Fact: In Kenya there is an estimated 3 physicians per 100,000 people.

In the United States the ratio of physicians to population is 3 to 256 people.

Fact found at UN Human Development Report 2007/08.

Fact: A person living in a developing country is 79 times more likely to be hit by a climate change-related disaster than someone from a developed country.

Take Africa for example.

In a recent article from BBC News, researchers state that throughout the continent of Africa, conflict was about 50% more likely in unusually warm years with the prevalence of food shortages being a major factor.

“Studies show that crop yields in the region are really sensitive to small shifts in temperature, even of half a degree (Celsius) or so,” research leader Marshall Burke, from the University of California at Berkeley, told BBC News.

“If the sub-Saharan climate continues to warm and little is done to help its countries better adapt to high temperatures, the human costs are likely to be staggering.”

*Check out the full article from BBC News as well as more from researcher Marshall Burke.*

We are excited to announce that our first ever documentary “This Is My Home” is now available for pre-sale at our online store!

Check out the movie trailer!

We believe there are but a few moments in everyone’s life when they get to be a part of something bigger than themselves, something that has an impact beyond what we could create, control, or even imagine.  Our first ever documentary “This is My Home” turned out to be such a project, and we’ll never be the same because of it. Our hope is that you’ll never be the same because of it as well.

This film takes you on a journey through the streets of the Merkato community in Ethiopia giving you a first-hand account of what life is like on the streets for the children and youth, as well as documenting the local churches’ response to the needs of the people within their community.

Pre-order your film today by visiting the LIA Store! We will be able to deliver all pre-ordered copies by Christmas. All funds raised by this $20 film will be used to multiply wholistic programs in the Merkato community that serve the children, the youth, and their caretakers.

This film makes a perfect gift and can serve as a great tool to share the vision, hope and work of LIA with friends, family, co-workers, youth groups, and loved ones.  Order your copy today to play a role in the story that we believe is so much larger than we can ever imagine!

Several missionaries, mission organizations, medical students, and people of all ages gathered November 12th -14th at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY for one of the largest medical missions conferences in the world.

LIA’s Founder and President Dr. Florence Muindi and Kenya Country Director Dr. Emily Obwaka attended and spoke at this year’s conference.

Florence spoke first at the Friday plenary session with the message of “Empowering the Least.”

She encouraged those listening to acknowledge and empower the least among us, describing that this is truly the strategy that Jesus used in His model of ministry.  Florence also did a workshop describing the role of the Church in cross-cultural medical missions.  She explained the logic of using the local church as the primary partner, showing that it is through this approach that a sustainable transformation can occur within communities.

Dr. Emily presented a workshop called “More than Empowerment: A Christian Mandate.” In a time of sharing, she looked at transitional empowerment versus transformational empowerment  and charged those in attendance to work for the latter.

The whole conference was eye-opening.  Hundreds of ministries were displayed and many students were challenged to continue to become kingdom builders and to commit to that call as they seek to work as medical missionaries.

The shared worship times were powerful with the closing session seeing hundreds coming forward to commit their lives to full-time service in kingdom work.

The Global Missions Health Conference was something to see, feel and be part of.  God indeed is calling a generation to respond to His voice and we are excited that LIA could be part of this memorable and powerful conference - connecting with such passionate and dedicated followers of Christ.

Our recent benefit dinners this fall served as the perfect opportunity to premiere our first ever documentary, “This is My Home”.  Taking our guests on a journey through the streets of Merkato, Ethiopia this film has been more than we could have ever imagined.  Highlighting the harsh reality of the children that live on the streets in Merkato, this film also offers a glimpse into the work of LIA in partnership with the local churches and their impact within this community.

We are excited to announce that  this Friday, November 20th our documentary will be featured once again this time in Geneva, IL at First Baptist Church of Geneva.  The event will begin at 7 pm and will serve as a great time not only to watch the film, but also reflect on the situation of those that live in the Merkato District suffering from extreme poverty.  Attending the event will be some of the crew that put together this impactful film, available to answer any questions and offer further insight into their time in the community and work on the film.

If you are in the Geneva area we would love for you to attend the event! More information can be found here!

For those of you unable to make it keep your eyes out for we will be starting our pre-sale for the DVD “This Is My Home” later this week,  allowing you to host your very own documentary screening!

