A Tree that Found her Forest- My Inspired Individuals Journey

I remember the first time I heard of the term ‘Inspired Individuals’.? it was? during an Amahoro? Africa convening ( Amahoro was a network of African leaders who are committed to the tangible manifestation of justice, mercy and goodness in their local context. Amahoro Africa connected leaders to each other and helped to facilitate their theological learning and reflection).

The group of Inspired Individuals would later join us in our proceedings and we got to mingle and learn? about the amazing good trouble that they were up to. It was the first time I was actually star struck. My soul at that time could not believe? there were people who were really doing the things I wanted to do when I grew up .

So when? years later someone asked me if I was interested in being an Inspired Individual, I was honoured,? jumped at the opportunity and applied.?

At that time, Msingi was about three years old. I was busy building brick by brick, being admired, called courageous by friends and former colleagues but I was very alone, terrified, super broke, and most nights ending in tears. My knees would be shaking but I kept doing the work - afraid.??

The vision? however remained very clear- Msingi was to work with churches and faith leaders, and grow their capacities in pursuing justice on behalf of their people.

The conversations at my meetings with Francis Wahome and Gladys Wathanga at the Tearfund Kenya office while going through the application process made me believe that what I was doing was meaningful. .?

When I got the email that I? had been? accepted to join the program,? I felt a deep peace that affirmed that this program was exactly what I needed for the phase of life that I was in? and boy was I right!!!

We all met for the very first time? in February 2020 at Lukenya Getaway for the Inspired Individuals induction. It was the first time I met with these amazing individuals, people who are? sacrificially transforming the world and who are not about to stop. These tall luscious trees of all kinds had been handpicked, prayed over and now we were there embarking on a journey together to be a safe haven for one another.?

What I remember saying from that induction meeting is that I am so glad I have found my fellow crazy people. These are people who dare to dream and sacrificially work towards achieving their goals. Our contexts are so different but our hearts beat? for the transformation of our communities and the African continent. We are spurred on by the Faith that we all hold so dear. We also were all shocked by the fact that the Inspired Individuals program was about us individually- not the organizations we led. All the support? that we would receive would be to grow us- financially, socially and spiritually. This is important because as leaders,no one thinks about us.We don’t even think about ourselves and now we find a program that prioritizes our well being,our pains, our rest, our finances,our prayer lives, and our joys. We all thought it was a prank then- some of us still think it is!!

We are trees, growing individually, being seen and sometimes admired but sometimes, we feel alone in our endeavours. There is that philosophical question that is always asked, ‘ 'If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?’

Well this tree, found other trees and we made a forest.? When I fell down , cried out, was unsure and scared, the other trees in this Inspired Individuals forest heard me and continue to hear me even when the season is over.

As this program winds up and takes another form, I would like to thank all of you that served us, that conceptualised it, that implemented it and that gave of yourselves to it. Many leaders all over the world are better humans because you saw them and you held their hands as they journey through God’s call over their lives.

I would like to honour? my? cohort of exceptional leaders drawn from all over the continent who work with what they have in their hands and never give up despite working in very hard conditions.

I would like to honour the cohorts that came before us and thank them for modelling and welcoming me into their spaces, organisations and allowing me to learn from them

I would like to thank all the trainers who took their time to invest in us and who still do so even when our time with them is over

I would like to thank the Inspired Individuals Global team for the prayers, follow up and being intentional about our growth.

I would like to especially thank Francis Wahome- the most patient leader I know. Francis Wahome knows how to deal with all of our different temperaments, our quirks and goes above the call of duty to water, prune and mulch us and when our fruit shows- he is the first to celebrate us.

This program gave me a family

This program invested in me

This program grew me

This program saw me

This program affirmed me

This program inspired me

This program gave this tree a forest to call home and for that I will always be grateful.