A Note from the Pohlod’s,
Jambo!!! We send you the warmest greetings as we get squarely into the holiday season this year. There is no doubt that the key word for 2020 is disruption. It is a time that can test faiths and bring suffering. Tom provides us with a link below to answer a number of questions about our children in Kenya. While they too are struggling, the wonderful people of Compassion Kenya share with us reasons to hope. One of the toughest questions in the Christian faith is “Why does God allow suffering?” Indeed, this can drive people away from God. I turn to the message of Job for the answer. God never promises us a world without suffering, but He promises He will never leave our side while we suffer. An atheist suffers alone. We don’t and nor do the Compassion children in Kenya. It takes a mature Christian to see the mercies of suffering: often people draw closer to God and closer to each other, and we see that happening in Kenya. While gifts and letters are taking a little more time, they do arrive; bringing word that the children and families are not forgotten or suffering alone. Write those letters, they make a difference! Now on to Tom’s update….
Best,
Chris and Angela Pohlod.
In 2015 we met with Joel Macharia at the Grace House where we stay in Nairobi. He is the National Director of the Compassion Program in Kenya. We wanted to speak with him about what our next steps should be to help the project at RGC in Nairobi. Joel shared his main concern with us which is the high teenage dropout rate from the program. He felt a mentorship program would be a great way to encourage the teens to stay in the program until they graduate. He also pointed out the students have a lack of vision for a specific career or occupation after graduation. This meeting is what led to the partnership with Mamlaka Hill Chapel and RGC. Mamlaka agreed to provide mentors which consisted of University of Nairobi students and young professionals. The seeds planted in this meeting also led to the jobs fair where each travel team member presented the career that they had chosen. Team members shared the struggles that they went through on their journey and the importance of not giving up. Philgona who is the Child Development Director, told us that was the first year all of the graduates had a plan for a career that they wanted to pursue after graduation. Most of the ideas for projects or activities with our partner churches are a result of conversations we have with them during our visits.
We have provided you with a link that contains a video from Joel on the current situation with Covid-19 in Kenya. We have received many questions from sponsors concerning the pandemic. We thought this link would help everyone to better understand how Compassion is working with the children during this difficult time.
As always, I appreciate your replies to these updates so we can track how many people are actually reading them. Feel free to contact us with any questions about Compassion International or the Kenya-Compassion Ministry.
Thanks again,
Tom
Kenya-Compassion Ministry
Trinity Church
Lansing, Michigan