The Church in Muslim Communities

While Kenya is a predominantly Christian nation, there are 3.7 million Muslims living in Kenya's crowded urban centres, coastal communities, and spread across the Northern Frontier. From the arid lands of North East Province to the narrow streets of Eastleigh, Muslim people live with their Christian neighbours interacting in the marketplace and the byways of life. Although Canadian Baptist Ministries has been serving in these communities for nearly thirty years, we continue to learn from our brothers and sisters within the African Church. Their experience and perspective has much to teach us, and the wider Body of Christ, about living in peace and cooperation with our Muslim neighbours, while standing in the assurance and hope of the Gospel. Their story has not been an easy one and at times has fallen into patterns of mistrust, tension and violence.

This past week, Sam Chaise, the general secretary of Canadian Baptist Ministries, posted an update by Aaron on his blog "Cut To the Chaise", about how the Church in Garissa is bonding together through the intense time of persecution and unrest that has hit Garissa and this region. Along with their deepening desire to strengthen the unity of the Church, it was encouraging to see the humility and sincere love for their Muslim neighbour shine through their conversations. Rejecting the urge to strike back, the pastors spoke of forgiveness and reconciliation -- This is God at work!

You can read the post and view short video clips of two of the pastors by visiting Sam's blog through the link below.

Click here to read Aaron's post in:

Cut To The Chaise

Rosslyn

Saying farewell!

Joann and Irene at the Nest

As the New Minas ladies prepared for their return to Canada, we had some fun together at the Rosslyn River Garden and visiting our friends at the Nest Children's home.

So many answers to prayer during these past two weeks. The big praise early yesterday morning was the word that our friend was freed from Somalia - God is so good!

The ladies departed last night for Toronto

We are thankful for all their help these past two weeks

Sack Gardens in Eastleigh

Eastleigh, Nairobi

Erica and Coral visiting a home in Juja, Eastleigh

Earlier this week, the team from Nova Scotia joined us in Eastleigh as we helped Laura Muema following up with the eight refugee women who had won our vertical gardening contest in Eastleigh through Canadian Baptist Ministries Urban gardening project. Each of the women had successfully started sack gardening outside of the Eastleigh Community Centre and are now having a regular harvest of fresh produce for their families.

Climbing narrow stairways in the crowded

apartment blocks of Eastleigh

Laura Muema presenting prizes to

two of the Somali Women in Eastleigh

Each of the winners of the contest (8 women in the top three teams)

received food bundles to help supplement their families diet

Sack Gardens in Eastleigh

Guardians of Hope - Kigumu Upper

The members of the New Minas Baptist STM presenting gifts

to Henry, Patrick and representatives of the

African Christian Church & Schools (ACC&S)

Today we had the joy of travelling with our friends from New Minas Baptist Church into the dramatic highlands of Kenya's Central Province to visit with beneficiaries of the Guardians of Hope HIV and AIDS ministry. We climbed some steep and dusty trails on our journey to the homes and businesses of members of the Guardians of Hope project in Kigumu Upper. This is a peaceful rural region bordering the jagged Aberdare Mountains. Each family lives on small land holding rich in lush tea bush and kitchen gardens.

Joann visiting with a committee member

from the Kigumu Upper GOH

Please continue to pray for Henry and Patrick as they give leadership to the ACC&S GOH. Under their direction, the GOH is making a deep impact upon their community.

We were very encouraged to meet GOH members today who have benefitted from the project and are now "paying forward" the help they were once given to assist other families affected by HIV and AIDS. Paul and Jane are two Guardians living positively with HIV with their three children. Through ongoing ARV treatment, they are both strong and building a good life for their family. They recently shared their first calf from the heifer they had received from the GOH project several years prior. The calf was given to a neighbour, Charity, who is also HIV positive.

Aaron, Erica and Yattani

at the ACC&S Headquarters in Thika

We also had a chance today to visit with our colleague Yattani, who is living in the beautiful town of Thika with his family. While Yattani works on his Masters degree, he is also dedicating a week each month to connect with our CBM NEP program in Garissa supporting CBM's efforts in building cooperation with local pastors in Garissa. In Thika, Yattani will be serving under Henry Mwangi as part of the ACC&S Development team and lecturing in their Bible school.