Africa wasn’t on my radar. Not at all.
I often meet missionaries who have dreamed of Africa their entire lives, but that wasn’t my story.
When I was invited on a humanitarian water well drilling trip to Tanzania in May of 2021, I thought it was just another chance to check a box and get a new passport stamp. Little did I know, God was about to use that trip to completely change the direction of my life. In fact, He had already been steering me in that direction—I just didn’t realize it at the time.
Let me backtrack a little. In 2019, I felt God prompting me to make a career change. I transferred ownership of my remodeling and construction business to my employees and moved into a different career field. In the back of my mind, I kept wondering, What if God has something else for me? Being single and without kids, I started thinking, Why not follow a different call? So, I stepped out in faith, unsure of what the Lord would ask of me next.
That leap of faith eventually led me to Tanzania, where everything changed.
By the time I left after those first 10 days, I knew I would return. I didn’t know how, but I felt deeply convicted that my life would be dedicated to the people of East Africa. That conviction sparked personal grassroots efforts in Tanzania, like bringing food and uniforms to a local school and even starting a pilot entrepreneurship club with the help of local teachers.
What was it about that trip that moved me so deeply?
It was the people. Their faith, their gratitude to God in every circumstance, and their strong sense of community left a profound impression on me. Their willingness to serve one another, no matter the situation, inspired me in ways I can’t fully express. I often feel like I learn more from them than they could ever learn from me.
Then, almost out of nowhere, I connected with Mark Hall and Northbound. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the first year with Northbound, I spent six months living in East Africa. During that time, I’ve learned more about God—who He is and what He’s doing in the world—than I ever imagined. God blesses the work and partnerships in ways that constantly amaze me.
I’ll never forget the day I was sitting on the porch, rocking a baby at Neema Village, a baby rescue in Arusha, Tanzania, and soaking in the peaceful surroundings. In what is a common occurrence there, a safari tour guide pulled up, and a group of excited women, fresh from their adventure, stepped out to tour this remarkable organization. They moved through the grounds, marveling at the work being done, and as they were preparing to leave, one of the ladies from California struck up a conversation with me.
Casually, she asked where I was from. When I answered, her eyes widened in disbelief. She explained that before her trip, a mutual friend from my tiny hometown—population just 6,000—had mentioned she should “keep an eye out” for someone from there while in Tanzania. Curiously, she quickly asked me my name, and the realization hit us both: I was that person.
In that instant, it felt like the world had folded in on itself. A place so far from home, and yet here was a divine connection stretching across continents, orchestrated by something much bigger than coincidence. It was one of those undeniable moments where I knew this was all part of a grander design—God was weaving together a story far beyond what I could have imagined.
A friend recently asked me, What do you love most about being there? I told him that the best way to describe it is what I tell people when they ask about my life and work in Africa. I say, Don’t think too highly of me—what I’m doing is the most selfish thing you’ve ever seen me do. I like myself more when I’m there. The people of East Africa bring out the best parts of me, challenging and inspiring me in ways I never thought possible.
And if, in exchange, we can offer them opportunities and the reassurance that they are supported by a global community that genuinely cares about them and their future—then let God bless it all.
With a heart full of purpose,
Shanna Kurtz
