A unique organization By Jessica Barnes

   I came to MITS almost a month ago to serve in the catering department, building ovens and teaching lessons. As I left my friends, family, and newly received degree behind, I thought I was escaping from everything in America. However, I quickly received new friends and family here and, much to my surprise, my education in organizational communication followed me here as well. I have quietly and sometimes obtrusively, through interviews, studied this organization. My conclusion has left me captivated. I am enthralled by the the stories of strife, love for the unloved and continual encouragement that this place provides all who come into contact with it. 

   I have heard about the body of Christ for many years and in countless sermons, and even though I thought I fully understood the concept it was hard to see it in practice. Yet, the iconic picture of the body of Christ is so deeply manifested in this sacred place that it almost knocked me off of my feet. "Finally," I thought, "this is what Jesus meant about the body of Christ." Each staff member here has a unique gift that is used to serve others and in turn, serve the Lord. As each person uses their gift they uniformly create a unifying place of love expressed through service. In a sense, this place is a utopia; everyone uses their gift to benefit the whole. Let me explain. I see Nzioka building the furniture for the kids to use, while close by Jackton works to make school uniforms for the kids and also to sell them in the MITS shop. Laurent teaches catering and the students all take turns at their dorms preparing the nightly food for one another. The food is gathered from the farm where Ben quietly works early in the morning and into the evening collecting eggs, milk, corn, and other vegetables to be used in the dorms and in the cafeteria. The food and well water that is sold funds continual planting which ensures the future nourishment of the precious children living here. 

   As I have conducted two organizational communication workshops with the team I have left each time in awe of how clearly God hand-picked this staff. This staff cares for each other more than most families I know back home. MITS is such a unique place where the staff use their gifts to serve the Lord daily. This is so much more than a job. I think of a job as a place to make a living and when you clock out at the end of the day you are finished. The job here is never finished. Most of the staff here also live on the premises and their influence on the students does not have a time card. The staff here are a constant encouragement and influence on these students and even under the student's watchful eyes there are no slip ups... only love and compassion expressed in more ways than words would say. I was told to always work like you don't need the money and I finally know what that looks like. I wish others who squander their gifts in jobs unfit for them would not be drowned out by the world telling them that a job is just a job. I wish that everyone had a chance to see what the soul fully alive looks like, and maybe then their lives would reflect the beauty of our Lord. My prayer as I leave this place is for the staff here to know how precious they are and how planned their lives were for this place. Yesterday, as a group prayed for the food we were eating, I was holding Jackton's hand. I was overcome with humility and honor knowing that I had the privilege to know someone whom God is especially close with. My fear is that I will never find a place that expresses the body of Christ so wonderfully again and that my experience with MITS has created expectations for an organization that may never be replicated. 

Thank you for letting me be a part of the place. 

(Note:  Jessica came for a month to MITS as part of a team from Pepperdine University who have taught cooking (primarily baking) and outdoor oven-building to staff and students.  We at MITS are happy with the relationship we sustain with Pepperdine.  This year our administrator Francis Mbuvi taught a class at Pepperdine Lectures and was honored with a service award at the Men's Fellowship Dinner.)