Mission Accomplished! (09-1952)

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

As I step into the office I am welcomed by Dr. Kingsbury who cheerfully greets me with a firm handshake and a warm smile. My eyes are captured by the expanse of his office. Just by the atmosphere, one can tell that this is no place for idleness but serious work. There are various shelves full of books, documents and papers surrounding the table, a computer and a big printer, one of the other three coloured printers in the university, smiles at the wall. It is imperative for students to engage and know who their staff is since they ensure smooth running of the institution. We take a stride to unmask Dr. Charles Kingsbury.

“Please have a seat” he says, as I sit down to begin our somewhat long and interesting interview. Dr. Kingsbury was born in Washington DC, something he says is very rare for a Caucasian man since Washington has a very high population of African Americans. I am amazed to learn just how educated this man is. Dr. Kingsbury has gone through most levels of education, a diploma in Bible from Fulfaith Bible College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from William Jewell College, a Masters in Intercultural Studies from Wheaton College and eventually a PhD in Adult Education from Florida State University

                                     Dr. kingsbury during the interview  (photo by jeff wanjohi)

“Didn’t you find the long journey of studying agonising?” I pose and a thought crosses my mind that I am barely through with my undergraduates and Dr. Kingsbury, with all the studies he’s done notwithstanding, is just beginning. “No not really, education is the joy of life. You never stop learning”, he says. However he did not study continuously. “When did you come to Kenya?” I’m quick to ask. “Long before you were born”, he responds jokingly. Dr.Kingsbury came to Kenya in 1980 to do traditional missionary work. He lived in Nyeri for a long time. He taught pastors, started a Bible school and performed various ministry works. When training church leaders he noticed that despite teaching them he saw no change in them. This is what inspired him to pursue a Masters degree. After the Masters degree he saw some change in his students at that particular time. Taking time off to study for a master’s degree had paid off.

In the early 90’s Dr.Kingsbury was invited by the then Vice Chancellor of Daystar University Professor Talitwala to establish a program for ministering to faculty members. For the past 14 years, Dr. Kingsbury has been instrumental in mentoring and training Faculty. The training of faculty is a daunting task as they face a lot of challenges. He gets into the nitties of how teaching staff is burdened by work and pressed by life issues such as finances. Most of Our staff teach a maximum of up to 18 credits instead of 12 credits, this puts them under intense pressure. “Students need you to help them learn, help students be creators of knowledge and not consumers”, says he. Dr.Kingsbury explains to me how lecturers simply give out information and are not able to properly engage their students. “The students have the internet and a big beautiful library to give them information so if you are a lecturer and that is what you are doing, then you don’t have a job.”

Dr.Kingsbury strives to mentor and teach lecturers how to properly facilitate creation of information by students. This mentorship is optional. 

                                           Interview in progress (photo by jeff wanjohi)

“Have you seen any change in the work you have done?” I pose. “I don’t know. It’s like asking a chef to tell you how his food tastes like. He may like the way it tastes but another person may not necessarily like it. The people to ask are the students”, he is assertive on that. When he speaks he says this very passionately driving my mind to think of what he has just said. Being in Daystar for such a long time, I am curious to ask him of what changes he has seen. He explains how our student population has increased, if the three campuses is anything to go by. Despite all the positive change, he explains how Daystar communal fibre has been destroyed with the increase in populace. He gives me an example. When one is in the village you personally know everyone and have some form of interaction. Nowadays Daystar has become like Nakumatt (supermarket) where people just come, get what they want and leave. There is no personal relation between students, faculty and staff.

Dr.Kingsbury set up Ukarimu ministries a mentoring, discipleship and counselling ministries. Praxis fellowship is a group under Ukarimu ministries in which students come together and talk about life issues. I caught up with one Cyrus Macharia who learnt about Praxis fellowship through a friend, he became a member and is the current chairperson for the group. “Dr.Kingsbury is very hardworking, he aims to see excellence in students in all spheres of life not just in academics”, says Cyrus. During my interview with Cyrus I get an insight on how Dr Kingsbury shares his experience in life and engages in mentoring young men in being responsible and respectable persons in society. It is through this engagement that I realise that Dr. Kingsbury is involved in more work than we can fathom.

                                          Dr. kingsbury stressing a point. (photo by jeff wanjohi )

Danyell Odhiambo another member of Praxis says he came to know about Dr.Kingsbury through his friends who were members of Praxis fellowship. “Dr.Kingsbury is a source of motivation. He gives advice on spiritual life, education and social issues”. I ask him what he thinks of Dr.Kingsbury at which he gleefully smiles and says, “He is full of humour, pushes you to work hard, gives one hope and is a good source of encouragement”. 

Dr. Kingsbury, the man. This man has seen it all, endured it and has a story to tell. A story that would keep you glued in the comfy seats of his office sipping a cup of brewed hot coffee. It is through such people that one realises that the world comprises of people who work behind the scenes to make things happen. In his apparently busy schedule which we managed to interrupt for this interview, he is quick to ask whether we’ve got any other questions. At this juncture, I take a quick gulp of the remaining coffee and thank him for availing time for the interview. He gives a genuine smile, reinforced with a firm handshake and goes back to his desk to resume working. I take a sigh of relief and tell myself “mission accomplished!”

Word Count: 1,088 words.