St Albans Presbyterian church. Staff: Jeff Odhiambo

Jeff Odhiambo

Our New Youth Pastor, Jeff Odhiambo, has started!

Our new Youth Pastor, Jeff Odhiambo, began his role on April 5th 2010. Jeff is aged 29, has a mature, thoughtful faith, with a passion for God and young people. He is a very relational, caring person and a great listener, with a proven ability to build a rapport with young people. Jeff has broad experience of youth ministry in Kenya, Nepal and the USA including camps, school programmes, creative outreaches, Bible studies and speaking to large groups. He is also passionate about soccer and a keen player.

Jeff is a Kenyan who was educated in Kenya, Niger and Uganda, due to his father's movements as a university physics lecturer. He was raised as a Catholic, moved into a Pentecostal church as a teenager and worked with Kenya Youth for Christ, before becoming its Acting Director in 2006. Jeff has Diplomas in Biblical Studies and Guidance & Counselling. In 2007-08 he was Teen's Coordinator for a youth mission in Nepal. There he met and married his American wife Alicia and for the past two years they have lived in Alicia's home town of Kansas City and been volunteers in a ministry with white and Hispanic teenagers.

Jeff and Alicia had their first child in February, a daughter Eleonora. Alicia sensed Gods call to Nepal and spent eight years in mission work there. She is a good administrator, engages well with young people, is an able speaker and has a strong commitment to justice.

An important part of Jeff's role as our full-time youth pastor is to work as a 24-7 youth worker for ten hours a week at Palmerston North Boys High School.