The Living Stone of the Cradle: The Story of Isaiah Gore
If you walk through the gates of Gethsemane Garden Christian Centre today, you see a sprawling sanctuary of learning, laughter, and prayer, but if you sit with Isaiah Goro, he will tell you about a time when GGCC was nothing but a “bushy ground”—a wild, quiet cradle waiting for a miracle. Isaiah arrived on Mfangano Island in 2002 as a mason and carpenter, a man we call a “fundi” in Kenya to describe a master craftsman who works with his hands to build and repair. At that time, there were no structures and no fence; the very first structure Isaiah ever built as a fundi was a simple toilet. He remembers when morning devotions, staff meetings, and even the storage of valuable school items all happened under the shade of a single tree, which served as the mission’s first “store” and “office.”
In those early days, the vision of the founders, Naphtaly and Nereah Mattah, was tested by extreme hardship as they fought to establish a refuge for the vulnerable. By 2003, Isaiah had helped raise the first single classroom block, a building that had to work twice as hard as any other, serving as a school for KG1 through Grade 3 by day and transforming into a dormitory for the children by night. Isaiah saw the literal steps of the children in all the classes as they grew up, but he also witnessed the profound struggles that the founders endured to keep the vision alive. He saw the heartbreak of losing students in the beginning to underlying medical conditions because the school came to learn about these reactive issues only later when they finally found help. He watched as many people Naphtaly asked to serve and wait upon the Lord ran away from the service as GGCC started because of a total lack of finances.
One thing about Isaiah is that before joining service at GGCC, he had not accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. He met Naphtaly through a mutual friend while working on a building on the mainland, and Naphtaly sold him the idea of moving to the Island to do God’s work. At first, Isaiah was so skeptical about traveling on the lake—let alone moving to an island—but he finally gathered the courage to visit Mfangano and eventually settled in to aid in the work. Life was not “milk and butter” for Isaiah; in that first year of 2002, he was perturbed by loads of financial distress and made many visits to Naphtaly’s house during emergencies and times of dire need. Yet, while others ran away, Isaiah stayed grounded by the Word of God. He confesses that God truly came through in 2003, and things started getting better each year.
It was there at the cradle of GGCC that Isaiah came to know about sin and chose not to walk in it anymore. He has been saved for more than 20 years now, and he speaks of how the Word has guided him through all the tough times and taught him how to handle himself in all situations of life. Isaiah is a father of three hailing from the mainland, and through his service at GGCC, he has been empowered to help his family; his son Ronald is now in college, Trevor Barry is in Grade 12 at GGHS, and Mary Anne is in Grade 6—all children who have gone through or are currently in Gethsemane.
Today, Isaiah serves in our maintenance department ensuring everything is in “tip-top condition” through carpentry, masonry, welding, and supervisory work. But there is one special role he has played that we are most grateful for: for every roof that has been restored or house built from scratch for a caregiver or widow through GGCC, Isaiah has been part and parcel of that project.
He confesses that he has always loved to be part of that blessing, and more than 60 houses later, seeing the tears of joy makes him proud to be part of this mission. Isaiah stands today as a testimony of someone who stood in the tides—someone who has seen the literal “cradle” of Gethsemane grow into the sanctuary it is today.
In the eyes of the leadership at GGCC, Isaiah Goro is much more than a master of maintenance; he is a living embodiment of the mission’s heartbeat. As our Director noted, Isaiah absolutely loves GGCC and has been an unwavering pillar since its very inception. Having found his salvation here, his work is now an extension of his faith—marked by such excellence and integrity that he requires no supervision. He doesn’t just work for a school; he serves a calling. Today, Isaiah stands not just as a builder of structures, but as a witness to the faithfulness of God, proving that when you plant your life in the “bushy grounds” of God’s will, He will build you into something far greater than you ever imagined.