It’s on a bright Saturday morning and a very special day for us at SIFA FM. Over the past years, there is a listener who has been very loyal to our Station, always following on our programs, sending feedback and engaging in numerous call-ins. So on this day we are set for the to visit him in Shigharo location in Wundanyi Sub county in Taita Taveta County. Our Station Manager Linda Akoth and I are honoring an invitation by our staunch listener, Johnstone Makumbia popularly known as Makumbi wa Chicago City,
After the over 44km journey from Voi town, we finally alight at our meeting point in Wundanyi town. As we alight, we are welcomed by a very jovial man and after exchanging pleasantries we proceed to his home at Shigharo.
Earlier on while on the way he had informed us that he was attending one of clients but he will be ready to receive us. You see Makumbi can sometimes be a busy man because for he holds a rather unique expertise, he works as a Weighing Scale technician.
So we were all eager to know what is that makes this 50 year old father of four to love the station this much and when asked this is what he had to say.
“I started listening to Sifa FM when it started at around 2008, what initially caught my attention was the gospel songs which were being played in the station, I had never come across a radio station which played purely inspirational gospel songs. Apart from songs, I also discovered a program that was taking me for a walk through the Bible, this was a unique program and it still remains unique to date because I have never listened to any other program that takes a listener through a Bible journey the way Neno Litaendelea does it. This program cemented my love to the station.
As a believer, the program’s bible exposition helped me grow spiritually. I was heartbroken when all over a sudden at some point Neno program stopped airing on the station due to some technical hitches as I came to learn, I kept sending text messages to the studio inquiring about it. I am really grateful that finally my prayers were answered and the program returned on air.
I wake up very early every morning to listen to Neno Litaendelea program before I go to work, because it is my source of hope and encouragement especially during these hard economic times. For example, in the last two months I have had one of the hardest season in my life. On normal days I would earn around Kshs 500 from repairing weighing scales. However, in the last two months have been working at a loss. Sometimes I get between Kshs 200 to 300 per day or nothing. It is so stressful that sometimes I contemplated abandoning profession and engage other casual jobs. It is at these lowest moments that Pastor encourages me through the program.
I remember one day I heard Pastor Geoffrey Wanjala Munialo preaching about having hope and he gave the story of Job in the bible. When I listened to this, I felt rejuvenated and on the same day I was able to earn Kshs 1,800 more than triple of what I make on a normal day. This was like a miracle to me considering I had woken up feeling discouraged. Since then I have always kept faith and remained hopeful. Even my daily earnings have improved.
As we concluded our encounter, Makumbi said that he could not end our discussion without expressing his appreciations to Trans world Radio Kenya for finding it fit to return Neno Litaendelea on SIFA FM his favorite radio station for over eighteen years now.
“My prayer is to see Sifa Fm Station grow to the level that they have a TV station so that we can connect live with my favorite radio Presenters on screen” Mr Makumbi concluded
Neno Litaendelea (Thru The Bible series) airs every week from Monday to Friday from 6.05am to 6.35 am through Sifa 107.7 Fm Voi.
By Albert Mwanyasi
Additional Reporting By Geoffrey Otieno
