US Army Chaplain (Maj) David Waweru followed an unusual path to become a chaplain.  He grew up in Kenya, 20 miles west of Nairobi.  His interest in the United States came from his interaction with American ministries, specifically, Campus Crusade for Christ:

“The job that really stands out to me is when I worked for Campus Crusade for Christ,” Waweru said. “This job stands out to me because that is when I had a lot of time with American missionaries, and I believe that is where my interest in coming to the United States began.”

His work with Campus Crusade encouraged him to become a minister for the Anglican church in Kenya.

He initially served in Kenya before coming to the United States to pursue a Masters at Princeton.  There, he met an Army chaplain; when Waweru graduated, he was commissioned a chaplain in the US Army in 1994.

Though his childhood was a bit different than most soldiers, his desires to serve and support is just as strong:

The chaplain wants soldiers to know if they need anything, he is here to help them.
 
“I offer encouragement and insight based on my experiences,” he said. “I encourage soldiers to work on their relationships while they are away from their families, and I encourage them to be spiritually fit.”

Chaplain Waweru is currently serving in Afghanistan.  It is his third combat deployment.