Adams Mutonga first met The Navigators in 1982 during a Coffee House fellowship at Kenyatta University. He joined a small group — alongside Jean Kiviu, Mary Mbati, and others — to reflect on the message that day. He shared excitedly that just a week earlier he had renewed his relationship with the Lord and was seeking help to grow.
He was introduced to Les Johnstone, an American missionary trainee, who began meeting with him for Bible study and personal sessions. After a year, when Les left Kenya, Adams was connected with Mutua Mahiaini.
Sarah’s path to the Navigators began while she was working as an untrained teacher near a camp in 1982. There, she met Mvula Mvula, a Navigator from Malawi studying at Scott Theological College. He offered her a word of direction: if she joined Kenyatta University and connected with the Navigators, she could be discipled and equipped to help others.
As soon as Sarah arrived at Kenyatta University, she sought out the ministry and became part of a Bible study group with the late Grace Wambua and Lucy Kabugu, led by Mbithe Mutiso. Her greatest joy quickly became learning how to share the Gospel — and experiencing the overwhelming feeling when someone came to faith.
The chain of discipleship continued to grow. After Mbithe graduated, Sarah and Becky Asiachi were mentored by Mary Mbati, who was being trained by Esther Waruiru. Thereafter, Stephanie Mahiaini became Sarah’s main trainer. By her second year, Sarah was already leading a Bible study, replicating all she had learned with Lucy Kiviu — which included visiting Lucy’s room at 5:30 a.m. once a week. By Sarah’s third year, Lucy was discipling other students. By the time Sarah graduated, she had witnessed an entire generation rising.
A Vision Born in Courtship
During their courtship, Adams and Sarah dreamed together of starting a Navigator ministry in Machakos once they married. They both applied to schools in the Machakos area. To their surprise, Sarah was posted to the exact school where Adams was already teaching. They took this providential alignment as their answer and married in 1987.
The Nav leadership deeply invested in their early journey. Leaders visited them in Garissa where Adams was teaching at one point, bringing a team to boost local evangelism efforts and inspire new Bible study groups — a personal touch that deeply encouraged the young couple.
From the Classroom to Full-Time Ministry
After years of teaching — building vibrant ministries in every school they served, equipping students, and encouraging them to share the Gospel — the Navigators leadership invited the Mutongas to join staff as Gift Income persons. They asked for three years to firmly establish their school first. They finally transitioned away once student enrolment had grown from 35 to 225, leaving behind enough equipped teachers to meet the ongoing need.
In 1994, Adams and Sarah left their teaching jobs and moved to Machakos to officially launch the Navigators ministry. The transition came with significant faith-stretching challenges:
- The Business Venture: A secondhand clothing business launched with an EPTF loan to boost fundraising proved too demanding on their time.
- The Provision: They made the difficult choice to close the business to protect their ministry focus — only to receive an unexpected financial gift that cleared most of the debt within the very same month.
Machakos and Beyond
They developed a strategic ten-year plan for the region. By year eight, they had already exceeded their goals and found themselves praying about their next assignment. Chris Amulo, whom they had trained and invested in, was fully ready to step up and lead the work.
In 2004, the Navigators Africa Director invited them to expand their horizons and serve in Tanzania. They moved to Morogoro in 2005 and served faithfully for 17 years — part of which they led the national Tanzania work.
When they eventually returned to Kenya, leadership was handed over to Robert Mrawa, a Tanzanian national. Remarkably, Robert had been discipled in Kenya by Victor Kilwake — a product of the very Machakos ministry Adams and Sarah had founded decades prior. It stood as a beautifully clear sign of multiplication across generations.
Today, Adams and Sarah serve beautifully as alongsiders, supporting and encouraging DMLT and STEM trainers across the wider region.