Below is a letter from Rev. John Calhoun of the Methodist Church in Kenya. Please read, be in prayer, and consider donating to aid those suffering in Kenya.
July 2008
Nairobi, Kenya
Dear friends in Christ,
Grace and peace to you all, and greetings from Nairobi! It is with joy and thanksgiving that I write to you today, grateful for the good works being done these days by the people of Christ in the land of Kenya.
As I have shared with you in past newsletters, the people of the Methodist Church in Kenya face great difficulties in their personal lives and in their communities—challenges such as poverty, disease, lack of access to clean water, and continued turmoil caused by the recent outbreak of post-election violence. However, our Methodist brothers and sisters in this land are strengthened in spirit by the knowledge that they do not face these challenges alone. Indeed, there are Methodist congregations and individuals in the US and around the world who share the burdens of their brethren in Kenya, through their prayers, their words of encouragement, and their financial gifts.
One of the most tangible signs of this support is the annual influx of volunteer teams from across the US who come to Kenya to partner with local Methodist congregations and communities. In recent years, about 15-20 teams of volunteers have come annually to Kenya to support a variety of local Methodist ministries: to renovate medical wards at Maua Methodist Hospital, to repair houses at an agricultural training center in Meru, and to construct a women’s guest house and conference centre in Malindi.
- A group of eleven volunteers from a UMC congregation in Texas spent a week serving in mission in two Methodist congregations in Nairobi and Chuka (three hours north of Nairobi). In both of these communities, the team worked side by side with local church members to prepare the foundation and flooring for a new church sanctuary. In addition, members of the team led Bible studies for adults and children of the communities, worshiped with the local congregations, visited the homes of church members, and established lasting relationships with each community of faith.
- A team of five church leaders from a UMC congregation in North Carolina visited a number of mission sites in the Mount Kenya region that this congregation has sponsored over the years. The visiting team witnessed the vital developments that their financial support has enabled in the local communities: a community kitchen to provide free meals to orphans and other children in need; a water tank that collects clean rain water for consumption and cooking in a church-sponsored primary school; a new outreach ministry in the poor urban areas headed by a local evangelist.
- A small group representing a UMC congregation in Florida returned to Kenya to visit mission sites with which the congregation has had a long relationship. Included in their tour was a journey to the Great Rift Valley to bring relief supplies to a local Methodist church with an outreach ministry to persons displaced by the post-election violence. This team also met with Methodist officials in Nairobi to discuss the development of a microfinance initiative to provide low-interest loans to small business persons in Methodist communities.
The work that these volunteer teams have done is just remarkable. Their gifts of physical labor and financial support have truly transformed the communities with which they have partnered. The buildings and facilities that these teams have helped to construct will make a positive difference in the lives of community members for generations to come.
But even more important than these physical structures are the new and lasting relationships that have been created between the visitors and their hosts. By fellowshipping, worshiping, and laboring side by side, volunteers and local church members have shared their faith and grown closer in spirit. And hopefully these bonds of friendship and Christian love will continue to strengthen over time, as these congregations from distant lands develop and deepen their partnership.
So on behalf of the members of the Methodist Church in Kenya, I say thank you to all those local Methodist congregations in the US who are partnering with Christian communities across Kenya. Through your prayers, your financial gifts, and your labors of love, you are bringing blessings to this land that will last for generations to come.
Yours in Christ,
John
As always, I invite you to be a part of our ministry to those in need. Although the Methodist Church in Kenya would appreciate any financial contribution in support of our mission in Kenya, the greatest need continues to be felt by those displaced by the post-election violence.
To make a US federal tax-deductible donation in support of these relief efforts, please direct your donation via the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Fully 100% of your donation will be immediately transferred to Methodist communities in the region that are providing direct humanitarian assistance to those in need. You may give in the following ways:
1) Write a check payable to "UMCOR," with the message "UMCOR Advance #982450 - Kenya” on the memo line of your check. Mail the check to: UMCOR, PO Box 9068, New York, NY 10087.
May God bless you for your steadfast prayers and generous support for the people of Kenya. May the peace of Christ be with you, and upon us all.
