I was born into a family of eight, four girls and four boys. We were raised by our single mother. We grew up with so many challenges but mum stood strong for us. She played the role of both father and mother. Poverty, lack and frustrations were the order of the day. This became unbearable for my brothers and I. We decided to run away from home and sought refuge in the streets. We embraced street life because it was quite easy to beg for food from good Samaritans. The little we got we shared with our siblings. School was our last option as we never thought education could help us. It’s at this point that some people helped us return to school but again we had our ‘street mentality’. After school, I joined up with bad company. We started stealing and bullying people to earn a living.

One day in July 1988, I stole from our own “shanty” home - where today stands our ministry building centre (where most of indoor programs are run from) - and I was discovered. My younger sister told me that mom knew I had stolen. My mom was eagerly waiting to punish me. Being afraid of the punishment, I did not go back home. I found a place, sat down and started to cry. In the midst of my tears, a girl around ten years-old, younger than me, came by to console me. The girl told me, “Stop crying. God loves you”. I purposely pushed her away so she would leave me alone but the more I pushed her the more she came back to where I was sitting.

After a while, something whispered to me, “She will only leave if you will listen to what she wanted to say,” I reluctantly decided to listen to the girl, without knowing what she would tell me. The young girl asked me to pray a prayer with her. To me, it sounded like an insult because I grew up believing that ladies should respect men at all times especially young ones. I asked myself, “Why should I do this?”, but I finally said the prayer after her. “Lord Jesus I come to you just the way I am. Amen.”  After the prayer I cried my heart out and the girl came closer and lifted her ragged dress cloth which she was wearing to wipe away my tears (not minding people seeing her underwear). After wiping away my tear she just went not knowing which directions she took.

After a while I got up and went home. I got a very thorough punishment from my mom. But the following day I wanted to know about this God that loves me, “Just the way I am”. The following Sunday I went to a nearby church and it’s from that fellowship in which I started to know about God’s Love for me. From the same fellowship I met some good friends that God used to help me grow in faith. I was later introduced to Campus Crusade for Christ (C.C.C) and it was through this ministry I found a friend, ministry and a family that mentored me. I joined Daystar University from where I received training in leadership skills, youth ministry, communication, and Bible teachings.  I have also undertaken counselling courses at Amani Counselling Institute.

My calling to start the YCT ministry happened one day as I was going to take a bath, at our home in the slums. I was about to scoop water when I heard a voice of someone saying, “Youngsters are for Christ”. I looked around, but I didn’t see anyone, so I ignored it. Again, when I was about to scoop the water the same thing happened. I felt like someone was playing with me so I got worried and dressed without taking a bath. I decided to go watch a movie. I started hearing God in my spirit saying that if I can reach out to people in other areas of Kenya, then I can do the same for my people in Kibera Slum. This is how Youngsters for Christ Team was born.

Today I look back and I’m so thankful and happy because of how the Lord has changed me and what he has called me to do here in Kibera Slum, Kenya and Africa at large. I am married to my dear beautiful wife Charity Njiru, and we are blessed with two beautiful daughters, Jada Njiru and Roni Njiru.