In many Kenyan cultures, children living with disabilities are rarely celebrated, but are always spoken of in whispers and hidden behind closed doors. But over the last five years, CURE Kenya has brought joy and honor to many kids not only by providing life-changing surgeries but also by celebrating the children who have often been pushed aside or forgotten.
A Night to Reflect Christ’s Love
In partnership with the Tim Tebow Foundation, CURE Kenya hosted Night to Shine, a special evening where children with special needs and their families were treated like royalty at a prom-style celebration. The event is part of a global movement spanning 76 countries, with similar celebrations also held at CURE hospitals in the Philippines, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and, for the very first time, in Zambia and Ethiopia!
One hundred and six children attended, including two former CURE Kenya patients, children from the five children’s homes. AIC Nderu, Capernaum, UTUGI, Kisima, Young Life, and Child Fund Kenya. The two CURE Kenya patients, Bovin and Tessie, shared their testimonies during the event.
This year’s event was unique. Ridge Cabin Resort, Limuru, a five-star hotel 35 km away from the CURE Kenya Hospital, hosted the event! Professional makeup artists, hairstylists, barbers, and shoe shiners volunteered, giving the honored guests a treat to remember. The goal was simple: to help each child have a 5-Star experience and to understand what it means to be deeply loved and valued.
Guests enjoyed Kenyan worship and dancehall music from Gospel ministers Moji Short Baba and Daddy Owen, with the latter being an ambassador for children with disabilities through his foundation, Malaika Disability Foundation. There were branded gift bags, a five-course buffet, an MC, DJ music, and, for one day, a little heaven on Earth.
Honoring Every Child as God’s Treasure
Rev. Victor shared the Gospel during the Night To Shine in a very child-centered way. He used engaging humor and dramatized some of the scriptures, leaving the honored guests excited. “Events like Night to Shine help us to connect with these kids and their families in a way that many cannot. Our training in the Theology of Disability has equipped us with the necessary skills that give us an edge in sharing the Gospel with the marginalized,” Rev. Victor said. “The teachers of these children have really learnt how to accommodate the children and appreciate them. The affirmations about ‘I feel loved, you are special and unique really mean a lot to the children,” he added.
Pastor Philip Maing is one of the CURE Kenya volunteers who completed CURE’s Theology of Disability training. This training equips them with ways to share the gospel of Jesus to persons living with disabilities. Pastor Philip met some of the families during the event and saw firsthand how the celebration demonstrated the gospel in practical ways, meeting physical, emotional, and spiritual needs together. He said, “This is a very nice program, so it should keep on happening because it means a lot to the children. My prayer is that you continue to show the same love we see in the Bible. It is love demonstrated. I would like to thank team Tebow for this event; it really means a lot to the children.”
We are thankful for our CURE Kenya partners who create welcoming spaces where children with disabilities can hear the gospel, find belonging in a caring community, and grow in their faith in Christ.
Lives changed
It took 25 CURE Kenya staff members and 12 partners from service providers to generous friends who volunteered for the Night To Shine 2026, including Nelson Muoki, the Executive Director. Mr. Nelson shared, “Partners and volunteers make it possible for us not only to provide medical care and spiritual support but also to create joyful moments like today, reminding vulnerable children around the world that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved.”
Thanks to the generosity of the Tim Tebow Foundation and others, AIC CURE Children’s Hospital of Kenya successfully hosted the Night to Shine event! See you next year by God’s grace!
Thank you so much for the support you have shown to CURE over the years. Please head on to our DONATE page to see ways you can continue helping kids heal!
Here is a short gallery of the highlights from Kenya’s Night To Shine 2026!
About AIC-CURE Children’s Hospital of Kenya
CURE Kenya has been a place of hope since opening its doors in 1998. We were Africa’s first orthopedic teaching hospital when it opened in Kijabe. More than just providing life-changing surgeries, CURE cares for the emotional and spiritual needs of all our patients. Our teaching hospital has 47 beds, four operating rooms, and an outpatient clinic.
