Apart from dealing with the rejection from some of the friends he trusted, Fr. Mithamo recalls dropping most things he enjoyed doing as a Deacon, including swimming and going to the gym.
Credit: The Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA)
“I had to completely change my interests. I used to be very good at the gym and also a very good swimmer. I had to stop all these things. I had to limit my movement and accept that I could no longer drive as I used to,” he says.
“Never once did the thought of quitting my journey to Priesthood cross my mind,” he says, when asked whether he contemplated exiting Religious Life and focusing on something else.
“The only thing I did was pray more,” he says, and continues, “I would have moments of deep meditation during which I received comforting answers from God. I thought about the difference between what I had lost and what I had and I decided that I had everything I needed to still be a Priest.”
(Story continues below)
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
At ACI Africa, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news from Africa, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church - so that you can grow in your Catholic faith.
When you subscribe to the ACI Africa Updates, we will send you a daily email with links to the news you need.
Use the form below to stay informed, and to tell us where we can send the ACI Africa Updates!
As part of this free service you may receive occasional offers from us at EWTN News and EWTN. We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Fr. Mithamo immediately joined Kenya Institute for the Blind where he spent nine months learning braille. He also took lessons in orientation and mobility, activities of daily living, adjusting to the environment, and ICT.
He says that the courses, as well as the hands-on coaching by Archbishop Muheria, have enabled him to live his Priesthood just like any other priest.
“I plan to do everything that is required of me as a Priest. This includes praying, celebrating Mass, and tending to the people of God in various pastoral activities. I can do all these things because my Bishop has given me all the gadgets I need to serve the people in the Archdiocese. I can say Mass even when I am alone,” the member of the Clergy of Nyeri Archdiocese says.
Credit: The Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA)
In his encouragement to people living with disabilities, the Catholic Priest says, “Never give up. All is not lost.”
“Don’t focus on what you don't have but know that all you have is all you need to do whatever you want. If you don't have a leg and have a hand, use the hand to go wherever you would like to go,” Fr. Mithamo says.
Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.