FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

Wednesday, 20 January 2021 / Published in STEM 2020/2021

My name is Ndung’u Joy Wangui. I studied Political Science and Administration at Maasai Mara University. I served as a STEM Staff in Chuka and Embu University CUs. I am currently serving in the Associate’s department, KU Ruiru and Kiriri Women.

My family comprises four members. My parents are pastors at Glory Covenant Church in Kikuyu, Gikambura and my Twin sister is in form four. My parents have influenced me in so many ways, they are strict disciplinarians. They have shaped my discipline and my spiritual life. They have also taught me the beauty of a united family.

One moment I count as a particular challenge was during the 2007 post-election violence. We lost everything but God is faithful we still had each other. God helped us rise again and it has been a blessing seeing my parent’s unwavering trust in God in tough times. I have grown in a warm family in such a way that I always can’t wait to go home. 

My parents are the people I look up to, they are my mentors and influencers. I admire how they can endure tough times together, and their commitment to God. I am also inspired by Pst Anthony Hinga, who introduced me to Student’s ministry after high school. FOCUS as an organization has also played a significant role in who I am today, especially FOCUS Staff who walked closely with me since I was a student. I am so grateful to Edward, Priscilla, and Birgen for walking with me through some specific seasons in my life and never gave up on me.

Since childhood, I thought I was born again since my parents would pray for us and we also participated in church activities. But in high school, when I was in form one, I got lost in the crowd. When I went home for the holiday, I realized that I needed a personal walk with God. So in Form one mid-second term, I decided to give my life fully to God, and I joined CU. In form two I became a leader in the CU and my growth in salvation from then has been great.

When I joined University, the first year’s orientation team did a good job for me. On the night of reporting, my 3 friends and I went to the CU office, asked a lot of questions concerning the CU and we were given a brochure about FOCUS. I did not read it but I took it to my dad who was keen enough to read it and he told me that I should one day consider the short term in ministry, that he would be happy to see me engaged in ministry.  

I did not give it much thought, but when I went back to school, I did a bit of digging about FOCUS from my CU vice-chair. The Vice-Chair shared it with Birgen, who started referring to me as a STEM staff from then. I kept dismissing him because I had a well-laid plan for my life. In my 4th year, Birgen, my CMF called and told me that there was nothing to talk about on joining STEM. He told me to open my email and fill in the documents. However, he also told me to consult my Dad first, which I did, and lucky enough he was okay.

My team leader consistently asked me to consider, but I told him that I needed to go back to my career. During the RSEC meeting, he told me that I had been considered. I was not shocked because I had seen the documents on my Regional Coordinator’s laptop. I was ready for a second term!

I am so grateful to God for this chance, I couldn’t be in any better place. I  looking forward to growing intimate with God and that my ministry and everything I do will stem from a place of communion to God.

My prayer is to my sister, to do well in her KCSE, I also pray for peace in my extended family. I pray that I will be of great impact on students and associates for the next 7 months and I pray for KU Ruiru CU.   

Wednesday, 20 January 2021 / Published in STEM 2020/2021

My name is Isaac Miriti. I am a graduate of the University of Nairobi (UoN) with a BSc in Meteorology. I am serving as a STEM staff to UoN Parklands and as the STEM administrator.

My family comprises four members. My dad is a county irrigation officer, my mum does farming and partly works as a correspondence to a mission agency, and my sister is a trained teacher, doing homeschooling to students around Nairobi.

Despite the fact that my nuclear family is small, we had many dependents. That is my uncles and aunties who are my dad’s younger siblings. This was due to the death of my grandparents in the mid-’90s. The commitment of my parents to support their siblings amazes me. It has made me pledge allegiance to my extended family. I also desire their commitment to the church, for they are both serving as elders in their different congregations, something that I desire too. 

My upbringing was accustomed to moving from one location to the other as my parents were pursuing their careers. This made me join boarding school at the tender age of nine years. As a result, I could not make meaningful relationships which contribute to my introverted nature.

As I was growing up, I attended Sunday school and church, which instilled in me godly values. In High School, I acknowledged following Christ deliberately through the discipleship program of the Christian Union. However, I was not a regular attendee of CU meetings since they collided with Saturday evening entertainment, and being a football fan I could not imagine missing a football match for a CU meeting.

The Lord, however, captured me in University, where my journey to FOCUS began through the Christian Union. Joining STEM was not a tough decision since I longed to serve students, having had an experience on campus and a deep admiration of the FOCUS staff.

For the next seven months, I feel privileged to serve in Parklands Christian Union. Because of the nature of their career, I know that the students will have an enormous influence on society in the coming years. I am compelled to surrender everything as I serve them, understanding that their career will impact hugely in various sectors of society. I desire to instill godly values in the students and mentor them to be radical Christians who can passionately convince a court to make a Christ-like ruling. I also desire to impact them to become judges who will decide in godly values and be the light of Christ shining in whatever sector of the society the Lord will place them.

I also desire to be nurtured to a balanced Christian, loving the Lord with my heart and mind, seeing the world in the eyes of Christ, and leading a life that glorifies God. I am also eager to continue in the path of self-awareness to be fully aware of the spaces the Lord is calling me to influence.

Tuesday, 19 January 2021 / Published in STEM 2020/2021

My name is Moses Kuria Wahome. I studied at Karatina University for a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science.

Although I was raised in a Christian family and attended fellowships, I grew up without a full realization of salvation. I attended Sunday school throughout my early age, and in Kiamutugu Boys High school Christian Union I became the praise and worship leader. 

On 27th October 2013, an invited preacher gave a sermon on God’s message to humanity. It changed my perception and finally brought a turnaround to my salvation journey. 

