2008 KAMANZI MISSION TRIP REPORT
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
(e) level and seed the assembly and play area at the Kamanzi Primary School.
This is a multiple-year project which began in 2002. Four people from FBC traveled to Kenya in August 2008 to work with the people of Kamanzi village, and the people of the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church in particular. Four Kenyans from Nairobi joined the FBC team. The team consisted of: Michelle Magunga, Adamson Masingila, Joanna Masingila, Moses Masingila, Rebekah Masingila, Sheila Masingila, Manuel Sande, and David Wambua. The team members stayed with host families from the Kamanzi community during the seven 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 7 days we were there. Contributions were made by both partners in this collaborative project. The Kamanzi community, behind the leadership of the ABC, worked to carry sand and water to the work site, to crush stones for gravel, and to assist in other ways with the building project. The FBC community raised money to purchase materials to complete the kitchen, remove the foundation of the old primary school building, 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 many workers. 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, medical supplies, over-the-counter medications, twin sheets and blankets for the Kivaani Health Center, choir robes for the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church choir, books for local pastors and lay leaders, approximately 1,000 pairs of shoes for distribution in Kamanzi, and thousands of pens collected through the Pens for Educating Children in Kenya project at Syracuse University. These materials were shipped to Kenya. 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 $400 to purchase the rabies vaccine in Kenya and to pay the veterinarians for their work. More than 400 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 as we plan more activities for 2009. 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 physical education in two days of workshops. We also worked with nursery school teachers in early childhood education. The FBC team also took hands-on materials 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.
The work on the new Kamanzi Primary School has now been completed. By the end of August 2008, the library was completed and furnished with shelves, tables and benches. The foundation of the old school buildings were removed in preparation for leveling and seeding this area for the assembly and play area in 2009.
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. In 2008, the foundation of the old school buildings and some trees were removed in the assembly and play area to prepare for leveling and seeding.
• About 450 children have participated each year in youth ministry activities, and as many as 800 in 2007 and 2008.
• About 35 teachers have participated each year in professional development activities. In 2007 and 2008, around 120 teachers participated in workshops in August 2007, December 2007, April 2008 and August 2008.
• In 2004, around 20 local pastors participated in professional development workshops.
• Approximately 400 dogs have been vaccinated for rabies each of the last four 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 Center.
• More than 100 pairs of reading glasses have been distributed since 2004.
• Over 17,000 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 farmer’s crop irrigation.
• Thirty-six 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).
Below is a listing of money that has been raised from January 2002 to July 2008 for the Kamanzi project.
FBC Donations: $60,626 (donation from Allen funds designated for missions, donations by individuals including a matching gifts, Christmas giving, Coins for Kamanzi, Books to Bookshelves, donations for Well, Donations for youth travel expenses)
Through Fundraisers: $19,380 (sale of carvings, luncheons, tag sale, talent show, Walk-a-Thons, dinners, concerts, potholder sale, candle sale, photo sale, Pampered Chef sale, calendar sales, bumper sticker sales, bulb and flower sales, cans and bottle recycling, coffeehouse, Scholastic book orders)
Kamanzi Community: $13,500 (individual contributions, contributions from the Kenyan government, contributions from Kamanzi Primary School)
FBC Endicott: $9,800
NCTM Grant: $23,637
Other: $8,261 (Tecumseh Elementary School, interested individuals, FBC Herkimer, Iroquois Association, Heidi Lynn Fuller Fund, River of Joy Baptist Church, Mission Match through empty tomb, inc., Dottie Kamina’s National Honor Society)
Mission Team Members: $5,300
TOTAL: $140,504
The seven years of this project have been extremely successful, not only for the work that has been completed and is moving forward, but most importantly for the relationships that have been built and the cooperative spirit that has been fostered among all involved to work together to love, please and serve God in all things. We thank all persons who have contributed through monetary and material donation, especially the Brother’s Brothers Foundation, the River of Joy Baptist Church, empty tomb, inc., the Iroquois Association, and the First Baptist Church of Endicott, New York. We thank Pastor Scott Kavanagh and Ronald Denby of the First Baptist Church of Syracuse for their leadership, and Eleazar Ziherambere, Mission Partnership Coordinator at American Baptist Churches-USA, for his vision and guidance. Thanks especially to all the people of the First Baptist Church of Syracuse and the Iia-Itune African Brotherhood Church in Kamanzi for their prayerful support of this project.
Respectfully submitted,
Joanna Masingila Mission Team Leader
