Umba, Jérémy Nsenga
Jérémy Nsenga Umba is an international Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service.
The Global Mission Fellows program takes young adults ages 20-30 out of their home environments and places them in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong young leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world.
Jérémy is a lay member of Malemba Centre United Methodist Church, related to the North Katanga Annual Conference in the Democratice Republic of the Congo. He is a youth leader and the choir president. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and African culture.
Born into an impoverished, United Methodist family, 10-year-old Jérémy was reading and studying the Bible with his pastor. “I recognized the presence of the almighty God,” he recalled. “Little by little, my local pastor started giving me the opportunity to share the word of God in early morning worship.”
Jérémy started preaching at school and in church. One day, his biological mother dreamed that he was standing among many people with a Bible in his hands and he was preaching.
Initially, he did not accept her dream. He told her he couldn’t be a pastor like he appeared in her dream. His mother assured him that even lay people are called to preach. Two other people shared similar visions for Jérémy.
“From there,” he said, “I understood that I was called to serve the mission for the transformation of the world by evangelization.”
Jérémy is eager to cultivate his talents as a Global Mission Fellow.
“I want to put into action my passion that I have had since childhood,” he said. “I have this calling. That’s why I studied psychology and educational science at university.
“I like working with people from different communities,” Jérémy continued. “I feel bad when I see people suffering due to lack of knowledge or injustice from the people in the community.”
When he saw how people who are Deaf were treated by their families and others, he was motivated to create a training center to help them gain value in the community. “We are all equal before our almighty God,” he insisted.
As a Global Mission Fellow, Jérémy hopes to develop skills to collaborate with people from various communities and to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.
With his teaching expertise and interest, Jérémy hopes to prepare others to provide an educational foundation for children, youth and young adults.
“Education is the key to the wealth and developments of the community,” Jérémy explained. “I will use my skill to create training centers to fight against the inequality of education for children and young people, as well as people living with disabilities.” In collaboration with the government, he would like to create training centers authorized and approved by the state.