About one year ago, Nicole had the opportunity to visit Centre for Urban Mission’s (CUM) newly completed Tafakari Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. Tafakari Centre is an establishment in the heart of Kibera—one of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements. Its purpose, in the words of the Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Kenya, is to be a “…place that connects people to God and to each other, a place of worship to God, the Jerusalem of Kibera.” Thanks in part to generous reSource donors, Tafakari Centre opened its doors to implement new programs and further already-existing programs such as: providing employable skills to under-resourced people, a Homework Club to support young students who have minimal support (if any) and very limited space to study in their homes, pastoral training for untrained pastors already living in and serving Kibera, and many other exciting initiatives.
A view from the newly completed Tafakari Centre shows its proximity to the informal settlement of Kibera.
Dr. Nancy Njagi, Africa Director with Local Leaders International, has been integral in guiding and defining the mission of Tafakari. When she was appointed Program Coordinator for the Centre for Urban Mission in Kibera, she said, “My overarching goal at the time was to ensure that all programs empowered leaders of churches in the slums with knowledge and skills to appropriately minister among the urban poor…The more I interacted with the churches and slum residents, the more I realised the programs of the Centre needed to stand out from the thousands of non-government organisations registered in the slums.”
She shared recently with reSource, “I remember Simon Peter (Centre Director) teaching pastoral students last week. He asked them to go out into the slum: to step out of the class and tell him pieces or moments where they think God is found in the community. So, walking around and encountering the garbage and asking, “Is God here?” Encountering people with illness and asking, “Is God in this community? Can God be found in this community?” And from there begins a journey of theology among the poor.”
Nancy Njagi (Local Leaders International), Ute Jacoby (Overseas Training – Germany), and our very own Nicole visited the newly completed Tafakari Centre together.
Nancy’s approach to educating those who are ministering to the poorest of people in urban areas in Africa has informed her doctoral research and contributions to urban mission, an intentionally incarnational way of mission that involves living in and ministering to communities that are financially and systemically impoverished. She is involved in raising the awareness among theological institutions to the importance of Urban Mission programs and she hopes to see a “network of Urban Mission theologians and practitioners in Africa.”
Will you pray with us?
- For Tafakari Centre and Centre for Urban Mission to have a long and sustained ministry and impact, drawing the people of Kibera to the loving-kindness of Jesus Christ
- For Nancy to be filled with perseverance and joy as she continues to serve communities around Africa with her expertise, wisdom, and care
- For the strengthening of theological programs dedicated to effective outreach among the urban poor
- For the establishment of a cohesive network of Urban Mission theologians and ministry leaders in Africa
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