Africa Message

When we suffer from a cold or the flu, we often reach for the bottle of Tylenol. In doing so we are not addressing the root cause of the ailment, we are merely treating the symptoms. Few of us however choose to suffer through the circumstance without enjoying some relief from the symptoms.

The work of Agape in Kisumu, similarly is addressing the symptoms of a dysfunctional society in Kenya. The root causes of street children can be found in the breakdown of the economy and the family in rural areas. But who of us would argue that the children’s circumstance should go unaddressed simply because it is a symptom and not the root cause of the problem. If we are willing to take a pill to relieve the sniffles even though it only relieves a symptom, can we ignore children on the street simply because the real problem is much deeper in the society.

Of course, just as it is important to help street children, it is equally important to solve some of the circumstances that lead to children on the street. In Maseno and the village of Luanda just outside Maseno, Agape and MAI (Medical Ambassadors Int’l) are doing just that! For several years now, MAI has been using a model for community development called CHE (Community Health Evangelism). This approach attempts to change both the physical and spiritual environment of a village through self-lead community development and a sharing of the Gospel. MAI believes that not only is this the most efficient way to assist communities in developing countries but it also the way in which Jesus approached the needs of people. While he was Savior and teacher, he was also friend and healer.

In Maseno and Luanda, the project director is Jack Ngobolio. A former employee of Agape, Jack has worked with community leaders in Luanda for several years to first identify their problems. Then Jack works with the leaders to identify solutions themselves. At every stage the community itself arrives at their own solutions, implements the changes and manages any development project. Often relief agencies will enter an area and do everything for the village. This approach does not solve the problem of the village; it solves the problem perceived by an outside agency. The solution then is neither efficient nor does it last. Since the agency owns the project instead of the community, success lasts only as long as the agency is on the ground. When they leave, so does the effect of their work. With CHE, the community initiates, implements and maintains all the project work. Pride of ownership of the ideas and changes is a key ingredient in creating long-term change in developing countries.

The added benefit of the project in Luanda is that 80% of the street children in Kisumu come from this area. If the CHE project in Maseno and Luanda is successful then families will stay together. If the resultant economic development enhances the income of these families, then medical treatment can be afforded, parents won’t die and children will remain at home. If the hearts of people change and they begin to love Jesus and each other, then selfishness, hostility, and issues like wife inheritance and rejection of stepchildren will decrease. That means fewer children on the streets of Kisumu.

Recently Patty and I along with Tom and Marg Tucker (Administrators at the Vocational Training Center in Matoso) visited this project. While I have frequently visited this project and know both Jack and the chief of the village very well, Patty, Tom and Marg had not been to Maseno. The tour was enlightening and encouraging to us all.

Jack has worked with this village of 3,000-5,000 for almost three years now. He is currently backing away and allowing the community to continue on its own while he works with another village just over the hill that has heard about the success of the project in Luanda. And it has been very successful. With more than 20 protected springs to created fresh, clean drinking water, 21 fish farming projects, several bee keeping projects, a heifer project, irrigation with more than 20 foot pumps called “money makers”, double digging on all the agricultural areas and a recently introduced poultry project as well as countless lives changed through evangelists trained to share the Gospel, this community has every right to be extremely proud of the work they are doing.

Here at Agape, we realize the importance of Jack’s work. Soon there will be a noticeable drop in the number of street children coming to Kisumu from Luanda. It won’t solve the problem of street children entirely but at least we know that we’re moving in the right direction. Whenever we receive visitors to Agape, we make sure we take them to visit Luanda and see the good work that MAI has done there. We have to be careful about exposing the area to too many white people however as we don’t want to leave the impression that these “rich white people” have come to bring financial resources. The success of the village has been of their own doing but the background of the village has been one of dependence before these changes. Sometimes visits from Americans can tempt them to return to their sense of dependency. For this reason, Jack takes us only to areas where he has been for some time. We also make sure we tell visitors how this village has changed before they actually go into the village and make contact with the local people.

When you come to visit Agape, you will not only see the work we are doing to rescue and rehabilitate boys at Agape but we’ll also take you to the place where these many of these boys came from and show you how MAI is working to change the circumstance that created this symptom called street children.

All for the Glory

Patty and I have become much more involved in this process of rehabilitation this year. In our first year here, we were mindful that we could be perceived as the “Know-it-all” Americans, so we stepped lightly in areas of authority and change. This year is a bit different. This year we’ve begun to address some circumstances in the ministry where we feel there is a need to change and improve the work.

