BECOMING MAMA SHEP by Francisca Malenge

"I returned to the hangar quite drunk and forgot to fasten my rifle to my waist. When I woke up in the morning, I realized that my rifle, loaded with six bullets, had been stolen. In the military, and especially during a state of war, losing one's rifle was considered a serious crime. It is tantamount to willingly handing over a weapon to the enemy to fight you ...'."- Rev. Dr John G. Gatti From an early age, John Gan) yearns for and cherishes his independence. At the end of his primary school education, instead of joining a teacher training college, young Gaul opts to travel to Nairobi, believing a better world awaited him there. Much later, after scratching hard, he discovers this `better' world when he joins the army. Serving in Ethiopia and Somaliland, and finally traveling to London for the Victory Parade, thrills young Gatti despite the dangers involved. It is at the peak of his career in the military and after receiving the most coveted awards that John Gatti makes another decision: to retire from the army and work closer home. Gatti, the civilian, engages in different jobs before working as a clerk at Kambili Mission Church. "It had nothing to do with my Christian faith ... it was purely for the salary and my desire to work and live near my family," he confesses. It was during his service at Kambui that he encountered the 'flame' that continues to burn in him as he allows himself to be used to transform others. Fan into Flame is a multilayered narrative with the nuances of a thriller as the author unveils dramatic events that took place when he was a soldier in Ethiopia and the serenity that he encounters after his 'rebirth'. The story spans through the history of colonial and independent Kenya. Rev. John Gata's passion for his work as a servant of God, brings out the best in everyone he interacts with, no matter what their station in life. His role as an agent of peace and positive change in the church, his country and beyond, cannot be overemphasized.