reflections from Kenya – hope abounds
My trip to Kenya was a moving, inspiring and deeply humbling experience.
I started working for iThemba in March 2006. My role is marketing and communications so I had already grasped iThemba’s vision and the breadth of our partners’ work. But seeing it for myself made it all the more real. I was excited to find that what I saw on the ground was an exact outworking of everything we say on paper. It really was about empowering local people and forming strong and accountable partnerships. 100% action not only reflects the fact that all of the money goes to the work on the ground but also reflects just how hard that money works and how much it achieves.
I met teams of extremely intelligent, capable people who understood the needs of their local community and how they should respond as Christians. iThemba partners are working at both strategic and tactical levels and the common thread that runs through everything is bringing hope.
It made me realise the importance of development working hand-in-hand with sharing the Christian message. All who I met had found hope in God’s promise of eternal life and God’s love was literally visible on their faces. The staff and volunteers involved in the projects are salt and light in their communities. They live out the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount on a daily basis, taking bold steps in faith and believing anything is possible. There was a real spirit of volunteering and giving amongst the people we met and a real dedication to their calling.
Our partners were greatly encouraged to hear how iThemba supporters and members of the EngageHIVAIDS.com community are praying for them and their work. Prayer is central to our partners’ work and it challenged me to think about my own church work and how we might make prayer more of a focus.
I saw how just a small number of passionate people with a common purpose, can make a massive difference. In Korogocho slum, 4 churches had started a partnership providing care for people affected by HIV and AIDS and as the people they were helping grew stronger, they too joined the team and then other churches wanted to be involved. There are now 11 churches in the Upendo (love in Swahili) partnership. If we start small, God multiplies. Through empowering, enabling and supporting iThemba’s partners, we are bringing hope to many people affected by HIV and AIDS. And the smallest action can make a huge difference.
Thank you for partnering with iThemba. I look forward to keeping you updated on this website with news and prayer requests from our partners.
Sarah Smith, Marketing Manager
