Walking away from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) wasn’t a decision I made lightly.
Walking away from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) wasn’t a decision I made lightly. As an Operations Analyst working on upstream finance, SME banking, and digital financial services across Africa, I had built nearly a decade of expertise in high-level global finance. I was a certified CPA with skills in financial risk management, working at one of the most prestigious development finance institutions in the world. But when God called me to step away and dive headfirst into Kenyan manufacturing, obedience became the only path forward. This is the story of how I left global finance to co-found Blu Osprey Inc., a fruit net packaging company in Athi River, Kenya, and the profound lessons I learned along the way.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
The Tension Between Security and Calling
For years, I believed my career at the IFC was exactly where God wanted me. And it was — for a season. I was using my financial expertise to contribute to SME development, digital financial inclusion, and investment strategies that impacted African businesses. It felt purposeful. It felt important. But somewhere along the way, I began to sense a quiet stirring in my spirit — a whisper that there was more. Not more prestige, not more salary, but more alignment with what God was calling me to build with my husband and family. I wrestled with questions:
Is this really God, or am I being reckless?
How do you go from analyzing financial risk to manufacturing fruit net packaging?
What will people think when I trade the IFC for a factory in Athi River?
The tension was real. Security feels safe. Obedience feels risky. But faith doesn’t grow in boardrooms — it grows in surrender.
The Moment of Surrender
I’ll never forget the moment I said “yes” to God. It wasn’t dramatic. There were no visions or audible voices. Just a deep, unshakable conviction that I was being called to step away from what I knew and step into something I couldn’t yet see clearly.
Proverbs 3:5-6 became my anchor:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I couldn’t lean on my CPA credentials. I couldn’t rely on financial models or risk assessments. I had to trust Him fully, completely, without reservation.
My husband and I made the decision together. We would co-found Blu Osprey Inc. and manufacture high-quality fruit net packaging under the brand Msafi Net. It was tangible. It was local. It was ours.
What I Lost — and What I Gained
Leaving the IFC meant letting go of:
- Financial predictability and a prestigious career trajectory
- The comfort of working in global finance with established systems
- Professional recognition as a development finance expert
But what I gained was far greater:
- Intimacy with God — I learned to hear His voice more clearly in the factory than I ever did in the boardroom.
- Kingdom purpose in the marketplace — I stepped into building a legacy with my family that would impact our community.
- Tangible impact — Instead of analyzing financial inclusion from afar, I was creating jobs, supporting farmers, and building something real in Athi River.
- Freedom — Freedom from striving for titles, from seeking validation through position, from living for anything other than His glory.
I didn’t lose anything of true value. I traded the temporal for the eternal.
Lessons Learned
1. Your expertise is portable — God will use it differently than you expect.
My background in finance, risk management, and SME banking didn’t go to waste. I use it every day in our business — just not in the way I imagined.
2. Obedience is the highest form of worship.
When we obey God, even when it doesn’t make sense on paper, we declare that He is Lord — not our careers, not our credentials, not our fears.
3. God’s provision follows obedience.
He didn’t show me the full plan before I stepped out. He revealed it step by step, as I walked in faith with my husband.
4. Building something tangible is deeply rewarding.
There’s something profoundly satisfying about manufacturing a product that solves a real problem for Kenyan farmers. Faith became hands-on.
5. The marketplace is a mission field.
My calling wasn’t confined to finance or development work. It was always bigger than any institution. Yours is too.