We’ve started a study hall program in the evening for the high school students. Eventually there will be 15 attending this study hall. The 8 boys in Grades 10-12 are currently attending and the Grade 9 boys will begin in just a few weeks when their school commences. Two classrooms will be utilized for each of the groups from 8-10:15 where they will be required to do their homework for class. The study time is held six days a week with the Sunday evening study time being optional. Depending on the grades and grade level, the boys will be permitted excused absences from the study hall. The better the grade reports, the more excused absences they are given. The study hall is designed to teach the boys the importance of daily discipline in school as the avenue to success.

Previously the boys were on their own to complete their studies and in a crowded dormitory, it can be difficult to find a quiet, well lit place. Along with the discipline of the study time, we have replaced all the lighting in the school with energy efficient and much brighter lighting. In these classes we have more than tripled the light source while reducing the wattage by 80%. A gift from some visiting Rotarians from Aimsbury, Mass enabled us to purchase these costly yet efficient lights. (As an example, a typical electric bulb that takes 100 watts of energy may only cost 30 cents but a energy efficient bulb that takes only 18 watts of energy and gives the equivalent of 100 watts of light costs $7 each. However the bulb lasts for three years also)

Another change in process is equipping all the dormitories with sheets for all the beds. A recent donation of sheets made this possible and the hospital mattresses that came from the Keckler Medical Supply container also proved to be a blessing. However, the boys weren’t thrilled with white sheets so we agreed to involve the boys waiting to start school in a project of tie/dyeing all the sheets. The process is slow and smelly. Patty has been working on this project for a week and it will be several more weeks before all the sheets are completed. Then each dorm will have it’s own specific tie/dye color. In each batch the boys have been more and more creative with the design. It is really something to watch their reaction to the finished project.

We had the privilege of attending the wedding of John Mwalo and his new bride Lina. John’s wife and the mother of his four children passed away last summer. It was nice to see John smiling broadly as he waited for his bride to enter the church. There are a number of unique elements to an African wedding that make the experience interesting. The first and most unusual to a Westerner is that the typical African bride does not smile at her own wedding. In fact, tears are not uncommon. This tradition is out of respect for her family whom she is leaving to join her husband. Lina, however broke with this tradition and could not contain her joy. Many of the photos taken showed her smiling broadly. I couldn’t help but wonder how her family was taking this unusual behavior from her.

The second unusual feature is the procession. Each of the flower girls and attendants as well as the bride enter doing a sidestep “dance” Because it seems like they are taking three steps forward and two steps back, the procession can last as long as 30 minutes. This one only took 20. During the wedding itself the bride and groom will sit at a table and sign the official documents ratifying the ceremony. And then after the ceremony, they sit in the front of the church as the guests bring their gifts and set them before them. The cake is also cut during the ceremony as well.

John and Lina have a large family to raise together now. John has four children and Lina has three from a previous marriage. John and Lina live in the rural area just outside Kisumu. His small plot has a host of young chickens. (He kept my chickens while I was in the states and they multiplied for him.) There are also many banana trees on his land.

Patty and I had the opportunity to visit the CHE (Community Health Evangelism) project in Maseno run by Jack Ngobolio for MAI (Medical Ambassadors Int’l) This community development project is a complete success as the community itself has identified its problems, sought solutions and brought change for improved health, safe drinking water, micro enterprise and changed lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Patty had not had the opportunity to visit this project, nor had Tom and Marg Tucker who were visiting us this week. Tom is interested in implanting some of the projects currently successful in this CHE project, including fish farming.

The last two weeks have been busy ones as Darla is here from the states along with COO of Agape, Blake Gibbs. They are traveling to the farm as I write this. Patty is already there, having returned with Tom and Marg on Wednesday. I’ll be going on Friday along with three boys who may be candidates for our next group who will transition there in August. We like to expose the boys to the training center whenever we go. We usually take two or three along with us when we visit. This increases their desire and their interest in vocational training as an alternative to academics. We always hand pick the ones we think should consider this option. Then the decision seems like it was entirely their idea.

There were several other significant events that took place, including the visit to Kima Mission Hospital that received much of the medical equipment donated this past September. I will highlight this visit after I have visited the other two hospitals that received this medical equipment. Watch for this newsletter in the next few weeks.

Blessings to all

Dan and Patty