May Update

The highlight of this past month was 12 of our secondary students accepting Jesus as their savior during our reunion in April, and then 15 of our football club girls accepting Jesus in May during a team devotion time. It is deeply rewarding to play a part in seeing someone begin a new life in Christ.

Our reunion for secondary students was very successful in April. We were privileged that 11 University students sponsored by Compassion International came and shared with us. Our students related well because of their shared backgrounds as orphans and being sponsored through their education. The team led Bible studies, group discussions and taught about academic improvement, life skills training, sexual purity and character development. Much of it was done through small group forums where students were given the opportunity to open up and ask questions. They also took time to individually counsel some students, mentor them and pray for them. I love seeing young people who have been blessed, giving back to be a blessing to others. We hope it is the beginning of a strong relationship between CGA and Compassion.

Also, the girls from our football club had a special visitor recently when a Member of Parliament came to mentor them for a few hours. For more on these stories and others you can check out my blog at www.joekenya.blogspot.com

I want to share with you an article from a magazine called THE EYE. It was written by Richard Bett and Habil Onyango in Homa Bay, Kenya and published in the April edition.

USING SPORTS TO RETAIN GIRLS IN SCHOOL

It is a few minutes after five in the evening and pupils stream out of classes for extra-curricular activities. Some, especially older boys, head to a dry dusty patch of land that acts as a football pitch. Clad in school uniforms rather than sporting attire and shod in ordinary shoes in place of football boots, or running barefooted, the pupils scramble for the one improvised ball available so that they can while away the hot evening, as they wait for the time to go home.

From the sports uniforms and boots, or lack thereof, it is evident that rural public primary schools are not adequately prepared for sports, which is an essential part of the school curriculum. But while boys can make do with improvised footballs to test or sharpen their sporting skills on the only football pitch around, their female counterparts are usually left on the sidelines watching the boys play or making up their own games with stones or whatever else they can find.

Football , in particular, has over time come to be seen as a preserve for boys, although schools are expected to present girls’ teams during the annual ball games competition as well as other tournaments. In Suba and Mbita Districts in Homa Bay County, the picture is no different as a lot of talented girls drop out of school to get married at a tender age. Others, especially those orphaned through HIV/AIDS and other causes, are thrust into motherhood as a result of pre-marital sex in their attempt to get money to meet their basic needs. Others, who are not lucky, get infected with the disease.

However, two teachers have resolved to change the situation in the two districts through developing football among girls in secondary and primary schools in the area. The pair of Joe Peterson and Paul Onundo, both teachers at local primary schools, three years ago decided to form the Suba Lakers Football Club for girls talented in the area. The aim of the move was to tap talent among girls with interest in football as well as help in addressing factors that lead to the high rates of school drop-outs among teenage girls.

“We conceived the idea of a girls’ football club after realizing there were a lot of gifted girls who did not get a chance to play their favorite game beyond their respective schools,” said Peterson, who is a teacher at Christ’s Gift Academy in Mbita. This came about, he said, while he and his colleague Paul Onundo of Wanga Primary School in Mbita, were coaching district girls’ football team at the Primary School Provencal tournament in 2008. They were given the assignment by the District Education Office. While they undertook the assignment, it struck the duo that most of the talented female football players would drop out of school before finishing 8th grade, hence terminating their pursuit of the sports as well as their studies and the hope for a positive future.

“It then became necessary to bring the girls together, train them during weekends and keep them busy, as a means of keeping them from falling prey to randy males,” they said, adding this would help the girls avoid premature and unplanned pregnancy.

Onundo, who is the club’s chairman, said the fact that the area is endowed with several beaches means that chances of girls engaging in casual sex is high, hence the need for the club. We have several beaches in Suba/Mbita and these, though a blessing to the community economically because of the fishing, are a threat to the education and health of innocent girls,” said teacher Onundo.

But the club, founded some three years ago, is not a club in the usual sense of the word since its membership is drawn from players in various primary and secondary schools in the area. We have a secondary team with 15 girls, a primary school team with 25 girls, and a junior primary team with 30 girls. The club uses facilities offered by local schools such as Mbita High School to train with the 70 girls during weekends.

Apart from being the only girls’ club in the area, the Suba Lakers Football Club does not preoccupy itself entirely with sporting but also trains its members in other aspects of life such as academics, spiritual nourishment, child rights, and reproductive health among other areas.

According to Peterson, who is the club’s coach, secretary, and co-founder, the type of approach is essential in shaping all-around members of the society, not just good sports people who are lacking in other aspects of life. This, he adds, shatters the widely held myth that academics cannot go hand in hand with sports, adding that several members have joined prestigious provincial secondary schools, such as the mission-run Asumbi Girls, after performing well in KCPE examinations.

