Twenty years have passed since our beloved Mzee C.N. Jasani departed for his eternal
rest. Mzee Jasani can be compared to Oseola McCarty, an African-American
washerwoman from Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She dedicated her life to caring for the
clothes of others, but in 1995, at the age of 87, she decided to give away nearly all of
her life savings to the University of Southern Mississippi. McCarty had no children and
no family to leave her money to, so she chose to give it away in order to help young
people get an education. McCarty was given an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by
the University of Southern Mississippi and her charitable work was recognized by
President Bill Clinton in 1996!
Just like Oseola McCarty, Mzee C.N. Jasani worked as a watch repairer in Zanzibar
and later was ferrying bananas from Uganda to Kenya. With his hard work, he was able
to build a business empire in Nairobi and yet lived a humble life. Through the Sterling
Trust which he founded single-handedly, he sponsored many projects at Don Bosco
Didia, (Shinyanga) and Don Bosco Oysterbay, (Dar es Salaam) in Tanzania. Don
Bosco Boys’ Town, Karen (Nairobi) Bosco Boys (Nairobi) and now at Don Bosco Embu
in Kenya. Both Mzee C.N. Jasani and Oseola McCarty were exemplary people of true
generosity and humility. They had golden hearts that gave so much to those in need,
yet they lived modest life. Their selfless deeds are truly inspiring.
The Bible tells us to "Humble ourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that
at the proper time He may exalt you" (1 Peter 5:6). As imitators of Christ, both Mzee
C.N. Jasani and Oseola McCarty pose a challenge to us. Though Mzee Jasani was a
very humble yet rich man who was not a Christian, he challenges us to think about the
importance of living a life of service and compassion. We should consider how we can
use our wealth and resources to help those in need and to make the world a better
place. They both challenge us to think about the difference between material
possessions and true wealth and how we can use our wealth to bring joy and fulfillment
to our lives and the lives of others.
