One thing has stood out in my internship experience at the National Youth Council (NYC), a government organization under the State Department of Youth Affairs: Theology of work.

With Colleagues from the Partnership and Resource Mobilization Department

Two years before joining the Governance Internship Program (GIPro) with Hesabika, I had been involved in a Christian organization, Fellowship of Christian Unions (FOCUS) under their leadership development program dubbed STEM-Short Term Experience in Ministry.  I was equipped and trained on all fundamentals on the approach of work. It was through thorough mentorship of a team leader who would literally instruct and model on how concepts needed to be prepared, excellence in Training etc.-all towards effectiveness of work once I exited.

With delegates during a three days training with the International Centre for Peace, Human Rights and Development in Africa (IPHRD) on the role of young women in mediation, conflict resolution

Reporting at NYC, I was now at the place we refer to as “vitu kwa ground”. It was exhilarating to work with young people once again. Being given an amazing supervisor who would entrust me with work and was very intentional with exposure was a blessing. Speak of confidence and courage when having partner and donor engagement conversations. It was all merry and fulfilling. I was being arrayed for the world “out here”

Little did I know that if I wanted to walk out as gold into the marketplace, then I had to go through fire? Values of integrity at work have been tested like simply signing off the attendance book with the correct time you reported to work even when you know no one is monitoring; when you have suddenly lacked the motivation to go to work because of fallen relationships; when you have to still step up and own up to mistakes done, deadlines unmet knowing that you ought to be a guru on the very things by this time.

I have many times found myself catechizing on; who am I working for? Who do I need to please at the end of the day? How have I lived out as a Christian through office politics? Honestly, I have missed the mark at times and God in His grace is still teaching me. I have grasped that work is God’s bigger picture and am answerable only to Him first. I have been learning that no matter what I do now, whether it’s drafting that memo or organizing a project, every work I do matters to God. And finally am not only responsible for the quality of work but on the faithfulness I exercise when pursuing that work. 

I am grateful for the development through GIPro. I am indeed being built out.