Excerpts From Kenyan First Annual Report

I am the coordinator of LCM Kenya office, and I came into the existence of this office immediately when it was founded by the missionary Michael Ouma (Agwanda) on the 27th of February 2006.

I’ve been working for the betterment of this organization. With my commitment to this organization, I have taken this job as a Godly call and not just a mere employment and ever since my soul has found peace with it.

The main reason why the founder rolled this programme was basically for the plight of the African child who is surrounded by negative influences to their physical, spiritual, economic and social growth. In addition, other things like lack of education and inadequate supply of clean water culminated by poor health. Most of these vices are pointed towards the dreaded killer disease HIV/AIDS that has left many orphans without any capacity.

“Having found ourselves in Nyanza province which has been singled out as one of the poorest and worst hit by the high HIV/AIDS prevalent in this country. Statistics of health indicators points to the very district in Kenya, in particular, child and infant mortality and HIV/AIDS. This is of great concern, and it’s important that we understand how to overcome the various barriers that inhibit positive change”.

- Dr J.O GESAMI provincial medical officer

FEBRUARY – MARCH 2006 ACTIVITIES RECRUITMENT NUTRITION SUPPORT

From a very humble beginning, LCM was started with 12 children, one staff member and more than three volunteers on 14^th of February 2006.

The first pioneer orphans of the project were commissioned by the local board in the presence of the missionary Agwanda, LCM CEO, and the local communities in Kenya.

The social workers were mandated to carry on the following duties;

Bible Study and Fellowship Guardian to children
Give out Nutrition Support as per the needs assessment
Guide and Counsel
School follow up, etc

As a result, the project popularity grew very fast in the minds of the communities both in Homa Bay and Kisumu. In June, we had to drop one of the orphans, Alphonce Otieno, after we realized that he was being double sponsored. His case was presented to the Kenyan board and the decision to dismiss him was reached.

JULY –AUGUST 2006 RECRUITMENT FELLOWSHIPS ETC

By 3^rd of August, total of 30 children were added into the project in two phases. At this juncture we were forced to start various fellowship sites and the addition of one full time staff member, Mr. Robert Gonzi, to assist the coordinator to reach the communities.

The following sites were established;

Kisumu Office
Nyalenda slums
Nyalunya village
Chiga village
Ramba / kanyamedha
Wachara village
Ruga village

This fellowship was not restricted to the members only but its also open to other members of the community who wish to come and share the word of GOD with us.

Many people have been encouraged, some giving their life to Christ. There are moving testimonies of what GOD has done. The one thing that mostly comes, as a confession most of the time, is “my children we are praying for you”

LCM staff have been in the forefront, visiting these children in their schools just to encourage them in their studies and also to meet some of their levies ad other needs in school.

In the same month the organization was blessed with visitors from the United States. They were missionary Michael Agwanda, Dick Weber, Rick Roberts and Shannon and Curtis Gibbs. We also received the Motor Bike, thanks to a donor, which eased the work of visiting the communities. A successful Vacation Bible School (VBS) was conducted thanks to Shannon and Curtis. Many children were blessed by these events. The crowning of the VBS was the orphans receiving the following gifts:

Sleeping mattresses
Mosquitoes nets
Blankets
Shoes that were donated from The States
Toothpaste and other items

I must thank GOD that months of July and August were a real blessing.

OCTOBER -DECEMBER 2006

10 more children were admitted into the programme totaling to 40 children this time extending our boundaries up to Maseno and Kisian at the outskirt of Kisumu.

In December, 10 more children were added to the programme totaling to 50 children. This time we tried to venture into communities that were not in the programme.

The CEO gave instructions that the two schools where our children were learning must be treated to control the chiggers problem. It was not possible during December, but it was successfully done in January and the feedback we got from the children was just encouraging. Akinyi commented that “nowadays our toes are straight and neat, no chiggers anymore”.

LCM ACHIEVEMENTS

-Most members of the communities have been reached with the Word of God through Fellowship and Bible Studies organized by LCM.

-Most children’s lives have been improved by the provision of mattresses, mosquito nets, shoes, clothes, etc.

-Children who could not afford to go to school are going to school happily. Two orphans being in the secondary school thanks to God and LCM.

-The children’s health and physique have greatly improved by the provision of medical care and nutritional support among other food supplies.

-We have managed to network with other children organizations and agencies that are promoting the rights of children.