Boniface Ndambuki first encountered The Navigators while studying at Machakos Technical Training Institute (now Machakos University). At the time, he was not yet a believer. However, through organic friendships and genuine exposure to God’s Word, the Lord drew him to faith while he was away on industrial attachment.
Upon returning to college, Boniface intentionally sought out the Navigators community and dove into campus Bible studies. Justus Makau discipled him throughout his student years, helping establish firm foundations in his faith and teaching him how to walk consistently with Christ.
His First Family of Faith
After graduation, Justus encouraged Boniface to join the Short Term Experience in Ministry (STEM). Boniface gladly accepted the challenge. He stepped into a rich environment where Justus Makau, Victor Kilwake, and Alex Kiamba served as his trainers, and the wider Machakos Navigators became what he fondly describes as his first family of faith.
During this training season, he ministered directly to students at Machakos University and Kwanthanze High School. As God raised up student leaders who took genuine ownership of the campus work, Boniface was able to gracefully transition into leading the Core Group ministry.
In 2013, Boniface married Kate. Together, they formed a unified front for the Gospel—with Kate serving as a light in the marketplace while actively anchoring their shared disciplemaking efforts.
A Burden for Kitui
As their ministry in Machakos matured, Boniface and Kate sensed the Lord gently pointing them toward an entirely new horizon. Coincidentally, the national leadership of The Navigators Kenya was actively praying over expanding into the wider Ukambani region, specifically targeting Kitui and Makueni.
When the National Training Program was hosted in Kitui during 2013 and 2014, the leadership team pleaded with God to provide visionary laborers willing to plant roots there. Over time, that continuous prayer turned inward, and the Lord began placing Kitui deeply onto Boniface’s heart.
In 2017, following an intentional season of prayer and discernment, Boniface and Kate became fully convinced of their calling. Side-by-side with the Machakos team, they dedicated a full year to visiting, praying over the soil, and seeking God’s precise operational direction.
Starting From the Ground Up
In 2018, the Ndambukis officially packed up and relocated to Kitui, launching a fresh campus ministry at South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU). This pioneering phase demanded heavy perseverance, grueling hours on the road, and a constant willingness to adapt.
Faithfulness soon gave way to growth as God provided fellow laborers:
- Daniel Ngurimu joined the team first as a dedicated staff trainee.
- Hans Munyua arrived shortly after, rounding out the early team.
Together, they built an authentic local ministry culture rooted in deep friendship, earnest prayer, and life-on-life disciplemaking.
When the COVID-19 pandemic completely disrupted normal campus operations in 2020, the team pivotally shifted focus. Once campuses safely reopened, they strategically targeted SEKU’s Kitui Town Campus while simultaneously engaging students at the Kenya Water Institute and the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
Raising Local Laborers
In 2022, the team launched a local Core Group ministry in Kitui. The overarching vision was clear: to invest heavily in indigenous young men and women who could eventually carry the torch of the ministry forward within their own communities.
Over time, they have joyfully witnessed God raise emerging leaders with a deep hunger for Scripture and a matching desire to shepherd others. Boniface continues to pass the baton to younger laborers—including Manoti, who recently wrapped up his STEM training and successfully transitioned into the Discipleship and Ministry Leadership Training (DMLT) track.
Furthermore, the ministry maintains healthy intergenerational bonds through annual Nav Connect gatherings, helping alumni remain spiritually tethered and inspired to invest back into the student generations coming up behind them.
Alongside the core campus efforts, God unexpectedly opened thriving doors among young professionals and newly married couples. What initially began as just a few hungry individuals looking for help in studying the Scriptures has blossomed into a vibrant community that now actively advocates for and financially supports the local campus and Core Group ministries.
The Ndambukis continue to trust God to fulfill His ancient promises in Kitui, resting on the assurance that He is fully able to make “the least a thousand and the smallest a mighty nation.”