Making a Difference in Kenya

 Last year, I experienced a health scare.  My extremities were numb and I was dizzy.  My wife rushed me to the emergency room 10 minutes away.  After hearing of my symptoms, the medical staff recognized the possibility of a stroke and the necessity of timely treatment.  They plucked me out of the crowded waiting room and immediately began to run tests.  Three days later, I was discharged with a (relatively) clean bill of health and a prescription that I'll likely be on for the rest of my life.

If I lived in the town of Masii in Kenya, the outcome would have differed.  To receive the same treatment, I would have needed to travel hours.  Chances are, I wouldn't have sought care at all until my situation was more dire, less treatable.  If I lived in Masii, I likely wouldn't have had the same economic opportunities that would have allowed me to afford care from a faraway hospital.  Even if I made the trek, I may not have been able to pay for the treatment needed.

Tumaini International aims to change that with the expansion of the Tumaini Mission Hospital.  The care offered by TMH would be accessible both geographically and financially.  With Tumaini's Christ-centered roots and foundation, patients would receive both physical and spiritual care.  With the professional staffing required, the economic benefit to the entire community will be compounded.

The Tumaini Mission Hospital and a girl's high school constructed several years ago have been the "big" projects that have benefitted the community in one fell swoop.  No less impactful, however, is the work Tumaini has done helping one person and one family at a time since its inception in the early 2000s.  Child sponsorship allows a child to stay with a family member by providing for schooling and their basic needs.  Over 3000 children and their families have benefitted from the monthly sponsorship program.  Many of the 1700 alumni of the program have transitioned from beneficiaries to benefactors of the program as they've found successful professions.

This summer, a team from our church will travel to Kenya.  In all honesty, there's little impact we can make during our two weeks there.  But what we can do, we will.  We will meet the children we sponsor and assure them that our care and affection extend beyond the money we send each month.  We will witness the good work done by Tumaini and champion their work and cause when we return to the U.S.  We will encourage the staff and workers affiliated with Tumaini and assure them of the support and partnership they have in Valley.  We may play with the kids, lay bricks for a construction, or whatever the Tumaini staff identifies as a need.

I share this because I believe that many have a desire to make a difference and may not always know how.  While we may not all be health care professionals, we can all help to provide a facility where care can be offered.  Our team is privileged to be able to travel across the world.  But, for others, their contribution is to help pay for the cost of the trip.  When Stanley and Rose founded Tumaini, it was in response to a purpose that God had given them.  But it was also a recognition that God's work was not to be done through them alone.  They were but the conduits by which each of us can make a difference in Kenya.

To find out more about the Tumaini Mission Hospital: TMH Expansion Needs 

To give toward the construction of the Tumaini Mission Hospital: Medical Clinic Expansion (givingfuel.com)

To find out more about child sponsorship: Child Sponsorship

To support the team traveling to Kenya this summer: Select Kenya Team from the drop down menu.