What would be missing?
Our friend and now retired pastor, Bob, recalled during his final sermon a recent interview process in hiring their now well-loved minister of children and families. When she was invited to ask her own questions, the staff were stunned when she asked, “What would be missing in this community were you as a church, not here?” What a thought-provoking question! It led them all to reflect both corporately and privately on what exactly would be missing in their corner of the world, were they not involved in being a place of worship as well as service to the community around them.
My mind went immediately to Africa Exchange and our work in Kenya. What would be missing were we not in the now 14 communities in which we work? Do we make enough of a difference that not being a resource in the lives of children, families and communities would mean a direct impact of some kind of loss in their lives? I know beyond a doubt, the answer is a resounding YES!
Children enjoying mid-morning uji (porridge) in Makutano, West Pokot
If a child in the Lochor Esekon Integrated Child Development center in Turkana were asked what would be missing in their lives with the absence of their Integrated Child Development Center, I imagine they would say “My porridge!” We ensure the children at our centers are given a fortified porridge each day to guarantee sound nutritional support, knowing this is the first building block for learning. The families who populate these centers love their children but can’t always ensure consistent nutrient based feeding which is dependent on their own subsistence income, a sad reality when you live in harsh, arid and semi-arid lands. Can you imagine the relief it is, knowing your child will be fed each and every day at school?
If a parent at Sisit ICDC in Pokot were asked what would be missing, I imagine they would say “Water! We wouldn’t have water and would have to return to walking the 30 minutes down the mountain and back to carry it on our backs from the river. And the suspension bridge over the Wei Wei River that allows access to medical care, the community center, and school for our older children”. These resources have taken years to develop and maintain but are commitments we have made to the community, in response to their requests, knowing the difference it makes in their quality of life.
If a committee member at the newly opened Ola Rangi Integrated Child Development Center in Kalacha, home to the Gabra people, were asked what would be missing were AFEX not committed to working in their community, I imagine they would say “Education! Our new center ensures our children can learn in their own space, supported with the current Kenyan curriculum for ECD, trained teachers, and dedicated focus to the healthy growth of the minds, bodies, and spirits of our children.”
My pondering continued and led me to consider all those who support all the good work of Africa Exchange across Kenya. What would be missing were they not so generous? What would be missing for our secondary and university scholars where there not key people committed to the future of these teenagers and young adults? What work could not occur if there weren’t those who believe in what we do and love to see children and families thriving in their own communities?
There is always more to which we are called. Always more to the invitation to participate in one another’s lives, lifting up those who are disadvantaged, and more to learn from those who know what it is to suffer. May we answer our calling faithfully and with clarity about what would be missing were we not there. May we continue to embody our vision together with communities across Kenya so that our partnerships make a tangible difference in peoples’ day to day lives. And may those who participate with us be strengthened in their resolve that there is too much to be missed to not take up the calling to care.