Today the Evangelism Podcast features an interview with Jemimah Opati, a member of Kubamba, a ministry from Kenya. Kubamba uses creative arts like music, drama, and DJing to spread the gospel message to young people in schools and communities. The ministry has been doing outreach work in Zimbabwe for the past two months, going to schools and sharing the love of Jesus. The team has seen many young people respond to the Gospel and give their lives to Christ. Despite the challenges of living by faith, Jemimah finds great joy in the personal relationships and lives that are transformed through Kubamba’s ministry.
Learn more about Kubamba: https://www.kubamba.com/
Transcript:
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:00):
Welcome to the Evangelism Podcast. I’m Daniel King. I’m excited about telling people about Jesus.
(00:07):
So today I have a special guest with me from
Jemimah Opati (00:15):
Come
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:16):
From Mbba, which is a great ministry out of Kenya.
Jemimah Opati (00:21):
Thank
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:21):
You so much for joining me on the Evangelism Podcast.
Jemimah Opati (00:23):
Thank you for having me.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (00:25):
So we are in Africa together in Zimbabwe this week, and it has been wonderful to serve the Lord to together with you. And I am so impressed with the team of Ku Baba. Tell me a little bit, what is Ku Baba? What are you guys all about?
Jemimah Opati (00:48):
Well, KU Baba is Swahili slang. Well, it can pass for clean Swahili and it can pass for slang. So in the slang it means to have fun.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:07):
Okay.
Jemimah Opati (01:07):
Yes. And that’s what we adopt. And so we do this through creative arts ads that young people, stuff that young people would relate with so much like DJing, music, drama, and all sorts of creative ads that we have to just spread the gospel.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:34):
Now we’re here with a global network of evangelists, the g and e. And last week we did a festival in Guru and I got to preach one night at that. That was really amazing. And then this week we are in Bula. Why
Jemimah Opati (01:53):
Bula
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (01:55):
The second largest city here in Zimbabwe. And we’ve seen God do some great things here, but the Mbba team has actually been here much longer than two weeks. You’ve been here more like two months.
Jemimah Opati (02:08):
Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (02:09):
And you’ve been going school to school, telling young people about the hope and purpose that they can find in Jesus. And so tell me some testimonies. What have you seen God do while you’ve been here in Zimbabwe?
Jemimah Opati (02:25):
Wow, it’s so overwhelming. I’ve seen God give hope, restore, and just affirm both myself and I think the team plus the students and even the teachers, just seeing how their students respond. Having not seen this ever in their schools or going around or such an opportunity, they really, really appreciate. And man, it’s been a full circle moment really for me as a person. I’ve seen God heal and just put together in his own way. Yeah. So I’m so blessed. I’m overwhelmed. I’m just like every other time excited and looking forward to see what he has in store for each and every one of us.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (03:32):
So paint a picture for me. When Ku Baba pulls up into a school, what happens? What is the team doing, and then what is the message you’re trying to convey to the young people?
Jemimah Opati (03:49):
Alright, so when we pull up in a school, definitely we have to lie us with the administration first to let them know we are there. Then them allow us set up. So we move around with our peer system, like our sound system and everything else that,
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:10):
And you have your DJs that can do music?
Jemimah Opati (04:13):
Yes. So we put up our sound system in a span of very few minutes. Everyone knows what they need to do, and then the mics are on, the DJ kit is set, and I mean, the host is ready. They know what they need to do and they just begin.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (04:36):
And so you start with some hype?
Jemimah Opati (04:39):
No, no, no, not really. Of course some icebreakers. Then we do introduction of ourselves and then we also appreciate the teachers and then now just gel and make them feel comfortable, feel comfortable and comfortable. And then now we can stand and dance and then do a worship session after the dance, which is actually praise and worship, but in a fun way. Then worship, actually worship them, pray for themselves to their God. And then now we do the word, and then we have a skit and then do an altar call. And then just summarize if there’s any other thing that we need to do. We do. So we work with school programs so that we don’t also disrespect their time, their flow of the activities. So if we are given an hour, we work with that. If we are allowed to hours, we work with that. If we are given longer, we work with what we are given. Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (05:51):
And what is the main message you’re trying to convey to the kids?
