How Serving Others Transformed My Own Life

“I was hired to be a mentor, to be an agent of transformation in the lives of these young people. Funny enough, I felt as if I was the one being transformed even more than the campers I was intended to have an impact on.”

Erastus is now a social worker in the same community he grew up in, Mabatini. “When I was in Grade 6, I was recruited into MOHI and taken to Ndovoini Center to attend the boarding school there.” MOHI’s boarding schools are a haven from the many dangers and temptations of living in informal settlements. This was where Erastus finished his primary school education. After this, he attended a high school in western Kenya and MOHI provided him a scholarship.

“After high school, I was worried I wouldn’t attend college,” Erastus remembers. He had been accepted into a school in a different county. He knew his parents could not afford to have him relocate to a different county. Erastus had given up hope on going to school. He started to do casual labor jobs in the community to support himself and help with some of the bills at home. 

“After a little while, my social worker told me about camp and camp mentor job openings coming up. He also told me that former MOHI students were encouraged to apply. I wasn’t sure that I would get it, but I applied, and after a few interviews, I was given one of the 40 positions. After being trained for about three months on how to be a camp mentor, my journey began.”

“At first it was nerve-wracking, I had never been to camp before,” Erastus remembers. It wasn’t long, however, until he got the hang of it. “It was easy to relate with the campers, they had been through the same things I had while growing up, they had a similar background as I did, and in that way, it was easy for them to relate to me.” 

Being a camp mentor was more than just a job, it did more than just transform the lives of the campers. “You cannot give what you don’t have,” Erastus said, “While I taught the campers to pray, go to church, read the Bible, I had to be at the forefront of those things. They transformed my life first before I could share that transformation.” Erastus’s relationship with God deepened during this time. He ensured that he had studied the Bible well so he could teach the children well. “MOHI played a big role in my growth; it wasn’t just me and the campers; our supervisors and spiritual mentors empowered us with the word of God. We all grew a lot.”

Erastus has always wanted to impact his community. He was raised by his uncle who is a MOHI employee. “They took me in and treated me as though I was their own,” Erastus wanted to give the same love that he received to others “MOHI also played a part. It has been so generous to those who needed it the most. Some of my fellow students had MOHI as a parent, providing all their meals, clothing, and education. You can’t go through MOHI and not want to empower and impact those around you.” 

For three years, Erastus served at Angaza Discovery Camp as a camp mentor. “I remember when I was being interviewed for the  Camp Mentor position, I was asked where I saw myself in five years, and I said that I wanted to transform the lives of children in the community I come from, and on top of that, I wanted to go to college. 

“When we joined MOHI, we were all encouraged by a MOHI human resources staff to join the MOHI SACCO (similar to a credit union). After two years of saving in the MOHI SACCO, I had gathered enough shares to borrow enough money to pay for my diploma.” Erastus enrolled in a local university and began his journey to become a social worker. 

It eventually became difficult for Erastus to juggle between being a camp mentor and being a student. “When you are at camp your mind can’t be anywhere else. The bond that you cultivate between camper and camp mentor is engaging. So I requested MOHI’s HR personnel if I could move workstations to allow me to finish my studies, and that is how I became a social worker at Mabatini.” 

“Growing up, I experienced firsthand the impact of having a social worker in my life,” Erastus recalls. He remembers the visits his social worker made to his home to encourage and counsel him. His aunt and uncle were also always available to give him words of encouragement when life became difficult. “I loved counseling and giving encouragement just as I had been given.” Erastus then chose social work as a profession so he, too, could also spread hope to the students he serves.

Erastus’ story is just one example of how Angaza Discovery Camp is shaping lives—not just for the children who attend but for the mentors who walk alongside them. When you support Angaza, you help provide young leaders like Erastus with the opportunity to disciple and inspire the next generation.

Your support can make a difference! Whether through prayer or giving, you can help ensure that more children experience the life-changing impact of camp.

Give today and be part of the transformation!