Working With the Children
Classes at Discipleship College, in Eldoret, Kenya, began on January 19. I am teaching College Writing. The four men in the class were apprehensive about their writing abilities. Each of the men received a dictionary and a thesaurus to help sharpen their skills. Progress is evident in their work.
On Sundays, I try to attend a worship service at the local Victory Church of God. Often I am invited as a guest speaker at one of the many churches within a few kilometers of our home. When that happens, I either walk or ride in a taxi to the church. Services run on Kenyan time. Recently, I gave a Bible study in the Sunday school hour and spoke in the morning worship service. By the time we were finished, it was near 2 o’clock. Lunch with the pastor and his family followed. I came home around four in the afternoon. Worship services are usually lively with much hand clapping, dancing, drumming and beautifully harmonized singing.
Sunday evenings, a large group of Pentecostal missionaries with bases here in Eldoret meet together for a fellowship meeting. We eat, share stories, and pray together. This fellowship time is a highlight of the week; I really enjoy it and have been warmly welcomed into the group.
Because I love children and am here to train teachers for children, I am interested in ministries working with children, especially orphaned and abandoned children. It has been my privilege to meet and begin a dialogue with Patrick and Ruth Chegy who have 26 foster children in their home. Patrick is also the pastor of a church specifically directed toward children.
The head teacher of a public nursery school just around the corner from our house has invited us to participate in a pastoral program for the children as well as help with English lessons. The children have won my heart by calling out to me as I walk by the school on my way to Discipleship College.
On March 23, I will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to begin training a group of teachers at church operated primary schools. I will be there two weeks. Upon my return to Eldoret, I will prepare to travel to Kampala, Uganda, where I will be working for a month with superintendents Joseph Kagarama and Charles Karangwa. While there, I will conduct seminars for teachers and attend the national women’s convention.
Waneda Brownlow,
Children’s Ministry Coordinator, Africa
Project Number 0650834
(Source: Church of God World Missions)
