In the landscape of African Pentecostalism, certain names carry an authority that transcends denomination, nationality, and even controversy. **Reverend Teresia Wairimū Kinyanjui** is one of them. She is the woman who took the gospel from a living-room house fellowship to the open expanse of Uhuru Park, the first female preacher in Kenya’s history to hold regular revival crusades there, and a prophetic voice whose words have, on more than one occasion, eerily preceded the events they foretold. Affectionately called *Mum* by tens of thousands of spiritual children across the world, she is one of the most consequential — and most candid — voices in modern Kenyan Christianity.
This is the most comprehensive biography of Reverend Teresia Wairimu available anywhere on the internet.
|**Full Name** |Teresia Wairimū Kinyanjui |
|**Date of Birth** |15 November 1957 |
|**Place of Birth** |Kenya |
|**Parents** |Kinuthia Kinyanjui and Njeri Kinuthia |
|**Grandfather** |Paramount Chief Kinyanjui, colonial-era Kikuyu chief |
|**Birth Order** |Second child |
|**Education** |Ngiriambu Girls High School |
|**Conversion** |1977 |
|**Marriage** |November 1978 |
|**Children** |Robert and Catherine |
|**Grandchildren** |Joey, Kui, Nimu, Victoria, Nathan |
|**Ministry Founded** |Faith Evangelistic Ministry (FEM), 1989 |
|**Awards** |Martin Luther King Peace Award for Africa |
|**Author of** |*A Cactus in the Desert*, *Live by Faith*, *Pray Without Ceasing*, *Arise and Shine*|
|**Locations** |Kenya (HQ, Karen/Ngara), USA (TWEM), UK |
|**Ministry Partners**|Over 20,000 worldwide |
Birth and Family Heritage
Teresia Wairimū Kìnyanjui was born on 15 November 1957. She was the second born of Njeri Kinuthia and Kinuthia Kinyanjui. Her family lineage carried significant weight in Kenya’s colonial-era history: her grandfather was Paramount Chief Kinyanjui, a Kikuyu colonial chief. She was raised with both the privilege of that heritage and, later in life, the deep personal trials that would shape the ministry she eventually built. She attended Ngiriambu Girls High School for her secondary education.
Conversion and the Years Before the Call
She gave her life to Christ in 1977 — the same eventful year that would, by her own account, also bring her into contact with the man she would marry. She married in November 1978, and in the years that followed, she worked as a kindergarten teacher while actively participating in outreach ministry, including school evangelism and community gatherings. The marriage was blessed with two children, Robert and Catherine.
On the surface, this was the picture of a settled, faithful young Christian woman building an ordinary family life. Underneath, both a divine calling and a devastating personal crisis were quietly converging.
July 21, 1985: The Encounter That Changed Everything
Wairimū recalls having a spiritual vision on 21 July 1985 — an encounter she has described in vivid, specific detail in her autobiography and in countless retellings since.
It was early morning at 3:00 a.m. when God gave Reverend Teresia Wairimu a life-changing encounter. Her room was filled with smoke and a loud voice called her name: “Wairimu!” The glory of God filled the room, and although she was fearful, she perceived that it was the Lord God speaking. She sat up, and the Lord spoke to her about her calling, her service to God, and what He was going to do in the church through her ministry.
One week later, at a Sunday service, God manifested His power through Reverend Wairimu in the areas of the gift of prophecy and word of knowledge. She later described this event as marking the start of her religious calling.
It is a striking historical detail that this defining encounter happened in the very same year — 1985 — that her marriage collapsed. The call and the crisis arrived almost simultaneously, a convergence that would forever shape both her theology of suffering and her ministry to broken and abandoned women.
Searching for a Mentor in a Land Without One
What makes Wairimu’s early calling particularly remarkable is the spiritual isolation in which she received it. At the time in Kenya, there were no great manifestations of miracles, and thus no mentors to look up to.
