A Fine Model - Beatrice Chitiavi

When we posted the recent article about Noah Chagwi, one of our National Team members, I realized that I wanted you to know as much as you can about all of the amazing people that serve alongside of us.  These are the men and women who are on the front-line teaching, cleaning, preaching, serving, and performing a host of other tasks.  I never want them to feel that their work goes unnoticed by us or you either.  Because of this, I will be highlighting each one, periodically, over the next few months.  Maybe through these candid moments you will come to know and love our Kenyan family members as we do.  They make all of this possible.

Beatrice Chitiavi (National Team Secretary / Bible College Secretary)

I am always telling Beatrice that she makes me look good.  Her detail bookkeeping and reporting is far better than anything I can produce.  It makes sense because she has served as a secretary at the East Africa Bible College for years before coming to serve with us.  She understands the value and importance of good records.  

Beatrice is the oldest child of Pastor Geoffrey Indiazi (Kibera Team Leader / Pastor / Berith Bible College Director).  She is married to Meshack Chitiavi (Berith Bible College Instructor / E&D Team Member / Pastor) who serves alongside his father-in-law.  Beatrice is rarely met without a smile.  Every week that we come to Kibera she is so excited to see us.  I think she loves Lindy so much that she is really just excited to see her each week.  It's understandable.  Lindy has that way with people.  

Beatrice does one of the most over-looked jobs within our team, yet it is one of the hardest and most valuable.  As the pastors and I get to go into the streets each week, share Jesus, see lives changed, teach classes, and direct projects, Beatrice spends most of her time in an office, behind a computer, grading disciple book after disciple book, recording expenditures, and reporting on the ministry.  She will work through meals, when she is tired, while her child is sick, at a moments notice, and most nights she's up until the wee hours.  I've dropped things on her during the same day that I need something and she's returned with the task completed in under 24 hours.  She gladly accepts new tasks and more work loads so that ministry can take place.  When we have conferences or teaching seminars, she graciously attends to the details and paperwork so that those meetings can happen.  Sometimes this means she misses out on being involved in those events.  But she never complains.  She never acts as though it is a burden.  She finds the joy in doing the tasks that few would ever volunteer to do.  While the speaker receives the applause for their part, she is in the back counting names or writing up documentations without anyone ever giving her as much as a 'Thank you'.  But Beatrice won't mind at all.  She teaches me so much through her character and attitude.  THAT is service.  THAT is humility.  

It seems to me the majority of the people I meet in Kenya either are pastors or want to be pastors.  They all see the notoriety and accolades that come with such positions.  I wish more Kenyans would want to be servants like Beatrice.  Those are the people that impress me!  And those are the people that WILL change Kenya because they've already decided that it's not about them!

Her name is Beatrice Chitiavi; and I can't ever pay her enough for what she really deserves.  Please pray for Beatrice, her family, her vital role in this ministry, and my attitude to be more like hers.

Lindy trying to give Beatrice a hairstyle.

Lindy made a cake for Meshack's birthday.  Please notice Beatrice's open-mouth excited expression in the background.