I'm privileged to include insights from a dear friend who served with her church on a short-term trip to Kenya. My prayer follows her post.
I had the privilege of visiting Kenya on a mission trip with my church
and an organization called 410 Bridge in June of 2010. You can check
out the 410 Bridge web site here: http://www.410bridge.org/.
It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We ministered
in a small farming village called Kiu. Most of the homes we visited
were mud huts. They had only one or two rooms, no electricity, and NO
running water. In fact, some of the villagers had to travel as far as 2
km every day to get water from the village well. Women or children
usually do this. Most of them carry the water in large containers on
their back, using a strap that goes across their forehead. Despite all
of this hardship, the Christians we met there were filled with amazing
joy and hope. They love to sing, dance, and praise the Lord, and never
in my life have I met people more welcoming and generous.
The lack of running water, and frequently food, can be a major stumbling block for education, because children often cannot make it to school on time after fetching water for their family. Also, if they have no food at home for lunch, they may be too hungry to return to school in the afternoon. This is why 410 Bridge is committed to putting water reservoirs and lunch programs into the schools in their communities. This way the children can fetch water for their family while they are at school, and they are sure to receive at least one meal that day.
Another problem for the schools in Kenya is the presence of sand fleas, or jiggers. If a classroom has dirt floors, these nasty insects can burrow into the kids’ bare feet while they are sitting at their desks. Because of this, cement floors are a real need in many Kenyan schools.
After our mission trip in 2010, my church decided to partner with the village of Kiu long term to help them get water from their well piped out to the various parts of the village, put cement floors in the classrooms of the local primary school, address medical needs, and above all, help spread the love of Jesus.
We are so excited about what God is doing in Kiu, but there is still much to be done. Water is such a HUGE need in Kenya right now. They have had a severe drought for the past couple of years. They need rain and fresh water wells desperately in so many areas….and many people still need Living Water.
The lack of running water, and frequently food, can be a major stumbling block for education, because children often cannot make it to school on time after fetching water for their family. Also, if they have no food at home for lunch, they may be too hungry to return to school in the afternoon. This is why 410 Bridge is committed to putting water reservoirs and lunch programs into the schools in their communities. This way the children can fetch water for their family while they are at school, and they are sure to receive at least one meal that day.
Another problem for the schools in Kenya is the presence of sand fleas, or jiggers. If a classroom has dirt floors, these nasty insects can burrow into the kids’ bare feet while they are sitting at their desks. Because of this, cement floors are a real need in many Kenyan schools.
After our mission trip in 2010, my church decided to partner with the village of Kiu long term to help them get water from their well piped out to the various parts of the village, put cement floors in the classrooms of the local primary school, address medical needs, and above all, help spread the love of Jesus.
We are so excited about what God is doing in Kiu, but there is still much to be done. Water is such a HUGE need in Kenya right now. They have had a severe drought for the past couple of years. They need rain and fresh water wells desperately in so many areas….and many people still need Living Water.
My prayer for today: Lord, we are thankful for Your work in Kenya, for the growth of the church and the mobilization of missions from Kenya. We pray for adequate water and resources, especially for kids in areas where the sand fleas are prevalent. We pray for more churches to partner with Kenyan churches to see needs met in a helpful way. We pray for You to grow the Kenyan church to be passionate for You, doctrinally sound, genuinely loving, and fully obedient to Your word. We pray against tribalism within the churches and for an outpouring of Biblical unity. Raise up church leaders, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and others who serve their people and You with joy and understanding. We pray for the nation of Kenya. Allow the Gospel to permeate the country and remove corruption. We pray for long-term stability in the country and for wisdom in the challenge of radical Islam. We pray for guidance for those ministering to Muslims and for those seeking truth to find You. In Jesus' name, amen.
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