“There is Hope”

Genet, a community health evangelist trained by LIA and its partner church, visits homes in Debre Birhan to care for sick families and to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, one of the most devastating, yet preventable diseases still wreaking havoc in African countries. Her strong passion to care for people suffering with HIV/AIDS is particularly captivating, as she too is living with the virus.

One particular day of home visits, Genet knocks at the home of Aberesh, a 35-year-old mother of two. It is immediately apparent that her meager income makes it a daily struggle to provide for her children. Despite her trials, Aberesh gives a graceful smile when she ushers Genet in and begins to inquiring about the reason for the visit. As Genet starts to explain, she notices Aberesh is expecting her third child, which could not be far from delivery.

Genet quickly learns of Aberesh’s desperate years since she found out she is HIV positive. Her diagnosis left her feeling hopeless and lost, especially since she discovered she was pregnant again and that there is a high risk of passing along the virus to her baby.

Gently and lovingly, Genet educates Aberesh on the realities of her situation. For the first time, Aberesh hears that there is hope for her baby. Mentored by Genet, Aberesh begins receiving antenatal care treatment to monitor her and the baby’s health before delivery, and to prevent transmission of the virus.

Through LIA’s church partner in the area, Aberesh begins to attend HIV education meetings, where she asserts that the knowledge she gained from the meetings helped clear up misconceptions about the disease, and helped her make educated decisions. As a result, Aberesh elected to deliver the baby in the Debre Birhan Hospital where they both could receive the care they needed.

“If I had not had this relevant information, I would have lost my baby,” she says. “I thank God above all for saving my baby and Genet for unreserved support to help the needy.”

Aberesh ends her story by proclaiming, “I am no more hopeless! I am not frightened! I can see that there is hope when it seems hopeless.”

Periodically, we’re asking members of our African teams to provides us updates from the field. We hope that you will find the stories they share to be inspirational and even educational. These people will surely move your heart.

The first of these stories (below) comes from Augustine Muema, our Kenya Partnership & Resources Manager.

Enjoy! We encourage you to leave comments or questions about the story – we will do our best to provide answers whenever possible.

Kamba Men Never Beg

“I am very happy that today I received this donation and tonight I will be able to sleep very well,” Mutunga commented after receiving the maize and beans food portion.

The sight of the only man among a half-filled church with women was peculiar. This was especially rare because it was a relief food distribution event. So we stepped out to Pastor Kilonzi who was calling out names for those that were receiving the food portions and confirmed that Mutunga Itias, a sullen 99-year-old man, was actually on the list.

For the last two years, rains have failed in Makueni county, part of lower Eastern Kenya. The situation is so dire that the government has declared hunger a national disaster. In response, the local churches, in partnership with LIA Kenya, are working to serve the immediate needs of 300 families each month – providing sustenance in the form of maize, beans and soya milk.

Mutunga, married to one wife and father to three sons, came to Kiangini in 1961. In his prime years he used to sell cattle, but as he aged, he opted to harvest tobacco and green peas, two rain-fed crops. The significant lack of rain has dealt a great blow to him. So severe, that he defies his Kamba culture’s view of a man (married, with sons and in his old age) and ‘stoops’ low to beg for food in a church filled with women. The Kamba have a saying that one sleeps in the impossible place, one where they would normally never sleep, only because it’s gotten dark. For Mutunga, it must be really dark or else a Kamba man would never beg for food.

“My income is not able to sustain me and my family. l only get 200 shillings per month from my sons who work as house helps in another area. Despite my frequent malaria bouts, l usually seek food loans from the shops in order to care for the family’s basic needs. Some times l sell seeds for feeding goats which grow from a tree in my compound.”

During particularly hard times, he has cut down most trees in his compound to be turned into charcoal or house frames. Four years ago, he ventured into planting a few banana stocks to see if they could be harvested and add to his financial resource, to no avail.

Matunga’s access to aid is scarce. The food-for-work program only benefits the able-bodied community members. Other nonprofit programs that were distributing relief food in the area ended their programs before the year long drought was over. Thus the very elderly, sickly and orphaned children have been left out.

