Engineers are trained to keep machines running under pressure.
But who maintains the engineer?
On Monday, July 6, 2026, over tea and honest conversation, eleven men discovered that resilience also requires a preventive maintenance schedule…
…for our faith, finances and families.
Engineers spend a lot of time making sure machines don’t fail under pressure.
Belts are inspected.
Bearings are lubricated.
Rollers are aligned.
Preventive maintenance is non-negotiable.
So, last Monday evening, I sat with eleven colleagues from Bühler Kenya at Overstone Park Hotel, in Ruiru.
I couldn’t resist asking one question.
“You spend your days maintaining milling systems. What preventive maintenance schedule do you have… for yourself?”
The laughter came first.
Then the silence.
Then the stories.
Every Man Has a Road Sign
Instead of introductions, we started differently.
I asked everyone:
“If the last five years of your life were a road sign, which one would it be?”
The answers were fascinating.
A Green Light from Daniel, who has spent ten years steadily growing within Bühler.
A U-turn from a colleague whose fortunes changed after joining the company.
A Bridge from another who is balancing work while studying for a diploma.
An Ongoing Construction project from the youngest participant, an intern just beginning his career.
- Different signs.
- Different stories.
- One realization.
Everyone is travelling somewhere.
When Success Changes Clothes
I then showed two photographs of myself.
One was taken during my days as a Senior Learning Advisor, phone in hand, suited up, working in an office.
The other?
Watering vegetables in our kitchen garden after losing my job.
The audience quickly noticed the differences.
One photo looked like success. The other looked like survival.
Then someone quietly said something I’ll probably remember for a long time.
“Both photos are successful. God simply changed what success looked like.”
Exactly.
Sometimes success wears a starched suit.
Sometimes it wears gumboots.
The Ksh. 20,000 That Changed Everything
One activity completely shifted the garden space, we were sitting in.
I asked everyone:
“If someone deposited Ksh. 20,000 into your account today, what would you do with it?”
The answers came quickly.
- Repair a motorbike.
- Buy a bed.
- Pay bills.
Meet immediate needs.
Then I changed one sentence.
“What if that Ksh. 20,000 isn’t bread… but seed?”
The conversation transformed.
One gentleman who had initially dismissed KSh 20,000 as “too little to do anything meaningful” suddenly saw opportunity.
He’d invest it in his pool table business.
Others talked about shares. Money Market Funds.
Passive income. Business expansion.
The amount hadn’t changed.
Only the mindset had.
Faith, Finances and Family
As the evening grew darker, our conversation grew deeper.
We talked about reading Scripture before crisis comes.
About prayer. About serving God with our gifts.
About emergency funds. About diversifying income.
About therapy. About walking alongside trusted friends.
About walking my wife to the matatu stage.
About reading the Bible with my daughter before school.
About discovering that being present can sometimes be a greater gift than simply being a provider.
Because resilience isn’t built during storms. It’s revealed by the habits we build before they arrive.
One More Conversation
As we closed, I invited everyone to take the conversation home with a short reflection guide (download here).
Then we went around the table one last time.
The responses were practical.
- Continue the financial conversation with my wife.
- Start building an emergency fund.
- Think of salary as seed.
- Strengthen family relationships.
- Read God’s Word more intentionally.
Those weren’t just takeaways. They were commitments. And perhaps that’s the real measure of a good conversation.
Not how inspired people feel when it ends, but what they’re willing to do on Tuesday morning.
What Happened Next
The conversation didn’t end when the tea cups were cleared away.
In the days that followed, participants’ feedback revealed that the Financial System was the biggest takeaway
Many committing to build an emergency fund. Rethink their spending through the “Seed vs Bread” lens. And begin conversations with their spouses about finances.
Others chose to strengthen their faith, invest more intentionally in relationships, or explore mentoring.
Even more encouraging were invitations to continue the journey through small-group conversations and mentoring.
For me, that’s the true measure of impact: not applause at the end of the evening, but practical decisions that quietly change Tuesday morning.
Growth Communities
This was exactly the kind of ripple effect Growth Communities exists to create.
People rarely need more information to solve their problems.
They need meaningful conversations that help them see familiar challenges from a different perspective.
Through speaking engagements, mentoring (download here) and leadership conversations…
Growth Communities creates spaces where individuals, churches, organizations and communities can navigate life’s transitions with greater clarity, resilience and purpose.
Because the strongest lives, like the strongest machines, don’t happen by accident.
They are maintained intentionally.
Continue the Conversation
If this reflection resonated with you, you may also enjoy:
- Transformative Conversations. Insights from DICE Ministry – Reflections from my recent engagements with DICE Ministry graduates and staff.
- The Egg, the Calculator and the Crisis Cushion – Practical lessons on emergency funds and financial stewardship.
- Between What We Wanted to Be and What We’re Becoming – A reflection on disappointment, detours and discovering purpose.
You’ll find these and many more reflections at ngaara.blog.
I’d Love to Hear From You
If the last five years of your life were a road sign, which one would you choose?
- 🚦 Green Light?
- 🔄 Roundabout?
- 🌉 Bridge?
- 🚧 Construction Ahead?
Leave your answer in the comments. I have a feeling your story might encourage someone else.
#StillStanding #GrowthCommunities #Resilience #FaithAtWork #FinancialStewardship #Leadership #Engineering #Buhler #MensLeadership #CareerTransitions #Mentorship #Storytelling #Purpose #PersonalGrowth
Joseph Ngaara is inspired by people’s stories, especially those shaped by faith, resilience, and grace. If you’ve walked through triumph, tragedy, or something beautifully in between and feel ready to share, my inbox is open. 📩 j.mungai@hotmail.co.uk
Curious to go deeper? Visit the Home Page explore Growth Communities, or join the conversation on YouTube.
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