Celebrate with us!

It is with great excitement we announce that after completing our annual financial audit and compiling data, editing, designing, and mailing, we can present LIA’s 2009 Annual Report with joy!

We’ve called this annual report: Empowering Change and the entire piece showcases the ministry that God allowed us to participate with during 2009. To him be the glory!

We have mailed out a copy of the report to partners  who generously donated to LIA in the past two years, or to those that have served on a short-term team with us in Africa.  If you don’t fall within one of these criteria, or simply want to ensure that we’ve mailed you a copy of the annual report, please send us an email and we’ll get back to you.

As our committed prayer partner we ask that you join us this morning as we take time to thank the Lord for the work that has been accomplished throughout 2009.  Below you will find a highlight from each of the countries as they are found in the report.  Thank you for taking time to praise the Lord with us, both for the guiding hand of the ministry and the impact that has been seen in the communities where we serve.

Ethiopia:
-    We commenced a community based water supply, sanitation and hygiene initiative in Addis Ababa with the aim of reducing communicable disease prevalence and improving quality of life for 4,700 household in the slum areas.

-    Please Pray that this initiative will continue to grow and that more families will see improved water and sanitation in their communities.

Horn of Africa:
-    As we established our International Headquarters in Nairobi and brought our Senior management team under one roof, LIA was able to implement more programs in the Horn and facilitate and sustain them more effectively.

-   Please pray for the underground churches in this area.  That they would be protected from any persecution and would be met with receptive hearts from those within the community.

Kenya:
-    We formalized key relationships bringing our church partnerships to a total of 30 and are nurturing even greater community engagement.

-    Please continue to pray for strengthened relationships with the churches and their leaders. Pray that the training will continue and more families will be impacted by the diligent work of the local churches.

Sudan:
-    In Rumbek, South Sudan, LIA helped establish a school, children’s ministry, theological training program and medical clinic for the benefit of more than 1,200 community members.  This clinic more recently has seen great success and is well accepted and utilized by the community.

- Please pray that the Lord would continue to bless this clinic and those that dedicated their time to serve the community in this transformative way.

FACT:  62% of the community in Makueni lives below Kenya’s poverty level.

Absolutely beautiful.

A phrase I continually remarked while traveling through the rural parts of Kenya.  It was the contrast of such rich and vibrant colors that stuck with me on our way out to Makueni, Kenya.

The deep blue sky serving as a back drop for the fullest and fluffiest white clouds proved to be almost breath-taking.  It was the rich reddish-orange clay that lined the dirt walls, set beneath green grass and bare trees that will paint this landscape in my mind for years to come.

The thing about this lush and green landscape that was before us however, was the reality that such lushness is not the norm.  And as we drove further out into the sticks we watched the greens turned to browns and our surroundings started to resemble more of a desert than rolling lush hills.

See, I was visiting at the tail end of the “rainy season”.  This short period of time during the year, lasting about two months, in which the community will see the extent of its water for the year.  If I was to return merely three months later my surroundings and perception of this community, I was told, would be very different.  I would see only shades of browns and the bright orange clay would no longer be masked by the plants on top.  Outside of the aesthetics however, I would see a community facing some very serious issues such as poor crops and failing businesses, lack of water and lack of food.

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FACT: It is estimated that over 150,000 children live on the streets in Ethiopia.

It can be a humbling moment when realities clash.  When you realize that how you have come to understand the world around you may be very different than others.  When you see elements of, and comforts in your daily life that are taken for granted, until you realize your projected “norms” are far from even conceptualizing for others.

This is what struck me most while driving through the streets of Nazaret, Ethiopia at dusk.

In this peri-urban community, the prevalence of street children is more than apparent.  Pitched tents serving as makeshift dwellings lined the walls of buildings.  Clusters of youthful people claiming various areas of the ground as theirs for the evening.  As the sun was rapidly setting, the neighborhood was quickly being constructed, growing in numbers, and taking on a different make up than that of the night before.  There were some people that seemed to have been embedded in this street community for awhile, greeting those as they walked by, whereas others, after claiming their spot, shut off from the world in their tattered shelter.

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“Somalia has been without an effective central government since President Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991.  Years of fighting between rival warlords and an inability to deal with famine and disease have led to the deaths of up to one million people.” (Fact from BBC.com)

We often hear about Somalia in light of the pirate activity, as a warring nation, and as one of Africa’s worst humanitarian crisis, with over one third of the people depending on food aid. It is very seldom however, that we hear God is alive and moving through the underground churches, spreading the Gospel despite the very serious risks.

We ask that you join us this morning as we take time to pray a blessing of strength and protection for the churches and the people sharing the word of God to their community, despite the threat of persecution.

The end of July marked the graduation of our Trainer of Trainers (TOT) that will soon begin implementing the wholistic model with various churches throughout Somalia.  It is with great joy we praise the Lord for the TOT’s dedication and ask that He will protect the work and the plans He has for these committed and steadfast servants of Christ.

FACT:  Ethiopia has the largest population of orphans in the world: 13% of children throughout the country are missing one or both parents. This represents an estimated 4.6 million children (UNICEF)

It was as if he appeared out of nowhere.

On this particular day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia we were visiting Emmanuel Presbyterian Church, checking out their school stationed on the grounds with grades ranging from 1st-7th.  After spending some time in each of the classrooms, we started our way back to our van to continue on our journey, proceeding to check out the other initiatives of the local church.