Furthermore, Mutunga is rumored to be a witch and the community fears, shuns and excludes witch doctors. It is families of this kind that the Kiangini AIC church committee, an LIA partner, selected to receive relief food. Despite the rumors, local leadership at the church reached out of love to Mutunga and his wife, Rose. We know the Lord loves him.

Who will reach the community rejects, the socially excluded, the voiceless? Who will show them love, a love that transforms them to defy shame and throw off the binding shackles to poverty?  Whom will we send? The church must respond, because Christ commands us to give to the hungry (Mathew 25) and because we are called to love others and not to judge them, especially in their need.

Early this month, LIA was invited to participate in Feed the Famine. A group of dynamic and inspiring women in Phoenix put together this multi-faceted event aimed at raising awareness about the crisis in East Africa, and to raise funds for organizations that are doing something about it.

Fortunately, LIA was selected as one of the beneficiaries of the event! On a warm Saturday in Arizona, we headed out to join the Feed the Famine volunteers in their efforts.

It was a day filled with worship, fellowship, education and inspiration. What was most evident at the event were the hearts and passion of the volunteers. We were inspired by their vision, ambition and love for those that they have never even met. One story, in particular, captured our hearts:

Denise Wright walked up to the event with five young girls (elementary and middle school-aged) at her side. Each girl carried her own bucket she’d used to collect change for the Horn of Africa. After speaking with us briefly, the girls went to turn in their heavy buckets and to enjoy the festivities.

As they walked away, we reflected on how encouraging it is to see today’s youth engaged in work that will help improve the quality of life for others in the future. What an inspiring tale – five enlightened young ladies, moved by a need for action, taking time out of their lives to recruit involvement from their friends, family, peers and teachers.

A few minutes later, we heard an announcement come over the speaker, recognizing the young women for their contribution to the event. In just two short weeks, they raised more than $3,000! Needless to say, we were, and continue to be blown away by these young women.

Arvrissa, Randi, Janae, Brenna, Shayna and Bethany – thank you! Keep following the Lord’s call for your lives and you will achieve great things, we’re sure of it.

Guest Blog Post by: Jeremy Jernigan

I recently finished David Platt’s book, Radical. I went into reading it with much fanfare and hype. To make it more fun, and to ensure a healthy conversation flowed from the book, I invited my small group to read it with me and discuss it for five weeks.

Let me begin with a disclaimer: I am the Worship Arts Pastor at a megachurch in America. I’m not a missionary and I haven’t sold everything I own to give to the poor. My perspective comes from this point of view.

What was immediately intriguing to me is how many of the people I talked with quickly wrote Platt off as “out there.” Obviously, the title of the book sets you up for something of this nature, but they quickly surmised that his call was for us to move abroad and sell everything off.

Maybe my tolerance for “out there” people is higher in that I read theological ideas from guys like Brian McLaren, and socialistic ideas from guys like Shane Claiborne, and David Platt just doesn’t seem to fit into the same category.

I found myself repeatedly bringing up the fact that Platt is still a pastor of a megachurch in America, yet it seemed to be drowned out by the perception. I think this is unfair. Platt repeatedly explains that he doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution for the reader. Instead he is trying to argue that regardless of where you live and what you do for a living, if you call yourself a Christian you must have a heart for the nations equal to any missionary out there. He argues this powerfully when he states:

“As we have seen all over Scripture, God’s heart is for the world. So when we say we have a heart for the United States, we are admitting that we have a meager 5 percent of God’s heart, and we are proud of it. When we say we have a heart for the city we live in, we confess that we have less than 1 percent of God’s heart… We have created the idea that if you have a heart for the world and you are passionate about global mission, then you move overseas. But if you have a heart for the United States and you are not passionate about global mission, then you stay here and support those who go. Meanwhile, flying right in the face of this idea is Scripture’s claim that regardless of where we live—here or overseas—our hearts should be consumed with making the glory of God known in all nations.”

