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Elvis Story

My name is Elvis Ingadi Ludenyo. I come from a small family of two—my sister and me. Sadly, we lost both our parents when I was still in lower primary school. Life took a tough turn when I was just eight years old, in Class 2.

My dad worked at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), and my mum was a grocery vendor. Unfortunately, we lost my mum to cancer, which marked the beginning of a challenging time for our family. Her passing deeply affected us all, but it hit my dad the hardest. Struggling to cope, he turned to heavy drinking, which eventually cost him his job.

We had to leave behind everything and return to our rural home in Hamisi Constituency, located in the Western region of Kenya. Life took a drastic turn there as my grandmother stepped in to raise my sister and me. With my dad’s health deteriorating, he could no longer care for us. He spent his days drowning his frustrations in chang’aa, a local gin, seemingly lost in his own struggles.

After two years, tragedy struck again when my dad fell ill and passed away. His death left a gaping hole in our lives. Suddenly, we were two young children without parents to guide or protect us. The absence of parental love and support made the already tough times even harder to bear. I often found myself yearning for the warmth and care that only parents can provide, wishing they were there to shield us from the challenges we faced.

With no immediate family to turn to, we moved in with our extended family—our cousins, uncles, and aunties. It was a challenging period filled with uncertainty and emotional upheaval. Despite the hardship, I am deeply grateful to God for His faithfulness in sustaining us through such difficult times. Even in the midst of sorrow, we found strength to keep going.

Even in the face of immense loss and hardship, the unwavering support of family and the faithfulness of God can provide the strength to endure and the hope to rise again.

Hunger

I can’t clearly recall ever wearing a school uniform up until class 7. Life in those days was challenging, to say the least. Every morning, I would walk barefoot for 5 kilometers from our village to school. The journey wasn’t easy, but it was part of my daily routine. Often, I would return home for lunch only to find there was none. Those were the moments that truly tested my endurance, as I had to muster the strength to walk back to school on an empty stomach and still focus on my studies.

Hunger is a cruel companion, especially for a young child trying to learn and grow. It’s hard to concentrate when your stomach is empty and your body is weary, but somehow, I made it through. By the grace of God, I survived those difficult times. His grace was truly sufficient, giving me the strength to persevere despite the odds. Looking back, I realize that those tough seasons shaped my resilience and taught me to trust in God’s provision, even in the most challenging moments.

More Tough Times

One day an aunt of ours who resided at Kitale visited us and after seeing the hardships we were facing, she decided to take my sister to live with her. This was more or less a rescue mission from starvation.​

I was left to tough it out in the village despite my tender age.  As luck would have it I made it to Class 8 and sat my primary end exams but I did not perform well and had to repeat class 8. It was also a stopgap as there were no fees to proceed to form one. After repeating and scoring much better on the second attempt, the same challenge showed its ugly face again; there was no money for school fees.​

Before his demise, my dad had had a bull. The only way out was for my grandmother to sell it. I remember she sold it for seven thousand shillings and used the money to enroll me in a government school called Jemovo, where she paid KShs. 3,000 as school fees. It was less than usual because I reported late in the term. 

Rock bottom

From the Kshs 7,000, she bought school uniforms, books and other necessities. Life was normal. I regularly did chores such as picking tea, herding cattle and cooking. Tragedy hit back again at Form Two. I didn’t manage to continue with school because no one was there to pay for my school fees. And there was nothing else to sell, because it was the bull which had generated money. We had used to hire it at a fee for breeding purposes and to plough our neighbour’s land. We had now hit rock bottom and there was no way out of the ugly situation. Life was frustrating and challenging to say the least. Things were tough and it was survival of the fittest. 

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A Miracle

In 2004, I found myself stuck at home for another school term because we couldn’t afford the fees. I remember crying every day, asking God why this was happening to me. But there was no one to give me answers. The school principal didn’t care to listen to anything beyond the fact that I didn’t have money. No matter how many times I tried to explain my situation, he would send me home, sometimes three times in a single day.

Then, a miracle happened. There was a school in our village called Crossroads Springs Institute, run by a member of our community, the late Dr. Meshack Isiaho. This school had friends from the US who were committed to helping students from struggling backgrounds, including orphans and vulnerable children. By God’s grace, two of these friends, Alison Hyde and Carol Snyder, stepped in and paid my school fees from Form Two to Form Four.

Carol went even further, supporting me to pursue higher education. I joined Sigalagala Technical College, where I earned a certificate in social development with distinction. Later, I enrolled at Daystar University, a well-known Christian institution. I completed a diploma in community development in 2011, followed by a degree from 2013 to 2014. I’m now pursuing a Master’s degree, a journey I started in 2015.

This journey of grace and support transformed my life, and I will always be grateful.

Success

During my studies at Daystar, I found myself nominated for various leadership roles and I rediscovered myself. I managed to serve as the Secretary for Clubs in the year 2012. Later, I was unanimously voted as the DUSA Chairperson 2013/2014. During my graduation, I was honoured with the prestigious Vice Chancellors Award of excellence. This has been my greatest treasure to date and I thank God for how far He has brought me.

My Calling

After graduation, I felt a deep calling to support orphans, vulnerable children, and the community as a whole. It became clear to me that I had a responsibility to give back and serve, recognizing that many of the challenges people face require compassionate and effective leadership. My goal is to help the community become self-reliant and break free from dependence on political aid.

I came to a profound understanding of John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.”

This scripture touched my heart, and I placed my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior. Through this faith, I found new purpose and direction in life. I am deeply grateful for God’s grace, which allowed someone like me—an orphan—to believe in Him and embrace His love.

Believing in Jesus Christ has brought me indescribable joy and a life filled with meaning and hope. I can confidently say that becoming a child of God is a decision you will never regret. A new life in Christ is truly one of unspeakable joy and everlasting glory.

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