Positive Quote for Today

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."— Maya Angelou


Remembering a Math Teacher

Picture related to the title of the story
This is Mr. Samuel Obudho who I will talk about in the story below.

During my high school years at Starehe Boys' Centre, we had a conscientious head of mathematics department who doubled as the Form 3 senior master. His name was Mr. Samuel Obudho. He was one of the teachers who propelled Starehe to a top performing school in the national secondary school exams known as KCSE.

I remember Mr. Obudho as a dutiful teacher who loved his job and held students to high standards of discipline and performance. At one time in 2004 when I was in Form 3, he fixed me for a severe punishment for unloosing my tie during an afternoon chemistry lab session. How humiliating it was to do the punishment!

Not only was Mr. Obudho tough on Form 3 students but also on teachers. There was a time he heard that Mr. Joseph Kasili, a humorous and easy-going math teacher, was not tutoring us well when we were in Form 3. He came to our class one morning to inquire something about Mr. Kasili's teaching methods, after which he must have reproached him. I sympathized with Mr. Kasili to see him being treated like a primary school pupil.

When Mr. Obudho came to our class to inquire about Mr. Kasili, I voiced a complaint about our literature teacher, an attractive lady named Miss Gathige. And guess what! A day or two later, Miss Gathige informed us that Mr. Obudho had questioned her. After she inquired who had reported her to the Form 3 senior master, some of my classmates started shouting my name. Feeling embarrassed, I repeatedly denied reporting her to Mr. Obudho.

Because of his duties as the head of mathematics department and the Form 3 senior master, Mr. Obudho taught only one class in Starehe: a Form 4 class. In 2005 when I got into fourth form, it was our class that he taught, replacing Mr. Joseph Kasili, that humorous and easy-going teacher I have told you about.

Shortly after he became our math teacher in 2005, Mr. Obudho got to know me by name. And I must have been an excellent student of his given the way he had a high opinion of me. He once asked me to go to the blackboard and solve a math problem that was troubling my classmates.

Sure, I was an excellent student of Mr. Obudho. I will never forget the time Mr. Obudho came to our class and handed some of us the results of a math paper we had sat for in a major exam. When he called out my name, handed me my results and I found out I had scored over 80% in the paper, I became so ecstatic that I went dancing around the class.

As my high school years were coming to an end in November 2005, Mr. Obudho aspired to succeed Mr. Yusuf King'ala as the principal of Starehe following the death of Mr. King'ala. Unfortunately for Mr. Obudho, some senior members of the school administration opposed him.

Early in March 2006 when I was in the institute division of Starehe Boys' Centre, I chanced to meet Mr. Obudho on a highway in the school. After I greeted him, he inquired how I had fared in his subject in KCSE exams. He was pleased with me when I apprised him that I had scored an 'A' in math.

That evening turned out to be the last time I recall seeing Mr. Obudho in Starehe, for he left the school shortly afterwards, ostensibly because he couldn't put up with the school administrators who had opposed his ambition to be the principal of Starehe.

A couple of years after I completed my education at Starehe, I spotted someone like Mr. Obudho striding on a peopled street in Nairobi. I would have loved to greet him but since I wasn't in high spirits, I didn't summon the courage to approach him and introduce myself to him. Failing to greet people I know when I meet them on the streets has been one of my weaknesses whenever I am in low spirits.

Over the years, I became curious to know what became of Mr. Obudho and how he fared with life after he left Starehe. I also wondered how he reacted to news of Starehe's declining performance in KCSE exams in the last one decade. Part of my curiosity was quenched mid last year after I learnt from Facebook friends that Mr. Obudho had passed on after a long illness.

Learning of Mr. Obudho's demise has made me appreciate the gift of life and of good health that I am now blessed with. It has also infused me with gratitude for the life of my father who is an age-mate of Mr. Obudho. My father also wears glasses just like Mr. Obudho used to do. Till we meet again, rest in peace my beloved math teacher - Mr. Samuel Obudho!

******************************
RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed the above story on a math teacher I remember, you might also enjoy another one on "Remembering My Teachers" which I wrote in 2018. Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharing is Caring

Like the above story? Then share it on:
Facebook icon X icon LinkedIn icon

Why We Should Read the Bible

Picture related to the title of the story
This is me holding some of the Bibles I read as part of my spiritual food for wise living.

Let some people say what they may but the fact remains: life is hard. We all go through challenges such as theft, injuries, accidents, sicknesses, technological problems and loss of loved ones. We feel insecure about who we are. We suffer from guilt over what we did in the past. We hate those who have wronged us in some way. We worry what could happen in the future. We fear what others think of us. We go through temptations to overeat, oversleep and engage in pre-marital or extramarital sex - sins that complicate our lives.

In our efforts to make ends meet, we find ourselves dealing with difficult bosses, getting conned out of our money, being taken advantage of in the workplace or arguing with negative workmates who seem to get a kick out of putting us down. And when we run out of money to meet our needs, we are forced to cheat, steal or cut corners - some other sins that complicate our lives.

