FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (10/05)
Contact: Lynn Stewart or Kelsey Johnson, Centenary News Service, 318-841-7265

Missionary to Cambodia Will Speak at Stepping Stones and United Methodist Student Movement

	Missionary family Nicholas and Esther Gitobu with daughters Jeannette, Nicole and Michelle (Photo courtesy of GBGM).

SHREVEPORT— International missionary Esther Karimi Gitobu will speak at Centenary College's United Methodist Student Movement meeting on Monday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. in Kilpatrick Auditorium and again on Tuesday at 11:10 a.m. in Brown Chapel at Stepping Stones, Centenary's ecumenical worship service.

Ms. Gitobu and her husband Nicholas are both from Kenya and have been assigned as missionaries to Cambodia by the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM). She and her husband previously served in the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading peace and reconciliation efforts. Now they participate in various practical ministries in regions of Cambodia where poverty is rampant. They include their three daughters Jeannette, Nicole and Michelle in their missionary work.

“My vision of Cambodia is to see hope in the midst of pain and despair," Ms. Gitobu said. "Hope is when in the midst of uncertainty one keeps making the effort. I just want to be there as an agent of hope.”

Ms. Gitobu will be touring Louisiana for several weeks to share stories about her ministry in Cambodia.

These special events, which are free and open to the public, are sponsored by the Chaplain's Office. For more information, contact Lue Hamrick at 318-869-5156 or hhamrick@centenary.edu or read more about the GBGM at http://gbgm-umc.org/home_page/index.cfm.

- 30 -