September 2020 Updates

Greetings from NEGST. We are so thankful for your ongoing care, prayers, and support!

The fall semester has begun, and all classes continue to be conducted online. It seems that the curve in Kenya is flattening, and we thank God for His mercy. We pray that in-person classes will resume in January. Graduation is to take place in November (pushed from July, 2020).

Enjoy the testimony of Steven Wambugu below and rejoice in the good work that God is doing in the lives of our students as they seek to serve Christ and His Kingdom.

Student Testimony

My name is Steven Njeru Wambugu. I am second born of three siblings in my mid-fifties and grew up in Nairobi, Kenya. Religion did not feature in our home at all. I was a wild and adventurous kind of boy who got into trouble often but did fairly well in class. Between the ages of 12 and 26, I smoked and did all that was wrong. It was a miserable adventure and only by God’s Grace, did I live to confess my sins. My parents were not good role models and separated in 1980 after a dramatic showdown. This affected us as siblings more than we imagined. I lost interest in anything academic and gained interest in drinking alcohol, mischief and a wild lifestyle. My mother’s business went from bad to worse and so did her depression and drinking. We lost everything we had, and I abandoned my mum, choosing to stay with my dad and assist him in his rural home. I blamed my parents for everything. I contemplated suicide. I got kicked out of my dad’s home and arrived in Nairobi, planning to end my life.

Before committing suicide, I asked a friend of mine to take me to a church I had visited once. The moment I entered that church I experienced a real sense of my filth and sinful life. With tears, I prayed the sinner’s prayer on that day and accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior on June 3rd, 1990. I now know that God desired even a broken vessel like me to know Him and become His child. I discovered God in the next days and weeks and committed my life to serve Him. I got involved in church outreach and children’s and marriage ministries; and for the next twenty years, I served in full-time ministry with Life Ministry Kenya (Campus Crusade for Christ), together with my wife Terry, and as the Missions Co-Ordinator for four years.

I left Kenya to plant a church in Lilongwe, Malawi in 2014 on behalf of Nairobi Chapel. We returned to Kenya in 2017 after handing over the church to a local pastor, and I enrolled in AIU to complete my Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Theology and Missions Studies respectively, even at this late stage in life! I realized that most churches have not prioritized ‘the Great Commission’ in evangelizing and building disciples, focusing instead on programs for the ‘containment ‘ of believers, rather than equipping and sending them out. My major goal is developing a discipleship model for Africa that can be contextualized and adapted to cross as many cultures as possible. My aim is to never “retire” but continue doing, to quote Bill Bright, “the greatest job on earth”: introducing others to Christ and establishing them in God’s Word as the only way of transforming the world for God.

Professor’s Corner

Dr. Josephine Mutuku is a beloved lecturer and practical teacher at NEGST. She received training at Scott Theological College and NEGST, and earned her PhD in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2007.

My name is Josephine Mutuku, and I am from the coast of Kenya. I have been teaching Islamic Studies in the Missions Department at NEGST (now part of Africa International University) since 2004. It has been a joy to teach at NEGST all these years for several reasons.

I believe teaching here at NEGST is a calling.
I believe that what I am teaching in Islamic Studies is meeting the needs of people serving in missions.
I am motivated by the great diversity of students from Africa and various countries around the world who come to train in the Missions Department.
Most importantly, I know that I am multiplying myself as I teach and train others. It is a joy to see my students go forth from AIU back to their countries, villages and churches, able to more effectively share and show the love of God to Muslims.

The Missions Department at NEGST is having a great impact through equipping students to reach Muslims with the message of salvation. We have seen souls coming to Christ, churches being planted among Muslim communities, and students returning to their countries and sharing the love of God with their Muslim neighbours. I have led AIU student outreaches to Congo, Ethiopia, and the Kenyan coast near Tanzania. There we have done ministry with churches, encouraging and training believers to reach out to Muslims.

Apart from AIU, I have been training thirty Ethiopian women who have come to Christ out of a Muslim background. They know the context and culture of Islam. For four years they have attended training seminars, and they are ready to “graduate.” I have a similar group of Kenyan believers who are going through the same training. Another group of twenty-five Ethiopian women have already graduated, and we are seeing great results as they have returned to their regions and are training other Muslim background believers. My desire and prayer is to see more Christians share the love of Christ with Muslims.

Opportunities to Give

We want to say a special word of appreciation to those who have given toward the Benevolent Fund over these past months. This fund provides for students on campus who are struggling with basic needs. Thank you for your generosity!

Another way to help for those who are interested is through the Scholarship Fund. This fund goes to students who have the desire to study theology but do not have the means to do so. Go to www.clafrica.com or see the information at the bottom of this email if you would like to give toward either of these.

Prayer and Praise

Praise God for His mercy on Kenya. Please pray that the curve would continue to truly flatten, and pray for wisdom for government leaders as they decide when in-person classes can resume.

Praise God that students have enrolled and are beginning fall classes. Please pray that the fall semester will be fruitful in spite of the challenges of meeting through an online format, and for grace and wisdom for both lecturers and students.

We are grateful that our campus Chapel Services have begun to meet again and as well as our campus Sunday Services. There are still over 70 students, both singles and those with families and children living on campus. These Chapel Services and Sunday Services are very important to them all.

Pray for one of our lecturers, Rev. Matthews Mwalw’a, who is recovering from Covid-19, along with his wife, Janet. Praise God for His grace in bringing them through this very difficult time, and pray that the Lord will give them wisdom and provision as they care for needs within their larger family.

One of our lecturers, Anna Mosby, is teaching Bible Interpretation for all the schools within AIU. She has 70+ enrolled (many of whom may not be believers). She is sharing the Gospel boldly! Pray that the seeds she plants will find fertile soil and that she will take every opportunity to share Christ.

Pray for the many who are teaching classes or supporting AIU from their home countries right now, for health and strength to keep going and engaging well from afar.