Journey of a Kenyan

This is a summary of an article by Sophia Lee, “Called to Kenya’s Chinatown” [ Christianity Today, Sept./Oct.,2024]. There were about 1 million plus Chinese in Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative. There were about fifty thousand of Chinese workers in Kenya’s capital of Nairobi. According to the Joshua Project, out of the fifty thousand, there was only 4% Christian. Kenya is a country who is 85% Christian. The Chinese in Kenya built expressways, railroads, housing, malls, opened supermarkets, restaurants and etc. Many Kenyans do business with Chinese companies and work in their factories but seldom mingle nor are they friends. This is a short story of a Kenyan name Njuguna.

He has a burden to spread the Gospel to the Chinese in Kenya. Studied Chinese for two years. Teaching the Chinese English via classes or private tutoring. He improved their Chinese while Chinese workers learned Swahili. He met Chineses people; befriend with them. He help various Chinese families in their family situation as well as problem with the Kenya society. Njuguna play Swahili hymns to touch the heart of the Chineses. Njuguna then returned to Nairobi to Mamlaka Hill Chaple with about 1000 members and mere 5 minutes walk to the large Chinese population. Njuguna pestered the church pastors to reach the Chinese for two years. Njuguna said “People from one of the least religious countries in the world flew 5000 miles to live a stone throw from… church….” Could the church not see the opportunity this was? Mamlaka Hill chapel then commissioned Njuguna as their full-time missionary to the Chinese in Kenya. The church said “What God is doing in our times is he’s sending the Chinese people our way…, and hopefully get to share our faith.”

July 9, 2023, after 5 years of praying, Njuguna is now a full- time minister to the Chinese. There was representative from Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland, the United States and Kenya on stage for the ordination of Njuguna. “People standing right here saying, “We want to reach the Chinese for the kingdom of God.”” “…I love how this will be like at the end of age when we are standing there, people from every tongue and nation, praising the nation for God.”

Njuguna saw the vision of the needs of the Chinese workers in Kenya; has a burden; praying ; prepare himself by learning the language and culture; get to know the Chinese workers throughout Kenya; patiently wait for God’s time to open up.