Candidly, there are things that Platt argues in Radical that are certainly a bit offensive to the church at first blush. Consider this comparison:

“So what is the difference between someone who willfully indulges in sexual pleasures while ignoring the Bible on moral purity and someone who willfully indulges in the selfish pursuit of more and more material possessions while ignoring the Bible on caring for the poor? The difference is that one involves a social taboo in the church and the other involves the social norm in the church.”

I think statements like this need to be taken in light of the fact that when he speaks of the church, he is a part of the church that he is referring to. Someone living overseas would not be able to write this book the way Platt is able to. As the expression goes, true friends stab you in the front. I think that we as the church must be willing to wrestle with questions like these and allow God’s Spirit to speak to us. We don’t need to jump to any hasty decisions but we must always be listening and then be ready to obey.

Ironically, the biggest disagreements I had with the book were the moments when his perspective sounded overly Calvinistic. Since this is a minor disagreement (over a non-essential), I can heartily recommend the book and the primary challenge that he lays out.

In the closing section of the book he reiterates what he’s been saying and clearly communicates what he’s not saying.

“The challenge before us, then, is to use the freedoms, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to us for his purpose in the world, all the while remaining careful not to embrace ideas, values, and assumptions that contradict what God has said in his Word.”

If that is radical to us, then something is wrong with our church.

This post is provided by guest blogger Jeremy Jernigan from Central Christian Church in Arizona. We’re grateful to Jeremy for sharing his insight and reflection from Radical, a book that has been widely read and discussed among Christians in America. If you would like to to connect with Jeremy, please take a moment check out his blog. Any ideas and opinions expressed are exclusively his own.

The response moved me to tears.

The purpose of this all night “Breaking the Cycle” event was to learn about the issue of street children in Africa, as well as give insight into the cycles that perpetuate poverty.  The twelve-hour itinerary included activities such as: a live performance by the talented Ike Ndolo Band, writing letters to Senator McCain, a bean and rice dinner, a four-square tournament, a speech from LIA’s Director of Partnerships and Resources, Justin Narducci, and screenings of both LIA documentaries “This is My Home” and  “This is My Normal.”

The capstone of “Breaking the Cycle” was when Hursh  and her students dragged their sleeping bags outside to sleep “in the streets” (their church parking lot) for a three hour simulation. It was a simulation set to give just a mere glimpse of what it’s like for the 50,000 children that sleep on the streets in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – every night.

It was about 5 am on a Sunday morning, yet despite the long night of little sleep, the youth that surrounded me were thinking critically and challenging one another. As Kate Hursh led the group in a debrief discussion before they returned home, I was moved by the responses of the pre-teens and teens.  Some of the youth responded by explaining that they had been humbled, realizing how much they take for granted in their own lives. Others responded by explaining how they didn’t originally want to come, and now were so glad that they did. Whereas others still responded with a desire to do and learn more.

“We need to stop this,” one student explained. “There are those living in poverty in Africa and in Phoenix. How do we help them?”

I saw a transformation of mindset by the youth at Breaking the Cycle and it was downright inspiring. It inspired me to watch young teens come to a profound realization – there are things that need to change in this world and in their own local community and they can be those sparks that initiate it.

This post is provided by guest blogger and LIA events coordinator, Jessica Ruf. Send Jessica an email at info@liaint.org if you are interested in hosting a Breaking the Cycle event with your youth group.

With little more than a month’s time remaining, the soon-to-be established nation of Southern Sudan prepares for its first independence day (09 July 2011). As you can imagine this monumental occurrence does not come without its challenges. Reports in the news have described outbursts of violence in the city of Abyei, located on the line on which Sudan is projected to split. Other news reports are beginning to highlight the tension that we already knew was present between the North and South.
I ask that you join me this morning as we lift up the plight of Sudan’s vulnerable to our Father.

May those that live in Southern Sudan experience peace and receive protection in the days ahead.

May justice prevail and wrongs be made right in the drawing of new national boundaries.

May the Christians in the South represent Christ well, loving and serving their vulnerable neighbors in practical ways.

May those who are traveling from the North to return to their former home in the South find their way safely.

May God’s mighty hand protect both North and South Sudan from anything that even resembles another civil war.