And as if all those challenges were not enough, we find ourselves feeling jealous and envious of what others are achieving. When we strive to also be successful, we are rejected from jobs we apply for. We go through issues when dating. And once we get married, marital problems arise that threaten to tear our marriages apart. If we get lucky to have children, we eventually grapple with rebellious teenagers who are on drugs or in bad company.

Indeed, life is hard. And life is hard for everyone, whether you live in a leafy suburb in Switzerland or in a remote village in Bangladesh. No one is immune to experiencing the challenges of life, regardless of their looks or wealth of their families. Every soul goes through its moments of trial and tribulation.

Fortunately for us, God gave us a book with instructions to help us rise above the difficulties of life like an eagle soaring above the clouds in stormy weather. And that book is the Bible which was written by men who understood the nature of life.

The Bible is full of insights and gems of wisdom that can prepare us to deal effectively with any challenge or temptation that can arise in our day-to-day living. And it is full of stories that can make us wiser people.

Having read the whole Bible from preface to index, I have been amazed by how it delves into all the issues we go through during our sojourn on this planet. It offers advice on how to relate with other people, how to conduct our business affairs, how to get along with our spouses and children, how to have hope in the midst of tribulation, how to deal with anger and irritations, and so on and so forth. It also talks about sex, love, money, romance and alcohol.

Although the Bible can sometimes be hard to understand, the hardest part is believing in what it says. I have to confess that I, too, have struggled with unbelief. There have been times I have questioned the accuracy of the Bible and whether all the supernatural miracles it narrates actually happened. But after all I have been through, I have finally decided to believe in it.

Of all the six English versions of the Bible I have in my room, the one I have read thoroughly is the New International Version (NIV) Bible. I find the NIV Bible beautifully written; that's why I feel at home reading it. Whichever people compiled the NIV Bible must have been great storytellers.

Ten years after I bought my NIV Bible, it's now getting dog-eared and torn apart due to too much referencing. But the positive thing is that it has made me a wiser young man. It is like what the great author Charles Spurgeon said, "A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't."

In my efforts to become the cheerful young man of integrity I am aspiring to be, I am planning to read other English versions of the Bible as the years roll by. I am especially desiring to read the books of Psalms, Proverbs and Matthew in a variety of versions because I find those three books to be treasure troves of wisdom and insight on how to live nobly.

My dear reader, I beseech you to also get into the habit of reading the Bible if you want to rise above the difficulties of life and lead a victorious life. As I recently heard my friend Peter Daniel say on Facebook, the Bible is more up to date than tomorrow's newspaper. So read it, believe in it, and perhaps most importantly, practise what it says. That's all I am saying.

************************
RECOMMENDATION: If you've enjoyed this story on why you should read the Bible, you might also enjoy another one I wrote more than two years ago on "Part 2: Lessons From the Bible". Just click on that link in blue to dive straight into the story.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sharing is Caring

Like the above story? Then share it on:
Facebook icon X icon LinkedIn icon
← Newer Stories  ||   Older Stories →

Connect With Me

Do you want to get regular updates of new stories and videos on this blog? Then connect with me on:
Facebook iconFacebook
X iconX
LinkedIn iconLinkedIn
Goodreads iconGoodreads
RSS Feed iconRSS Feed
WhatsApp iconWhatsApp


Latest Stories

Thinking Noble Thoughts
on February 10, 2025

Finding the Way
on February 05, 2025

How I Lost My Way
on January 31, 2025

Bible Quote

"Always be full of joy in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do... Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand."

~Phillipians 4:4-7 (TLB)

About the Author

Name: Thuita J. Maina
Nationality: Kenyan
Lives in: Kiserian, Rift Valley, Kenya
Mission: To inspire the world to godly living, one person at a time.

Just for Laughs

There was this drunkard named Azoge who loved drinking at Josiah's Bar. On being told a certain Hon. Nanga was flying to America to be conferred a law degree so that he could be admitted to the bar, Azoge replied, "Why fly all the way to America to be admitted to the bar while you can get into Josiah's Bar any time?"



The 7 Deadly Sins

  1. Pride
  2. Envy
  3. Gluttony
  4. Lust
  5. Anger
  6. Greed
  7. Sloth

Author's Note

I am learning to treat life as a journey, not a destination. So I am striving to enjoy each moment even as I anticipate to fulfill my dreams, especially meeting my soulmate and traveling abroad. Tomorrow may never be mine.

Fun Facts

  1. The fear of having no cell-phone service, running out of battery, or losing sight of your phone is called Nomophobia, reportedly affecting 66% of people.
  2. A single Google search needs more computing power than it took to send Apollo 11 to the moon. The Apollo computer was less equipped than a modern toaster.
  3. Besides being some of the biggest names in the tech industry, HP, Apple, Google and Microsoft share another commonality. They all started in garages.
~Extracted from Codingforums.com

Health Tip

So many of us take for granted the wonderful construction of the human body and the workings of its various parts. Some of us even expect it to function efficiently with less than the minimum care and attention. Learn the much you can about your body and how the care of it can help to give you that greatest blessing of all - good health.


