand out. We may assume them the way we assume each other but it may fascinate us to discover that street children do not assume each other, they love and forgive one another; they have an interpersonal relationship - they know and understand each other. We may also discriminate each other, focus on others’ dark spots and even define others the way we define street children. On the other hand, perhaps street children do not discriminate, focus on others’ dark spots or even define other people.

I have come to discover that it is not only smokers and street children but also some alcoholics, prostitutes, and drug-addicts among other social rejects that challenges our sense and value of human dignity. I have learnt and continue learning true love and authentic existence from them. We may see them as social rejects but they are human beings with equal essence and dignity just like us.

If there is a time when the absence of God appears to be visible in our lives is when we need him most. The hour when we need him to save us from sufferings through his intervention, since we belief that our God is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotential and loving and above all we have faith in him. Yet, despite our faith in him God appears to be silent or miles away from us. He seems to be indifferent when illnesses afflict us; when we are being abused; when we are being orphaned; widowed; when we are being tortured, exploited, manipulated, neglected, divorced, sacked; when we are unemployed; when we are childless and discriminated. Yet, we expect him to act and redeem us from our situation. Where is God when all these are happening?

Much as the above has been said, there are other times we have been rescued from our sufferings by God in miraculous ways. On the other hand, we have seen our loved ones endure untold sufferings; despite their faith in God and good lives, some of them suffered and died. We prayed and believed that God will intervene but we got the opposite of what we expected-death of our loved ones.

It is these experiences (suffering) that challenge our faith in God. Since we expect God to rise to the occasion and prove himself, his love, power and presence in our lives, in particular in our sufferings. We begin to loose patience and skepticism begins to crop up in our lives at times driving us to think of other options in order to escape from suffering such as abortion, cheating, euthanasia, and corruption among others.

It is true that sufferings can dehumanize us making us to loose our self-esteem and lack of faith in God, ourselves, and other human beings. Since moments of suffering can be decisive in redefining our relationship with God. Sufferings may make or break our relationship with God. Sufferings affect us not only emotionally, economically, and socially but also spiritually. Emotions or reasoning cloud our lives as we seek to understand the meaning of human suffering and the place of God in our lives.

We may not have satisfactory answers in relation to our own sufferings. However, as Christians the book of Job in the Holy bible can be of help to us as we reflect on Job suffering and the place of God in his life. We can draw important inspirations that can be of immeasurable benefit in our lives. Job experienced suffering and wondered why it had to be him; he lost all his children, some of his servants, and his property. He cried his heart out, he felt and reasoned just like us. He felt helpless and life was an enigma to him.

However, the most striking thing about Job was his faith. Job’s faith remained intact in the midst of his untold suffering. Not at once did he let his emotions or reason distort his belief in God. He was human and a very righteous one. Job sought to find the meaning of his suffering in God even when his friends thought his sufferings will sway him from God. Being virtuous and wealthy did not prevent Job from suffering (Job 1:15 -17; 31:13). This brings us to the reality of suffering that shows that no one is immune to suffering. Both the righteous and sinners experience suffering, even Jesus too underwent suffering despite being the son of God (Matthew 27:46).

This brings us to the reality that our faith should transcend our emotions and reasoning if it is to be meaningful to our sufferings and be our source of strength. This does not mean out emotions or reasoning is bad, both of them (reason and emotion) reveal our human aspect. However, they can be a greater hindrance to our faith.

The most important conviction is that God is deeply involved in our suffering and He is an integral part of us (Emmanuel). He is with us in our sufferings, illness, hunger, unemployment, imprisonment, childlessness, bereavement, hunger, lack of shelter, etc. The personal conviction that God involvement is not limited only to better times in our lives but also in worse times. The conviction that in spite of our sufferings God remains our God, He is with us every moment of our lives and can never forsake us is important assurance as we encounter suffering in our lives.

 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me. “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me…” (Isaiah 49:14-16) Just like Job we may not have answers on why we have to undergo sufferings. We may never come to know the reason why suffering exists in our lives.

 But, the most important conviction in our lives is that God loves us, even when we do not feel his presence in our lives our faith. It is our faith in God that becomes our pillar in the most trying moments in our lives. It is our faith in God that helps us find meaning in our lives, which holds us when we are weak and that strengthen us.

 It is sad to note that despite the wonderful gains in terms of technological innovations majority of men and women are becoming more and more isolated from themselves, religion (God) and their fellow human beings. The increasing reliance and dependence on technology to solve problems influenced by technological achievements and scientific thinking appear to worsen the situation.