Having attended church throughout my life for the warmth of brethren and to take part in church activities, I rethought my journey after this day that the Lord had spoken to me through his word in the book of Romans 10:9. I decided to commit my life to God for an intimate relationship with Him. 

This was the start of my salvation journey, where I have from then purposely attended services, prayed, fasted, and served in the knowledge of God with the assurance of life after death.

I can testify that this journey has been great and full of inspiration, with the knowledge and confidence of an ever-present refuge in all my endeavors and strength in all my weaknesses. I will never change the decision to follow Him. 

I joined the Christian Union during the orientation week, through a friend who was a CU member. He introduced me to the literature and media department where he was serving, where I also got a departmental orientation. 

I experienced the warmth and the love of the brethren in the department. The zeal for the work of the Lord was amazing. CU programs and activities such as BEST-P, Discipleship class, Anza fit, Endelea fit, Vuka Fit, small bible study groups have contributed to my growth as a disciple. My Interaction with FOCUS staff has also led to tremendous growth in all aspects of my life as a student. 

My conviction to Student ministry was triggered by an incredible session on FOCUS awareness that was led by the regional coordinator Mr. Japheth Rwoti, during an RSEC weekend in Kirinyaga University.

The words of the song “Reaching the students is my call, reaching students is my cry, reaching students is my course. Come and join me to reach students and change the world” got me into deep thoughts about the lives that need my attention, a word of hope and a warm embrace. The conviction was so strong that I committed to being part of the redemptive mission of the Lord as a STEM staff in FOCUS, having prior knowledge of how instrumental it is in reaching students. 

Though at first, the conviction was so clear in my conscious I did not consider it until when I got approached. I felt the weight of the task and I had to critically and prayerfully consider. I eventually gathered enough strength to say yes to the call. 

I am fully dedicating to the service of our Lord; I have surrendered to his will and purpose in my life. I have hope in the Lord, that He will use me to impact my life and the lives of the students through the work of the gospel. My goal is to be an instrumental member of the FOCUS team, use all available energy, and means in the realization of FOCUS goals.

My prayer is that the Lord will accept and use me as His vessel to bring a life of excellence in the lives of the students he will lead me to. I pray that the Lord will continue blessing and expand FOCUS as an organization and its staff for the work they are doing, that the labor and the fruits may always be clear in the eyes of all. I also pray for the partners that God will bless them in all dimensions as they support the ministry.

It is my prayer that the Lord will create a friendly environment to reach out to students in these uncertain times. 

To God be all the glory as we set our hope fully unto the grace that is to be brought to us when Jesus Christ will be revealed at His Coming.

 

Shalom

 

Tuesday, 19 January 2021 / Published in STEM 2020/2021

My name is Douglas Sabwa Indumwa. I have been pursuing Computer Science at the University of Eldoret till the year 2020, having majored in web applications programming and online systems development.

I have experienced many trying moments in my life, from family issues to social interactions and personal experiences. I have been able to get through all by God’s grace and mercies. These events filled with pain, loss, joy, success, anxiety, betrayal, shame, fear, and guilt have shaped me into a strong, wise, and more focused person.

I grew up in a religious family, went through various church activities such as catechism classes. However, I had no personal relationship with Jesus and thus lived a consistent sinful life filled with lust, pride, and no fear or understanding of God for quite long.

I had a desire to live a life that would use my full potential and please God, but I never found that particular opportunity to fully surrender my life to God, and even when opportunities arose, I would be hesitant and self-righteous.

It was until my 1st year on campus in November 2016 during a Friday evening fellowship when God gave me a chance to rethink my life. I had missed out on that opportunity of being oriented in the campus Christian Union during the 1st week. I just attended fellowships and on one Friday, I acknowledged the altar call and Jesus Christ became LORD over my life.

Due to my little knowledge about Christianity, I thought that everything would immediately change after getting born again. Though my mindset about sin changed, I still struggled with some sins to a point I started doubting my salvation and even considered another altar call.

However, I am grateful to two brothers in the CU who walked with me and guided me in discipleship and the realization of God’s grace.

Through Bible study sessions, church services, discipleship classes, and one-on-one evangelism, FOCUS Kenya conferences, I came to realize that the grace of God was not something I could earn through self-righteousness. All I needed to do was to follow what Jesus commands in the Bible. Reading Scriptures helped me overcome my struggles, and my mindset changed completely. My circle of friends changed, and the CU offered me into a new world of experiencing life under the Love of God.

In 2018, I got a chance to serve in the CU as a ministry leader. I felt insufficient since I had never been a leader before in CU or church. During my service, I grew a lot in various Christian virtues and used my gifts to benefit God’s kingdom. In the same year, God allowed me to serve His people as an interim Executive Committee member. I later became part of the Executive committee as a Boards Chairperson in charge of CU ministries. My personality has improved. I have learned to be more organized and more willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others. I also healed over guilt and got transformed in my mind.

Joining STEM was something I never had in mind, and to my knowledge it was a program for the CU chairpersons. Even though I had plans to be part of a youth ministry after campus, I never imagined of FOCUS STEM. I am grateful for this chance to serve God through campus ministry, to impact and empower, help transform campus students to firmly be rooted in Christ and be sincerer with themselves, and help them be more accountable to genuine channels of help.

I made mistakes that I would wish that no youth ever make them as long as they live, and I have a desire to use this journey for God’s glory. With my knowledge in IT and computing, I will gladly aid in the digital transformation of FOCUS Kenya and its stakeholders to propagate the gospel via digital platforms as stated in its 2021-2025 Strategic plan.

I Kindly ask for your prayers and financial assistance in raising KES 22,000 per month to facilitate my ministry as a STEM Staff. You can send your support via FOCUS Kenya Paybill number 412 412, Account name: STEM SABWA.

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