God's Faithfulness in My Life
By Benny Kiwelu
In November 2018, God opened a door for me to attend Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I moved to Tulsa in January 2019, not only with joy and gratitude, but with amazement at what God had done to make it possible for me to study at ORU. I had come a long way from my childhood days in a village on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
I began classes in the Spring semester of 2019 with a major in Pre-Med. I experienced many challenges as a first semester student trying to adjust to a new culture and the unfamiliar American university education system. But I made it through by the grace of God.
In the middle of my sophomore year, I felt strongly that I should change the focus of my studies. I made the switch to majoring in Finance with a minor in IT (Information Technology). Deep down I have always been interested in finance since I was a child. I can vividly remember asking questions like, “What would happen if the government printed as much money as possible so that everyone had enough money?” You probably know the answer and where certain countries ended up after doing just that!
Other questions that I wondered about included, “How do banks operate and how does the central bank regulate the banking system both inside its country and in the international markets?” You may be thinking, “Enough with the finance questions!” The point that I am trying to make is that studying finance has answered a lot of questions that I've had for a long time that were not only important to me but vital when it comes to understanding how the world of finance operates.
The highlight of my studies this past fall semester at ORU has been working on a financial ratio project in my Financial Management class. This involved evaluating the financial health of Ford Motors and Tesla company. It was a hard and challenging project but also quite rewarding in terms of the knowledge I acquired regarding how companies operate in the real world. I am expecting to finish my Bachelor’s Degree in Finance in December 2021 and I hope to stay at ORU for one more year to do an MBA.
So how has ORU been treating you so far? I am so glad you asked!
Oral Roberts University has been beyond what I could've ever asked for. If I had to start it all over and choose any University - even if Harvard was on the list - I would still choose ORU in a heartbeat. I wouldn't change anything. Both the good experiences and the challenges I've had while I have been here at ORU have all been building blocks in making me the person that I have become today.
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalms 32:8 NIV
This is one of my favorite Bible verses and I am grateful that I've seen God make it a reality in my life. If I had to describe my life journey to this point in two words, it would be GOD'S FAITHFULNESS. My life has been the very definition of His faithfulness. I've seen God fulfilling His word and His promises in every season of my life through your prayers and your support, both financially and emotionally.
I can't end this article without expressing my gratitude to all of you for supporting me and Treasures of Africa Children's Home. As much as you've heard this already - I will continue to say that you are making a real difference in many lives and I am a testimony of that. THANK YOU! Happy New Year and BLESSINGS to you all.
