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March 2, 2022Happy, healthy, holy children bring joy to their parents and families. Orphans, of course, are children whose parents have died and are entrusted to guardians for care. In Kenya, this is an informal process adjudicated by members of the extended family.
At the Bismarck Diocese African Mission, we have orphans who are two and three years old into their late teenage years, and families of up to six children. Frequently, the guardians of these children are an aunt or a grandmother who assume responsibility for the care and well-being of the children. It is not uncommon for orphans to be shifted from one family member to another over the course of time.
Because of poverty, the addition of children to a household presents challenges; there are few material possessions, and the providing of food, clothing and shelter are daily struggles for many. Often, we find children stating that they face continual hunger and sleep in a decrepit mud hut or cooking shack. A cultural ethos exists which places little or no value on the female child, a bias we seek to address in our program by encouraging girls and young women to go to school, assist them in the process and promote their dignity as beloved of God.
The main emphasis of the Bismarck African Mission is our orphan education program whereby we provide a modest amount of maize and a small monthly stipend to the family each month and pay fees for education. These gifts bring hope to the orphans and their families living at a subsistence level. “The people of Bismarck care for us,” can be heard. Many people ask me to thank the people of Bismarck for their generosity and support. In the Swahili language, Kwa sababu ya wanafunzi, nasema, “Asanteni” (On behalf of the students, I say, “Thank you.”)
Bismarck African Mission has taken steps to expand its services in the orphan education program by developing a wellness program. Working with the staff at St. Elizabeth Clinic of Gekano Parish and others in the medical field, we have scheduled a pilot project to address daily health issues and to be proactive in maintaining and improving the health of those whom we serve. Currently, we provide a yearly HIV test and a deworming pill to address intestinal worms caused by contaminated water and food.
The proposed wellness program will be held two times a year to serve more than 450 orphans and vulnerable children and youth now enrolled. They will be gathered for a day of health screenings that include blood pressure and temperature checks and the measuring of weight and height. Each student will be checked for chiggers and ringworm—common afflictions in children. Blood tests for anemia and diabetes, two diseases prevalent in the life of Kenyans, will be done. The educational seminars will have age-appropriate information on topics such as nutrition and hygiene, relationships and decision making, and drugs and alcohol. These seminars will be led by the alumni of the orphan education program, that is, those who have finished their secondary school and are in the process of continuing their education at the post-secondary level.
At this time, we are discerning what can be done to assist the guardians of the children, especially those children who are HIV positive. A profound stigma is associated with this disease and about 4% of those enrolled are afflicted. These are among the most vulnerable of orphans. Provided they take their medication daily and have monthly blood tests, the children can lead fairly normal lives.
An inherent joy of life pervades the people of Kenya. At a moment’s notice, they can break into song and dance expressing thanks to God for the blessings of life. Because they awake to a new day, the Kenyan knows God’s favor. Bismarck African Mission builds upon this foundation of faith and strives to form and educate children who are healthy in body, mind and spirit.