Lastly, I would like to mention that LIA is particularly focused on expanding our ministry activities in the newly established Southern Sudan. Can you please pray that God would multiply the work of our hands – leading the ministry activities we embark on and bringing the right staff and partners together?

As I write this note, I’m reminded of Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.” On behalf of the LIA family, staff, board of directors, and those we serve – thank you for carrying this burden with us. The load is lighter when we all carry a portion of the weight.

Being united in prayer while serving a common purpose is something I have very much treasured over these past months. Whether in times of great prosperity or in times of great strife I find encouragement in knowing that together we can humbly present our requests to the Lord so that He may do the work of restoration as only He can.

This week I wanted to take a moment to ask you to join me in a special prayer for our brothers and sisters in Egypt. As some of you may already know, LIA has embarked on fully establishing and multiplying our ministry activity in Egypt this year. As Egypt embarks upon political transitions, we are painfully reminded that the fight is not over.  Recent news from Cairo is disheartening.

We join together as the global Church in appealing to the Prince of Peace this morning.

Please pray that the outbursts of violent activity would subside. We pray that His guiding hand would protect the mighty work of those trying to strive towards a better tomorrow for their country, free of oppression and full of hope that can only come from Jesus.

Let us pray for the families and loved ones effected by these violent and hateful atrocities, that they would not lose determination and the courage to walk in the ways of Christ.

Thank you for taking a moment to mindfully reflect on the events in Egypt, praying for restoration for the broken and hurting in the margins of Egyptian society.

I ask you to join me in prayer this week as I am given the opportunity to represent LIA as we take up the cause of the fatherless at the Christian Alliance for Orphans’ Global Summit - hosted at Southeast Christian Church, May 12-13.

The driving mission behind the summit weighs heavy on my heart. Statistics tell us every 15 seconds another child in Africa becomes an orphan due to AIDS, and Ethiopia has the largest population of orphans in the world (estimated 4.6 million). These statistics portray a grave reality that there are children who are suffering and there are issues which must be addressed to end the perpetuation of these trends.  As professionals from around the world are united at this Summit for the common cause of strategically planning how to combat the issues linked to these disheartening numbers, I am praying for the Lord’s presence and guiding hand through the entirety of our time together.

Please join me this week in praying for the Summit. Pray that God would be glorified in our conversations, workshops, and future planning as we seek to serve the least of these, and as we seek to end the cycles, which bring about such situations for precious children.

Most importantly, I ask you to join me in praying for the children who have lost one or both of their parents – some forced to sleep on the cold streets at night, lacking the protection or love from a parent or guardian figure. May we not forget why we tirelessly work to see impact and strides being made to combat these realities.

It is our honor and privilege to invite your participation in our first ever Life in Abundance (LIA) International Good Samaritan Pledge Drive!

During the month of May, every dollar given or pledged to be given on a monthly basis will be doubled as part of this campaign, up to $60,000! This is an extraordinary opportunity for LIA, but we need your help!

Learn more about the details of the pledge drive here.

To make a contribution to the pledge drive check out www.liaint.org/donate.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Florence Muindi, founding president of LIA, will address the Christian Alliance for Orphans Summit VII in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 12-13, 2011.

Dr. Muindi will be discussing the role of the church in transformative approaches that address and prevent the orphan crisis. 
Today there are 48 million orphans in Africa – ten times the total population of Kentucky.

For over twenty years, Dr. Muindi has worked in communities throughout Africa where the orphan crisis rages.

LIA has piloted key approaches that have curtailed the number of orphans in multiple communities. 
“We have seen the orphans and widows within the community cared for and loved in a way that is sustainable,” Dr. Muindi writes. “We have seen the church rise up and stand against the injustices of poverty that effect the most vulnerable in a community. This is a powerful work that requires our utmost attention and sacrifice. It’s time.”

The Christian Alliance for Orphans connects more than eighty respected Christian organizations to work to ignite and equip Christians to care for orphans. More than 1,500 grassroots advocates for adoption and orphan care will gather at the 2011 Summit.

To learn more about the summit, visit www.christian-alliance-for-orphans.org