My name is Nteziryayo Kadomo, and I was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. I am the oldest of four brothers and two sisters. Both of my parents passed away when I was young, and I was raised in a Christian family by my father, who was a Reverend and pastor in the Free Methodist Church. I grew up in the church and was baptized in 2004.
In 1998, my family had to flee our home in South Kivu due to civil war, and we ended up in the village of Vyura in the Katanga Province. However, tribal warring forced us to become refugees again, and we fled to Burundi. It was in a refugee camp in Burundi that we were attacked, and over 160 people were killed in one night. This tragic event led to us being granted asylum to come to the United States as refugees in 2011. My wife Inginere Nabitanga and I settled in Oakland, California, where our son Sammy Kadomo was born.
Adjusting to life in the United States was difficult for me, as Oakland was a big city and very different from the villages where I grew up. I had to learn a new language and navigate unfamiliar systems, such as taking the bus and finding a job. However, I also found strength and purpose through my faith, as I was filled with the Holy Spirit in 2004 and experienced entire sanctification in 2007. I began searching for my calling and trying to understand who I was in Christ.
In 2008, I started a phone ministry that connected believers from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, and Africa, through a conference call line. We prayed and worshipped together and connected more than 1000 people. In 2015, I moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where I felt called to start a church. It was a difficult process, but I persevered and eventually started True Promises Ministry in my apartment. As the congregation grew, we moved to a different building that was closer to where most of the church members lived.
Besides my church calling, I have also worked as an interpreter for Kansas City Public Schools and Jewish Vocational Services, and I have volunteered and served the Congolese community in my city. I have helped new families integrate into their communities and supported children with their education, among other things. I have also been involved in various community groups, teaching practical skills and demonstrating God's love to men, women, and youth.
Currently, I am a pastor at City Life Church of the Nazarene, where I was welcomed by Pastor Tammy, who shares similar beliefs as the Free Methodist Church of my childhood. I am grateful to be part of this church and to have the opportunity to continue spreading God's love and serving my community.
I founded New Hope Center KC as a continuation and expansion of my initial individual efforts to serve the local Congolese refugee community to whom I am closely bonded through my own experiences. With a team by my side and with the support of generous donors and grants, I am confident we can make a tremendous impact in the lives of displaced persons seeking nothing more a life of hope, safety, and stability.
Born and raised in a small town in southwest Kansas, Lisa grew up keenly aware of the many challenges faced by Mexican immigrants to the U.S., both immediately after arrival and in the years to come. Her extensive overseas travels and extended stays in both England and the Czech Republic also gave her a small taste of the challenges of relocation and language barriers, even under the most positive and simple of circumstances.
Lisa’s compassion for the newcomer carried over into adulthood and led to her involvement with the refugee community in the Kansas City area; and she is continuously in awe of the resilience and determination our new neighbors have shown and continue to show in the face of innumerable challenges. She is particularly drawn to refugee mothers, who simultaneously face not only the typical daily struggles of motherhood but also the formidable obstacles of life in a new country.
Lisa received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Kansas State University before moving to England, where she earned a Doctorate in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar. Upon returning to the U.S., she took her present job as a Patent Agent at Hovey Williams, LLP, an intellectual property law firm in Overland Park. She and her husband Nik live in the country south of the metro area with their two sons, a dog, a horse, and several Scottish Highland cattle.
Coming Soon!
Coming Soon!
Mark Brinkley is the former Director of Grants for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he worked as a partner with the program areas and senior management to provide oversight and operations of the Grants Administration team.
Mark has focused his career in financial services with global organizations including Zurich Financial, Farmers Insurance, and American Century Investments. He has served on committees and as a volunteer within the Church of the Nazarene. Mark and his wife, Sherry, live in Overland Park, Kansas, and attend Olathe College Church of the Nazarene. His passion is investing in new and diverse methods that will allow others to identify Christ's intersections present in their life.
To walk alongside refugees and equip them with the tools and support they need to succeed in building lives full of hope, belonging, and self-sufficiency in their new home. To provide practical educational programs and mentorship that sharpen, guide, and empower migrants both young and old to achieve their own versions of the American dream.
A world in which "refugee" defines a legal status and not an individual—a world in which refugees are seen, their voices are heard, and their stories are valued.