Slums, churches and a new hope

Posted: 2/18/07

Dispatches: Slums, churches and a new hope

By Ken Camp

Managing Editor

Sunday, Feb. 18, Nairobi—Baptist Children's Center

Today we visited the beautiful kids at the Baptist Children's Center. The center is on a 13.5 acre complex in eastern Nairobi in the Dandora area–right in the middle of a horrible slum where about 200,000 people live in deplorable conditions. Dickson Masindano, the director of Buckner's Kenya work, was our host.

David Slover of Buckner at Baptist Children's Center in Nairobi.

Dickson is an impressive fellow. He holds a bachelor‚s degree from the University of Nairobi and a master‚s of education degree from Hardin-Simmons University. He grew up in a rural village in northern Kenya, Kiminini. He pursued his graduate degree in Texas because he learned about Hardin-Simmons‚ counseling program from an HSU alum, and he wanted to be able to offer counseling to people who were being tested for HIV.

• A bright hope for foster children (2/24) • Laying a cornerstone in Ethiopia (2/23) • Sent to live at New Life Home (2/22) • In Nairobi's Gehenna (2/21) • Visiting a Masaai village (2/20) • Slums, churches and a new hope (2/18) • New regulations slow us down (2/17) • An African journey begins (2/16) • How you can support ministries in Africa

About the time he graduated, a close friend's father, a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, told him Buckner needed a Kenyan national to direct its ministries in that country. Since then, Dickson not only grew the orphanage to a wonderful 48-bed facility but also turned the complex into a center that truly serves its community, complete with a medical and dental clinic, a school and a vocational/technical training program. He also developed the foster care system for the nation of Kenya, which is now essentially administered by Buckner.

As we drove through the slums around the center, it was amazing how there was a church on virtually every corner—Cathedral of Praise, Believers' Bible Centre, Deliverance Center—you name it, they have it.

Ken Hall told us Nairobi is not lacking for the message of salvation, but, unfortunately, as preached historically by our forefathers it focused almost exclusively on the sweet by-and-by, offering little hope to the poor in this world. The Baptist Community Center offers both—the saving message of Jesus Christ and the life-changing, transforming power that comes when people meet human needs in his name.

Cindy Henderson from First Baptist Church in Athens helps a child with a project at Baptist Children's Center in Nairobi.

We worshipped at the Munyao Memorial Baptist Chapel on the center‚s campus. The singing was joyous and exuberant–lots of clapping, swaying and enthusiastic singing. Tim Watson from Longview preached the message, focusing on the passage in Psalm 133 about how good it is for brothers and sisters to live in unity. He talked about how by working together, we can do so much more than any of us can do working alone.

Dickson, Tom Okore (director of the center) and Tony Wenani (pastor of the on-campus church) gave us a splendid tour. We ate lunch with the children of the orphanage—a hearty meal of rice, flat bread, beef stew and vegetables.

Dickson told me since Buckner became involved with the orphanage, the children still have their worries, but no longer do they worry about when or where they will have their next meal. About 96 percent of the children who come through the residential program were orphaned when their parents died of AIDS. The remaining 4 percent are there because of economic reasons or abandonment.

This afternoon, a few members of our team were feeling the effects of jet lag, so they went back to the hotel to rest. The remainder stayed at the orphanage and made crafts with the children.

I'd have to say Kyle Henderson and his new young friend probably had the best looking craft, but I think Jay Abernathy, Carol McEntyre, Cindy Henderson and David Slover probably made a lot more. Steve Akin printed out digital photos of the children, and the kids made jigsaw puzzle frames for the pictures.  

Tomorrow, we will visit the wildlife preserve and go on a photo safari before hitting the ground running later in the week to see more of the ministries here in Kenya before heading up to Ethiopia.