David standing with light behind him in a basketball court

TWU student David M. shows how embracing change revealed a servant’s heart for leadership

“Being at Trinity Western has been a wonderful, wonderful journey for me . . . and it's allowed me so many opportunities to lead and to be led and to be mentored.”

– David M., 2024
 

David standing in front of a light with text beside him that says "Whether I'm on the court or serving in chapel, I can be a leader wherever I go."

Replanted with strong roots

Born in Rwanda, David moved to Canada with his family when he was seven years old. They settled in Winnipeg, and David credits his initial love for basketball to the long, cold winters, leading him to indoor sports as an outlet for all that youthful energy.

Coming from a vibrant Christian home, with his father a pastor, David describes his family as a church. “The whole family is basically the church,” he says. “We’re the choir, we’re the staff, we’re the community.” The family’s Christian faith and service was such a normal part of his life as a boy that it was not until David moved away for university that he began to consider what it meant for him to have a faith of his own.
 

David standing in front of photos from his childhood

Led to lead

As his love for basketball grew, it opened up many opportunities for David to compete in different places. Excelling in the sport, he was offered scholarships, including one to TWU, where he is now in his fourth year as a psychology major. 

At TWU, David has experienced growth in all areas of his life. Currently studying psychology, including courses on psychology for the classroom, he dreams of being a school counsellor. David says, “I'd love to mentor. I want to guide. I want to counsel . . . young adults or young kids.” He describes, “the passion with that comes with me just being put in so many positions to be this older brother.” 

Still fluent in his mother tongue, David has used this “older brother” privilege to encourage and guide others in his community currently experiencing the same big change that he experienced as a young boy. He shares, “I’ve been put in that position in my community where I lead most—newcomers to the country, non-native speakers of English. . . . I love that.”

David smiling and playing guitar

Walking with Christ

David also serves as a worship leader at chapel on campus. He describes the chance to pursue his basketball career and his faith at TWU as a blessing. David acknowledges how God has placed people around him to help grow his faith, and he shares, “I've been led well . . . I've had many mentors and many peers who can walk alongside me. And with that, I've been able to understand what being the light means. And being the light is to embody a walk of Christ throughout my daily life.”


Also see: TWU alumna Rebecca A. discovered that being far away from home is never far away from God


About Trinity Western University

Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is a global Christian liberal arts university. We are dedicated to equipping students to discover meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. Drawing upon the riches of the Christian tradition, seeking to unite faith and reason through teaching and scholarship, Trinity Western University is a degree-granting research institution offering liberal arts and sciences as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has locations in Canada: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Instagram @trinitywestern, Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn. For media inquiries, please contact: media@twu.ca.