The club has not only helped individual members develop their talent but it has also assisted them to obtain chances to join national clubs and get help in paying for their secondary education. Peterson told THE EYE during an interview that three girls have joined the Kisii United Club where sponsors have luckily offered to pay their secondary school fees.

Club assistant secretary Eunice Olwanda explains that as a means to keep the girls from venturing into risky sexual relationships with fisherman and getting pregnant and infected, the club organizes lectures on social relationships. The lectures, given by successful individuals, are geared at educating girls on matters that affect and motivate them to pursue their dreams more aggressively. Recently Member of Parliament, Millie Odhiambo, came and mentored the girls for several hours.

The club also provides basic needs such as sanitary towels to the girls as well as textbooks at times for their studies. Eunice says a lack of such basic needs has been known to drive girls to sex for little money, exposing them to HIV/AIDS and other dangers.

The club has earned itself a place among champions during the short period it has been in existence including being crowned champions during the 2010 Coca Cola regional championship. They scooped the Inter-Consituency Championship title during competitions for teams from Ndhiwa, Rangwe, Mbita and Suba constituencies in 2009. And also, the junior team claimed the Galactico/KYFA Championship in 2009. The club, as well, organized a tournament for under-13 girls that attracted 14 teams on October 20th last year. Recently they won the County Sakata Tournament and in a playoff defeated the winner of Migori County. They are proceeding to Kisumu to play in the Regional Finals on 4th June.

The fact that players are drawn from various schools in the area has made it difficult to organize training sessions, hence the need for a hostel. If and when established, the facility would also offer shelter for members, some of whom do not have parents. Club chairman Onundo has appealed to local leaders, well-wishers and organizations to continue supporting the club to enable it to succeed in its mission of developing football for girls as well as promoting the rights of the girl-child.

He observed that the club has received support from Patron Millie Odhiambo, founder of CRADLE and Nominated Member of Parliament, as well as Mbita area MP and Immigration Minister Otieno Kajwang’. Onundo urged other stakeholders to support the cause.

No one knows what the future holds, but the club officials hope they will be able to continue to use the club to help transform the lives of young girls around Mbita District.


Prayer Requests;

1) Pray for those that have recently given their lives to Christ to passionately follow Him. Pray that they would be mentored on how to live out their new lives.

2) Pray for the Suba Lakers success on the field and off the field. Pray for God's covering and protection around these girls in their homes, schools and out in the community so that nothing will derail their future ambitions. Pray that they would learn to be leaders who are bold and brave.

3) Pray for my future as I seek God's direction on what to do at the end of this year.

A Muddy Final Game

On Friday, we piled twelve girls football players in my vehicle and ten more in a little sedan. The Suba Lakers were competing in the Safaricom sponsored Sakata tournament in Homa Bay. The previous day was quite chaotic in Mbita with poor organization and poor communication, but since we were the only girls team to show up at the district level we were declared the winner and punched our ticket to Homa Bay for the regional.

In the first match in Homa Bay we defeated Lala Secondary School 4-0 on goals by Leah Awuor, Dorothy Adhiambo, Pauline Aoko and Beatrice Awuor. In the finals we were matched up with the winner from Rachuonyo District, Victoria Football Club. We had played them last year in the Galactico tournament in Kisumu and lost on a last second goal 1-0. Since that time, their club has managed to qualify for the Kenyan Ladies Premier League by defeating all of the competitors from Nyanza Province, Rift Valley Province and Western Province. They have a very strong team.

The first half was evenly played with neither side getting a very good opportunity to score. Our girls began the 2nd half aggressively and it paid off when Caren Akeyo put Beatrice Awuor's cross in the back of the net about ten minutes into the half. It came in the nick of time as just a few minutes later the rain began pouring down. The field quickly turned into a mud bog and both teams were slipping and falling down everywhere. It was like a comedy show and it would have made a great detergent commercial. By the end of the match our red uniforms were brown and all of the football cleats and socks had been taken off and thrown to the sidelines. We held on for a hard fought 1-0 win.

All of our reserve players who had been taking cover under the canopy, ran onto the field and began celebrating the championship. During the celebration, they managed to get as dirty as the ones who had been playing. I was not spared either. When the rains began, everyone went to take cover, but I knew that the girls would not feel good if they were left out in the rain to play while everyone else was staying dry. So I stood alone on the sidelines in the downpour and tried to encourage them and shouted even louder.

The girls showed great courage and determination to pull out the victory.

We will travel back to Homa Bay on Sunday to play the winner from Migori County to see who gets to proceed to Kisumu for the Regional Tournament in June.

