Mary is a student at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya.
She had to suspend her studies in 2003 due to financial constraints.
RLC has committed to support the tuition costs for her four remaining semesters, as she completes her degree in Community Development.
Here's an email note from Mary, received Thursday, June 6:
I hope you are doing well. me too.
I thank God for you daily for accepting to be
a vessel of the lord to enable me to resume
and complete my university studies.
I am doing well in my studies so far.
I began my summer studies on 24th of may
which will run up to the end of July.
the next semester begins in the 2nd week of August.
Pass my regards to the brethren. Have a blessed time
your sister in Christ
Mary
Here is how Mary describes her journey and future hope:
I was born in Makueni District in the Eastern province of Kenya.
My father retired from civil service in 2000, while my mother is
a primary school teacher at our rural home.
I am the second born in a family of nine. I have two brothers and six sisters.
Two of my sisters are married while the rest of my siblings
have just cleared their Kenya certificate of secondary education
consecutively and are waiting for post secondary courses.
Since my father’s early retirement, my mother has been paying
for my siblings fees and supporting the upkeep of our family.
I knew Daystar University through the print media in one of the
local newspapers. Three things that attracted me to the University most are;
that it is a Christian university, the mission and the Community Development
degree course which no other university was offering when I was joining
the university. I was sure I would be mentored both spiritually and professionally.
I registered in August 2001, studied up to 2003 January semester,
having done 57 credit hours.
I dropped out of college due to financial challenges.
My father paid my initial fees with his retirement package while my mother
paid the fees for my siblings, after which we had hoped to seek the
Governments Education loans and bursary which I applied unsuccessfully.
While in Daystar, I joined the Community Development Club,
Intercessory team and Evangelism team.
After dropping out of college in 2003, August;
- I volunteered in a program that was rehabilitating street children from the streets through a rehabilitation centre to their families and relatives an initiative that saw many street children leave the streets of Nairobi. After, which the Government took over the initiative. The organization later phased out
- In 2004 January to August, I Joined the Red Cross Organization as a member as well and participated in distribution of relief food in Makueni and Machakos Districts for six months
- In 2005, April to August Served as volunteer in a Christian Children’s Fund, Organization where I facilitated together with the staff members a farmer’s workshops to encourage them to plant tree and drought resistant crops to enhance food security in their Arid and Semi Arid regions of Mwingi District.
- In 2007 to date, I joined a Christian evangelistic team known as Uttermost Evangelistic team whose mandate is aimed at transforming people’s lives in Kenya with the holistic gospel through development evangelism. In this I have been actively involved in evangelism and facilitating workshops on food security, sports evangelism for the youth at the mission grounds where we have gone for evangelism as a volunteer.
- I have much hope that I shall graduate one day because the Lord has assured me that all things work for good for them that love Him and that the expectations of the righteous will never be cut of from Romans 8:28, Proverbs 23:18.
After I graduate from Daystar am planning to dedicate my service to
rebuilding the fallen walls through Community Development in
the very rural areas and in the arid and semi-arid regions in my nation
because I believe our communities only lack mobilization and
empowerment to live to their potentials. Using a holistic approach method,
I will impact much to the community and reduce to zero the much embraced
attitude of high dependence and reliance on reliefs, and emergence services
rendered to them whenever disasters occur from the Red Cross and other organizations.
I will seek to work with the Gorvenment, Churches and other relevant Organizations.
My efforts will be directed much to the women, youth and the prisons departments.
Yours faithfully,
Mary Mukii Ngumbi
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