The First Baptist Church (FBC) of Syracuse in Jamesville, New York is working together with her sister church, the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church (ABC) of Kamanzi, Kenya, to (a) establish and sustain child and youth ministries in Kamanzi village, (b) plan and implement ongoing teacher training for the teachers of Kamanzi Primary School, (c) construct a new building for the Kamanzi Primary School, (d) hold rabies clinics for area dogs, and (e) level and seed the assembly and play area at the Kamanzi Primary School. This is a multiple-year project that began in 2002.
Four people from FBC traveled to Kenya in August 2009 to work with the people of Kamanzi village, and the people of the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church in particular. Three Kenyans from Nairobi joined the FBC team. The team consisted of: Marion Bregande, Joanna Masingila, Molly Masingila, Rebekah Masingila, Jean MacLeod-O'Leary, Manuel Sande, and David Wambua. The team members stayed with host families from the Kamanzi community during the eight days of the mission project. This was a wonderful opportunity to live with and work with members of the Kamanzi community.
We had many opportunities to visit with neighbors and other people from Kamanzi village during the eight days we were there.
Both partners in this collaborative project made contributions. The Kamanzi community, behind the leadership of the ABC, worked to clean the building and remove stones from the area where the foundation of the old primary school buildings was removed. The FBC community raised money to hold a rabies clinic for area dogs, purchase materials to hold youth ministry workshops for around 800 area youth, conduct teacher workshops for approximately 100 area primary teachers, as well as payment for the contractor and workers to repair the floors in four of the original classrooms and a carpenter to build two additional tables and four additional benches for the school library. Members of the team also raised money toward travel to Kenya and in-country food and travel expenses. A future goal is to level and seed the play and assembly area at Kamanzi Primary School.
The FBC community also received donations of reading books for the area schools, reading glasses (over-the-counter) for individuals needing them, and medical supplies for the Kivaani Health Center. Additionally, the FBC team worked with the youth leaders and Agnes Kimani to distribute more than 600 pairs of shoes that had been donated and shipped to Kamanzi in 2008. Book for the Kamanzi Primary School library and a pastor and layperson library at the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church were also part of the shipment, as were medical materials for the Machakos Provincial Hospital, medical materials and sheets and blankets for the Kivaani Health Centre, and two hand-powered water pumps.
Rabies vaccination clinics (at two sites) were held again this year where residents of Kamanzi and the two neighboring villages (Matithini and Iie-Itune) brought their dogs to be vaccinated by local veterinarians. The FBC community raised $300 to purchase the rabies vaccine in Kenya and to pay the veterinarians for their work. More than 230 dogs were vaccinated for rabies through the two clinic sites.
The members of the FBC mission team worked with leaders from three of the village churches in planning and holding activities with the Kamanzi, Iia-Itune and Matithini primary school children during three days of the mission trip. These church leaders are continuing to work with the youth of their churches. The youth and leaders were very enthusiastic about the activities.
Some of the members of the FBC team worked with about 100 teachers from the 13 primary schools in the Manyatta Educational Zone in professional development in the areas of mathematics, science, literacy, and music in two days of workshops. We also worked with nursery school teachers in early childhood education. The FBC team also took hands-on materials (science kits, mathematics materials, and musical instruments) that were used in the workshops and donated to each school for classroom use. The teachers responded to the workshops with very positive feedback, and have given constructive ideas for future workshops. A grant from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) allowed us to include all teachers in the educational zone.
Project Summary to Date
This project started with a vision and a call to mission and became a reality!
Since 2002, 10 classrooms, administrative offices, a staff room, a library (including shelves, tables and benches) and a kitchen have been constructed at Kamanzi Primary School. The assembly and play area have been prepared for leveling and seeding.
About 450 children have participated each year in youth ministry activities, and as many as 800 in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
About 35 teachers have participated each year in professional development activities. In 2007-2009, more than 100 teachers participated in workshops in each of August 2007, December 2007, April 2008, August 2008 and August 2009.
In 2004, around 20 local pastors participated in professional development workshops.
Approximately 250-400 dogs have been vaccinated for rabies each of the last five years.
Medical supplies, a microscope, blood pressure cuffs, a stethoscope, an infant weighing scale, over-the-counter medicines, sheets and blankets have been donated to the Kivaani Health Centre.
More than 125 pairs of reading glasses have been distributed since 2004.
Over 17,300 pounds of books, pencils, pens, paper, reading glasses, Bibles, materials from Judson Press, and other materials have been shipped or carried in luggage in Kamanzi.
Seed money purchased a generator and hose for a farmers crop irrigation.
Thirty-eight different people from FBC have been members of mission teams; ten people have gone to Kamanzi at least twice.
Leadership has been developed among FBC and Kamanzi youth leaders.
Local ownership and leadership has been fostered, as well as collaboration among interfaith communities (African Brotherhood, Salvation Army, Catholic, American Baptist).