Her transformative journey into ministry found its anchor in 1988 at a Reinhard Bonnke crusade — a pivotal moment that ignited her passion for evangelism. She was deeply impacted when she saw the manifestation of God via Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke during a crusade he conducted in Kenya in June 1988. Watching Bonnke minister gave the young, isolated, gifted woman in Kenya something she had been desperately lacking: a living example of what the call upon her own life could actually look like in practice.
Notably, this places Wairimu’s spiritual formation in direct lineage with the global CfaN ministry of Reinhard Bonnke and his wife Anni Bonnke — the same evangelistic movement whose founder would, decades later, be remembered as having preached the Gospel to over 79 million recorded decisions for Christ across the African continent.
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### Oslo, Norway: The Day the Dream Came to Pass
For four years, Wairimu carried the calling without the full impartation she sought. She continued to minister in high schools, universities, small social gatherings, and Bible studies — but her dream came to pass on 17 May 1992 in Oslo, Norway, when she met Evangelist Bonnke, who laid hands on her.
Upon her return to Kenya, she knew she had received an impartation from God that money could not buy. She had been birthed into ministry on that day, and there was an evident explosion in her ministry thereafter. Reverend Teresia also took up the role of teacher alongside Bonnke at the Christ for All Nations (CFAN) School of Evangelism Worldwide — a formal recognition of her calling by one of the towering figures of twentieth-century global evangelism.
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### Founding Faith Evangelistic Ministry (FEM)
Wairimū founded Faith Evangelistic Ministry (FEM) in 1989, when charismatic churches emerged as an alternative to the worship in mainstream denominations. What began modestly grew with extraordinary speed.
FEM started from small house gatherings and transitioned to large gatherings at venues like Nairobi’s City Hall and the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), and eventually regular Sunday crusades at Uhuru Park, where she preached on the second Sunday of each month for fourteen consecutive years.
In doing so, Wairimū became the first female preacher to hold regular revival crusades at Uhuru Park grounds — a historic milestone in a religious landscape that had, until then, rarely afforded women that level of platform and public authority.
Her ministry focuses on evangelism and incorporates elements such as healing, the doctrine of seed planting, charitable outreach, and public preaching, depicting true Pentecostalism. She emphasizes the practical application of Christian teachings, particularly in contexts of poverty and social need - for instance, the establishment of Kikambala, an orphanage. She is also cited as an early proponent of the Doctrine of Seed Planting (DSP) in Kenyan Evangelical history.
Today, FEM has over 20,000 ministry partners, with offices in Kenya, the United States, and the United Kingdom. She is based in Kenya as Head of FEM Family Church — a state-of-the-art, ten-million-dollar church constructed debt-free.
### The Heartbreak Behind the Ministry
What sets Wairimu’s testimony apart from many public ministry narratives is her uncommon candour about her own suffering. “It was the year that saw my most valued and treasured dream shattered. My heart was broken. Deep down in my heart, I was bleeding,” she says of 1985 — the very year of her divine encounter.
Eight years before, she had met a man and fallen in love, and “like every little girl … I grew nurturing beautiful wishes and a strong desire for a happy and successful life,” she writes in her autobiography, A Cactus in the Desert. The marriage, to a man she describes as a “handsome white man of medium height and build,” ended in devastating fashion.
Wairimu was locked out of her matrimonial home and left with nothing: no dress to change, no money, no documents in her possession, no name — even his name, which many people knew her by. But the most painful loss, she says, was her son Robert, who had been taken away from her custody.
“Had it not been by the grace of God and my solid faith in Him, I would not have survived through the 80s,” she writes in the first chapter of the book. In the book, she explores the plight of single mothers through her own lens: “What chance did a divorced woman, a single mother to one and an estranged mother of another one have?”
The book — *A Cactus in the Desert* (Kinyanjui, T.W., 2011) — chronicles that journey in full, including her early childhood, her darkest moments, and the turnaround that helped her rebuild her life, work at her ministry, and raise her daughter — culminating in the tearful reunion with her son, once painfully torn away to the custody of his father.
