By Sophia Wong
“God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.” (James 4:6) It was a humbling experience for the Kenya PEACE team to walk in the land of Kenya this year from July 31 to Aug 11. We were providing pastoral training to 140 pastors and ran children’s day camp for 500 children in partnership with the Changing Times Ministry (Kibera slum) and Mumias, West Kenya. During this time, the construction team was building various cooking stoves for the residents while the others were making home visits to share the gospel story and give out supplies to the widows and their children.
Sharing resources - Each day we provided 500 meals to the residents in the Kibera slum. We also collected a lot of clothing and medication and distributed out to the needy. The children were very grateful for our contributions and each child treasured every spoonful of food that they were given.
Kibera slum - The living condition in the slum has not been changed at all. We were strolling along the garbage filled, muddy paths, carrying bags of rice, cooking oil, sugar, soap, matches, and cookies to the households. In return, we are blessed by the widows. A lot of them were very sick but they still managed to make soap and tailor clothes for others. We were very amazed by the neighbours who generously offered to take care of each other. I observed that in poverty, the Kibera residents seem to live selflessly and share with each other despite their limited resources. Their actions are a learning lesson for us.
Pastoral training - I am also very touched by the pastoral training. The pastors have to walk for many hours to the training site. However, they tried their best to learn despite their exhaustion. I am also very impressed by the interpreters who are very knowledgeable but humble to learn from us.
Changing Times High School – It is all by faith that our church, RHCCC is able to engage in this kingdom work – to build a high school for the F1 to F4 students. The Changing Times Ministry originally has an elementary school in Kibera which consists of 420 children. As the teenagers are going through puberty, the risk of being abused increases. Pastor George Okoyol and his team asked the Lord to deliver the grown-ups from the pits and falls. In 2011, a widow approached the church and sold her piece of land to exchange for money. This piece of land is blessed and provided space for the school and pastoral training center. The Changing Times High School and training centre is to help the students continue their secondary school education and to provide vocational trainings for those who cannot go on to university. The building can also nurture the spiritual growth of pastors and Christian leaders. The farm land will provide agricultural and dairy products to feed the children and staff. Some produce can be sold to generate income. As we stepped into the land, we were filled with anticipation. We were amazed by the big halls and classrooms. We heard the joyful noise from the water machine. We also saw six cows being fed on the field. We foresee the birthing of the next generation on this piece of land. The Lord is using this Changing Times High School to cultivate the next tier of disciples and servant leaders.
Lessons learnt - Furthermore, we learnt to trust in corporate prayer and be accountable and supportive to each other. The team members were eager to approach and invite prayer warriors (4 prayer partners for each member) and continued to pray for us before and during the trip. Our prayer is asking the Lord to shape us to be compassionate listeners. We are listening to not listening for the needs of the pastors. Churches are facing extreme poverty, lacking resources, struggling with false doctrine, and being attacked by conflicts. The children, especially those who are at the stage of puberty, were being abused and detoured to the wrong path. We are humbled to listen to their stories. We are humbled to uplift the needy in the hand of our Heavenly Father. Amen.
(Rev. Sophia Wong is the team leader of Kenya trip, pastor of RHCCC.)
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Seriously, can a short two weeks trip offer much help?
by Tobi Tse
Since the trip in 2012, I felt that the help we offered during our short visit was very limited. I thank God for the eye-opening experience to partake in His Kingdom work, but the starving Kibera children would continue to starve after 2 weeks of free meal program. The sick would not be healed after 3 days of medical camp. Given the geographical distance, I felt like RHCCC/ACEM was applying a bandage to Kenya’s deep wound.
God has changed my perspective during my second visit in 2016. Kenya as a country has improved and expanded. The airport is modernized; the roads between Nairobi and West Mumias have been paved. The government now distributes free condoms in support of birth controls. Changing Times ministry has changed a lot too! Children have newer school uniforms. The numerous holes in their school cardigans and patches on the torn dresses have disappeared. The “natural” classroom floor once padded with sand and rocks are now paved with tiles, stirring up much less dust as the students kneel on the ground to color their crafts. The boarding high school that is close to completion gives hope and a path to permanent solution to the children’s future.
Maybe my two sparse visits did not contribute much help. We alone are weak and limited. But we are not alone. We are part of a team, a team that visits Kenya every year, and this team is led by God. ACEM/RHCCC’s support for Kenya does not end after the trip is over. With our partnership with Pastor George, God’s work is continuous, year after year. His local steward Pastor George and his team carries out God’s work every day, touching more lives with God’s words than we have ever imagined. From a 2-weeks free meal program, and 3-days medical camp, our partnership with God has now expanded to partaking in year-round children sponsorship, building a boarding high school, equipping local servant leaders and supporting in church planting. God is a visionary. His plan is better than our plan. Each of us, or our short visit, is like one small dot. Together, we form a continuous line drawn towards God’s Kingdom.
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Other Team members Reflection highlights:
* I did not feel compel to join a short-term mission because of my introvert personality and the gifts God had given me. God had opened my eyes and generously let me experienced Him. He could use anyone in His fabulous works.
* “Kenyan time” is a jargon familiar to all Kenya PEACE team members. The chicken is uncooked at 3pm when lunch is to be served at noon. Class should have started at 9:30am but the rain has kept the children from walking to the site. By the time they have arrived at 11am, it is time for tea break. After 2 hours of worships and encouragements at a Sunday service, the pastor finally begins to deliver today’s main message. Kenyan culture can be quite different from Canada. Coming from a country that values punctuality, results and efficiency, we sometimes lose focus and compromised our passion and commitment to God and to others.
* 到了肯亞，眼看當地人民生活短缺和貧乏，我心裏十分難過。有機會探訪貧民區， 瞭解他們飲用不潔食水，有很多時候兩天才有飽飯吃，居住環境十分惡劣，人人無所事事，好像沒有盼望一樣。
* 一班當地牧者們不辭勞苦，從很遠的地方走路幾小時前來為要學習主的真道進修和培訓，他們熱切追求主的心，令我十分欣賞讚嘆！
* 超過400個小孩一起敬拜，讓我學到人生很重要的一課，他們忘記貧窮，饑餓。每天相聚敬拜時，他們一同跳舞、唱詩，讚美主，看見他們充滿熱情和熱切渴慕上帝的心，令我十分感動，教我心裏火熱。
* 中午派飯時，看到孩子們無論多飢餓，收到食物時，他們首先感謝讚美神才進食。自問如果幾天沒有進食，還能先禱告，或是第一時間把食物放進口中然後再感謝神呢？
* 看到教會為主建立的學校，萬分感恩和讚美主所做的一切，「在人這是不能的，在神凡事都能。」（馬19:26）。
* 今次非洲短宣的體驗，不是用錢能買到的，神常與我們同在，神的愛遍滿全地，不分種族和國界。這世上還有很多人需要上帝，除了要更用心用力去敬拜主、積極人生、多傳福音，我更會把短宣的經歷與別人分享，鼓勵更多人一起參與，為主作工，被主使用，盡一分的力。
* Mission with an impact is the goal – an impact for the one who serves and also for the one being served, for the one who has gone and also for the one who hasn’t gone yet. This article is an editorial from all individuals who have gone and served. I thank God for what God has done in and through them for His glory!
Kenya Missions Team (fm right to left）吳志強、莊志洪、馬珮玲、李中堅、謝加翹、倪瑋傑、朱榕添、張念溪、黃馮玉賢牧師、黃世彬、梁兆剛、謝敏宜，與當地兩名司機合照。
