Karibu Tena means welcome back or welcome home! The majority of our team from the United States in now home safe after an incredible trip to Kenya. This is my third and final devotion on our trip to Naivasha because I wanted to share with you the joy of graduation and the hope of transformed lives. If you read the last two devotions, you know that there were approximately 160 youth who had graduated the INUA empowerment program for Cycle 6 and they are now off and running towards employment in their fields. Many of the youth I met during my week in Naivasha shared that they are already working or already have businesses of their own. Many of these youth already began earning an income to help their younger siblings and loved ones and a few have even been able to hire other workers as their businesses grows.
As much as this is worth celebrating, employment isn’t the only reason why this program exists, ultimately this ministry is about transformational leadership. I saw this first hand on my visit with Zone 3, at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church when I heard a devotion by Simon, one of the youth studying mechanical installation. He read the story of David and Goliath and talked about how these youth have overcome the “Goliaths” in their own lives to finish this program and to graduate as they did on Friday, September 5th. But the part of the story that I had never paid much attention to over the years was the part of the story when David shows up on the battlefield and his older brothers admonish him asking him why he isn’t back home caring for the sheep of Jesse’s pasture (1 Samuel 17:28). In other words, why aren’t you doing what you have always done, you are not meant for more than shepherding, stay in your lane and get back to your role in the family. This part of the story hit me because I know that many of the youth in Naivasha have been made to feel like this at some point in their lives by family members or friends who don’t see their potential. Maybe it is because of their status in life, what their past looked like or their lack of educational opportunities. But the same question that Davd’s brothers asked him on the battlefield were asked of some of our youth as well. And that they should just be happy to be “watching the sheep.”
But the ministry of the Kenyan staff, and our church, and our sister churches and the support of so many have shown these youth that they are meant for so much more. That the voices of their past that tell them to stay in their place are quieted when the voice of the Living God calls them to new heights, new opportunities, new challenges and ultimately to live a transformed life. This is what INUA is all about and it was in honor to see it in action. And I am thankful for the work of this church, First United Methodist of Ormond Beach, Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Naples and all of the Kenyan staff and partners for making it so. While we celebrate these transformed lives we know that there are many challenges they will still face. Kenya’s overall unemployment rate was estimated at 5.43% in 2024 and there are other challenges these youth will have to overcomes. We ask that you continue to pray for these youth, their mentors, their neighborhood leaders and their families as they begin to live into their transformed lives because there is still more work to do. Enjoy looking through these pictures to see the joy, the sense of accomplishment and their newfound hope as our 148 youth from Cycle 6 begin to take on the Goliaths in their own lives and live as transformed people through the hope of Jesus Christ!