Jemimah Opati (05:57):
It’s just that Jesus loves each and everyone of us. Despite where you come from, it doesn’t matter your background, it doesn’t matter your color, it doesn’t matter, whatever. Jesus loves you and he wants that relationship with you. That’s just it. Salvation is the best gift.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (06:19):
And how do the young people respond? Have you seen a good response?
Jemimah Opati (06:24):
Absolutely. It’s always amazing. I think that’s one of the parts that really just melt my heart because I’m like, the word of God says when you lift praises, he draws men to himself. And just seeing him use us and then drawing so many to himself is, it just breaks my heart to just see the love of God over everyone. Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (06:57):
One of the things I really admire about Ku Baba is that many of the team members are young professionals who were very successful in their jobs, but they decided to leave their jobs and to serve Jesus in this way full time. And then you’re actually raising money in Kenya from friends and people in order to do ministry. And so you’re living life by faith. You’re not paid to do this. You have to trust God to provide. So what is that like living by faith every single day?
Jemimah Opati (07:39):
I wouldn’t lie. It’s not easy, yo guys. It’s not easy because you like your plan A to Z is Jesus. It’s God all the way. We are not perfect. So sometimes you’re like, yo God, are you really going to pull through here? Are you really going to come through? It’s crazy at times because when you’d expect something and it doesn’t come and you feel discouraged, God shows up in another way. But during that season, it’s tough. It’s tough, but you still have to keep trusting. And actually just the word of God just encourages you. It reminds you that his promises are yes and amen. And he’s not a man to lie, nor a son or man to change his mind. So you hold onto that and he comes through in a different way. So unexpected. Then. Yeah,
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (08:48):
KU Baba has a big team, especially in Kenya, and you’re going into the schools, but you’re also doing Bible studies and outreaches to young people. So tell me the role that you play in Mbba and then some of the different avenues that Mbba uses to minister to young people.
Jemimah Opati (09:12):
Well, yeah, we have a Bible study. Well, it started small, but now it’s huge. But we just maintained the name Bible study we made in a cinema in Nairobi called Nairobi Cinema. We host like 800 to a thousand probably plus every Wednesday from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM or nine. And yeah, that’s just one of it. And then we have the missions team. We have the production team now on air because we now cover on land, on air digitally.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (09:51):
And you’re also doing a lot of social media,
Jemimah Opati (09:55):
So we have to go where they are, where young people are. We can’t just wait for them to come to us. So yeah, basically in the missions team that moves around. And I am in the discipleship department, which is also really growing. And we are still dreaming on avenues of how to do discipleship because we do ministry far, far, and wide. So how do we bring all these people on a platform that we can share in Bible study and camps and all these things, just part of discipleship. And yeah. I also help in the creatives department. I’ve done theater, so
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:49):
I really love the
Jemimah Opati (10:51):
Drama
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (10:52):
That you guys do every night at the Gospel Festival, the Mbba team has been doing a lot of hype and dancing, but then also the drama. The other night when I preached right after I finished preaching, immediately the drama began.
(11:10):
The drama begins with Jesus, with God creating someone. And he creates ’em with purpose, but then different sins and distraction and attacks from the devil come. And so some of the different things that she deals with is the temptation of being famous on social media. And then that doesn’t work out. And then a guy comes and they actually take her behind a sheet and throw clothes out over the top, and everyone’s like, ah. And her life just keeps getting worse and worse and worse. And there’s all these different signs that then you put around the
Jemimah Opati (11:53):
Actress’s
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (11:54):
Neck, and she becomes so burdened to the point where she goes to the witch doctor for help. And that doesn’t help, becomes tormented by demons until Jesus appears and rescues her. And the music is pretty intense. And Jesus just grabs the demons with the force
(12:24):
Knocks them to the ground. And he takes all of them, the depression, the sadness, all of the thoughts of suicide, the addictions, the witch doctors, curses, everything. And Jesus takes that, puts it on his own neck, and of course dies so that she can be free.
