DNA 1 Real Transformation (Col 1:28)
DNA 2 Spiritual Gifts (Eph 4:11 - 13)
DNA 3 Contextual Relevance
These are still early days as we settle down here at Impala, but already we are trying to incorporate this DNA quality. Our efforts have been in 3 directions
Prison Outreach: Just a stone throw away from us is a short-term men's prison. We have now visited this repeatedly and would like to take up the challenge of working with them to better the lot of the prisoners there. The place is dilapidated and run-down, and even a small effort would make a big difference. They have asked for help to build up a social hall that the prisoners can use as a for meetings, as a dinning hall, and as a church on Sundays. We also wish to facilitate them with reading materials (simple library), counseling, and some basic income generating skills (run a computer workshop, etc. All plans are still at the inception stage as we discuss things with the authorities.
Prison outreach is a fruitful ministry because some (many) of those incarcerated in this sort of prison (short-term sentences of less than 6 months) are in for small mistakes (hawking, loitering, pick-pocketing, unpaid debt, etc), and do not consider themselves to be hardened criminals or beyond redemption. Likely they were simply trying to find food, and would like a real chance to earn a living. We have already seen at least 40 come to faith in Christ. Sadly once they enter prison they enter a cycle of bondage where they quickly become 2nd, 3rd or 4th time offenders because they go back to the old habits for lack of a real chance in life. About a third of the 150 inmates in this prison are repeat offenders.
The men's bible study group that meets with me on Fridays has been particularly keen to take up this ministry as their form of outreach.
Children's Home: We have also put in significant investment in supporting a children's home that is close to us. This little home is on Railway reserve land, and houses about 40 children. Our hope is to support them in their mission, and to provide some provisions as God make it possible. We have also tried to go in and simply visit, or to enable their educational effort. Here too we would like to start up a library from all the school & story books your children have finished using, and to supply them with a clothes bank.
Many of the children are in neighborhood schools and could greatly benefit from scholarships and tutorial help, especially during the school holidays when our high schoolers are home and could visit regularly to give tuitions.
Jubilee Fund : We are in the process of collecting the 2,000,000/= pledged by our members to set up the Jubilee fund. Jubilee in the bible was the 50th year when all debt cancelled in Israel, and people were given a chance to start life without debt all over again. The intention of this fund at present is to offer microfinance loans to those in need. The fund was supposed to begin operating this month but our launch has been delayed as we collect the remaining pledges and as Pastor Tim sets up the structures. We recognize this sort of ministry takes a lot of administrative input (might be beyond us), and so we might have to run it as a business loan cum scholarship fund to ease some of the administration. We are still putting thought into this.
School-fees Sponsorship : Due to your generosity we have several needy students who are in school on our support, either as a one-time gift, or as an ongoing scholarship to finish primary or secondary school. We even have some university students on one-time gift support.
Logos Christian School : 5 years ago we started up a nursery and primary school that is now doing exceptionally well under the leadership of Mrs. Leanne Wohoro. Just this week a parent looking for nursery placement for her child told me she was advised to try Logos because3 it was rated as one of the 3 top quality nursery schools in Nairobi! What stands out is the commitment to love and care for these children, and the commitment to teach them Christian values.
The long term goal of this school is to grow into a full primary school (we're up to Std 2 now), and onto a secondary school. All this was supposed to be happening at the 14 acres of land we bought 5 yrs ago, but that is now tied-up in govt processes.
The vision of the school is to offer top-notch Christian education at a reasonable fee, to use the school to disciple the next generation of leaders, and to offer significant scholarship opportunities to needy, bright students. God has honored us in this sense as already the school has quite a reputation in terms of quality, and we have some needy students on scholarship.
Pastor Oscar Muriu.
|