Science continues to play a very important role in humanity a fact that cannot be denied. However, there are some things that technological innovations will never give us. For instance, man’s/woman’s own innovation can never teach him/her how to be human; humane; to love; respect human life and dignity; forgiveness; tolerance; meaning of life, pain, suffering and God among other fundamental human issues.

 It’s this over dependence or believe in technology that isolates men/women from their own selves, others and God. Technological innovations are as a result of human reason and human reason has its own limits. Technological innovations ought to be complimented with faith in God the only solution to man’s/woman’s isolation. It is faith in God that can redeem man/woman from his/her won isolation by reminding him/her of his/her finiteness. And in his/her own innovation God still reigns supreme as the source of all.

True meaning in our lives and activities can only be derived from God. Integrating God in all that we do is important towards our own fulfillment as human beings. It reminds us of our essence as human beings, the need to relate with our own selves, God and our fellow brothers/sisters because whenever God is negated isolation crops in.

It was in this darkness,
In this dark deep darkness,
Where nothing except darkness abode,
Their I dwelt, In the abyss of nothingness,
Nothing and darkness were with me,
 In this solace of nothingness,
In the silence of my being,
In this stillness, All was still,
In this descent of nothing,
No one was,
None but I,
In it all illusions ceased,
Reality remained,
Fetters broke,
My eyes opened,
As I discovered God.

 In this paper, I will look at the importance of women participation in conflict resolution processes as members of the society. The role of women in conflict and conflict resolution is of great importance towards the understanding of conflict and conflict resolution, as well as harmonious existence in our society. As I explore women’s role in conflict resolution, I do so from my own social milieu. I am not also an expert in conflict or conflict resolution but a human being who experiences conflicts, struggles with conflicts, is affected by conflict and tries to resolve conflicts.

 Women’s role in conflict resolution has not been fully recognized. This lack of recognition of women’s role and place in conflict resolution continues to be a major set-back in conflict resolution processes aimed at satisfactory termination of conflict. Conflict being an inevitable fact in the society affects both men and women in equal measures. Men and women experience conflicts be it intra-personal or inter-personal conflicts as actors/spectators/victims, etc.

Women apart from being victims of conflicts often are also active participants in conflicts as either sources or perpetuators of conflict a fact that cannot be ignored. Women active involvement in armed conflicts is depicted in their participation in the World War I, 1994 Rwanda Genocide, South Africa’s Apartheid struggle and Mau-Mau war rebellion in Kenya.

 As members of the society irrespective of their patriarchal or matrilineal heritage women are influential figure in the society just like their male counterparts. Therefore, the way women perceive, respond and resolve conflict is decisive not only in their lives and families but also to the society at large. Hence, the way women handle conflict has either positive or negative effects on other people lives too.

In his social learning theory Bandura states that most of our human behavior is acquired through observation/imitation. Women are strong models to their children in many ways in particular, in conflict situations. Women response to conflict to a certain extent influences their children conflict perception, response to conflict situations and conflict resolution.

The mere mention of conflict resolution implies efforts to terminate conflicts successful. The success of any conflict resolution/management among other factors calls for inclusion of all members of the society especially conflict parties irrespective of their gender so that the root cause(s) of conflicts can be addressed successfully. Women as members of the society have their own ‘first hand’ experiences in conflicts that ought to be tapped. The need to look at conflict as well as resolve conflict from a woman ‘eye point’ is a welcomed necessity towards greater understanding of essence and nature of conflict and conflict resolution.

The conflict experiences of both men and women can be enriching experiences that are beneficial to all members of the society. The harmonious existence irrespective of conflict inevitability is a reality that can be actualized if we manage to rise above exclusion of other actors in conflict especially women. Much as it is popularly believed that men are initiators of conflicts women too have been known to initiate conflicts. Hence, the inclusion of women in conflict matters is an important need.

Ethnicity is a very sensitive issue in Kenya that has continued to have negative implications in most African countries. The tendency to identify ourselves with the people we share the same ethnicity while on the other hand, sidelining others from different ethnic groups remains one of the greatest challenges towards our harmonious existence since our independence. This also becomes one of the challenges in living out our Christian calling due to the temptation to see each other using ethnic lenses.


 In the 2008 post-election violence in Kenya some neighbors turned against each other because of ethnic differences. Some of these neighbors had lived and fellowship together as Christians but the hour when they needed each other the most ethnicity reigned leading to the deaths, loss of properties, sexual assault, maiming and displacement of some Christians and non-Christians.

