TechPastor.net » Kenya

Remembering Kenya

frank — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 21:51:27 +0000

My experience in Kenya, earlier this year, will be something I never forget. It’s an event that has marked my life forever. Our church will be sending another team to work in the Mathare slums in 2010 and I am certain they will return to the U.S. with similar feelings plus that priveledge of knowing we’ve changed lives forever. Here is a small glimpse of the future of our church in Kenya:

Child Sposorship With CMF International

frank — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:04:00 +0000

Next week we will be rolling out Child Sponsorship at CCV. So many people asked how we can help the children we met in the slums of Nairobi and this is the first way. Over 500 kids are waiting on the list to be enrolled in the school. A school that will connect with Jesus, provide clothing, food and an education. You can read more at our dedicated project website – http://www.ccvinkenya.com/

Watch this video below, it is a few clips from one of the worship services we attended at the middle school.

Change The Life Of A Child

frank — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Easter Sunday we will be rolling out child sponsorship through our partnership with CMF in Nairobi Kenya. What we give will (without exaggeration) change the lives of children in the Mathare slum in Nairobi. Kids like Sophia. Take a look at her story below…

Video – Mathare Slum

frank — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 08:03:00 +0000

Below is a quick clip of the slum in Kenya that we visited. Mathare is one of the oldest slums in the world. I look forward to seeing how God uses our church to help the people of Mathare and how they change us…

To read more about our trip to Kenya visit www.ccvinkenya.com

Last But Not Least – Kenya Departure

frank — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:04:00 +0000

The need in Mathare is huge. There was no greater moment that I realized this than when we visited another school that this team has started in Village 2 of the Mathare slum, they call it Kosovo. It was the last thing we saw on our trip before heading back to the US. Our van pulled into this village via a rough dirt path where the smell of the slum again hit our noses and dust hung in the air like a foggy morning.

As we approached the school we there were children playing soccer on a dirt field nearby and others quickly approached the van to see who was visiting. This school is still under construction along with the church that they have started in this community but it is not near as far along as the headquarters in Pangani (Village 1).

After exiting the van we were immediately welcomed by the children that call this slum home. Many of them were shouting at me to pass on messages from them to Barack O’Obama. I find it funny that they assume I know him, or that I have have access to our President simply because I’m an American. I just can’t look into the eyes of these children that have such warm smiles without seeing hope. Hope for Mathare, hope for Nairobi, hope for Kenya, hope for Africa… hope from Jesus.

I know that our church will do all that we can to help and I look forward to hearing the stories of life change that will come from trips that our teams will make to Kenya in years to come.

Education in Kenya

frank — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Kenya is beautiful but the slum in Nairobi is hard to see. I don’t even know how to put words to the poverty that exists here.

In front of a small shop I had a man approach me. He asked where we were from and wanted me to show him on the map in his shop. After much discussion about Obama, and recent political changes in the US, he gave me his address on a piece of paper and asked me to send him something from the US. “What do you want me to send you?” I asked. He said, “Anything, send me anything, maybe you can support my family. I want to send my children to school.”

Here in Kenya, the government only provides up to an 8th grade education. Then you have to take a national test. ONLY if you pass the test can you progress onto high school. The catch is that they have to pay for it. If they don’t pass the test, they to get any more education. That is why the schools that we will be working on with the CMF are so vital for these kids. By passing the test they have a chance of pulling themselves out of poverty and helping their families.

Can’t wait to come home…

Joska – New Vision for Mathare Children

frank — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:07:00 +0000

Joska is a 20 acre property outside of the city of Nairobi where they have amazing vision to start a middle school and high school for the children in the Mathare slum. They already have temporary facilities and are teaching almost 300 kids on this land.

However, with having over 500 children on the waiting list and thousands left in need they want to do more. That is why there is such a need for new buildings that will be used for classrooms, staff housing, dormitories and even more when they have the funding to build for the high school.

While there we got the opportunity to join in one of their worship services. It was an action packed service with a choir, special music, drama, and dancing and preaching. I feel so privileged to have been able to witness the amazing transformations that the staff get to see every time a child is added to the roster.

What this gifted team has been able to accomplish in two years leaves me speechless and I look forward to our church being a part of bringing hope to these families.

Don’t forget to read more from our team at www.ccvinkenya.com

Kenya Day 2 – Mathare

frank — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:11:00 +0000

I can not even begin to write everything I’m feeling about our experiences in the Mathare slum today. The smell of raw sewage still hasn’t left my nostrils. It was extremely challenging to see children the same age as my two toddlers.

With every step through the trash, tin houses, and filth – we saw children with bright eyes that looked up and smiled with hope and innocence.

There is a cycle of poverty here that must be broken and the work that has begun through the school at Pagani is a source of hope for this small part of Mathare that has 80,000 people living here.

The school is literally changing the culture in this slum. We were told that seven years ago we would not have safely walked through the rough alleyways but now that many of the children here are attending the school started by CMF, Mary and her husband things are improving. However this is so much more to do. They have over 500 children on their waiting list that they just don’t have the funds to help and thousands more that live nearby. I almost lost it as these children sang to us and shared bible verses.

More to come… keep praying.

Kenya Day 1

frank — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:54:00 +0000

The day started off Great with our Sunday morning worship services at CCV. Ben’s vocals were spot on, Brian’s sermon was heartfelt. Shortly after church was over for the morning I grabbed a few last minute items from the store and made my way home to share what little time I had left with Shelli and the boys.

On the way home, my wife called and she informed me of how our two toddlers were a couple of grumps and she thinks Michael knew something was up. He may not be old enough to articulate that daddy wasn’t going to be home for a while but he sure knew I was leaving. When we put him down for his afternoon nap he was sure to give me a few big hugs, definitely not the norm for him. I usually only get one small hug at naptime unless he is feeling particularly affectionate.
After the boys were down for their nap, and I was sure I had all my stuff packed up, Shelli and I had a quiet moment on the couch. She let a few tears sneak out, held me tight, and told me how much she loves me. I’m so lucky. I don’t think we have ever spent more than 4 days apart so spending a little more than a week in Kenya without them is a big step. I packed up my car, got my last few kisses at the door and was off to meet the team and head to Philadelphia Airport.

This trip should prove to be quite interesting with the team that is going. IM THE ONLY EXTRAVERT!!! Diane, Brian and Dan are all introverts and I couldn’t stop laughing at how Diane booked our seats on the plane. She was sure to separate us all and later told me, “Frank, I have to eat 3 meals with you a day, you don’t need me to sit with you on the plane.” Rarely is there a conversation that I have where we don’t laugh.

We quickly checked our bags and made our way through security. There were no issues and I can tell you British Airways is awesome. All of the staff on the airplane were very friendly, helpful, and attentive to passenger needs.

I have no idea what we’ll see when we arrive in Kenya. The country is nicknamed “The Jewel of Africa” because it has a little of everything that Africa has to offer – desert, rainforest, mountains, and beaches. But its largest city, Nairobi, is nicknamed “Nairobbery.” The slums there are among the worst in the world. I am a bit nervous about seeing poverty on this scale.

The last time I was exposed to rough conditions was in Jordan. While we were traveling to sights around Petra and Jerash I encountered kids that had nothing. Their clothes were falling off their bodies and they were begging me for water. I gave them what I had and gave them money but what we are going to see is more than 20-30 kids. Millions live in these slums.

Pray for me. Pray for the team. Pray for Kenya.