AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE:

We are sitting in the Nairobi Airport waiting for our Flight to Kisumu. We have just come from the area of town called Kayole. It is on the extreme eastern edge of town. For the last 4 years we have had a relationship with the Kayole PEFA Church and its wonderful pastor, Peter Omwanda. Peter is a “rose among thorns” in church leadership. He is extremely humble and gentle, but his creativity in leadership are second to none. Since we have begun to work at Kayole we have seen the church literally rise up out of the ashes. There is something new everytime we come. We have now had 3 consecutive years of medical camp at the church and the impact on the church and its standing in the community has been incredible. Today we were there for a “Youth Empowerment” meeting. I have to confess, that when Osborn scheduled us to participate in this I thought “what in the world are doing in a Youth Empowerment meeting? But I was so wrong! It happens once in a while!

Peter told us the story of this how this ministry got started. He said “after last year’s medical camp a number kids and teenagers started just hanging around the church. At first he didn’t know what to do with them but then God gave them a vision working with these kids in a number of ways to give them “a hope and a future”. They started having regular meetings with the boys. They enticed them with tea, donuts and cookies! A short time ago a community gang leader was in the meeting. He responded to the gospel message and not only did he get saved, he left his gun on the altar.” How about them apples!

The group has now grown to 120 and today was the official launching of the Kayole Youth Rehabilitation Center. Their stated objectives are: “Talent Nurturing, Skill Empowerment, Character Transformation, and Resource Mobilization”. Peter has the vision of starting many programs and enterprises to train these young boys spiritually and vocationally. There is no doubt in my mind that God is breathing on this thing and it is no mere “flash in the pan”. As if we didn’t already have enough to do, I feel strongly that Worldcomp needs to come alongside this ministry and provide micro-finances to start businesses to train these boys.

I had a chance to share my testimony with the boys and they were very responsive. Valerie gave them a strong word of encouragement, talking about how Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross. So many of these boys have had nothing but misery, there whole lives and we are so blessed to see them being loved and cared for in this way. When you think about it this is the preventative step that needs to be taken to keep boys out of the Shikusa prison and make them productive members of society. A day well spent.

Valerie and I are both suffering from stomach ailments and didn’t sleep well last night. Please send up a prayer for us.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating with the Kakamegatown Church, where Worldcomp all began.

Blessings to you all back home

Richard and Valerie