We work with two partners in the country of Kenya in East Africa.

The first partner is Africa Exchange. We began our partnership in 2008 after meeting with the leadership of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Missouri. They visited with us in 2007 about the partnership and asked us to consider committing to giving $2,000/year for three years to support the Integrated Child Development Center (ICDC) in Ngreyena, a village on the east coast of Kenya just north of Mombasa.  We were also invited to send individuals from our church to the village to be involved in some hands-on missions.  We gave our first $2,000 in 2008.  In addition, we sent two members – Melissa Hatfield, Pastor of Youth and Missions, and Rand Swanigan – on a mission trip with other Missourians in October 2008.

It was during this trip that we learned a great deal about our partners.  Ngreyena is one of eight districts in Kenya that have an ICDC. Our gifts help to support a school (ICDC) in the village where about 40 children ages 3- 5 attend.  They receive an education under the teaching of two teachers and they receive daily meals at the school – meals they might not get otherwise. The children also receive regular health check-ups and vitamins.  Each child receives a treated net to protect them from mosquitoes.

In our Oct. 2008 trip, we helped to build a fence, plant a tree, support the teachers, perform health screenings and play with the children. You can view pictures from this trip here.

Our next trip to Ngreyena is planned for February/March 2010. Contact Rand Swanigan, Kenya Trip Leader, if you are interested or have questions.

The second partner is the House of Hope Home in Naivasha, Kenya. We began our partnership with HOHH in 2009.