Pray for Clarice and Sarah, Widows of Murdered Pastors

Widows Clarice and Sarah are still in shock after their husbands, both pastors in the Mombasa region of Kenya, were murdered in separate incidents on Oct. 20. Clarice’s husband, a pastor at Mombasa’s Vikwatani Redeemed Gospel Church, was found dead of a gunshot to the head in his church. Clarice told a VOM worker she believes he was murdered to scare Christians away from the area. Pastor Charles Matole, 41, was found slumped in a chair, a Bible still in his lap, as church leaders came in to prepare for Sunday morning worship services. His widow recounted that in the months prior to her husband’s death, there were times that people would throw stones at the church while they held prayer services. Furthermore, death threats made on the pastor’s life were never followed up on by police.

Like Clarice, Sarah also mourns her murdered husband, whose body was found in a brush pile that same morning in Kilifi, about 35 miles north of Mombasa. Pastor Ebrahim Kidata, who started 36 churches in the region and had recently been named the new overseer of the church in Malindi County, had been out the day before to see his cattle and check on lumber to be used to build new tables for his church. His wife grew concerned when she could not reach him on his cell phone, and her worst fears were realized when he was found strangled to death. In addition to his widow, he leaves behind seven children. Two of the children are married, but five are school-aged and still live in the home. Sarah was shocked by her husband’s murder as no threats had been received and there is little motive for his death. Both murders are thought to be related to unrest between Christians and Muslims in the Mombasa region, but no one has claimed responsibility.


https://www.icommittopray.com/request/23/clarice-and-sarah/