"Wouldn't it be amazing for us to all be working within the assignment God has given us under the confidence of who he says we are, with the assurance that we can do what he says we can do?"

Maureen, an international school behaviour interventionist, discipleship facilitator, and women's mentor, is passionate about helping others discover their identity in Christ and their God-given gifts. Born and raised in Kenya, Maureen and her family grew up living with her father's extended family until he tragically died when she was eight. Her paternal relatives then disowned Maureen's family, forcing them to leave their land and home. Maureen and her siblings lived with her maternal grandparents while their mom worked in the city to provide for them. Maureen credits her grandma for teaching her everything she knows. When she was old enough, she went to join her mother in Nairobi. Maureen got a Bachelor's Degree in Finance and Accounting but quickly realized this wasn't her passion. In 2013, a friend invited her to visit Burundi, a small country that captured her heart, and she hasn't left since.

Growing up, Maureen had little exposure to Christianity, and she had seen pastors abusing their authority in the church. A friend invited Maureen to a home church in Burundi, which changed everything for her. The small group context allowed her to voice doubts and engage in deep theological discussions, leading to a transformative journey. Maureen says, "In the slow pace of Burundi, God met me in the quietness". She gave her life to Christ and continued attending the home church, where she could be discipled and mentored. Ten years later, the church has grown. Maureen now oversees five discipleship groups, mentors women, runs a 14-week Freedom in Christ program for women to discover their identity and freedom from the past, and teaches a course on Servant Leadership. She shares, "I get so excited seeing someone go from saying how unworthy they are to understand, 'Oh, I am worthy despite what I am going through; I am a gem in God's eyes.' That's what I'm passionate about".

Over the years, Maureen's career path has taken many turns. She interned for an NGO equipping teachers, became a school administrator, taught a religious education course at an international school, served as a counselor, taught business classes, and now works as a behaviour interventionist at the same international school, meeting one-on-one with teens from broken homes. Maureen strongly emphasizes the importance of influence on teenagers. She has witnessed firsthand the impact of her words on a young girl who sought her guidance post-high school and wanted to know if God would give her a second chance; Maureen told her about God's grace and led her to Christ. This experience solidified her commitment to guiding others out of despair and towards faith. She shares, "In a world with so much negativity, division, and mental health issues, I want to bring what God says into that space".

God has given Maureen a heart for Burundi, especially for women and teens. She shares, "The world's portrayal of Burundi has really impacted people's view of themselves and their nation". She is passionate about helping people understand their worth, unleash their full potential, and transform their nation, starting with mindset. Maureen is excited about attending the Abundant Leadership Institute, with the confidence that it can further equip her to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time trainer, where she sees herself developing and delivering a course on identity and calling that is rooted in Servant Leadership and Asset-Based Community Development.