Staff Bios
Christi came on board in April 2007 as the tour leader for the Daraja Children's Choir of Africa and to organize our first fundraiser, A Night for Africa. Christi received her B.A. from Toccoa Falls College, where she majored in Christian Education and minored in Communication. With varied experience in the ministry field, she has served in roles such as project development, public relations, lay-counseling, programming, and retail management. While Christi's love for missions has been growing ever since a high school mission trip to Honduras, her six-month stay (2003) in the Kibera slum in Nairobi confirmed her passion -- specifically, missions to Kenya---as a true calling on her life.
Christi interviewed for a role at The 410 Bridge and accepted the job as the Daraja Children's Choir tour leader in order to get her foot in the door. She will be the first to confess that her goal was to get her feet back on Kenyan soil. But the children and the experience of the choir last summer captured her heart and she was hooked! Christi always had a love of music--singing in choirs, playing various instruments and performing in church her whole life --but her true desire was to see life-transformation in the American church through missions. She had no idea that what would happen when these children shared their hope in Christ through music. Frankly, we couldn't get Christi to leave even if we wanted to (which we don't!) She has a true love for "her Daraja kids" and watching the American church heal and change through the ministry of passionate worship.
Christi currently lives in Smyrna, and in her spare time enjoys hanging out with her family, dabbling in photography and swing dancing.
Absalom Odhiambo (Abbu) grew up in the town of Nakuru as the youngest of five children. He met his wife, Grace Nyawira, while serving as worship leader in Grace’s hometown of Eldoret. Together, they have used their talents and passions to serve the Lord in a variety of ways. Abbu has been a worship leader, music producer and choir member for years. He plays the bass and the keyboard as well as sings. Grace served as a kindergarten teacher from 2002-2007 and before that was a primary school teacher in Eldoret. In 2007, Abbu was introduced to The 410 Bridge through a mutual friend. “I thought the kids were already gathered and they just needed someone to train them. It was not about going to the U.S. I didn’t know about going to the U.S. …only to train.” Grace, even moreso, used to say that she would never work with kids. “I thought I was allergic to kids. . But, God just started speaking to me “don’t say that”, I could hear it clearly. When my plans for cosmetology school didn’t work out immediately after high school, my parents kept telling me to become a teacher. I started in the montesourri school, and it was very hard. Then one day I had a really bad child and I just surrendered it to the Lord and since then I love kids.”
Neither of them expected what the Lord brought them when Daraja came along. “Sometimes you’re not so sure of what you’re getting yourself into,” says Abbu. “And its not like God’s voice has spoken to you clearly but in your heart you trust God that you’re not going astray and somehow, at the end you realize…wow… God wanted you to be here and He just wanted you to trust Him. Sometimes God gives you a gift and then the platform of expressing what He’s placed in you. So my working with Daraja is a platform created by God to be able to serve His purpose for my life.”
“In fact, I love it very well,” says Grace. “I love seeing the children change and grow.”
Abbu and Grace live in Kassarani (Nairobi) with their daughter Natalie Hera (born May 2007). They are active as leadership at Life Reformation Church when they are not on tour.
Dan McCharles Omondi . I grew up in a village 2 hours from Kisumu town as the 2nd youngest of 7 children, then later moved to live with my elder brother who is a Pastor in Eldoret town.
I am currently living in Nairobi-Umoja Estate with my wife Jemimah Wanjiku McCharles and our 5 year old daughter April Waithera McCharles.
I serve as a music director while my wife is a worship leader at Lighthouse Chapel International-Kenya
I knew about Daraja in 2007 through Abbu whom I met while living in Eldoret in 1998 through one of my brothers. I am one of Abbu's sons (musically). He taught me singing and playing keyboard. I actually helped training the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Daraja choir then was asked late 2009 by Abbu if I would be interested in working with Daraja, immediately accepted because I had been teaching music for 4 years and enjoyed teaching kids.
I joined Daraja because music is my life and Daraja was going to be part of it and I'm more interested in making an impact and changing the lives of the children for they are the future leaders.
My home town is Murang'a. Its in Central part of Kenya (north of Nairobi).
I was brought up in a village near my home town, where my parents live. I have two brothers, and am the first born.
I joined the choir through Abbu (the choir director), whom I had met in 2006 after I was introduced to him and his family through a close friend, and we did some music together.
In 2008, there was an opening for a teacher to travel with the choir, and since my degree in in teaching, he asked me if wanted to join. It was all in God's timing.
I love being with Daraja, because I love children, and more so, I love witnessing growth and positive change as you relentlessly invest in the children. Secondly, the experience of meeting the family of God wherever we travel, opens my little world, to see how we all need God, and how everyone has been apportioned different graces to share His love with the world.