Kariobangi community begs MOHI for school and church, and God answers!

It happened on the last day of their trip to Nairobi, Kenya.

The team of leaders from four American churches were visiting the Missions of Hope International (MOHI) skills training center in Kariobangi, one of the most dangerous slums in Nairobi, last May. They saw several sites where their churches could be involved, but no decisions had been made.

Then, the event that lit a holy fire in the team from Third City Christian Church, Grand Island, Nebraska:

“While at the skills center, MOHI Director Mary Kamau was called away from the group by some members of the local community who referred to themselves as ‘thugs,’” said CMF International Consultant Dick Alexander, co-leader of the trip with Reuben Langat, U.S. Director of MOHI Partnerships. “They had previously asked Mary about putting a MOHI school there, but due to increasing violence in the already hazardous community, on this day they begged for both a school and a church!”

Senior pastor Scott Jones and the team from Third City began peppering Mary with questions. Mary assured them that there was enough land at the skills center to temporarily house a school, and that there were adjacent parcels that could be purchased for a permanent building. Discussions among the team continued as they departed from Nairobi.

“The next day we received an email from the Third City group while they were in transit back to the U.S., saying their church would sponsor the school AND the church,” said Dick. “Mary returned to Kariobangi to tell the community that God had heard their prayers and they would soon have both of the things they had asked for.”

Missions of Hope moved quickly and opened the school for the fall term, even before the first children were sponsored. In November 2018, the Kamaus visited Third City Church for its first child sponsorship event, which resulted in the sponsorship of 249 children. They immediately followed this with a Christmas offering of more than $100,000 to fund the church plant and buy property for a permanent location for the school.

“God had been preparing the hearts of the people of Third City Church for this level of involvement with MOHI,” said Dick.

Reuben Langat agreed.

“Every night I saw Scott Jones spending time with his team praying and discerning what God wanted them to do,” said Reuben. “God orchestrated everything on that day, and all glory to Him!”