She has also endured rumours she candidly acknowledges had been spun and turned until they would produce “believable accounts of malicious untruths.” The contrast between that painful private history and the public figure her congregation calls *Mum* — the epitome of faith and strength to those who follow her — is, in many ways, the entire testimony of her ministry.
### Author and Teacher
Beyond *A Cactus in the Desert*, Reverend Wairimu has authored several other influential works. She is the author of four remarkable books: “Cactus in the Desert,” “Live by Faith,” “Pray Without Ceasing,” and “Arise and Shine.”
# A Prophetic Voice for the Nation
Rev. Teresia Wairimu is considered a prophet to the Kenyan nation and is highly sought after by leaders for counsel and prayer. Her prophetic ministry has, on several documented occasions, produced eerily specific predictions. At the beginning of 2019, the nation was shocked when she gave a prophecy of an imminent terror attack, only for it to happen a few days later. Great healings have also taken place in her meetings, including the healing of stage 4 cancer.
Spiritual Mother to a Generation: The Allan Kiuna Connection
Wairimu’s spiritual influence extends well beyond her own pulpit and into the lives of other prominent Kenyan ministers she has personally mentored. In the eulogy of the late Bishop Allan Kiuna, his family shared that he wholly surrendered his life to Jesus Christ at the age of 19 under the mentorship of Reverend Teresia Wairimu of Faith Evangelistic Ministry. Bishop Kiuna would go on to co-found Jubilee Christian Church (JCC), one of Kenya’s largest and most prominent Pentecostal congregations — a legacy traced directly back to his discipleship under Wairimu.
Politics, Power, and Prophetic Independence
In recent years, Reverend Wairimu’s national profile has been shaped as much by her relationship with Kenya’s political leadership as by her pulpit ministry — and by her willingness to speak independently of that relationship when conviction demands it.
Wairimu’s church, Faith Evangelistic Ministries, is a congregation where President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto have frequently worshipped. She has been close to President Ruto’s family since 2012, and has a long-standing relationship with Pastor Dorcas Gachagua, with whom she has evangelised for many years.
During the State House dedication service following Kenya Kwanza’s 2022 election victory, Wairimu likened President Ruto’s humble beginnings to David from the Bible, declaring: “We have our David right here in our midst… when God handpicked you to be a leader of this nation at a time like this, I want us to understand that God qualifies the disqualified and raises the nobodies.”
But that closeness has never translated into uncritical political loyalty. In October 2024, Wairimu openly criticised the Kenya Kwanza government, reflecting on the church’s initial support for President Ruto and stating that their confidence had waned: “I know most of us were watching the television. We were so embarrassed, extremely embarrassed,” she remarked, criticising MPs for prioritising the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua over economic growth.
She declared from the altar: “Until now, I have always thought that this government is a government of God because it is the one we voted for, but to our embarrassment, it is a government of fights… We are also going to arm ourselves in prayer. In the next election, you’ll have to convince me. Somebody must go home. People must start going home.”
The remarks generated national controversy — and, predictably, misinformation. A widely circulated graphic falsely claimed Wairimu had been removed from the State House intercessors’ WhatsApp prayer group following her criticism of Ruto’s policies. The claim, bearing a fabricated Tuko.co.ke logo, was confirmed false by Africa Check and explicitly flagged as fake by Tuko.co.ke itself. Wairimu later clarified, speaking from an altar in London, that she has no conflict with the first family, adding that she prayed for the President and has been walking the journey with him since 2010: “I am not in dispute with my president, and I want that to be heard.”
Global Reach and Family Today
“Mum,” as she is affectionately called, has been in ministry for over 35 years and is passionate about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ in Kenya and around the world. Her missions abroad over the years include Uganda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, India, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom, the USA, Brazil, Sweden, Norway, the Faroe Islands, and Jamaica, among others.
Her ministry has formally established branches beyond Kenya: Teresia Wairimu Evangelistic Ministry (TWEM) is the USA branch of the parent ministry, Faith Evangelistic Ministry (FEM), based in Nairobi, Kenya.
