Our Global Partners who live and minister in the continent of Africa

JON & KATE SHAW
Associate Global Partners serving in Beni, Congo
(Based in Kenya)

Email Jon & Kate

Our Ministry in Bullet Points - Three Es and a C: Energy, Entrepreneurship, Education, and Community. Through multiple BAM initiatives and educational avenues we seek to make a kingdom impact in our community here by:
  •  Providing life-changing energy access to thousands of citizens and small businesses 
  •  Supporting and mentoring young change-makers and entrepreneurs
  •  Improving educational options and outcomes for Congolese young people
  • Providing hospitality ministry to our extended team and others in our community


PRAY
  • For stability and peace in the war-torn region of North Kivu, and our town Beni in particular
  • For our community and particularly young leaders in Beni who are stepping out in faith but face huge obstacles due to regional violence, health threats and extreme economic instability
  • For our family to remain connected in vision and on mission together as Jonathan travels frequently. We have relocated our home base to Kenya to obtain therapy and school support for our son, Eliot, who has a rare genetic syndrome called Trisomy 9p
  • For Jon and his young team of Congolese leaders as they scale up the first solar mini-grid company in North Kivu, potentially providing power and livelihoods for thousands of Congolese citizens who currently have none

PCC ADVOCATES
Gabe & Christina Everman

PCC HOME GROUPS SUPPORTING THE SHAWS
James Landing

RESOURCES
PCC Giving Website (financial support)

OUR STORY
Both Jonathan and Kate grew up as global worker kids in East Africa and always felt a call to live as a part of God’s kingdom and community in Africa.  

In 2008 a dear friend and godly visionary, David Kasali, invited the Shaws to join in the work of Congo Initiative (CI) in the troubled town of Beni in North Kivu, DRC. Jonathan gained a master’s degree and Ph.D. with the intention of assisting at CI’s flagship university (UCBC) and our family moved to Congo in 2013. 

In the years since, God called us into a deep and rich community in Beni.  Ongoing insecurity and evacuations, along with challenges due to our son Eliot's rare genetic disorder, led us to leave in 2018 and spend 2 years in Nairobi.  Then in 2020, we decided to move back to Congo to continue our work in the (hopefully) more stable, regional capital of Goma.  From our home base there we now supervise a growing team of global workers in Goma and Beni, as well as work alongside dozens of local colleagues in business as mission and educational initiatives.  

Jonathan has used his passion for entrepreneurship and the discipleship of young leaders to initiate UCBC’s research center, a solar mini-grid company, a coffee company, and a small business accelerator project.  The solar company, Nuru, has grown immensely by God's grace and a lot of hard work from the passionate young team he mentors.  Nuru now provides power to thousands of previously unelectrified households and small businesses in the most vulnerable parts of Goma, and the company is poised to bring power to thousands of more homes in 6 cities across the country in the next two years.  

Kate continues her work in education by providing English and enrichment courses at a local school in Goma (Kivu International School), as well as continuing to support Academie Bilingue du Congo (ABC school) in Beni.   She and the boys also enjoy hosting many visitors, friends, and community members as they pass through our home for long and short stays.  

We are excited and energized to see the potential of Congo’s next generation, and grateful to work alongside them to provide opportunities for community growth and improved livelihoods in Goma, Beni and beyond!