MEQUON, Wis. — A Mequon Episcopal church and an Anglican diocese in Kenya are deepening a cross-cultural partnership — one built on friendship, faith, and a mutual desire to strengthen their congregations on both sides of the Atlantic.
The effort is organized through Karibu Ministries, a program that connects St. Boniface Episcopal Church in Mequon and several other parishes with the Anglican Church of Kenya. The partnership is drawing renewed attention as it takes on added meaning during the Juneteenth holiday.
The name "Karibu" — which means "welcome" in Swahili — also carries a deeper meaning for the ministry's Kenyan leader, the Rev. Martin Wesonga.
"The initials Karibu, K just means Kenya. A, America, R reciprocal, what can we get from one another, Initiatives that Benefit Unity," Wesonga said. "The American Church has something to offer to Kenya, and the Kenyan Church has something to offer to the U.S."
The partnership traces its roots to 2019, when Wesonga and the Rev. Rob Davis of St. Boniface met on a men's ministry trip. Years later, the two priests are not just sharing culture — they are living it through clergy exchange programs and ongoing collaboration.
"We want to go beyond sharing culture. We want to actually build bridges between the communities," Davis said. "We learn from the Kenyans that going back to our roots and understanding about God's provision. God really can end up being a source of sustenance in our lives."
Beyond the clergy exchanges, Karibu Ministries provides a variety of economic and interpersonal opportunities across both sides of the partnership.
Karibu helps train and mentor young priests in Kenya to meet the demands of a fast-growing church there. The program also offers guidance to American congregations on how to reverse declining church attendance — a challenge Davis said Kenya's church model helps address.
During his visit to the Milwaukee area, Wesonga has been sharing Kenyan church services and traditions and while also experiencing American ones — including Juneteenth. Asked what it means to take part in Milwaukee's Juneteenth celebrations, Wesonga reflected on the holiday's message of freedom.
"Just to talk about freedom, and how Jesus Christ set us free, and free indeed. And when some of us read stories of slavery, then that, Juneteenth strikes us and says 'hey guys, we should not go back there again,'" Wesonga said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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