Global and Local Ministry
by Nancy BalmaKevin Panicker is a recent graduate from a university in Richmond, VA, with a degree in International Economics. He spoke with Urbana.org while attending Urbana 06's Open for Business Track.
Where are you from, Kevin?
I grew up in eastern Africa—Kenya. I am ethnically Indian; my parents are from southwest India. I grew up in Kenya for most of my life. Recently we moved to the United States; my family lives in Lancaster, PA. I have gone to school the last four years in Richmond, VA.
Why did you come to the Urbana 06 Convention?
This is my second time to come to Urbana. I had not planned to come to this convention until I heard of the Business track. Because of my career and things that God has put in my heart: micro-economics and connecting business, the business world, and business people who are working internationally with mission work around the world.
I gather that you are working. Would you like to tell me about your work?
Sure, it is very related to business as mission. I am working with a program for ex-convicts in Richmond, VA, in the inner city. What we try to do is to empower ex-convicts as they come out of prison. Some of them have been in prison six years, some thirty years. We try to help them to re-enter into society through job training and through emotional competency training. The organization is called Boaz and Ruth. That is www.boazandruth.com.
Wow! I’ll go look.
We try to create business in that particular part of Richmond. We use those businesses to train people to have marketable skills to re-enter society as well as to revitalize that part of the city. We are in a very economically depressed part of Richmond.
Is Boaz and Ruth a local organization or is it found in many USA cities?
It’s a very young organization; it started in Richmond five years ago.
Very interesting. I want other people to know about this organization!
Great, that would be great. I work through Americorps. It’s like an American Peace Corps. My assignment is for nine months.
You heard the plenary session last night and the manuscript study this morning. Though things have just started here, I want you to say something about Urbana. What has been encouraging to you?
It is encouraging to be part of another group, a big group, of Christians. Last night I just looked around and I was really encouraged to see that I have sisters and brothers from all over the world. That for me is encouragement. As I walk and try to follow Christ, I am doing this together with other people—I am not by myself.
It was a pleasure to have met you. Would like to say something about your family? Does your family know what’s happening; that you are at the Urbana Convention?
My father is a minister, a pastor in Kenya. My mother lives currently in Pennsylvania. My father travels and does missionary work in Kenya. They are certainly very supportive of me coming here.
I assume that your parents support the work that you are doing in Richmond in the Boaz and Ruth Organization.
They do. And I also appreciate the people that supported me coming to the Urbana Convention. I wrote letters to two churches that I am part of.
In Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania and in Richmond. They are my friends; it’s through their support that I was able to come and God is able to use that.
Would you thank these two churches for us too? I do certainly enjoy knowing you.
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