Thoughts on Kenya by Rand Swanigan

Rand Swanigan and two new friends.

 

You have heard it said a picture is worth a thousand words.  Looking at the photos from our recent trip to Kenya, even the pictures do not say enough.  For years, the approach to Africa has been to go show them the better way, the better way meaning the way we see it needs to be done.  Riding – not driving, as they all drive on the “wrong side” (see what I mean) – through Nairobi you will see church after church after church of every faith and or religion.  Starting a new church is not a need.  Yet the streets are lined with people in desperate need of help.  It is overwhelming.  Where do you begin?  The false promise of prosperity in the big city has resulted in a city of 3.5 million people of which 2.1 million are living in the slums. 

 

We did see a different approach with Africa Exchange, a “hands on” rather than a “hand out” approach.  Community development and ownership is a very critical and important aspect of the great things Africa Exchange is making happen, and we here at First Baptist are a very important part of that. First Baptist Church – Jefferson City and other CBF churches in Missouri are working and learning with the community of Ngerenya. 

 

Education is critical to survival.  The Kenyan government realizes this and has offered free education but the

Classroom

system is over-burdened.  The recently constructed Integrated Child Development Center, part of the Africa

Exchange program, is a school for 80 plus children between the ages of three to five, forty-six that are ready for primary school.  The Development Centers is integrated in that Africa Exchange provided the school building and a pit latrine and the community built a cooking hut, fenced around the school and dug an additional pit latrine.  In addition the parents of the students provide uniforms and a weekly supply of firewood for the kitchen.  The community has ownership.  They see the success and they have a vision.  Pastor Simeon and Pastor Rafael, the two pastors of the Baptist Churches in Ngrerenya, are key leaders in the school.  Forty-six children are ready for 1st grade, but only 10 will get the opportunity to move forward – and this is in a school a mile and a half away with 800 students and 5 teachers.  The phrase “no child left behind” takes on a completely different meaning.

 

Ngreyena Nursery School

The community vision is to have their own primary school, which they will support with our help.  Future plans include the development of a modern beekeeping industry where the honey produced supports the community.  There are also plans for an indigenous tree nursery, which would include cashews, coconuts and bananas. 

 

The community has great pride in their Integrated Child Development Center as evidenced by the large group of parents waiting for us upon our arrival on Saturday.  A very strong friendship bond was formed with Ngerenya in the short time we played and interacted with the children, worked with the teachers, built fence with the men, performed health checks on the students, ate with individual families who provided us with a meal beyond their means, and the joy and enthusiasm shared in a Sunday worship service.  When we left they had only one question for us – Will you be back?