The 2008 post-election violence in Kenya also saw the death of over two hundred Christian women and children who were burned alive by arsonists inside a Kenya of Assembly of God Church in Kiambaa, where they had taken refuge because of their ethnic group. Perhaps, some of these arsonists were Christians who definitely knew where these women and their children had taken refuge.

In society like ours that is deeply divided and influenced by ethnicity. The reality of seeing each other as God’s children, human beings and as Christians become easily obscured since we tend to look at each other using ethnic lenses. As we choose to identify with the people whom we share the same ethnic group with while directly/indirectly discriminating those from different ethnic groups. This distorts us from seeing Jesus in our brothers and sisters because of our biasness and indifference to others due to negative ethnicity.

Being Jesus Christ’s disciples calls for courage to stand up and be identified always with Him no matter the cost. Courage to see Jesus Christ in other peoples lives and experiences by rising above negative ethnicity. Remembering that we are all children of God irrespective of our ethnic background and as God’s children love binds us together. As Christian individuals or as a group we can be very instrumental in living out and bringing out positive changes in our society. We can help in the elimination of negative ethnicity in our society by taking the initiative ourselves.

 The richness and diversity of our respective ethnic heritage should be respected, shared and be a unifying factor in the light of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ reminds us that whatever good or bad we do to our fellow brothers and sisters we are doing it to Him. Thus whenever we harm our brothers/sisters because of their ethnicity Jesus Christ suffers too.

 …Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sister you did for me.” Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devils and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothe and you did not clothe me, I was sick in prison and you did not look after me.” They also will answer, “Lord when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” he will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:37-45).

And the cobwebs too,

The reality that most of African communities are patriarchal in nature is not a guarantee for men and even some women to met out untold inhuman acts to their own mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and nieces. This calls for wake-up from the dogmatic slumber that some men and women use to harm the African girl child. Culture in itself is dynamic in nature. And if culture is dynamic, the African culture dynamism needs to be seen in her transformative element that re-affirms the essence and dignity of the African girl child in her own society.

Conflicts are inevitable aspects in human relationships in so far as human existence is concerned. This simply implies that conflicts cannot be eliminated in the society in particular in human relationships since they are endemic. In as much as conflicts are inevitable in human relationships coupled with the fact that they are neither good nor bad in themselves. The desire to eliminate conflict is innate in human beings as can be seen in our attempts to resolve/manage conflicts through various conflict resolution strategies.

Religion is an important aspect in human lives that is very instrumental in resolving human conflicts. Religion is a uniting factors that transcends all social barriers that brings men and women together irrespective of their backgrounds, gender, roles, race, nationality, education, etc. As an integral part in human lives the enormous influence of religion as a decisive and determinant factor in the political, economical and social spheres cannot be ignored.

It is unfortunate that despite its important role in human lives religion too is being abused by men/women for their own ego-centric reasons. Religion has been and is still being used as a powerful tool in the hands of men/women as a source of conflict and to perpetuate conflict in the society. We are aware of men/women who kill, injure, cause destruction and discriminate in the name of religion.

Some political leaders, religious leaders and religious adherents willingly stir up religious sentiments for political/religious reasons/selfish motives/ignorance. This kind of religious fanaticism and bigotry continue to be a major obstacle in harmonious existence in our religious-pluralistic society. Furthermore, these kinds of actions or attitudes distort the true idea of God and religion; since neither the idea of God nor the idea of religion contain violence, in addition most religion are founded on the principle of love. Love then is the basis of religion that defines the relationship between God and man/woman, and the relationship between man/woman and his/her fellow man/woman, it beats my imagination on why religion is used as conflict tool. What a contradiction?

