Update on the work in E. Africa
8/5/10
Greetings Brethren-
I am excited to show you pictures from James Mutulu’s last visit. The E. African overseer in God’s church took these pictures of church of God Brethren that live along the coast region.
Traveling today, for the Disciples of Christ in these latter days hasn’t changed much since the day our Lord began building His church 2,000 years ago. It’s still quite difficult, and sometimes a bit dangerous. During Mutulu’s last trip to this region, he and fellow companion Kanyele were chased by a herd of wild Elephants one night. The herd blocked their path till morning. They had to spend the night awake, out in the wilderness.
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| Njeru Kangari (son of the church family being visited) leading Mutulu to their home (a 1 hour walk) |
The Kangari’s home is located adjacent to a large National Park & Game Reserve at the Kenya/Tanzania border. Many dangerous animals roam free here, including wild Elephants, Lions and Buffalo.
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| Njeru keeps a sharp eye out for predators. |
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| Mr./Mrs. Kangari with Mutulu outside their house. |
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| (One of their houses.) |
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| Mrs. Kangari pushing a wheelbarrow. |
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| Mutulu spent the night in this house. |
As we read from Mutulu’s report, we find the trip went well and was successful. James will soon travel to Western Kenya to visit the small COG groups in that area, plus visit the new contacts (including some in Kissi), as soon as the funds become available.
As always, we have to use any and all funds according to priorities. Our priority now is to build the kitchen at the slum school in Nairobi, while the children are home during the one-month semester break.
Children have been arriving at school each morning (and some teachers) with absolutely NO breakfast in their bellies (And nothing for lunch I might add). Our brethren living in that area are amongst the poorest brethren in the COG alive today (although quite rich in faith). There spoken of in James 2:5.
We have been trying to start a feeding program at the slum school for a long time now. The drink is made of hot porridge boiled with corn meal and some sugar. We want to make the nutritional drink available twice a day for any one at the school that is hungry (I can tell you right now, that everyone will partake of the drink, I’ve been there, and have seen the hunger of our brethren living in that impoverished area).
This project is our top priority at this time. When the children return to school next month, we hope to be able to have this nutritious drink available to them, so no one will go all day anymore with empty stomachs.
I took this picture last year when visiting the school. At that time I did not realize the depth of the hunger, until Kanyele began handing out some biscuits that we had brought with us, and we saw how the children were consuming them.
| Everyone was eager to receive some food. |
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| For some of the children, the biscuits were the first thing eaten all day, and it was almost noon. |
| The students returned to their separate classrooms |
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| Some still clinging to a hand full of biscuits, including the teacher, she was also quite hungry. |
After seeing the hunger at the slum school, I returned to the States trying to raise enough funds for a small kitchen to be built at the school to make the nutritional drink.
The most difficult task by far is informing brethren here, in the USA, of the desperate needs of many of our brethren over there in Africa, it’s a difficult task. The first LARGE barrier is the one erected by the MANY “ministers” in the various COG groups. Many of those groups use controlling tactics, and have not allowed the brethren under their control to see or hear about the dire needs of our brethren living in this impoverished part of the world. So I continue to herald that there are fellow brethren – God’s people, members of the household of faith who are in need of our help at this time! This cry for help needs to reach those brethren who have eyes to see, and ears to hear. Together we can reach in our own hearts and make this project successful.
Let us remember the words of our Lord concerning His sheep:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:35-40
If you can possibly help our brethren, please send that help to:
Kenya Hands of Hope
5525 Springs Avenue
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
We are 501c3 Tax-Exempt. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at the phone number below, any time – night or day.
You can also donate via Pay Pal: https://khofh.org/support-us/
For more information (and photos) concerning our work in E. Africa, please visit our Website: https://khofh.org/
Telephone: 843-447-0140
E-Mail: Goffb50@aol.com
(The following is a statement made by George Otara concerning the purpose for the school. George is the COG brother, who runs the slum school with his wife Margaret.)
HOPE SHINY STARS ACADEMIC CENTER
Our schools is mainly focused in providing education for the children from both the able and the needy families, and teach them to know God and depend on him in all the days of their lives. We thought this may be a better way of getting the young people into the true knowledge of God than trying to change them when they are old, for they will be found used in a different life contrary to the one that God wants them to live.
We also intend to provide the love of the mother to her child for we understand there are children missing it due to missing a mother or being in a family where this is impossible. Every morning we have 30 minutes for prayer and also in the evening before they go home. We also have set aside one hour for worshipping God through scripture reading, singing and praying every Monday morning and every Friday morning. I usually spend some times with the teachers to instruct them on how they should get the children into the knowledge of God. The teachers are all Christians.
As for the information about us, my Wife Margaret Otara and I are Christians intending to serve God according to his will. As you understand, we do minister to people the word of God and we are ready to learn more about the word of God.
George Otara
(Here are a couple of E-mails that I recently exchanged with George. The E-mails concern the much-needed feeding program at the school – it also includes the itemized list concerning the funds needed for the project)
| Hi brother Goff,
The drink for the school children is called porridge. It is made out of the maize flour and it should be mixed with some sugar to make it taste well. For one term three (months), every child consuming a drink worthy 20/-, this will make it a total of 20/- by 60 days, which is 1200/-. Having about 100 children, this will accumulate to a total of 120,000. If we will be unable to get this amount for three months, we will reduce the amount of the drink given to every child to reduce the cost. After knowing how much we have for one term, we can determine how to feed them. We will however need to buy some utensils like cups, jugs water packets washing troughs and so on for the children. We also need to buy cookers like sulfurous and build a small room to serve as a kitchen. If possible, this should be done now while the children are at home. END OF George’s E-MAIL. (I told George that we do not have the funds at this time, but asked him how much it would take to begin the project.) Here is his reply: From: mothernalove@yahoo.com
(One US Dollar is approximately 80 Schillings. That would make the 43,600 Schillings equal to $545.00 to start the project. The total project costing approximately 85,000 Schillings, would be approximately $1,062.00) After 10 Months of becoming aware of the hunger at the slum school, we finally received enough funds to start the project, so the construction of a small kitchen has now begun. But, we are still short of completing the project, and reaching out now for some donations that will purchase the few pots, utensils, cooking stove, and charcoal for its fire. Also, the ingredients for the drink, corn meal, sugar and water still need to be purchased. If you could possible help, (whether with finances or prayer) please do so now, so we can have the drink available soon. With our combined effort, we can accomplish the construction of the much needed (and long overdue) food program at the slum school. The Apostle John admonishes us: But whoso have this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shuttteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dweleth the love of God in him? John 3:17 It’s hard for us to realize the poverty that some of our brethren are living in there in E. Africa, so I’ll end with the picture that I took just outside the slum school gate: |