In an interview, Kikuyu gospel musician Grace Destiny opened up about her harrowing childhood, where she was raised in a cult family. Her father, a secondary school teacher, had decided to resign and become a full-time preacher, moving from place to place to preach the gospel and one day he moved out of the country.
That was when her mother joined a group of women with whom she would pray with constantly. After joining the group, Grace’s mother became increasingly stubborn and changed her dressing style all of a sudden. Later, when their father returned to Kenya, the mother had undergone a dramatic transformation, claiming that God had declared her husband was evil and that he should not touch her or their children.
The mother refused to even get into their father’s car or move to the land he had purchased, saying that God had warned her that her husband was not her true partner and that he was a sinner. She insisted that everything outside the church was evil and did not allow the children to have friends outside the cult.
Ultimately, the mother divorced their father, declaring that Jesus was her new husband which was accordingly to the cult leader. Grace’s father was even chased out of the Full Gospel Church for trying to confront his wife, without the church conducting a thorough investigation. Them as children were denied food and barred from attending family ceremonies if they interacted with friends outside the cult.
The cult’s beliefs also extended to education, as they were not allowed to watch television or join secondary school, since according to the church those were considered evil. A prophecy was even given that Grace should fail her KCPE exam, which she did much to her mother’s delight, as she believed her daughter had overcome the “devil of education.”
After some time, the mother chased Grace away for interacting with the community, which was deemed evil. Grace went to live with her aunt, where she became pregnant. Her father then decided to take her back and helped her complete her primary education. Grace went on to excel in her KCPE exams, scoring 491 marks, and her sister also went against their mother’s wishes to follow in her footsteps.
It was only when the sisters grew up and actively worked to enlighten their mother that she realized the church had been misleading her. However, the damage had already been done, as the mother was later diagnosed with dementia, unable to remember her past or recognize her own family members.
Grace’s harrowing experience serves as a cautionary tale for parents, emphasizing the importance of allowing their children to make their own decisions regarding religion and not forcing their beliefs on them. Her story highlights the devastating consequences that can arise from being raised in a cult environment and the importance of maintaining a balanced and open-minded approach to faith.
By Newshub