In this paper I am going to reflect on man’s role in others suffering and his own suffering too as a result of our own individual choices. As human beings we are endowed with free-will that enables us to make choices as we live in this world. Our choices, good or bad have consequences that affect us and our fellow human beings. The effect of our choices can have either positive or negative consequences. It is in this regard, I will look at the negatives consequences of our human choices as a contributing factor to other people sufferings and our own suffering too as will be seen below.
When God created us in His own image (Genesis 1:27), He gifted us with free-will and made us co-creators with Him. This has enabled us to be able to make choices in our lives and the novelty of it is that God does not interfere with our choices. Our ability to make choices differentiates us from all other creatures. God does not interfere in any way in our choices since as a generous benefactor God cannot reclaim His gift from its beneficiaries.
The creation account presents Adam and Eve exercising their free-will. Adam is presented naming Eve (Genesis 3:20) and animals (Genesis 2:20. On the other hand, we also witness both Adam and Eve individual choices to eat the forbidden fruit. God did not interfere with their choices. Both Adam and Eve had to suffer from the consequences of their actions that marked their exit from the Garden of Eden; brought about birth pangs; human toil; enmity between woman/man and the serpent, etc) that ushered in sufferings. It is because of the choices of both Adam and Eve that sin entered into the world (Genesis 3:1-24).
The history of mankind is awash with inhuman atrocities resulting from the consequences of our own actions. For instance, the Jewish holocaust in which millions of Jews underwent inhuman pain, suffering and death; the Rwanda Genocide; 2008 post-election violence in Kenya; the first and the second world wars, and slave trade among others were as a result of human choices.
This brings us to the reality that us a result of our bad choices we have abused our free-wills leading to our own sufferings and that of our fellow brothers/sisters. These sufferings as a result of our own choices (man-made sufferings) are most of the time out of our ego-centrism. The desire to be better that others in human lenses is not only our individual undoing and but that of our fellow human beings. It is because of our choices that our fellow human beings and we too are poor, hungry, homeless, refugees, prisoners, ill, disabled, unemployed, orphaned, widows/widowers, childless, fighting, dying, etc.
The reality that over centuries that both men and women have abused their free-will leading to their own suffering is crystal clear. This helps in explaining that neither sin nor suffering are God’s fashioning. It is our own human choices in particular bad choices that contribute to some of our own human pain and sufferings. Despite the existence and inevitability of suffering in our lives.

People are drifting away from God because of suffering and many people are not taking suffering for granted as seen in their attempts to overcome, deny and avoid sufferings. The reality of sufferings including fear of it can be a major obstacle in our personal relationship with God.
 It is unfortunate that despite the conviction of God’s existence, acknowledgement and his awareness majority of people are struggling to find the essence of God in their lives in particular, in their own sufferings. A midst all these struggles conflicting messages in form of ideologies from different school of thoughts; religions, and social media among others are being presented compounding the already complex situation. It is sad to note this sad state of affairs is contributing directly/indirectly to atheism, pessimism, euthanasia, suicide, and Satanism.


This brings to light Christians perception and response to suffering in regard to their faith as Christians. Is it that our faith in God cannot sustain us in difficult moments in our lives? Or is the world’s perception with its diverse ideologies distorting the Christian understanding of suffering? What then is our Christian understanding of suffering in relation to their faith? In as much as we would like evade and eliminate sufferings in our lives, our own perception to suffering and response to suffering as Christian’s matters a lot. It influences the way we experience suffering.

On the other hand, I understand that the problem of suffering raises a lot of important fundamental questions. I am also aware that over the centuries scholars in particular, philosophers and theologians have been engaged in discovering the essence and nature of suffering in relation to man/woman his/her relationship with God, his/her fellow man/woman and the world. This point to the fact of human reason limitation to answer fundamental questions whose answers can only be found in God.

The need for sufferings to be seen in new light is a must and a necessity. This light is Jesus Christ our Lord and role model. Who despite being God’s son was not in any way immune to suffering (Mark 15:34). Jesus experienced suffering and was moved by other peoples suffering as evidently seen in the numerous miracles he performed in order to heal, liberate, and empower those who were suffering. Jesus too empathized with those who were suffering as seen in his visit to Martha and Mary, when he cried upon hearing that his friend Lazarus was dead.

 I am convinced that me and you as a Christians can point others to Jesus Christ as the true exemplar in all aspects of our lives, in particular in our own sufferings. We can help to re-affirm God’s presence in our lives through our actions and words. That learning from Jesus Christ, we can be good role models in our small communities, families, work places, to the people we meet and empathizing with our brothers/sisters.

I am convinced that when I am not a good role model and keep quiet as a Christian I am contributing to the confusion. But when in little ways I point others to Jesus and pray for other in sincerity I am standing up for Christ and helping to bring order. I also acknowledge that I am weak and in need of God in my life as a Christian, and that like any human being I am afflicted by sufferings. Its only God who sees me through and is in charge of my life whether I recognize His presence in my life or not.

REFRENCE The Holy Bible (1971).

Revised Standard Edition (2nd edition). Collins Bible.