Frequently Asked Questions
Are these students HIV positive?
Other opportunities to contribute
Let your partnership in Kenya "raise the bar"
If you were planning to take a trip to any place in the world, where would you go? England? Japan? Australia? How about visiting New Zealand? Perhaps you'd like to try pickled herring in Scandinavia or visit the rain forest in Costa Rica. Maybe you'd choose the beaches of Hawaii or the Bahamas. But would you choose Africa?
You might if your purpose was to see big animals, unfettered by chains, roaming the savanna or stalking prey. Maybe you'd choose Africa to raft the Nile or see the Pyramids.
But what if you went halfway around the world for a whole different reason? What if you went to see a people who are intelligent, fiercely independent, compassionate, thoughtful, and whose smiles light up an entire room -- but whose circumstances have led them to the brink of despair? What if you went to see a small, thatched hut with one elderly "grandmother" surrounded by the 9 children she cares for who have been orphaned by the devastating effects of AIDS? What if you went to a region that was suffering through 50% unemployment, and where over half of the students in the local schools have lost one or both parents? Where Malaria, diphtheria, and dysentery are still deadly diseases and where fields yield only 3-4 bushels of corn per acre? Where running water is unknown and electricity is a miracle?
Would you go now?
Africa has been called "the dark continent." For many, it is shrouded in mystery and most western people are ignorant of the culture and the living conditions of the majority of those who call Africa home. And while our skin color is very different, the foods we eat (and the times we eat them) vary widely; while the languages we speak make it difficult at times to communicate, and our cultures are so diverse, we find that we are far more alike than we are different.
Food, language, and skin color only separate us on the surface. What we discovered is that our values, our hopes, our dreams, and our struggles are much alike. We all worry about how we'll make it through school, who we will fall in love with, whether our kids will grow up happy and safe. We sing the same songs in worship. We pray the same prayers. We dream about careers, about building a happy family, and about how we can "get ahead." We long for happiness and joy. We are much alike.
But there is one factor that is radically different from what we know in America. Here in the West, we are blessed with opportunities. If we work hard, try our best, and are persistent, almost all of us can see many of our hopes and dreams realized. But in East Africa, the devastation of the AIDS epidemic has all but destroyed the hopes and dreams of an entire generation.
In some parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, 38% of the population is HIV positive. By the year 2010, it is estimated that there will be 40 million children who have lost their parents to this disease. Nearly half of the children in the Western regions of Kenya have lost either one or both parents to AIDS. One of the fastest growing segments of the economy of this region is coffin-making. The loss of human capital - literally the virtual elimination of an entire generation - is almost impossible to calculate. Orphaned children wander without food, without care, without safety, without hope...
And the problem feeds on itself. Until this current generation completely accepts certain changes in lifestyle and living arrangements, teenagers who are unable to remain in school are preyed upon by unscrupulous locals, who, out of desperation, draw them into unhealthy lifestyles and the crushing weight of AIDS is passed on to another generation of victims. In short, teenagers who do not stay in school are usually dead within a matter of years.
But this is their problem, isn't it? Don't we have enough trouble of our own? I suppose one could argue that they are simply living with the consequences of their actions. Why should this become our problem?
Kenya is over 70% Christian and it is a joy to see their genuine faith provide them hope in times of such trials. These are the same people that we will see in heaven -- all those who have placed their trust in Christ are members of His body and of His family. We will eat at the same heavenly banquet table -- is it possible for us to ignore the plight of those who are bearing the consequences of circumstances beyond their control?
Through Wash Jo Humanitarian ministries, our first contact was made with the people of West Uyoma, Kenya. Direct connection has been developed with the administration of three schools: Nyakongo Primary and Girls Secondary schools, and Makasembo Secondary School for Boys and Girls. A three-bedroom home for volunteers has been constructed on the grounds of Nyakongo Secondary School. Soccer uniforms and balls were gratefully received at both Secondary Schools. But most importantly, many orphaned students' education for the past year has been funded through the generosity of people like you.
In a step of faith, several of us went to West Uyoma Kenya to verify that the funds we were sending were doing what we had been told they would do. We wanted to build a relationship of trust with those we hoped to serve. It is our joy to report that all that was promised to us was exactly as we were told. From Wash Jo here in Portland to caregivers and school administrators in Kenya -- everything was as promised. What a privilege it is to be able to tell you that 100% of any funds you give will go directly to the people and projects they were given to help.
What we are proposing for the immediate future is to sponsor orphaned students. Paying for school fees, room and board, uniforms and textbooks can be done for $400 - $500 for an entire year. The reality is that this amount of money literally keeps kids alive, gives them an education, provides safety, and fuels their dreams for a brighter future. So far, we have 44 students sponsored and have committed to keeping those students in school until they graduate and are eligible for university or employment. If contributions allow, we will sponsor as many orphaned students as possible. While we hope that a family would consider sponsoring the full annual amount, any gift will be received and sent on to help students in need.
Are these Students HIV Positive?
Some have asked, "If AIDS is so rampant in East Africa, will the child I'm sponsoring die in a year or two?" None of the students we are sponsoring are HIV positive. The purpose of this effort is to keep them that way! When children are in an environment of learning, safety, and faith, we have witnessed that they make excellent choices and already the country has seen an encouraging drop in new cases of AIDS. Your contribution allows orphans to have hope, to stay in school, and to realize an opportunity.
Other Opportunities to Contribute
While our immediate and ongoing goals are to sponsor orphaned children in school, there are other opportunities to contribute. In most classrooms, one textbook is shared by 10 students. Science labs have one microscope and (if they're lucky) one Bunsen burner. There are no chemicals, no dissecting trays or tools, and so learning is inhibited. Libraries have few books, and those they have are very old and dated. Less than half of the students have mosquito nets to prevent malaria. Boarding schools have no transportation and few medical supplies, so an injury can become quite serious without a doctor's attention. Bathing is done in the same lake that is used to wash clothes, fish for food, water their herds, and use for drinking water. Electricity is only now beginning to become available, but not at Makasembo and Nyakongo Schools. So many of the things we take for granted are unavailable. Contributions can be made to help address many of these conditions as well.
There are still those who might complain and point out that "Charity should begin at home." There is criticism that dollars and energies are taken away from our local area where there are many real needs. We agree completely that local needs must be addressed! It is our earnest desire that much work should be done here at home. And we hope that those who have concerns are also accompanying their words with actions here at home. But at the same time, this particular effort is not designed to take away from local efforts, but to enhance and enlarge them.
Let Your Partnership in Kenya "Raise the Bar"
Locally, you can give out a meal to those who live in a country of great abundance and opportunity. Regionally, you can build a home and change a family's fortunes. But in Kenya, we have touched and hugged children who are alive today because of the few dollars that were given to keep them in school. Give a meal -- build a home -- save a life. Sounds like a pretty good combination. Will you consider not only sharing a meal here at home, but also saving a life with someone you will share a meal with in heaven someday?