Joy and Rain

Recently we had the joy of watching Demit shine in her culinary calling. Demit joined Twende in 2022 with plans to study fashion and design. But her close friends—having noticed how naturally she gravitated to kitchen work—encouraged her to consider culinary arts. She committed to become a chef and it is clear she has discovered her passion.

When we offered to host the Marrieds Fellowship at our home, we asked Demit if she could take the lead on meal preparation. She quickly agreed and traveled from campus to join us in Mbarara. The Marrieds Ministry of Life Center Church has grown from 11 to 19 couples. God rearranged our schedule so that Pr. Elisha’s visit coincided with the event—stretching the guest list to more than 60 people!

Demit led a team of six in planning, purchasing, preparing, and serving the entire meal. She even added African spiced tea at the last minute to help everyone fight the cold weather—58°F and rainy with no indoor heating is cold! Because of schedule changes, she ended up traveling from campus to our home twice, which allowed her time to teach our crew how to make chicken and veggie samosas and donuts. At school, she recently cooked for her “samosa exam,” and the Chefs rushed in to sample her work—now we know why!

In the kitchen, Demit combined the speed needed to cook for large groups, the adaptability to shift plans when rain complicated the outdoor cooking, and the patience and grace to teach others. She has journeyed from being a teenage mother who feared she had no path forward to becoming a steady mentor and role model to her siblings and to many at Twende. She embodies our value "We embody RESILIENCE in our vocational pursuits and live COURAGEOUSLY"

Looking ahead, Demit will complete her Diploma in Culinary Arts in 2026 after her final internship. She hopes to intern at a restaurant in Mbarara to be closer to the Twende family and worship at Life Center Church.

Would you join us in praying for her as she enters her final semester in January and seeks an internship that will equip her to fulfill her dream of opening her own restaurant and teaching young mothers cooking skills they can use to start their own small business?