Missionary profile – Maria*

By Mercy Kambura

Maria*

Kenyan Missionary to the W* and O* people of Kenya

As pastoralists, cows are our lifeline. Before I went to high school, there was a drought, and all but one of our cows died. My father sold the last cow and took my brother to school. I knew I’d be married off to raise my brother’s school fees, but I wanted to study.

I turned to the Bible and read John 15:16; “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit . . . so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”

As a girl, my chances of education were slim, so my only prayer to God was, “If you give me education, I’ll give you my life.”

Years later, God would remind me of this prayer. I’m now a missionary serving among the unreached people groups of O* and W* in Kenya. But my journey to missions hasn’t been without challenges.

I grew up in an animist community, my family was fragmented because of polygamy, and my dad was violent and physically abusive. I studied hard because I didn’t want to live my mom’s life.

CAPRO missionaries came to our village, and when they came to our home, we all gave our lives to Jesus, except my mom. They took to discipling us weekly, ensuring that we grew in the faith.

I shared my desire to serve God with one of the missionaries, and she asked me to pray. I told her to give me a full year of praying. By the end of the year, I was at peace with God; I was ready to go.

I did the CAPRO interview and joined Christian Voluntary Service. I was taken to live among an unreached people group, and I ended up staying there for four years. After that time, I took mission training at the East Africa School of Missions in Nairobi.

Our access ministry is Early Childhood Education. We taught among the W*, but I was also praying for the O*, a people group close to the W* who didn’t have a missionary among them. God asked me, “You’re paying for labourers. Are you ready to go there as a labourer?” I was.

The O* village called us. They said they had seen what we were doing among the W* and wanted us to go to them as well. They didn’t know that we were missionaries. When it came time to enter the village to teach, and we introduced ourselves as a Christian organization, they went and googled us. They saw that we’re church planters among the unreached peoples. They changed their minds about us.

But we had already arrived; they didn’t chase us away, but they monitored us closely. Some elders were on our side when some villagers wanted us kicked out.

We now live peacefully among them, reaching one soul at a time. As a nomadic pastoralist reaching nomadic pastoralists, I understand them and some of their cultural practices. God can use anyone in missions; you only need to be willing.

#Pray:

For God to give me the O* people!
For more labourers to go among the O* and other unreached peoples.
For a spouse. Working as a single lady among Muslims is a huge challenge. They don’t appreciate that I’m not married.

*Not her real name

Representative photo