Fact: In Kenya the percentage of the population living on less than $2/day is 58%.

How do you spend $2 in a day?

Fact found at earthtrends.org.;1997.

I sincerely hope that you can’t watch that video without feeling ill. To me, there is something so unsettling, so frustrating, so blatantly unjust about the situation that young girl faces every day on the street. Zoom out, only to realize that there are tens of thousands just like her living on the streets in fear every night in Africa’s urban cities. I firmly believe that systemic and persistent poverty is a justice issue that cannot be ignored or overlooked.

The definition of injustice is: “the quality or fact of being unjust; inequity.” The tragedy faced by this young girl is an injustice. It is inequitable because the rights of one were violated by others, resulting in one group being supreme or treating themselves better than the other.
What does this have to do with the ministry of LIA and our desire to empower churches for wholistic development? Everything.

If we get down to the root of what we are equipping churches to do/act/be in their respective communities – we are asking them to respond to the inequity that is facing their neighbors. We are asking them to tackle systemic injustice head on and we are asking them to do so in partnership with us, because justice isn’t something that can be overturned independently. What if the same sickness that I felt for that young girl was felt on a persistent basis for the communities where we serve? The same injustices are happening there, but inequity has become the status-quo. It cannot continue.

James 1:27 is basically telling us that true religion is looking after the widows and orphans in their distress. Why? Is it because God shows favoritism to certain demographics/peoples? Perhaps. I’m guessing that it is because these two segments of society are often the recipients of systemic injustice or systemic inequity. If the collective society is going to leave these vulnerable people in the margins, then Jesus followers must be the first bring equity: to respond justly.

I’m reminded of the prophet Micah who is calling the nation of Israel to be the people God created/designed/wanted them to be. What does Micah say?: act justly, love mercifully and walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8).

Access to clean water and sanitation is a justice issue.

The ability for a single mother to provide an income for her family is a justice issue.

Hungry people being fed is a justice issue.

Security from the elements and from harm is a justice issue.

Education for children is a justice issue.

Access to God is a justice issue.

People have complexly simple needs – let us strive to equip churches to provide this access to meet these needs – not because we are nice, or generous or kind, but because we follow a God whose Kingdom is one of justice and He calls us to nothing less.

My prayer: May God give us the disposition, ability, patience and humility to love him, such that his justice for humanity is reflected in our love, time and attention to those in the margins. May God give us eyes to realize the true battles that face the global Church are not theological, but are rather a persistent and unfathomable injustice lived daily among our brothers and sisters in East Africa. May our actions be led by the spirit of God, in righteous pursuit of God-given justice for all.

Right now, Life in Abundance and our partner churches are serving to empower over 1,000 street children in Ethiopia and Kenya. Please join us in this battle.

LIA’s founder and President, Florence Muindi and LIA Kenya Country Director, Dr. Emily Obwaka will be speaking in Louisville, KY this week at one of the largest medical mission conferences in the world.

The Global Missions Health Conference will take place at Southeast Christian Church Thursday through Saturday, November 12th-14th.  The church and community is excited to host missionaries and medical professionals from around the world.  Since the beginning of the conference in 1995, it has become an annual gathering of nearly 3,000 people meeting together to encourage, network, and learn advanced medical practices and innovations.  Speakers in 65 workshops and main sessions will tell stories about how God is changing lives through medical missions.  More than 800 students attend the conference from universities and medical schools around the country to learn about global mission opportunities.  The conference is designed for anyone interested in mission outreach regardless of age or profession.

Dr. Florence will be speaking Friday and Saturday morning and Dr. Emily will present a workshop on Dependency vs. Empowerment on both Friday morning and Saturday afternoon.
We will be hosting an information booth at the conference and would love to share more about the work of LIA with you - stop by and say hi to me!  The Mi2 interns will also be there representing the Mi2 Internship program.  Stay tuned for updates from my experience at the GMHC this coming week.

To read more about the conference check it out here.

Fact:  In the United States the percentage of people categorized as overweight is 32% for males and 37.8% for females.

In Sudan, these percentages drop to 1% for males and 4.8% for females.

Fact from World Heath Organization, 2002

FACT: No one under the age of 18 is allowed to enlist in any of the United States armed or military services.

Currently in Africa however, there are over 120,000 children forced to participate in armed conflicts; some as young as 7 years old.

(Fact found from Fight Poverty)