A Father Like The Son
How I See Jesus in Charles Mulli
It’s noon where I sit in Dallas and 8 p.m. in Ndalani, Kenya. Though we are time zones apart, my heart is close to MCF. I’m continually drawn to the steady faithfulness of Charles Mulli, Mama Esther, and their entire staff and family. I resonate with the impact of a thousand yeses, countless trials, delays, breakthroughs, losses, miracles, and waves of change unfolding across a nation. Over the past fifteen years, I’ve watched Charles Mulli, and I’ve never seen another human embody the life of Jesus so beautifully. Through prayer, peace, and a pioneering vision, Charles lives life in the Spirit—and calls me to do the same. As we near Father’s Day, I thank our Heavenly Father for Charles Mulli and his family. May these reflections be a tribute to him—and to the Father of us all.
A Life of Prayer
Jesus lived in constant communion with the Father. He described their intimacy when He said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30) and “I do nothing of my own initiative” (John 5:30). This communion was both relational—Jesus depending on the Holy Spirit—and decisional, as seen in Mark 1:35: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a desolate place, and there He prayed.” Scripture shows Jesus praying for strength in anguish, for miracles in times of need, and weaving prayer—both private and public—into the rhythm of His life.
Like Jesus, Charles Mulli “prays without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Every day, every decision, begins in prayer. He and Mama Esther wait on the Lord—and move with the Lord. Hospital beds have been emptied. Deserts have bloomed into gardens. Food and funds have arrived just in time. They ask, and God answers. Even when thousands press in, when needs are great and resources scarce, they prioritize prayer. They’ve spent a lifetime delighting in the Lord—and He has given them the desires of their hearts (Psalm 37:4). Their lives echo the Lord’s Prayer: “Let Your kingdom come, let Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” They don’t just pray it—they live it. Charles’s life stirs me to pray the words of Keith Green’s song: “Make my life a prayer to You.”
A Voice of Peace
Jesus stepped into a world anxious and unjust. He walked dusty streets, comforted troubled hearts, and showed the way home. Sometimes He knelt down and whispered peace. Other times, He turned tables and asked the kind of questions that left no stone unturned. As my dad used to say, “God comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.” We see that in Jesus—comforting His disciples in the storm, confronting the Pharisees’ rigid understanding of God. Instead of shedding the blood of others, the Prince of Peace gave His own, so the world could see the heart of the Father.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). The Son of God didn’t keep peace—He made it. I see that same heart in Charles Mulli.
“Oyee!” Charles calls as he walks into darkness. It’s a beacon. An invitation. Like the Hebrew word Shalom, Oyee! carries the weight of joy, peace, and a spark of restoration. Whether on the streets of Kibera or in places of unrest, Charles’s Oyee! has marked the beginning of healing for thousands. Speaking the word and doing the work, he and MCF have truly been about their Father’s business.
He lifts children into his arms—and out of their circumstances. By meeting physical needs, tending hearts, counseling through trauma, and giving each child a place in a growing family, Charles and MCF love them toward wholeness.
But it doesn’t stop there. In tandem with individual care, Charles has pursued peace with neighboring communities and local leaders. Like Jesus, he’s blessed those who once opposed him and built relational bridges—so that MCF’s flourishing spills over. His efforts remind me of Joseph in Egypt, whose faithfulness brought blessing to the entire land. Charles’s peace is part of the “fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall” (Genesis 49:22). He walks with the God of peace—and shares that peace generously.
A Pioneering Vision
A pioneer, by definition, is “the first to open up or explore a new approach or land.” Jesus was that. The firstborn of many brothers. The Alpha. When He entered the world He created, He was unexpected—His words and ways unlike anything people anticipated. In Matthew 5, we hear: “You’ve heard it said… but I tell you…” Again and again, Jesus upended the assumptions of religious leaders—and of our own hearts.
Though the scholars of His day knew the verse from Isaiah 55—“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways”—when God showed up in flesh, few recognized Him. Jesus said, “I am the way” (John 14:6)—and His way was radical. God’s truth, spoken in love, refused the tidy boxes of tradition. He called people to love God fully and to love their neighbor as themselves. It was good news—and it was messy. That beautiful, messy gospel is still healing the world.
I see this pioneering spirit in Charles Mulli. He has dared to reimagine what care for the vulnerable—and even for the environment—can look like. From the beginning, he and Mama Esther have done things differently. They don’t say “We’re an organization”—they say, “We’re a family.” They look into the eyes of the forgotten and say: You are seen. You are loved. You belong at the table.
In Revelation 7:9, John describes “a great multitude… from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne.” At MCF, tribal uniqueness is honored, but Jesus and the culture of Heaven are the center. In a world often led by ego, Charles leads with humility. In a world chasing wealth, MCF gathers hearts. In a world choosing shortcuts, they’ve chosen the long road. The table-turning ways of Jesus—often foolish to the world—are on full display at MCF.
To honor Charles Mulli is to honor the Lord. I sense God’s encouragement through him—to live a life of prayer, lead with peace, and pioneer wherever God plants me. As Father’s Day approaches, will you join me in this prayer?
A Father’s Day Prayer
(in honor of Charles Mulli)
Father God, thank You for Your Son Jesus, who embodies all that You are. Thank You for Your son Charles Mulli, who reflects Your heart and spreads Your love across Kenya and the world.
As You strengthened Caleb at 85, strengthen Charles. Bless him, Mama Esther, their family, every dream in his heart, and every work of his hands. May his communion with You grow sweeter, Your peace steady him, and Your creativity overflow through him.
Lord, teach us to pray. Teach us intimacy and the treasures of Your presence. Let prayer be the wellspring from which Your river flows through our lives into a hurting world.
Prince of Peace, tune our hearts to express Yours. Help us extend shalom in word and deed—across our neighborhoods and into the nations.
Father, You only create “firsts.” Each of us is a unique reflection of You. Breathe afresh through us, Holy Spirit, and empower our yes. Let us know the joy of living, moving, and having our being in You.
Let Your kingdom come, and Your will be done—on earth as it is in Heaven. For Your glory and delight, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we pour out our hearts in praise.
Bless Charles Mulli, Mama Esther, and MCF—that they may continue to bless You.
In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Bwana Asifiwe! (Praise the Lord!)