Telling Their Story

Dan Klinck, Aaron & Erica, Amanda Lindhout, Louis DeGuise, and Curt Petrovich (Gabriel Craven behind the camera)

Over the past two days, we have had the pleasure of hosting Amanda Lindhout and reporters from CBC television's The National, as they connect with the Somali refugee women of Iftin and learn more about their stories and experiences.

In 2008, Amanda was kidnapped just outside the Somali capital of Mogadishu and held hostage for fifteen months. During her captivity, she vowed that if she survived that she would dedicate her life to helping Somali women. Four months after her release, she founded the Global Enrichment Foundation and established the Somali Women's Scholarship Program.

Through the internet, Amanda and her team learned about the Iftin Women's Empowerment Project and became interested in how the project is impacting refugee women living within the Muslim ghetto of Eastleigh, Nairobi. We were thrilled to hear that they were interested in partnering with the Noor Creations ceramic bead self help project that Erica established with the Eastleigh Community Centre two years ago. This afternoon, they will be working with the women to develop a bracelet that should be available in Canada later this year.

Curt and Louis are travelling with Amanda to film a documentary on her return to Africa and the work of her foundation. We had a great time yesterday meeting with ladies from each of the projects and joining the group on a walk of Eastleigh and Mathare Valley. We were also joined by Gabriel, a free lance photo journalist. During the walk, we attracted a throng of young children. Several little ones that could not have been much older than two, grabbing our hands and walking barefoot through the slum.

To learn more about the Global Enrichment Foundation, you can check out their website below:

http://globalenrichmentfoundation.com/

Cloning Not an Option

Laura Muema: If only cloning were an option!

This was our fifth Easter in Africa, since coming to Kenya withCanadian Baptist Ministries in December 2006. We are so thankful for the privilege of being able to live and minister with such incredible people in such a beautiful part of the world. We are especially grateful to God for the people we serve with as part of CBM's Kenya team. Laura Muema joined us in Eastleigh just over a year ago in the role of project officer for the Iftin Women's Empowerment Programthat CBM began in partnership with the Eastleigh Community Centre in 2008. Laura has overcome several obstacles through the past year as she jumped into the many activities and, at times, chaotic community life of Eastleigh.

In Prayer:

Please keep Laura in your prayers as she gives leadership, not only to the women's empowerment projects in the literacy classes, self help groups and community based training cohorts, but also to the children's clubs, youth groups and new peer educator's project. It is a lot of work, at times too much for one person.

Please pray for the refugee program team in Eastleigh as they pull together in their efforts to bring new hope and better lives to their community.

Please pray for the community of Eastleigh and the ever expanding Muslim refugee population within Kenya. According to the latest reports, the influx is steady with camps in Northeastern province bulging at the seems, for instance the Dadaab camps are now at over 320,000 people (more than double the camp population in 2006).

Pray for committed workers like Laura to come up from within the churches of Kenya to reach out to their own community and neighbours.

http://fourkennys.blogspot.com/2011/04/cloning-not-option.html

Podcasts Return

Podcasting Conversations from Africa

After a long break (our last podcast was posted back in November 2010), we are happy share that we have a new audio podcast up and ready. This month's post features a brief conversation with Bishop Timothy Ndambuki of the Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC). We hope you have a chance to hear Bishop Ndambuki share a bit of the history and growth of the ABC as it has moved cross culturally throughout Eastern and Central Africa.

We have lots of audio content from over the past few months, and hope to get back on track with at least a monthly podcast. You can listen online or download the podcasts at our www.fivekennys.podbean.com site, or subscribe for free on iTunes (Just search for fivekennys in the iTunes Store).

We are always interested in your feedback or suggestions for future podcasts. If you hit "comment" on this post, we'll be sure to respond to your message.

Bishop Timothy and Mary Ndambuki

Africa Brotherhood Church, Kenya

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