On the family front, the reunion with her once-estranged son has flourished into a full, multi-generational family legacy. “Mum” is blessed with two children, Catherine and Robert, and a daughter-in-love, Ilona. She is also a doting grandmother to five grandchildren: Joey, Kui, Nimu, Victoria, and Nathan. They all love the Lord and are making positive contributions to God’s kingdom. The very son once torn from her custody during the darkest season of her life is now an integral part of a thriving, faith-filled family she nearly lost everything to protect.
Reverend Teresia Wairimu is active on social media. You can connect with her via her official handles on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X- **Website:** http://www.evangelistwairimu.org/)
USA Ministry (TWEM):** [twem-usa.com](https://www.twem-usa.com/about-us)
- **Book:** *A Cactus in the Desert* (Kinyanjui, T.W., 2011) — available in leading Christian bookshops and FEM offices
- [Biography of Anni Bonnke](https://www.thenewman.org.ng/2023/01/biography-of-anni-bonnke.html)
- [Biography of Pastor Priscilla Shirer](https://www.thenewman.org.ng/2022/12/biography-of-pastor-priscilla-shirer.html)
- [Biography of Daddy Gbile Akanni](https://www.thenewman.org.ng/2022/10/biography-of-daddy-gbile-akanni.html)
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Nelson, here’s what this rewrite adds over the original and how it’s positioned to outrank competing pages:
**Corrected from the original:** Her exact birthdate (15 November 1957, per Wikipedia — the original’s “born in 1957” lacked the full date), and her ministry’s connection to CFaN’s School of Evangelism Worldwide as a formal teaching role, not just a mentee relationship.
**Major new additions:** Full TWEM/grandchildren family update (Ilona, Joey, Kui, Nimu, Victoria, Nathan), her formal CFaN teaching role under Bonnke, the historic “first female preacher at Uhuru Park” distinction, the Doctrine of Seed Planting attribution, the Kikambala orphanage, her mentorship of the late Bishop Allan Kiuna (a major Kenyan ministry connection not in the original),
Reverend Teresia Wairimu is the founder and director of Faith Evangelistic Ministry (FEM), a ministry she founded in 1989. Reverend Teresia is an influential woman, who through her work, has impacted many people in Kenya and other countries. She is a recipient of the Martin Luther King Peace Award for Africa, an award given in recognition of her work. Reverend Teresia Wairimu Age She was born in 1957 to Njeri Kinuthia and Kinuthia Kinyanjui. Reverend Teresia Wairimu Family Reverend Teresia Wairimu got married in November 1978. She has two children, Robert and Catherine. Reverend Teresia Wairimu Earlier life She is the second born of Njeri Kinuthia and Kinuthia Kinyanjui. Reverend Teresia Wairimu attended Ngiriambu Girls high school.She gave her life to Christ in 1977. Her grandfather was Paramount Chief Kinyanjui, a Kikuyu colonial chief. Reverend Teresia Wairimu story is captured in the 402-page autobiography which is titled A Cactus in the Desert’ and is available in all the leading Christian bookshops and in the FEM offices. Reverend Teresia Wairimu Life Changing Experience It was early morning on 21st July 1985 at 3:00 a.m. when God gave Reverend Teresia Wairimu a life changing experience. Her room was filled with smoke and a loud voice called her name “Wairimu”. The glory of God filled the room and although she was fearful, she perceived that it was the Lord speaking. She sat up and the Lord spoke to her about her calling, her service to God, and what He was going to do in the church through her ministry. One week later, at a Sunday service, God manifested His power through Reverend Wairimu through the gift of prophecy and word of knowledge. At the time in our country, we did not have great manifestations of miracles thus there were no mentors to look up to. However when Reverend Bonnke hosted a crusade in June 1988 in Kenya, and Reverend Wairimu witnessed the manifestation of God through Reverend Bonnke, it hit her hard as she identified with that. After her call, she had ministered in High Schools, Universities, small social gatherings, Bible studies etc, but her dream came to pass on 17th May 1992 in Oslo-Norway when she met Reverend Bonnke and he laid hands on her. Books& Literature Coming back to Kenya Reverend Teresia wairimu knew she had received something from God