Wonders of the Modern World

  1. The Simplon Tunnel
  2. The Sky-scrapers of New York
  3. The Boulder Dam of Colorado
  4. The Panama Canal
  5. The Golden Gate Bridge
  6. The Taj Mahal at Agra in India
  7. The North Sea Oil Drilling Rigs

Great Example for Politicians

"My life in politics was a joy. I loved campaigns and I loved governing. I always tried to keep things moving in the right direction, to give more people a chance to live their dreams, to lift people's spirits, and to bring them together. That's the way I kept score."

~Bill Clinton

Scientific Marvels

  1. Space travel
  2. Heart surgery
  3. Fibre-optics communication
  4. Concorde
  5. Radios
  6. Computers
  7. Anesthetics

My Supreme Desire

Although I'd like to be rich and famous, my supreme desire is to be radiant: to radiate health, cheerfulness, calm courage and goodwill. I wish to live without hate, guilt, worry, jealousy, cynicism and envy. I wish to be honest, natural, confident, clean in mind and body - ready to say "I do not know" if it be so and to treat all men with kindness - to meet any loss, failure, criticism and rejection unabashed and unafraid.



Greatest American Presidents

  1. Abraham Lincoln
  2. George Washington
  3. Thomas Jefferson
  4. Franklin Roosevelt
  5. Theodore Roosevelt
  6. Woodrow Wilson
  7. Andrew Jackson

Making Peace With the Past

"Dwell not on your past. Use it to illustrate a point, then leave it behind. Nothing really matters except what you do now in this instant of time. From this moment onwards you can be an entirely different person, filled with love and understanding, ready with an outstretched hand, uplifted and positive in every thought and deed."

~Eileen Caddy

Toughest Colleges to Get Into

  1. MIT
  2. Princeton
  3. Harvard
  4. Yale
  5. Stanford
  6. Brown
  7. Columbia

Why You Should Trust God

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities and pour out peace."

~Ezra Taft Benson

The 7 Greatest Scientists

  1. Albert Einstein
  2. Isaac Newton
  3. Galileo Galilei
  4. Nikola Tesla
  5. Aristotle
  6. Archimedes
  7. Charles Darwin

You Matter

"Always be yourself. Never try to hide who you are. The only shame is to have shame. Always stand up for what you believe in. Always question what other people tell you. Never regret the past; it's a waste of time. There's a reason for everything. Every mistake, every moment of weakness, every terrible thing that has happened to you, grow from it. The only way you can ever get the respect of others is when you show them that you respect yourself and most importantly, do your thing and never apologize for being you."

~Unknown

The Most Industrialized Nations

  1. United States
  2. Japan
  3. Germany
  4. France
  5. United Kingdom
  6. Italy
  7. Canada

Keys to Success

"...in his effort to withstand temptation, to economize, to exercise thrift, to disregard the superficial for the real - the shadow for the substance; to be great yet small, in his effort to be patient in the laying of a firm foundation; to so grow in skill and knowledge that he shall place his services in demand by reason of his intrinsic and superior worth. This is the key that unlocks every door of opportunity, and all others fail."

~Booker T. Washington

The 7 Social Sins

  1. Politics without principle
  2. Wealth without work
  3. Pleasure without conscience
  4. Knowledge without character
  5. Commerce without morality
  6. Worship without sacrifice
  7. Science without humanity

Cherish What You Love

"Cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts - for out of them will grow all heavenly environment, of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built."~James Allen

The World's Largest Cities

  1. London in England
  2. New York in the United States
  3. Tokyo in Japan
  4. Berlin in Germany
  5. Chicago in the United States
  6. Shanghai in China
  7. Paris in France

Benefits of Optimism

"In terms of success, optimistic people out perform their pessimistic colleagues. Research shows that they are consistently promoted higher and make more money while working fewer hours than those who think pessimistically. Optimists also contribute more significantly to social progress. It is the optimists who start and run successful companies, who win elections and carry out reforms, and who make breakthroughs in the realms of science and technology."

~Pepe Minambo

The World's Greatest Lakes

  1. Caspian Sea in the Commonwealth of Independent States, C.I.S. (formerly U.S.S.R)
  2. Lake Superior in North America
  3. Victoria Nyanza in Central Africa
  4. Aral Sea in C.I.S.
  5. Lake Huron in North America
  6. Lake Michigan in North America

Demonstrating His Love

"Take your communication for instance - the way you address others. It ought to be with loving, gracious and edifying words. Never talk people down. Never use words that hurt and demean people. Communicate excellently with others without destroying their self-image or making them feel sorry for themselves. Talk to people in a way that they never forget the excellence of your words, the love and grace of Christ that you communicated. It's how God wants us to love."

~Dr. Chris Oyakhilome

World's Longest Rivers

  1. Missouri-Mississipi (U.S.)
  2. Amazon (Brazil)
  3. Nile (Egypt)
  4. Yangtse (China)
  5. Lena (Russia)
  6. Zaire (Central Africa)
  7. Niger (West Africa)