4 February 2026

Rooted in Faith, Sent in Love 

Africa Region Church of the Nazarene

Nazarene missionary Gift Mtukwa shares, “As a young person, I saw little evidence that faith made a meaningful difference in the lives of those around me. Christianity appeared respectable, but not transformative.”

That changed when he moved to the capital city of Harare, Zimbabwe, to look for work. Directly across the street from him, a Nazarene family quietly lived out their faith. He accepted their invitation to attend a Bible study in their home. “What I encountered there was unlike anything I had known—faith that was lived, generous, and authentic,” Gift says. “The following Sunday, I went to church with them. That morning, I surrendered my life to Christ and began a journey of truly following Jesus.”

Gift, originally from Highfields, Harare, Zimbabwe, and his wife, Judy, born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, met while attending Africa Nazarene University. Their shared love for Christ, ministry, and the church shaped their journey together. They were married in 2010 in Kiambu, Kenya, and today live in Nairobi, where they continue to serve faithfully.

While at Africa Nazarene University, Gift and Judy helped found the University Church of the Nazarene to serve the surrounding community when students were away from campus. That same year, Gift was ordained as an elder. What began as a response to a local need has grown into a thriving congregation that now averages nearly 200 people in worship.

Gift has also spent many years teaching at the university level and currently serves as dean of the School of Religion and Christian Ministry. He is passionate about helping believers embrace biblical Christianity rooted in Scripture, equipping leaders to teach God’s Word faithfully and see lives transformed.

Judy has served in several roles at Africa Nazarene University and now works as project manager with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries for the Africa Region. She is passionate about bringing hope to the less fortunate by sharing the love of God through sustainable, life-giving projects.

Their call as Nazarene missionaries weaves together pastoral leadership, theological education, and compassionate ministry.

Gift and Judy are raising their two children, Nathan (7) and Zoe (4), in the faith that shapes every part of their lives. As missionaries serving in Kenya, they are grateful for the prayers of their global church family and for the love and generosity of Nazarenes who contribute to the World Evangelism Fund. These partnerships make make their ministry possible.

Both Gift and Judy remain deeply grateful for God’s persistent grace—from meeting a quiet, faithful Nazarene family across the street in Harare, to the ongoing privilege of serving Christ through Africa Nazarene University and the global church.

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The Church of the Nazarene has 8,869 churches and 965,995 members on the Africa Region. There are currently 98 Nazarene missionaries serving on the region, and 11% of them now come from the Africa Region.

In 1985, missionary Harmon Schmelzenbach went to Kenya to explore opportunities for church planting. He had already met two Kenyan families. The families of John Marangu and Leonard Mboke were instrumental in helping Harmon to settle in Nairobi. Harmon began by inviting a few families to a house fellowship that eventually grew to a church – Nairobi Central Church of the Nazarene. Today, the Church of the Nazarene has 241 organized churches in Kenya.

Members – 30,899                           

Organized Churches – 241 ; Not Yet Organized Churches - 224      

District Licensed Ministers – 222, and Ordained Ministers – 130

Do you feel God is calling you to cross-cultural missions work? Click here for information on how to get involved: Send Me – Church of the Nazarene

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