‘We are planning to move away, and don’t worry, God will provide.’ This was what my father said to us. What!!!! My siblings and I were in shock. Every time my parents requested a family meeting, the first thing that came to mind was, ‘What did I do?’. I was that one kid who caused problems, so if either of my parents called us out, my first thought was to run for safety, but even if I ran away, I only had one place to live, and if it was punishment, it would still be waiting for me. This family meeting was not what I was expecting, and the debate went far beyond what my mind could fathom at the time. My parents said they intended to leave us behind as they attended the School of Mission for two years, after which they would depart for evangelism and missionary work until God knows when.

My older sister, who was already an adult, questioned who would take care of us; my father said, “God will.” Surprisingly, I was just 17 years old, had recently graduated from high school, and was planning to go to college, and my younger brother had just started high school. So I questioned my father, “What about my college fees?” This time, my mother said, “God will provide.” My intellect at the time didn’t fully comprehend what ‘God will provide’ meant. All I knew was that at least one of them should work and pay for our expenses, but in this instance, they are both leaving us behind to the care of our elder sister.

Whatever we desired, my parents had already decided that God had called them, that they would both work for God and that God would supply whatever was required. According to my father, my younger brother would stay with my sister, and I would move in with my uncle and stay with them until I graduated from college. This didn’t satisfy me, but I didn’t have any choice; at that age, my parents made all of my decisions, so I had to agree.

They eventually left us behind, and the only way we could get in touch with them was by phone. Since we only had one family cell phone at the time, they took it with them, so I had to always acquire some change and go to a neighboring booth to call them occasionally when money permitted. Our church supplied food for my sister and brother, and since we had a few rental houses, they were never without tenants. As a result, we had enough money each month to cover my fees and my siblings’ daily necessities.

My uncle and aunt, whom I really thank for everything they did for me, provided good shelter, food, and transportation to and from college until I graduated. To be honest, we never lacked; God provided.

Looking back, I realize that my parents aspired to be great church leaders by devoting their entire lives to God’s service. To date, both have had a significant impact on many communities in Kenya. For over three decades, they have mentored children, families, communities, and church leaders. They recently attended the ordination of one of the many young men my father mentored, who is now pastoring the church and raising other leaders.

I now understand that, despite feeling overlooked at such an early age, my parents’ influence on others was priceless. Overall, God provided for us in ways we couldn’t believe.

So certainly, ‘God provides.’