Rev. Gad Maiga is from the dusty roads of Muberi village in Busia County, Kenya—where poverty whispered that higher education was impossible—and a proud young African whose life became a living testimony of God’s grace and the generosity of the wider United Methodist Church. Against unimaginable odds, Rev. Gad Wandera Maiga rose from the depths of poverty to the heights of possibility, carrying with him not just a personal story of triumph but the collective hope of countless young Africans.

Speaking in a TED-style talk to those attending the 2026 Dakotas Annual Conference in Bismarck, North Dakota, he shared his story of resilience, persistence, and openness to God.

What seemed unreachable became possible because of Africa University. At Africa University, Gad earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management, an achievement celebrated not only in his village but across his community as a breakthrough for all who thought education belonged only to the privileged. The seed planted there grew into a ministry of vision, leadership, and empowerment that continues to bear fruit today.

“I was born in a Christian family. I was poor. The kind of poor where education looks impossible. The kind of pool where dreams had to compete with survival. My father itinerated it through multiple churches, and sometimes our home was just a single room,” said Maiga.

His father was a pastor, and his mother was a teacher. Gad learned resilience amid the poverty. “We learned that God often provides through people,” Gad said. “I stand here today because somebody gave, somebody prayed, and somebody sacrificed. Most of those people will never know my name.”

He remembers being one of the few children at school with shoes. A missionary chose my father to give a gift. He opened the package with a pair of shoes and said, “This might feed my son.”

“Today I realize that those shoes carry more than my feet. They carry it all.  They carry it deeply. They carry possibility, and they carried me towards this moment,” said Gad. “Friends, when you support missions, you may be thinking you are just sending a pair of shoes. Sometimes God is sending a future pastor, a missionary, or a teacher; sometimes God is sending a leader. You never know what God will do with your generosity.

Africa University changed Gad’s life. “I often say that African University keeps the dream alive and the dream keeps us alive,” he said. “I arrived at Africa University as a young man from a village. I left believing that God could use me anywhere,” stated Gd.

Gad earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management and was in the choir at Africa University. The choir took him to 16 states in the United States. What seemed unreachable became possible because of Africa University. At Africa University, Gad earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management.

“I did not want to become a pastor, not at all. My father was a pastor. I thought one pastor in the family was enough. God had a sense of humor, and here I am,” Gad said. “God was speaking loudly, not dramatically, just persistently, patiently, and lovingly. Eventually, I stopped running, and I said, yes.”

He served as a global mission fellow in Congo as a natural resource manager to help local communities. “It taught me that ministry is not primarily about programs. We need ministry. It's about people, not politics, people, not buildings. It's about people, not statistics,” Gad stated.

Empowered by Africa University, Gad journeyed to Drew Theological School in New Jersey, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. His ministry has crossed continents: from serving as a Global Mission Fellow in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2016–2018), to writing stories of hope as Conference Communicator and mentoring youth as Conference Youth Coordinator in the Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference (2019–2023), to serving as a youth pastor at First United Methodist Church in Union City, New Jersey.

Rev. Gad Maiga speaks to the Dakotas Conference.

Since July 2024, Rev. Maiga has served as pastor of the United Methodist Church of Albert Lea, Minnesota.

“I thank Bishop Plambeck for her leadership and the people of Minnesota who welcomed me. I am grateful for the cross-cultural appointment and welcoming spirit,” Gad said of his appointment to Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Generosity, hopefulness, faith, and the love of people called United Methodists have brought a boy from Kenya to Minnesota to serve as a pastoral leader.

“The story is not about me. The story is about what God can do with ordinary people say yes. When churches say yes, when conferences say yes, when we say yes, when disciples say yes. Christ is in every generous gift. Christ is in every faithful disciple. Christ is all, and Christ is in all. Thank you for helping dreams stay alive,” were Gad Maiga’s parting words.