A young girl timidly walks into the pastor’s office at the Dagoretti Children’s Rehabilitation Centre and welcomes me.

As I make myself comfortable, she begins to recite Bible verses about the virtue of discipleship.

Her eloquence is inspiring, to say the least. I feel more relaxed and do not want her to stop.

She continues, and I can sense that she is destined for great things, just like those who went through the centre’s rehabilitation programme before her.

The Dagoretti Children’s Rehabilitation Programme has produced some of Kenya’s brightest and biggest stars, including gospel artiste Ringtone, top athletes Vivian Cheruiyot and Esther Chemtai, David Ochieng of Harambee Stars and international footballer Dennis Oliech.

They all owe a lot to Pastor Enos Baxic Oumo, the warm-hearted, God-fearing man who gave them a second chance, nurtured their talents and whom they proudly call ‘father’.

The centre, situated in the Wanye area of Dagoretti in Nairobi County, has been under the management of Pastor Enos for 22 years. He is its founder.

It is both the home and school of nearly 500 children aged between 5 and 16.

 Happy faces

The pastor explains that there are four categories of children living at the home; orphans, children with only one parent and children with and without guardians.

“We care for children who are in need, because they are all God’s children and they all need love,” he says.

As he leads me on a tour of the premises, I observe the brightly coloured walls, the well-kept sleeping quarters and the happy faces of the children.

They are curious, but I notice the calm and welcoming atmosphere of the home.

The younger children pop their heads out of the classrooms and duck shyly as we walk past, while the older children greet me with confidence, one hand resting on their forearms, as a sign of respect, as we shake hands.

We make a stop in the reception-cum-trophy room where Pastor Enos proudly shows me a cabinet with array of trophies the children have won.

More awards won in singing, acting, music composition and sports competitions are on the table.

“The children are very talented,” he says.

“They just need someone to care for them and nurture their talent, which is my God-given purpose.”

Pastor Enos attributes the success of the home to God, saying that without faith, he would not have had the energy to start the centre.

“The children eat up to 90 kilogrammes of maize meal per day and sometimes we do not have that quantity, so I boil water and pray that the Lord will deliver. Sure enough, He does and the children get their daily bread,” he testifies.

Beacon of hope

The centre has grown greatly since its establishment in 1993, and has become a beacon of hope and pride for the community.

In the year 2000, Pastor Enos established the National Hidden Talents Academy, a primary and secondary school for the children to develop their talents in academics and sports.

Many of the children who grew up at the centre have since proceeded to tertiary institutions in Kenya and abroad.

“I am very proud of them,” he admits.

“And that is not just because they made it to university, but also because some of them keep in touch and give back to the centre when they can.”

He talks of one, studying at a local private university, who convinced the institution to donate beds and mattresses for one dormitory at the centre.

Entertained guests

Other benefactors include CFC Bank and the Kenyan Community in Geneva, who sponsored the construction of sleeping quarters an provided beds.

Polish Aid donated equipment for the centre’s biology and physics laboratories.

“We do not have permanent sponsors, but we are lucky that there are people and organisations who donate essentials for the children out of good will,” Pastor Enos explains.

On Labour Day, a group of volunteers from World Ventures visited the centre, donated paints and food and spent time with the children, who in return entertained the guests.

Pastor Enos says keeping the home running has not been easy, as there are people who have tried to throw a spanner in the works.

He says several accusations, including child trafficking and theft, have been made against him, but he soldiers on.

Taken to court

“I have been accused of many things, taken to court and detained but I have come out victorious because what we are doing here is for the glory of God,” he says, and adds that the persecution he has faced is only a test of his faith. He then shows me his vision, which reads: “These are the 12 tribes which God wants me to raise.”

The 12 tribes he refers to are Maasai, Turkana, Teso, Luhya, Luo, Kisii, Kalenjin, Meru, Kikuyu, Embu, Kamba and Taita.

“I have been blessed with parcels of land in those areas and I would like to build referral centres for the disadvantaged children from those places, so they, too, can be part of their communities,” he says. “It’s not easy, but I won’t give up.”

Some of his staff members and volunteer teachers grew up at the centre.

 Love and dedication

Elizabeth Aoko, a teacher, says it is sometimes difficult to reach some children emotionally due to their difficult past.

“It is important that one is properly trained to love and care for them. We weave the feeling back into these children so that they can grow up happy,” she says.

Aoko, like all the other teachers at the centre, is a volunteer.

She is trained in the German, British, American and Waldorf education systems, with an emphasis on early childhood development.

“We have a lot of love and dedication at the centre,” says Aoko, who has been a volunteer teacer for five years.

“We rely on God and work by faith and things work in God’s way.”

Aoko adds that she is grateful to be working with Pastor Enos, who has done a lot for the children in the community.

Pastor Enos, who is originally from Uganda, is married to a Kenyan and they have three sons and three daughters.

“My children are always around me and they help however they can,” he says.

Pastor Enos enjoys composing music and hopes to build a university to give the children opportunities to develop their talents further.

“I put all my faith in God, and I believe what one has as a mission must come to pass.”

Before I leave, we pray together and I walk away feeling uplifted and inspired by this show of unselfish love.