This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
Josephine Mboya's life has been a testament to the human spirit's capacity for resilience and faith. Born in Kariobangi, Nairobi's Eastlands, to a Muslim Somali father and a Kikuyu mother, Josephine was raised as a practicing Muslim.
However, her life took a dramatic turn when her father forbade her from leading prayers, citing Islamic tradition that prohibits women from doing so. This was just the beginning of a series of challenges that would test Josephine's faith and resolve.
At 17, Josephine finished her secondary school and joined a college in the city, but her education was cut short when she got married at a young age to a police officer from Mandera. Tragedy struck when their second child, a daughter, died soon after birth, and Josephine became a widow at 23.
Her life was further complicated by a terminal illness that left her bedridden for five years. In her darkest moment, Josephine contemplated suicide, but a nurse named Jane intervened, giving her a cassette player and a book titled 'Prepare to Meet Your God' by Catherine Backstar. The book's message of eternal life and the importance of staying alive resonated deeply with Josephine.
With newfound hope, Josephine began to focus on life and eventually met Bishop Hoseah Mbugua, whom she married in April of this year. Her son, Idris Ibrahim, is now a lawyer practicing in Nairobi.
