Happenings on the Mission Field

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Matthew 7:12

Hello friends,

I want to thank all of you who have given and prayed for Little Linet while she was alive and for her family after her passing. As I mentioned in my last post, the family left for her final resting place on Friday from Nakuru, Kenya to Kisumu, Kenya to the Luo Tribal home land.  It broke my heart to see them leave on their journey and to know that they were leaving with few funds in their pockets.  But God is gracious.  Through the loving prayers of many of you, the family has now completed it's journey and is back home in Nakuru where they will try to carry on without their little girl.

Mama Linet and her husband, are both impoverished and have very little education. To top it off they are living far from their home territory and they live in the slums where there is little opportunity for anyone.  Life is extremely hard in Kenya for people with this background. We pray that the small charcoal business which we helped the mother to start will bear some fruit so that she can help provide for her family. She does have another small child who is younger than Little Linet was.  We know the hardships of children in developing countries where the life expectancy for a child is low.  Little Linet had not yet reached 5 years of age when she died of malaria.

In most poor countries, mortality is highest among young children (below the age of 5), especially infants (below 1 year). Once children reach the fifth birthday, their chances to live a long life improve dramatically.

In general Kenyans do not have a long life expectancy.  If you look on the graph below you will see how much less a Kenyan might live compared to most people in the world, including the Chinese.

My hope is that through my efforts and yours,  someone, or several someones, will have a better chance at a long and better life. That is one of the reasons I have been focussing on medical interventions for children in Kenya.  Though my efforts are modest in comparison to a non-government organization (NGO). I want to do my part to raise awareness of the needs there and the hardships for the people in that country.

I hope you will join me on the journey to raise awareness and to take action to help others who are less blessed than we are.  Your actions, however small or large, have impact and mean something to someone.  One day you will know the fruit of your labours.  How many of you would turn away a starving child who came to your door? It is like that when we hear of and see starving and hurting children who live a world away from us. They are real and they need you. Please consider how you can help. If you truly cannot help, then I understand. But there are many people who still do not go without indulging their every desire for the best and the latest, in technology, clothes, vacations, etc. not only for themselves but for their children. I've been in homes of people who are not very wealthy but yet I stumble over the toys strewn about the entire living area; toys that belong to one child.  I do believe in providing for children but there are only so many toys or possessions that any one human being, including children, can appreciate.

Of course, if you work and want things, that is okay.  After all, that is what most people work for; things that make them happy.  I am only asking that you consider helping a small child or two in Africa if you can.  Moreover, I am challenging you to consider their needs as your own.  I always say, there but for the grace of God, go I.  I could have been one born in Africa without the blessings that God has given me in Canada. It could have happened to any one of you who are reading this in Australia, Canada, United States, or Europe.  Please remember that.  God has been gracious to each one of us.  Let us be gracious in turn, to those whose mothers and grandmothers (and fathers) hearts break over the fact that they cannot provide for their children or grandchildren; simply because of the circumstances into which they were born.

It takes a whole village to raise a child. 

Igbo and Yoruba (Nigeria) Proverb 

Source: World Bank computations based on WDI

In other news of Africa, I am excited to announce that I have added two other children to my family.  I welcome Linunda and Hiness, both of whom are in grade 6 and live in the African country of Zambia.  I am going to help them with school tuition, food and clothing. They go to a Christian School and the are blessed to have good people overseeing the school.  I am happy to welcome them to my family of sponsored boys in Kenya (Peter 8 years old and  John 9 years old) and Ethiopia (Haile 21 years old).

Lindunda is 15 years of age.  The way he holds his mouth in an impish grin, reminds me so much of a young nephew when he was the same age.

This young girl's name is Hiness and she is 12. She is a beautiful young girl with a bright eyed intelligence about her.


  If I can encourage you to sponsor a child and you have some questions about doing so, I would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact me at any time if I can answer your questions or encourage you to support a child in Africa.  If you would like to know of opportunities for sponsorship in Africa, please click here.

I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday this week. A big 'thank you' to those who host this meme! It's always great to see what others around the world are doing.