Jemimah Opati (12:47):
And
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (12:47):
Jesus comes back to life. And so it’s such a powerful drama. And I think young people connect when they can see something as well as just hearing someone preach about it.
Jemimah Opati (13:01):
Exactly. We learn with all our senses. And one of the most powerful senses sites, when you see something, it’s easy to remember even after a very long time. And because it is very dramatic, it etches in your heart and in your mind. So every other time, we’ll always just be remembering it. And that’s in summary, the story of redemption. The story of salvation, that God is constantly, because when you look at God in the whole picture, God is constantly calling this person to himself, no, please stop. Please come here. And the music says it all. And for me, it’s always been powerful. We’ve done it for so many years, but every other time it’s something different and it carries, it’s just fresh every other time. So it is just powerful.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:16):
Yeah.
Jemimah Opati (14:16):
Yeah.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (14:17):
So what is your favorite part about being in CU Baba?
Jemimah Opati (14:24):
Well, I think everything about it. Everything about it. And traveling. I love traveling and getting to do life with people one on one. I’m not a crusade evangelist. I’m not so good on the mic in a big stage. But just doing with people, speaking to them one-on-one, feeling their heart, seeing where they are at, and just speaking into their lives, pouring what I have into them is, I think it’s everything for me really. Cause I’m a very, lemme say, empathetic person.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:11):
Yeah.
Jemimah Opati (15:13):
And I love people. And I feel like even being in Zimbabwe, really, the relationships I’ve got to form with people personally, I really like in Guru some were just coming and crying like, yo, we’re going to miss you, this and that. Very personal relationships. We’ve become friends and family,
(15:40):
We’ve got to learn to disengage. In my mind, I have to do that because I know now I have to go back home. But the relationships will always be there.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:52):
Yeah.
Jemimah Opati (15:53):
Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (15:54):
That’s wonderful. Well, if someone wants to find out more about Baba, what are some of social media platforms where Baba can be found and how can we find Kku Baba?
Jemimah Opati (16:09):
Alright. On Instagram at Ku Baba missions, if you just type at Ku Baba missions, it’ll come.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:17):
Maybe you better spell Kmb Baba for us.
Jemimah Opati (16:20):
K-U-B-A-M-B.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:24):
Aba. Okay. So Ku Baba missions
Jemimah Opati (16:26):
On Instagram? Yes. So at Ku Baba missions. Yeah. One word, then follow. Then we have a channel, a WhatsApp channel. Just type in Ku Baba. You’ll find it on TikTok. We also at, which is Ku Babababa.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (16:47):
Yeah, just look for Ku Baba. You’ll
Jemimah Opati (16:49):
Find Bamba. You’ll find it. Yeah. You’ll find our content there. And yeah, just keep on being blessed. We also have Aku Baba tv. Yeah, I think it’s still working as well.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (17:02):
That’s awesome.
Jemimah Opati (17:03):
Yeah. So everything is on there. And K Crew, BS K, crew, like double K-R-E-W-B-S, that’s K. Crew Bible Study. CU Bamba Crew Bible study. Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (17:18):
That’s awesome.
Jemimah Opati (17:19):
Yes.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (17:20):
Well, thank you so much for being on the Evangelism Podcast.
Jemimah Opati (17:24):
Thank you so much for having me.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (17:26):
It’s been really wonderful to spend time with you and get to know you some this week.
Jemimah Opati (17:31):
Thank you so much, Mr. Daniel King.
Evangelism Coach Daniel King (17:35):
Bless you.
Jemimah Opati (17:35):
Thank you. Pleasure.
