Missionary profile – Daphne Kabeberi

By Mercy Kambura

Daphne Kabeberi, Kenya

Towards the end of my studies at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya, I did the Kairos missions mobilization course (www.kairoscourse.org). For the first time in my life, I realized that missions is for every believer, myself included. I saw that the Bible is one book of redemption, not random, unrelated stories.

In 2017, I left East Africa for the first time to serve in the UK, the land of the missionaries who first brought the gospel to Kenya! I served with the ’20schemes’ ministry, which seeks to plant churches in the hardest areas of Scotland.

I assisted with immigrant outreach, youth and children’s work, befriending unbelieving women in the community and doing general jobs around the church.

Being all outsiders, we felt a oneness, and it was easier for me to reach the immigrants. I got to hang out with Syrians, Russians and Indians. I was a bridge between them and the local church. I hosted hang-outs with the international community and helped them plug into the local church.

One of greatest achievements was getting to meet interesting people and make lifelong friendships. I left Scotland nearly three years ago and I’m working with a tech company in Kenya.

Growing up, I wanted to work with underprivileged communities but didn’t know how I would. I’m so grateful that God has placed me in a position where I get to do exactly that! I help to upskill young people from marginalized rural communities and informal settlements so that they can provide for themselves and their families.

I think of the state of the church around me and Nairobi itself as a missional ground – the message is often about things getting better for us. The city needs the true gospel; Christ was crucified to pay for our sins, not our bills!

My advice to young people is, serve from when you’re young – when you’re youngest, it’s the easiest. You have much less to think about and fewer people to uproot. Don’t feel like you have to make a decision for the next 50 years; make a decision for the next step and let the Lord lead you.

More about Daphne in Scotland: https://bit.ly/3g9fyzv