“I want to be a missionary because giving back is what they do!”
Maria Nzeyimana over the time at Daystar University.
Scholarship Student, Maria Nzeyimana
Burundi has had a turbulent political situation for decades. Maria was orphaned at 3 months old. She was brought to live an orphan home run by a British woman, Chrissie Chapman. By the time she was eight years old Maria had 53 "siblings" there. As you might imagine, it was a challenge to get along as a family with that many children. Although the home was strict, and life as an orphan was traumatizing at times, there was a sense of family and belonging. The children were taught life skills, they had family nights with movies, and annual talent shows. Most importantly this is where Maria came to know Christ.
Maria excelled in her high school education and helped in the school also started by Chrissie, teaching the younger children the skills she’d learned. Chrissie could see Maria was bright, and should go on to higher education. About the time Maria hit her upper teens, Chrissie became ill – battling cancer. But she remained connected to the orphan home; trying to do all she could for the children in her care.
Chrissie had a connection at Daystar, and she managed to get the funds together for Maria to do a diploma (associate's degree) in counseling psychology. Maria packed up and came to Nairobi to study. Once she finished her diploma at Daystar, Maria longed to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Education in Burundi is looked at with suspicion because many political leaders do not have higher education. By this time Chrissie had gone back to England for treatment, and could not do any more fund raising. Maria remained hopeful in the face of more loss.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, everyone was stuck where they were and funding was hard to come by. Maria did odd jobs around campus to keep herself afloat, and kept hoping and praying for some kind of miracle or breakthrough. Finally in 2021 someone told her that she could apply for financial aid. The day after meeting with the financial aid committee she received a message that Chrissie Chapman had passed away (in England). The last text she had received from Chrissie was, “Make Mama proud.”
Chrissie was the only mother Maria had known so now she was even more determined to finish her degree. During the last year of Chrissie’s life, Maria's siblings from the orphan home were begging her to come back, telling her that it was no use hoping anymore. Maria had to steel herself against the pleas of her siblings if she was going to finish her degree and make her mama proud.
During her time at Daystar Maria has been involved in a local church plant, which has allowed her to build close relationships with others and really feel at home. She’s been a resident assistant for one of the female hostels at Daystar and involved with Daystar Christian Fellowship.
Maria is completing a degree in Environmental Health (public health) this semester and will graduate in November. She longs to be a missionary; upon graduation her goal is to get some further training on how to share the gospel and how the mission enterprise works. “I’m really privileged to live and go to school here.” Life in Kenya has been better for her, even though she has had her struggles. “This feels like home. I feel like an adult.” Maria loves to help others, socialize, braid hair, and listen. One of her favorite verses is found in Hebrews 12:1. One day soon she will make a wonderful missionary public health worker.
Pray that Maria finds the right fit for further training, and the best place to fulfill her calling to be a missionary.