that money could not buy – she had been birthed into ministry on that day and there was an evident explosion in her ministry! Within no time the house fellowship swelled up and was moved to City hall then Kenyatta International Conference Centre (One of the largest auditoriums in the city) and it only took one meeting to move the fellowship to the open Uhuru Park, where Reverend Teresia has faithfully preached without failure, every second Sunday of the month for a consecutive 14 years. Reverend Teresia Wairimu – Husband and Divorce The year 1985 was a horrible year for renowned Kenyan Reverend Teresa Wairimu. “It was the year that saw my most valued and treasured dream shattered. My heart was broken. Deep down in my heart, I was bleeding,” Reverend Teresia wairimu says. Tears became a constant part of her makeup. Eight years before, she had met a man and fallen in love and, “like every little girl … I grew nurturing beautiful wishes and a strong desire for a happy and successful life,” she says in her autobiography, A Cactus in the Desert. These emerging details contrast sharply with the character of the Reverend Wairimu, who followers at her Faith Evangelistic Ministries fondly call Mum. To them, the evangelist is the epitome of faith and strength. After Reverend Teresia wairimu has preached and taught, the spectacle of the “miracle service,” her most enduring trade mark, begins. Reverend Teresia wairimu calls out those who would wish to be saved and hundreds will walk from their seats for the spiritual rebirth that can only be experienced rather than explained. Then Reverend Teresia wairimu moves to call out people who are in all manner of difficult situations including the terminally ill. The sceptics would never believe it. Politicians would envy her following. The critics say it’s all prearranged to hoodwink the gullible. But to Reverend Teresia wairimu and the thousands who claim to have received their answers in her meetings, it is evidence that God works through those He chooses. Yet there was a time Reverend Teresia wairimu thought all was lost. Her marriage to the “prince” who she describes as a “handsome white man of medium height and build” ended bitterly and she was left hurt and with broken dreams. Reverend Teresia Wairimu – By Faith Only her faith in God (she had gotten saved in 1977 – the same year she met her husband) kept her going. Reverend Teresia wairimu was locked out of her matrimonial home and left with nothing: “No dress to change, no money, no documents in my possession, no name – even his name, which many people knew me by.” But the most painful loss, Reverend Teresia wairimu says, was her son Robert, who had been taken away from her custody. “Had it not been by the grace of God and my solid faith in Him, I would not have survived through the 80s,” she writes in the first chapter of the book. Unknown to many of those who come seeking her ministry, She has endured the most difficult of circumstances to build the glamorous Christian ministry that boasts properties in Karen and Ngara, state-of-the-art sound equipment, service to destitute children and a following that would be the envy of most of her contemporaries. In the book, Reverend Teresia wairimu explores the plight of single mothers through her own lens. “What chance did a divorced woman, a single mother to one and an estranged mother of another one have?” she writes. Reverend Teresia wairimu watched her hopes, a happy family, her kindergarten teaching career and dreams of a bright future collapse in a heap before her eyes. Reverend Teresia wairimu has endured rumours she candidly acknowledges had been spun and turned until they would produce “believable accounts of malicious untruths”. The book features Reverend Teresia wairimu early childhood, the darkest moments and the turnaround that helped her rebuild her life, work at her ministry and raise her daughter – the enduring faith that kept her going until the tearful reunion with her son, once painfully torn away and taken to the custody of his father. Reverend Teresia Wairimu Contacts. http://www.evangelistwairimu.org/ https://www.facebook.com/reverendteresawairimu/ [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/reverendteresawairimu/ Reverend Teresia Wairimu: Faith Evangelistic Ministry Sanctuary Dedication(Video) http://www.ustream.tv/channel/femmedia
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