“When I was in school, I envisioned myself working in an environment where everything runs like clockwork: a busy hospital, patients lining up, nurses in crisp uniforms, doctors giving instructions. But God had a different plan,” Derrick says with a grin.
Today, Derrick serves as a school nurse at Missions of Hope International’s Molo Milimani Center in Nakuru County, Kenya. It is a quieter, more rural setting than he once imagined. Yet it is here, and in the communities where he has served before, that Derrick has discovered a deeper calling: not only treating illness but caring for people as whole persons, body and soul.
A First Step Into MOHI’s Ministry
Derrick’s journey with MOHI began far from Molo. After medical school, he heard about a medical camp organized by MOHI in Nairobi. One of his nurse friends had been invited to serve, but at the last minute, she could not attend.
“Just a day before the medical camp, my friend asked me to fill in her slot since she could not make it. I worked with five short-term missionaries, and it was such a fulfilling experience,” he recalls.
That one day left a lasting impression. Derrick wanted to understand more about MOHI and the kind of ministry he had encountered.
“I wanted to know more about their work and how I could be part of it,” he explains.
As he prayed about what came next, Derrick sensed God leading him somewhere unexpected. He reached out to MOHI’s health program manager, who suggested he consider serving in Marsabit, located in northern Kenya.
“Derrick, how about serving in Marsabit? It’s a very hot place, but why don’t you try it out for a few days?” he remembers being told.
Derrick accepted the challenge.
“I wanted to see how people lived in those hard-to-reach areas, to experience their struggles firsthand, and share God’s love.”
Serving in Kargi Beyond Comfort and Expectation
In 2023, Derrick moved to Kargi in Marsabit County. The experience changed him.
“At first, I thought I would work in a hospital where patients walk in for treatment,” he says. “But here, it’s different. Some patients can’t make it to the clinic.”
Instead of waiting in a hospital ward, Derrick found himself walking long distances through desert terrain and clusters of manyattas (traditional huts) under the blazing sun. He was treating patients in difficult conditions while also building trust with families in a remote community.
There, Derrick saw firsthand the weight of food insecurity, malnutrition, and preventable illness. He also began to understand more deeply how MOHI’s ministry works. Through Community Health Evangelism (CHE), healthcare was not separated from discipleship or community relationships. Care included practical medical support, health education, spiritual encouragement, and ongoing presence.
“My work became more about compassion rather than medicine,” Derrick says. “We would go door-to-door teaching health, emphasizing the importance of proper nutrition, sharing the gospel before treating them. My mom always wanted me to help people. I guess this is exactly what she meant,” he adds with a laugh.
In Kargi, MOHI’s holistic ministry was visible in everyday ways. Medical care helped address urgent physical needs. Relationships built over time opened doors for trust, prayer, and discipleship. Spiritual outreach shared the hope of Christ. Derrick was not simply providing medical care. He was helping support transformation in every area of life through compassionate care, discipleship, and the love of Christ.
Reaching Children With Creativity and Care
Derrick also looked for ways to connect with children in the community. He started a small soccer club called Children CHE.
“We would play soccer, then pray together. Since most of the community members were not Christians, I approached ministry creatively and respectfully. Over time, the kids began coming to church after games. Some even became ushers,” he says proudly.
What began as a simple activity became a bridge for relationship, spiritual conversation, and growing faith. It was one more reminder that ministry often begins with presence, consistency, and care.
The Hardest Moments of Service
Not every story ended the way Derrick hoped.
He remembers one young boy who died after a snake bite. The family had first sought traditional medicine, and by the time they came to the clinic, the boy was already in critical condition.
“We rushed him to the nearest hospital, but the medics were on strike. He needed ICU care, which was unavailable. Eventually, his organs started failing, and we lost him. It’s a picture that I sadly can’t erase from my brain.”
The pain of that loss stayed with Derrick. It was devastating not only because the child died, but also because the family could not afford the burial costs. MOHI stepped in to help cover those expenses during a deeply painful time.
“It was one of the hardest days of my life,” he recalls.
Even in grief, Derrick did not walk away. Later, he connected the boy’s mother to a local church, where she now finds hope and community.
Moments like that reveal the weight of this work. They also reveal why compassionate presence matters. Sometimes ministry looks like healing. Sometimes it looks like staying beside someone in sorrow and helping them find hope in Christ when answers are hard to find.
The Mission Continues in Molo Milimani
When a need arose at MOHI’s Molo Milimani Center, Derrick transitioned there to continue serving. Though the context is different, his purpose has not changed.
“Life here is a bit different from Marsabit, but the mission is the same: to meet people’s needs with love and compassion. Wherever I am called to serve, I go,” he says.
In Molo, Derrick continues to care for children and families through health support while also walking with them through personal and spiritual challenges. His work reflects the same heart of holistic ministry: meeting practical needs while pointing people to the love of Christ.
A Calling Rooted in Compassion
“What drives me is passion,” Derrick says. “Sometimes, you just have to go an extra mile.”
That extra mile is often literal. He receives late-night calls from patients and still shows up the next morning ready to serve again.
“You can’t ignore them. You help, then show up for work the next morning like nothing happened. That’s what service means.”
Derrick is grateful that MOHI continues to equip him through training and mentorship. Looking ahead, he hopes to help more vulnerable groups, especially women and children.
“Many of the communities I serve struggle with drug use, early marriages, and sexual violence,” he explains. “I want to teach what is right and help victims find healing.”
His mission remains simple and clear:
“I want to always share the love of Christ, win souls for God through my work, every single day.”
Thank You for Being Part of Stories Like This
Derrick’s story is a picture of the kind of Christ-centered, holistic ministry that ministry partners help make possible through prayer, encouragement, and financial support. Because of that shared mission, children and families in communities like Kargi and Molo are experiencing compassionate care, practical help, and the hope of the Gospel.
Please continue praying for Derrick and for the nurses, teachers, pastors, and staff serving across MOHI’s centers. Pray that they would have strength, wisdom, compassion, and endurance as they care for vulnerable children and families.
And as you pray, take a moment to thank God for the ways He is working through ordinary acts of faithfulness to bring hope, healing, and the love of Christ to communities across Kenya.
MOHI’s Medical Program
Through MOHI’s medical program, children and families receive care that meets urgent physical needs while also opening the door to long-term hope, healing, and discipleship. From school nurses and community health outreach to health education and compassionate support for vulnerable families, MOHI's health program helps bring Christ-centered care to communities where access is limited.
Your support can help make that care possible!
By giving to MOHI’s medical program, you can help equip staff like Derrick to serve children and families with compassion, practical care, and the love of Christ.
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