So tomorrow morning brings to an end the next part of my trip here in Kenya, as we have finished our time of learning about Somali ministry and the ACC&S (African Christian Church and Schools. This week we went to Garissa on Monday and stayed the night there where we visited a TB clinic as well as a school where we were given the opportunity to teach a primary class. Once we returned to Nairobi we spent a day in Thika where we met the moderator of the ACC&S (a very wise man) and we were given the opportunity to interact with him as well as the students at the ACC&S Bible College. Some of the major struggles this church is having here are being able to reach out beyond their own tribe and putting into practice their theology of treating men and women as equals in the church. It will be exciting as we find out if the two women from the ACC&S who have been traveling with us will be declared eligible for ordination within this church later next month. On Thursday we spent the day in Eastleigh - which is a Somali area within Nairobi - at the Eastleigh community center which is a Christian based community center offering education for those who really can't afford it in the community - but not only are they educating the children, but they are also providing practical skilled training for the parents as well as education for all on enturapernual (sp?) business skills. It's really amazing what this community center has done for this extremely poor community of refugees. This community center is really a shining light in the midst of chaos.
Yesterday we drove into the rift valley where we visited a church that had been a refuge camp for internally displaced people during the post election violence. There we heard first hand the stories of men and women who stayed and worked at this church and were told about how the whole community and all the churches there rallied together to provide for these displaced people until it was either safe for them to return home, or until they made arrangements to stay with other family elsewhere (and helped them get there safely) or until they were moved to the UN's camp. For three months this church housed over 300 people at a time, providing a place to sleep and food to eat. It was really a remarkable thing to hear about.
And today, we spent the day in a region just north west of Thika where we learned about the Guardians of Hope and visited some of the families that have benefited from this program. Essentially, the Guardians of Hope is a program that is aimed to help those affected and infected by HIV/Aids through things such as giving a family a cow (for milk and fertilizer and eventually more cows) that is to be repaid in the future, or else through micro credit loans to help people set up businesses such that they can provide for their families and pay school fees. It's quite an amazing program really.
Tomorrow morning we will attend an ACC&S church in the morning then drive to Machakos where we will begin learning about the ABC (African Brotherhood Church) and what they have been doing in terms of sustainable community development. I am happy to report that I am have a wonderful time here, and am learning so much and can't wait to be able to share more of what I'm learning here with you back home. I'm also glade to report that us Canadians are finally used to the food here and health is no longer an issue we are struggling with.
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