“I always wanted to be a nurse, but I didn’t have the money needed to raise school fees, so I let go of the dream for a while,” Stephen told us.
Stephen is a young man who loves God and does everything he can to bring glory to Him. Stephen is the firstborn in a family of five children. His father passed away when Stephen was 18 years old, and this automatically rendered him the man of the house. This huge responsibility was placed on his shoulders just after he finished his secondary school education. Stephen passed with flying colors and even received an admission letter to go to one of the universities in the country, but he couldn’t attend because of financial restrictions.
“Because I couldn’t raise money to go to the university and my younger siblings needed all the help they could get, I decided to go looking for casual jobs to help raise money for food and upkeep,” Stephen explained. He worked construction and farming jobs before moving to the city to improve his job prospects. His mom stayed at home to raise the young ones, and it was Stephen’s job to provide for the family. He carried such a heavy load on his shoulders, but he did not give up on God.
While in the city, Stephen met a friend who helped him move around and survive. This friend happened to live in Kijabe, where CURE Kenya is located. One day, a job opportunity presented itself at CURE Kenya. He was hired as a cleaner, working in the housekeeping department. This position put him in a hospital and a bit closer to his dream of becoming a nurse.
At CURE Kenya, Stephen joined the praise and worship team and assisted by playing the keyboard during joint devotions in the chapel. Whenever called upon to do something different, he didn’t hesitate and rushed to help. He made many friends in the process, including a CURE visitor that changed his life.
“I met a friend who asked to know me better, and she wanted to find out what my dreams were. I told her about my desire to become a nurse.” Stephen said. Stephen had no clue that this was a life-changing moment for him, and was surprised when his new friend told him that she was willing to pay for him to go through nursing school. To begin his studies, Stephen had to stop working for CURE. However, he says that he has no intention of leaving, and when he finishes school, he will continue serving God through CURE Kenya – this time as a nurse!
We asked Stephen why he is so interested in nursing, and this is what he had to say. “I want to serve God in another dimension, which involves directly impacting the lives of the patients who come to CURE Kenya and restoring those who are broken through the word of God.” Stephen fits right into CURE’s mission and vision, and we thank God for making it possible for him to pursue his dreams.
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.
