Jonah’s Story
It was a long and winding path that brought Jonah Wafula to ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox. He had to leave his family in Uganda in the hopes that he could one day provide them with a better life. Along that journey, Jonah met engineering professor Neal Ninteman. “I became good friends with his son, I met his wife, it was like family. He was like a father figure for me – he understood me. He said, ‘Come to my office whenever you have a question or you’re struggling with anything. Just talk to me and I’ll help.’
I felt comfortable going to other professors too, but Neal was my go-to.”
It wasn’t easy, but thanks to the support of his professors and lots of hard work and studying, Jonah was able to navigate his way through the university’s rigorous engineering program for nearly two years, despite coming to the U.S. at 15 with the equivalent of just a fifth-grade education.
But even as he was on his way to a career as an engineer that could one day help support his family back home, something didn’t feel right. Engineering wasn’t for him, and it seemed like every project was a struggle. What he really loved was telling stories, and he loved movies. Near the end of his sophomore year, Wafula began looking at the university’s cinematic arts major. “What if I could support my family doing something I really enjoy?” he thought.
But he wondered if his engineering professor and mentor would be disappointed in him for changing majors. Just the opposite turned out to be true. “Neal was really happy that I got to find what I enjoy. He wasn’t disappointed at all.”
Cinematic arts turned out to be the perfect fit for Jonah. “It’s just wonderful. I really enjoy all my classes. It’s not easy, but it’s what I love.”
As for Neal, he’s just happy to see Jonah discover God’s plan for his life. “What I’m most excited about is ºìÐÓ¶ÌÊÓƵ Fox being the vehicle for helping Jonah find what he’s made for, to help him find what God has for him to do,” he says. “He discovered his gifts here, and now he has the skills to follow that path.”