“Lord, lift us up and let us stand,….”

There is something about a climb that changes the way we see the landscape. The higher we go, the clearer we see. The valleys, the obstacles, and the paths that once seemed hidden from view. For the Mothers’ Union in the Diocese of Garissa, ministry often feels like such a journey.

The Diocese serves communities spread across vast distances, diverse cultures, and challenging social and economic realities. Here, ministry cannot always follow patterns that work elsewhere. Instead, we are called to understand the terrain before us and trust God to guide our steps. The journey begins not by denying the challenges, but by acknowledging them and seeking God’s wisdom to move forward.

I often pray that God would plant our feet on higher ground, not the comfortable ground we might choose, but the place where faith grows stronger through dependence on Him. That prayer captures much of our work through the Mothers’ Union, the Girls’ Friendly Society, and the Boys’ Friendly Society. Together, these ministries seek to strengthen families and raise a generation whose lives are centred on Christ.

The climb is not easy. Trained leaders are few, and the distances they serve are great. Young people face many competing influences that draw their attention away from faith. Discipleship, the patient work of nurturing believers to maturity, requires time, commitment, and consistency. Financial constraints, geographical barriers, and the realities of living as a Christian minority add further challenges. Yet alongside these needs is a deep hunger for spiritual nourishment through fellowship, prayer, and the study of God’s Word.

Amid these realities, I am encouraged by Joshua’s declaration: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). It reminds us that God’s work encompasses entire families and generations. From Sunday School to Youth Ministry, from the Friendly Societies to the Mothers’ Union and Kenya Anglican Women Ministry, each stage of ministry helps nurture faith and strengthen Christian witness.

Like every true climb of faith, this journey is measured not by speed but by faithfulness. Step by step, God leads us upward, until by His grace our feet stand firmly on the higher ground He has prepared for us.