More from our MP

Here is the account of our girls football team meeting with Honourable Member of Parliament (MP) Millie Odhiambo, from the perspective of Teacher Rozeline, the girls female team manager:

The MP was enthusiastic to meet the girls. It was a meeting that was long overdue. All in all, we thank God that it finally came to pass. When we came in, we got a warm welcome from the MP's sister Caroline who really put the girls into a warm and jovial mood with some little games. When Honourable Millie began to share, it was much different than anyone expected. She started the meeting by sending the male officials out, calling the meeting (A girls-only thing). Millie then asked the girls what they wanted to become when they grow up. They mentioned different careers such as a lawyer, doctor, nurse, policewoman, etc. Then she asked them what kind of things would get in the way of their dreams. They mentioned things like indulging in sexual activities, drug abuse, peer pressure and dropping out of school. She then asked them what would help them reach their dreams. They said hard work, respect and all of the opposites of the negative things.

Using those things they had mentioned, she advised them accordingly. After that, she gave them the opportunity to ask her questions, and the girls had a lot of questions for her. Before answering the questions though, she would always ask them to try and answer first. She encouraged the girls to be open and share their problems with people they trust so that they can get help. She also encouraged them to work hard academically for a brighter future. The MP also promised the girls that if any of them would qualify for a National School, then she would pay for all of her school fees their. She rewarded all the girls who asked her questions or answered questions.

Millie also promised the girls that she would come back whenever her schedule allows. We were all grateful for her coming and meeting the girls.

Salvation

As amazing as our time with Parliamentarian Millie Odhiambo was; that wasn't actually the highlight of the day (at least for me). As we were with our girls waiting for her to come, we decided to have an impromptu church service since it was Sunday morning. Some of our 8th graders led us through some praise, worship, prayer and scripture reading. I also played some songs on the guitar and then shared the Gospel. Using the Evangecube which gave them a pictoral representation, we went step by step through the Gospel. After finishing, twelve of them decided to reach out and invite Jesus into their life for the first time. It was a special moment in their lives and we look forward to helping them walk out their new salvation in Christ.

Today has been one of the most memorable days in the 7 1/2 years I have been in Kenya.

Worth the Wait

What an incredible day!!

When we started our girls football club a couple of years ago we had written a letter to Honourable Millie Odhiambo, a Member of Parliament that comes from this local area. The letter was requesting her to be the patron of our football club. We asked her because she has been a champion of child rights for many years, especially involving girls; and that was one of the main reasons that she was nominated to Parliament by her political party. I had met with her last month at Parliament and she talked about her passion for mentoring young girls and promised to come and share with our girls.

She planned on coming two weeks ago, but it never worked out. When she told me she would come on Saturday, we made plans for our girls to come and learn from her. Unfortunately she was called to go and campaign for some other party members in Western Province. So she rescheduled for Sunday morning. We announced to our Junior girls yesterday after training that they should come today. Then I sent text messages to the parents of our older girls that come from around. Millie called Saturday night and again Sunday morning to say that she was running late, but she made it a point to come, even though there were many other places she was supposed to be.

Finally, at 11:30 am on Sunday, thirty of our girls walked over to Millie's mother's house and were ushered into the living room by the mother and sisters. Teacher Rozeline introduced the club to Millie and told her about some of our activities. At Millie's request, each girl introduced herself by using an adjective that starts with the same first letter as their name (eg. Smiling Sarah and Excellent Esther, etc.). After that, I can only tell you what I found out later from the girls, because all of the "men" were asked to leave so the girls could share together alone.

She spent about one and a half hours with the girls sharing her life story and giving them encouragement. She told them how her father died when she was six years old and that her mother struggled to raise 8 children on her own. Growing up, she didn't have any shoes to wear to school or any books. Their family was very poor, but she worked hard to make something of her life. It was a story that many of our girls could relate to because of their backgrounds as orphans from poor families. It was inspiring to them.

Not only did she buy sodas for everyone, but she insisted on serving them herself to show that even a "big" person can serve young kids, teaching teaching them humility and service. After the treat everyone came outside for a few photos together. Then, with the help of her sister Caro who had been taking notes during the meeting, she announced the names of the girls that had been participating the most by answering questions and asking questions. She gave sh. 200 ($2.50) to each of the 11 students that were the most active. She explained to all of them that it is important to learn how to be bold and open; they should always be ready to ask questions.

What a great opportunity for thirty of our girls to be able to sit down with a member of Parliament and chat face to face. It is hard to believe that such an important politician in our country cares so much for the young girls that she can leave the big campaign rallies and television cameras and travel all the way to Mbita to take time to sit down and mentor the future generation.

All of our girls agreed that it was definitely worth the wait!

Leaders Developing Leaders

CGA is so grateful to Compassion for sending out 9 university students to minister to our secondary students during their reunion. Here is a little more about their program and the results from the week.

The vision of Compassion’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) globally is to be the premier Christian leadership ministry for university students in the developing world. Recognized for their godly character and influence, our graduates will mobilize to end the cycle of poverty that undermines their nations.

