First Impressions of Mathare and Missions of Hope

Day 2 was orientation day (Day 1 being arrival day).  We spent the day at the Pangani Center which is a growing 5 story headquarters building + school + training facility + small shopping center which is located just on the edge of the Area 1 Mathare Valley Slum.  Our group is 24 strong and we attended this orientation with a group from Boulder CO who have 13 people here.

We got to the orientation room and waited.  Wasn't a bad wait as we all chatted with one another but we learned early on that Kenya runs on event time not on 'specific' timetables as in the States.  When the event started, we had chai / tea + mendazi  and then Mary and Wallace Kamau gave an inspiring history of the organization they have built as God's partners here on earth.

Their vision was to impact the Mathare Valley community with the entry point being the children.  God placed this on their hearts 11 years ago....educate the children in the slum and that will open the doors to the parents and eventually the community as a whole.  This is exactly what has happened.  From their first school of 50 students, they have grown over the past 11 years to now service 5725 students including a fully owned Middle School / Boarding School outside Nairobi in Joska.  Mary stated that typically only about 50% of students in regular schools pass the national exam which allows them to go on to high school.  Of the nearly 150 students in the past two years who have taken the exam in Joska ALL of them passed this high schools exam.  In other words, the education they are receiving is not only Christian based but is also creating highly capable students who are moving on to high school.  Eventually these students will go to college, graduate, and become leaders of the nation.  Their goal is to build their OWN high school and we have no doubt that will happen in the years to come.  This year they are continuing to build elementary schools in other areas of the slum itself.

Mary and Wallace partnered with CMF International and introduced Community Health Evangelism (CHE) programs throughout the community.  CHE is a strategy for holistic ministry focusing on the physical health and well being of the community but also the spiritual needs.  CHE trainers enter the community and assist with health needs and recruit community members to assist in teaching their neighbors. As physical needs are met, spiritual needs are addressed and the gospel of Christ is presented by both the trainers and the volunteers.  Interestingly, the primary volunteers in the community are the parents of those who are being educated at the Missions of Hope schools.

I got the thinking about this and realized that the numbers being helped and touched by God through this organization is far, far more than the 5700 students.   The program impacts parents.  It impacts neighbors.  We learned about the small businesses being formed and funded through this organization.  The goal is self sustanence not hand outs.  The exact number is not known but is growing exponentially and we can say without question, this organization our church is supporting and the 400 teachers / employees / social workers / CHE trainers are on fire for Christ.

We broke into small groups of 3-4 and entered the Area 1 community where 80,000 people live in sewage lined streets in shacks of tin.  Each group had a social worker or CHE trainer as a leader and they helped orient us to life in the slum.  The kids LOVE having their pictures taken though most adults are more reserved.  The kids can be resourceful making soccer balls out of bunched up trash bags and twine.  The kids will come alongside you and just hold your hand and walk with you.  There were heartbreaking scenes we witnessed showing the brutality of being a kid in the slums as well as the sadness of little little ones (less than 2 years old) walking alone in the middle of the slum.

Each small group entered at least 1 home.  The home my group entered was 10 feet by 10 feet with 1 bed.  Mary, the mother, has been dealing with a sickness but is very proud of her son Anthony who is attending one of the Missions of Hope schools.  I was most impressed with our social worker and how he spoke to this family.  Mary Kamau had talked in our orientation about how it isn't about the numbers of people....it is about the relationships formed, one by one.  We were so impressed with the obvious care and compassion the CHE trainers and social workers had for those they were working with.  Specifically in this home, the social worker spoke to young Anthony as a young man who was going to 'do great things'  When we asked what his favorite subject was in school he said 'The Christian training' and when we asked what he wanted to be when he grew up he said without hesitation....'A Pastor'

Interestingly, Anthony is in a photograph taken 2 years ago by the Crossway team and was displayed at on posters at our church.  We have been praying for this little boy and we are happy to report wonderful progress in his life.

We returned to the Pangani center for lunch and a tour of the center itself.  All the teachers for the Methare Valley Missions of Hope schools were at a training session today and they will be working with our teachers throughout this week.  We took a tour of the rest of the building including the pharmacy / clinic, the new water well which has been drilled in the past month (which will ultimately provide water for the center, schools, and community), classrooms for the kids, office space for missions of hope, training center for groups who teaches women over the course of 6 months to sew....then sends them home with their own sewing maching to generate income for their families (it's working with 69 graduates so far and more to come), and they had a shop where missionaries like us can order clothes to be made while we are here or purchase jewelry made by other small business owners who are connected with Missions of Hope (many are parents of kids who develop skills through their connection with Missions of Hope).  We bought a lot of stuff this afternoon....sorry to give away any potential Christmas / Birthday present ideas....

A number of team members spoke with Mary as others were shopping with questions about difficulties in dealing with government (has been a problem but now they have solid contacts the city council which has helped).  When asked what is the greatest challenge she has, her answer was 'training and keeping quality staff.'   She has very motivated workers but as they get married and start having families she cannot pay them enough to support their growing families.  Her workers are torn as they believe in the work but also must take care of their families.  So, it is a constant struggle for her to develop leaders to lead the organization.  Please pray for God to send this orgnization leaders who will continue to expand what has already been started.

Tomorrow we are off to Joska to tour that area (the boarding school) and attend church services there.  Off to bed as it is an early morning tomorrow.....

God Bless,

The Kenya 2011 Team