With 344 screaming children, frantically and joyously yelling and waving goodbye, I almost didn’t see little Beto and his brother that were walking beside us.

Timid in nature, Beto was a third grader at the school.  Dressed in that bright yellow jacket, his initial acknowledgment to us all was only the sly smirk that would emerge whenever you sought to ask him a question.

Beto quietly informed us that we were actually on our way to visit his house, the details and reasoning behind our venture however remained a mystery.

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FACT: 5 million die every year from water related diseases

“Today’s water crisis is not an issue of scarcity, but of access.  More people in the world own a cell phone than have access to a toilet.  And as cities and slums grow at increasing rates, the situation worsens.  Everyday, lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills thousands, leaving others with reduced quality of life” (Water.org).

In Ethiopia it is estimated that only 42% of the population has access to a safe water supply and only 11% of the population has access to proper sanitation facilities.

Wandering the busy streets of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia and home to over 3.4 million people, the lack of water and sanitation facilities becomes clearer the closer you look.  Peering out the window of our van while driving through Addis, the need of such commodity almost becomes masked by the comings and goings of the people.

Colorful roadside stores, roaming livestock, traffic ridden streets, and trucks filled with youthful dancing men, blasting music to promote their party of choice for the upcoming election, all served as a chaotic yet captivating portrayal of life and community in its most organic yet beautiful form. This first glance however seems to hide the deeper issues that plague this energetic environment.  It isn’t until I wandered down the alleys and side streets, and visited the clusters of households that I began to understand what a community lacking a basic necessity of water and sanitation facilities actually looks like.

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FACT: HIV/AIDS Effects 33 Million people world wide, with 70% living in Africa.

It was a hot and sunny Friday afternoon in Makeuni, Kenya.  Having already spent two days in this rural community we had become quite accustomed to the long bumpy van rides to our unknown destination.  On this particular day we were briefed that we would be attending an HIV/AIDs support group meeting.

As we trekked down the crooked, uneven path, waving at those we passed, the feeling of uncertainty resonated.  Uncertain how to act, how to encourage and how to pray for those inflicted with such a disease.  I have become quite aware of the prevalence of HIV/AIDs plaguing many throughout Africa. At this point in our journey we had probably already met some suffering from the sickness, yet here we were about to participate in a support group of which all had their own story and struggle to share.

We drove up to the small cluster of huts compiled of clayish mud, sticks and stones baking under the bright blue sky.  Stepping out of the van we were met with about ten smiles, and handshakes that quickly evolved into hugs.  The joy and life that was expressed upon our first moment of meeting was undeniable.  Quickly people began to gather chairs and benches forming a circle under some nearby trees where we would meet. We soon became a group of about 30 people, all joining together for a time of fellowship, food and sharing of testimonies.

A pastor from a local LIA partner church set the tone of the day delivering a powerful message about the love of God and opening the session up for a time of song and praise.  After worship the group chairman stood up to give us a little history and context.

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How do you see poverty around the world?

This is a question I am personally confronted with on a daily basis, and to be quite honest my answer will shift from time to time.

To some degree, I’ve learned to see it as an abstract concept, one seeking to be understood by ratios, percentages and statistics.  Numbers that all serve to quantify the prevalence, reach and extent of human suffering in the world.  Though these numbers are important, used to generate awareness about the issues, sickness, destitution and hardships that many face, they cannot and should not be looked at as wholly defining.

In the book, “The Hole in Our Gospel” author Richard Stern designates two chapters about the desensitization that can occur through the prevalence of statistics. Without an attachment to a person or cause represented by such overwhelming numbers, we sometimes allow the needs of others around the world to fall on deaf ears.  Never feeling the weight of the burden others bear, and never fully grasping whom these numbers are intended to represent.

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In August of this year, Kenya will be voting on either the adoption or rejection of a new constitution. As one can easily imagine, the campaigning both for and against the draft constitution has been passionate and at times heated.

Last weekend, a coalition of churches joining together for a prayer rally against the constitution was dispersed by the detonation of a series of grenades. The blast led to a stampede in which six were killed and more than 100 were injured. It is still under question as to who was responsible for the incident. To read more about the incident check out the most recent reports from BBC News.

In this time of uncertainty and heightened tensions, we ask that you join us in prayer for the future months in Kenya, especially for the people residing in the Nairobi capital.  We are praying for peace during the campaigning efforts, and that the voice and concerns of the people would be heard and taken to heart.  We are praying for those living in the slums in hopes that there will be safety and a strong sense of collective community.  We are praying for God’s provision to the people and that the Lord’s wisdom will be apparent in all decisions that are made.

It is with great faith in our Lord that we pray for the election, outcome, and the months leading up to August.  Thank you for carrying this burden with us and for your commitment to our brothers and sisters in Kenya.  We encourage you to type your prayer in the comment section of this blog post.

FACT: In many parts of Africa, the production of food depends upon the intense physical labor of each family. When large areas of Africa are dislocated by war, especially southern Sudan where a civil war has been going on for 25 years, or adults die from the scourge of AIDS, fields cannot be worked, and food cannot be produced.  Unpredictable weather patterns and drought are another set back to the production of crops.

Source.