Our Ministry Tag line is: Educating, Training and Discipling Servant Leaders. We identify candidates from our Child Sponsorship Program who have exceptional Christian leadership and academic potential. Students receive a first-class education and are trained and discipled to become Christian leaders both now and for the future. Every graduate is prepared to serve and use their considerable skills and influence to end poverty. They will transform their communities and nations. The students seize the opportunity to develop their God-given gifts and become skilled professionals and Christian leaders of influence in their churches, communities and nations.

Biblical Mandate for the Leadership Development Program
This verse in Isaiah 61:3-4 (NIV) captures the mission of Compassion International’s Leadership Development Program:
“They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

They arrived in Mbita on Sunday 24th April 2011, ready to begin ministering to the students from 25th to 27th April 2011. They implemented the program which had been forwarded to us by Uncle Joe. These are some of the sessions they trained: Devotions, Bible studies, group discussions, Academic talk, Life skills training, Sexual purity and Character development. They did this through open discussion forums where students were able to open up and ask questions. There were person to person meetings with students to deal with deep counseling issues and mentorship. The students mingled well with the team since they share the same backgrounds. We also had morning and evening devotions where the LDP students took time to pray for the challenges and issues that the students shared. It was a wonderful time for them to dedicate the whole program before the lord.

The following are outcomes which were achieved within the three days.
1. 12 students gave their lives to Christ
2. We prayed for 30 students on various issues ranging from their students to their families
3. 12 students received counseling from the team
4. New partnerships with SEEK(Suba Environmental Education of Kenya) were formed
5. We strengthened our relationship with CGA through sharing what Compassion does to advocate for vulnerable children. We will continue sharing best practices with CGA in order to enhance more learning to take place.
6. CGA students got mentors from our students and established ties and contacts for further mentorship and follow-up
7. The reunion this year was more interesting than the other past years
8. Our students said that the experience was fulfilling and they felt that they were able to be of help to other youth from who share the same background
9. CGA students made some commitments and resolutions as a result of the trainings. They were challenged in all areas of t heir lives and they promised to be change agents in the Mbita community.
10. CGA’s and SEEK administration was encouraged by our support to continue doing the good work of ministering to children in Mbita.

Praise God for the work these future leaders did at CGA.

Blessed to be a Blessing

April was a busy month for the former CGA students who are now in secondary school and being sponsored through the ministry. CGA hosted two weeks of extra tutoring in Math, Physics and Chemistry during the afternoons. Around 60 of them benefitted from that assistance. In the last week of April, all of them were required to come for “Reunion.” It is something we do every school break (April, August, and December) to bring our 100 students back together to encourage them physically, socially, academically and spiritually. This time was extra special.

Nine university students who are being sponsored through Compassion International came to Mbita to conduct the program. After secondary school, Compassion students can apply for the Leadership Development Program. They go through a strict vetting process of applications, essays, interviews, etc. to select the cream of the crop. Compassion’s hope is that these students will be the future leaders of Kenya and throughout the world. When their supervisor heard of CGA’s mission, he thought it would be good leadership training for these students to minister to our high school students.

They sacrificed their time and money to come out to a rural area and share the Gospel. Our CGA students could really relate to them because they are also orphans who have been sponsored throughout their education and they have reached a high level; though it was only a few years ago they were in high school just like our kids. They understood the challenges and difficulties our kids face at home and at school. It seemed like these university students knew exactly what our kids needed to hear.

One of the best parts of the week was the time the team took in small groups and one-on-one situations; sitting with our kids to listen to them, advise them, encourage them and pray for them. That “extra effort” and personal touch meant a lot to our kids. Their testimonies were powerful. They shared from their own experiences, and even the mistakes they made along the way. Our students learned how to succeed academically, how to select good friends, how to resist temptations, and how to grow in their relationship with God.

These young men and women showed the kind of servants’ hearts that can impact this world for the kingdom of God. If they are the future of this country, then Kenya will have a bright future.
Our kids returned to their secondary schools this week re-energized and ready to meet the challenges ahead.

Thank you Compassion, Supervisor Yator and the students who ministered to us.

Term 2

Term 2 began on May 4th at Christ’s Gift Academy. We started the term with a great chapel service. The kids sang so loud and beautifully unto the Lord. Teacher Lillian introduced the theme to the children, which is “Preach the Word.” The theme verse for the term will be II Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction.” We will be looking at the epistles of Paul to the different churches he ministered to. The kids learned that a church is a body of believers so each of their classes can be a church.
Please continue praying for CGA, the staff and students. This middle term is always the most challenging as the beginning of the year seems so long ago and the end seems to be still very far away. Pray for us to put God 1st in everything and rely on him for strength and guidance.