Travel seminar explores intersection of faith, culture, and community life in Kenya

B Laboy ’26 M.A.R., Mayella Vasquez ’25 M.A.R., and Kaitlin Kim ’25 M.A.R.
Students in group photo

Travel seminar students with members of one of Kenya’s “Big Five” animal species—its elephants

This past May, a group of 15 students from Yale Divinity School and two Kenyan institutions—Pan Africa Christian University and St. Paul’s University—participated in Lived Religion in Nairobi, a travel seminar designed to explore the intersection of faith, culture, and community life in Kenya. The seminar was led by Kyama Mugambi, Assistant Professor of World Christianity at YDS. 

The journey began well before the students arrived. In the weeks leading up to departure, the students participated in a series of in-depth conversations that unpacked themes of identity, history, sociopolitical context, and religious expression across both American and Kenyan landscapes. These pre-trip meetings were not simply logistical—they laid a thoughtful foundation where vulnerability, curiosity, and openness shaped the group dynamic. 

“Professor Mugambi’s prayerful assembling of our voyage opened my eyes to the interconnectedness of spirituality and faith across cultures, land, and history in ways that created deep honor for Kenya and its people,” Shantel Miller ’26 M.A.R. said. It was with his posture that the seminar students headed to Nairobi. 

Upon arrival, the group was immediately immersed in the sights and rhythms of Nairobi. The city’s energy was palpable—street markets full of life, matatus blasting Swahili pop music, murals lining concrete walls, and handcrafted goods displayed in bursts of color. As they traveled, Nairobi’s urban life gave way to open hills and the red earth of Kenya’s countryside, home to the Big Five: lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffalo. “I arrived in Kenya without specific expectations,” shared Maritza Bond MDiv’25, “but with an open heart, prepared to receive whatever the Divine intended for me.”

Diverse expressions of spirituality

The academic portion of the seminar began with a lecture on Nairobi’s role as an African urban center. Later that day, the group visited Allan Kefa, pastor of a grassroots church that serves those recovering from addiction and seeking community healing. His ministry reflected a theology deeply rooted in local realities—faith as something lived, rooted, and responsive to the needs of those around him. In contrast, the students’ next stop was All Saints Cathedral, a historic Anglican institution in Nairobi. The difference between the two worship spaces led to group reflections on the diverse expressions of spirituality and the different ways religious spaces serve their communities.

The following day, students attended a Catholic Mass. They met with the Rev. Dr. Jean-Luc Enyegue, SJ, and heard him lecture on the legacy of colonialism, European missions, and the evolving presence of religion in African public life. Matthew Rivera ’25 M.Div. said the lecture ” challenged us to consider that the way we narrate missional and colonial history in Africa shapes our understanding of African agency. As Dr. Mugambi noted, there is not enough scholarship that centers African perspectives, which is why, more often than not, the two are conflated.” These themes framed the group’s visit to the Organization of African Instituted Churches, where they observed how faith communities born out of resistance continue to serve as catalysts for justice, healing, and collective dignity.

The second half of the trip took the group to more Nairobi churches, including Mavuno Church and Nairobi Chapel, as well as a student-led worship service that provided a glimpse into how younger generations are reshaping contemporary religious life. They also spent time learning about the work of DJ Moz, a figure central to the Swahili gospel music scene, whose ministry has expanded the reach of worship music among Kenyan youth. Throughout these visits, students engaged in meaningful conversations with women pastors and scholars at the University of Nairobi. These sessions added a critical perspective to ongoing questions about gender and spiritual leadership within Kenyan churches and highlighted the ongoing contributions of women in shaping theological discourse.

wildlife trust

Everyday life in Kenya

“Though born and raised in Nairobi, I discovered how much of my city I had yet to truly see,” said seminar participant Abby Njeri, a master’s degree student in Bible and Theology at Pan Africa Christian University. “The seminar became a powerful academic and spiritual bridge, fostering intercultural theological dialogue, community engagement, and a deeper understanding of African Christianity in context. This journey served as a reminder that faith is most powerful when it meets people where they are—joyful, struggling, worshiping, and resting.” 

Beyond the classroom and church visits, the group also experienced everyday life in Kenya, particularly through local cuisine, with food playing a central role in the trip. They enjoyed traditional dishes such as chapati and ugali, served both at local restaurants and thoughtfully prepared by the host school’s cafeteria. A visit to a nearby coffee farm provided insight on Kenya’s rich agricultural heritage, allowing students to participate in the whole coffee production process—from bean to brew. In Nairobi, they further explored the city’s vibrant food scene, sampling popular street snacks, like smochas. Others had the opportunity to practice their bargaining skills at a local market.

On the second-to-last day of the trip, the students visited an Islamic academic institution, where they witnessed the intentionality of the space, down to the architectural design, which was meant to evoke a connection to the Divine. There, the students had the opportunity to see teaching tools designed for medical students, including a robotic model of a pregnant woman that could simulate childbirth. After this visit, the YDS students reached out to two local queer pastors who lead an LGBTQ+-affirming Christian congregation. They shared their stories, as well as the story of their congregation’s inception and growth. They shared how they have been involved in the community around them since the beginning, whether through initiatives for queer rights, women’s rights, or other causes. These two pastors gave the students an opportunity to see a side of African Christianity that is not often discussed and opened their eyes to the experiences of various marginalized people in Nairobi and Kenya at large. 

Later that evening, a concluding dinner was held at the home of Prof. Mugambi and his family. The evening was filled with laughter, good food, and the sharing of what the trip meant for each person. At the very end of the evening, Dr. Mugambi prayed over each student, accompanied by his wife, Wambui Kyama, who anointed them with oil and spoke over their lives through the Holy Spirit. Dr. Mugambi, as he often jokes, wanted to end the evening the African Pentecostal way. 

group with Scott and Kyama

Students with Professor Mugambi (1st row, 3rd from right) and Scott Libson of the Divinity Library (1st row, 3rd from left) 

‘Familia Mugambi’

Antonio Vargas ’25 M.Div. said, “Speaking with Familia Mugambi was one of the best experiences I’ve had thus far.” Vargas said he was moved to learn of the family’s practice of deep prayer and intercession before making decisions, and to see the family’s deep faith embodied in its hospitality and care for its children.. It was a powerful evening that stirred students with encouragement, gratitude, and care. 

On the final full day, the students also went on a game drive to see safari animals. They enjoyed the open-roof vehicles and the opportunity to take pictures of the animals they were able to spot. Taeha An ’25 M.A.R. said, “I really enjoyed that we could see the tall buildings of the city even from the game drive site.” Later, the students returned to a local artisan market, where they had their final opportunity to haggle and bargain for souvenirs and gifts for those back home. 

The next day, the students headed home, where their everyday lives awaited them. Some students were apprehensive about returning home and what it would be like to try to explain the breadth of their experience. Others were ready, energized to re-enter their local contexts, feeling more equipped and encouraged to do what they felt the Divine had in store for them. And others had graduation weekend awaiting them upon their arrival back in the States. Regardless of where a student landed in the three postures, they were all vocal about their thankfulness for the opportunity to experience Nairobi as welcomed visitors. Three of the students who attended were Prof. Mugambi’s advisees, and they expressed how pleased they were to see more students learn from and experience the care the professor has for his work and students. 

Ultimately, each student left different and changed in some way, whether through a conversation had, a moment experienced, or something else entirely that only they could know and articulate. As Anthony Kagunda, a Kenyan Bachelor of Divinity student at St. Paul’s University, said about lived religion in Nairobi, “Church becomes family, prayer becomes breath, and faith becomes a living, adaptive response to the pressures and possibilities of urban existence.”