[Kenya] The First Graduates Produced by the College Established by God

The first Kenya Mahanaim College Graduation Ceremony

Africa is a poor continent. Many youths have no strength to overcome the difficulties that they face, fall into despair, and live without hope. At times, they commit crime for profit, get involved in corruption and live a life for material things. With such heart, they can only live an unhappy life even if they may earn a lot of money. Material things are not what is most needed for the paradoxically poor people of Africa. What they need is a strong heart that can overcome difficulty and change the world.

The Good News Mission established the Nairobi Kenya Mahanaim College in May 28th, 2013 to nurture workers of God with a strong heart that can change the reality of Africa. The College is developing towards the goal to nurture students into leaders who will change Africa with the true heart of Christ.

The Mahanaim College that started with one Computer Major and 13 students in the first year of establishment afterwards opened up more diverse majors such as Media and Broadcasting, Language etc. and continued to grow until its current 18 majors and 400 students. Though the college history is short, it has been rapidly growing to receive the attention of Kenyan educational circles and plans to expand further in time to over 45 majors.

On the 23rd of February, the historic first graduation ceremony of the Kenya Mahanaim College was held. The 24 graduates were produced from the majors of Computer, Media and Broadcasting, and Language. At the first graduation ceremony, Ambassador Young Dae Kwon of the Korean Embassy in Kenya, President Soon Kyu Kang of the Korean Society in Kenya, President Sitanda of Cooperative University College of Kenya, etc. 50 VIPs attended the graduation ceremony. In addition, graduates, undergraduates, and family of about 800 were present at the event.

The event began with the singing of the Kenyan and Korean national anthem. Graduates Representative Student Joyce Wanjiku expressed her joy and thanks for being able to learn a strong heart and experience many things at the Mahanaim College. Next, Professor Mwangi of Kenyatta University, President Sitanda of Cooperative University College of Kenya, etc. personnel in the Kenyan educational circle gave congratulatory remarks. Doctor Tae Yun Ha, the Dean of Kenya Mahanaim spoke about the path this educational institute has taken since its establishment and delivered a message on what an honor it is to hold the first graduation ceremony for the vision to change Africa.

The main speaker of this occasion, Ambassador Young Dae Kwon of the Korean Embassy in Kenya stepped onto the graduation podium. Ambassador Young Dae Kwon congratulated the graduates for their efforts until now saying that Korea which was also at the same level of income with Kenya in the 1970s was able to achieve the Miracle of Han because of the power of education. Moreover, he wished the students to continue exchanging and developing in the future to become people who will lead Kenya and the world.

Following this speech, the congratulatory message of Pastor Ock Soo Park, the founder of the Kenya Mahanaim College was viewed. Pastor Park gave his congratulatory remarks saying that he looked forward to valuable workers being produced from the Mahanaim College that was blessed by God and that he wished they would go forward towards God with the same heart of Jesus.

Moreover, Pastor Uk Yong Kim of Good News Nairobi Church wished the participants to live as people who are the light of this world, looking to Jesus and reflecting his light like that of a moon that reflects the light of the sun. The messages delivered by several VIPs greatly inspired the participants and they were able to comprehend the meaning of the heart of a leader that changes Africa.

After the cultural performance prepared by the Kenya IYF Branch and the diplomas were awarded to the graduates, and the first Mahanaim College graduation ceremony ended. The students congratulated their graduation by tossing their graduation cap into the air. We look forward to the first graduates produced from a college with the heart of God to eradicate poverty, violence, corruption etc. in Africa and create the new world that God works in.