Christian Mission Aid
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The Kuwinda Ministry The
Kuwinda ministry has been at it again. Reaching
out to thousands of needy people in and around the Kuwinda slum in Nairobi.
With each new day the Kuwinda ministry shines a ray of hope to a people
steeped in problems beyond many people’s imagination.
Crime, immorality and intoxication are the order of the day for these
people. Kuwinda
remains one of the oldest ministries that CMA has been involved in since its
early beginnings. Pastor Jackson
Thiru is still counting many blessings today in spite of the rough road he has
had to travel to bring the ministry to its present state. The strong-willed
pastor is still positive about reaching out to many more needy people with
God’s word and love. Church
membership at Kuwinda has grown to 60 committed adults and 80 Sunday school
children, something one would not have thought possible at the beginning.
The members are committed and actively involved in the church activities. For
the children, Sunday school has always been the best option.
The two volunteer teachers make the Sunday school so interesting that all
the children in and around the slum want to be part of it. Other
signs of growth in the ministry are the programs ministering to the elderly,
growth of the choir, the women’s counseling group and the youth groups.
Recently, 10 more people in the congregation received Christ. “I praise the Lord for that! ” Says an excited Pastor Jackson. The
Kindergarten “Two
little birds sitting on a fence, This
is just but one of the many interesting nursery rhymes you would expect to hear
in the Kuwinda nursery School. The 24 happy children learn very well under the
stewardship of Teacher Margaret Kageriza. For When
we started the nursery school the parents did not show much interest or support,
but we are happy to say that after they have seen a big change and the
improvements in their children they now come for meetings, visit the school and
come for closing day celebrations. Everybody
wants their children to go to the Kuwinda nursery school but there are limited
vacancies. The children seem to be getting brighter each day and ready to move
on to Grade one. The
Feeding
Program Coming
from a poor background means that there is never Josephine
Watiri, who cooks for the children, ensures they get a balanced diet.
She plans her menu so the children receive a different meal every day.
The kids enjoy the meals so much that as lunchtime draws near, they come alive
with so much joy! “Since
we started school feeding, they’ve really improved health wise. I can see that
their health and learning abilities have really improved.” Says Margaret. The Children
“I
would love to be a building Jackson
stands out in the Kuwinda Nursery School as the most neglected child. He has no
shoes on his feet and cannot even afford a cheap school uniform. He lives with
his drunken father who can’t even feed him. “I
love the Lord...I also love the food we are given here because at home I don’t
get any food. I also love school
and would like to go to a good school like Don Bosco Boys.” He says shyly. Victor
Brian Abuka, 5 years old. “I
live with my grandma Hannah. I don’t know where my mother lives. I still
don’t know what I want to be when I grow up but I want to go to a good school
in grade one.” Says
the soft-spoken boy with a stammer. Samson
Musyimi, 6 years old. Samson
is a stout little serious boy living near the Kuwinda Nursery School.
He has three brothers and two sisters. Together with their mother, they
all live in a tiny room the size of a bathroom. “Samson
is a good child with a high level of understanding. He also loves God. He
is a strong person too and doesn’t like being helped with his homework.
Maybe the name you give a child can have an effect on his character.
I am happy that CMA has been giving him lunch because I do not have to
worry about what to feed him on at lunch time.” Says Samson’s mother
nicknamed Wamathina, which means “full of problems”. Samson’s
family often goes without food and he thanks God for the food given through CMA
at the Kuwinda Nursery School. Too
many problems? Not really. Wamathina says “ I am saved. If I wasn’t I
wouldn’t have managed to live.” Lay
leaders Seminar Part
of our attempt to enhance the Kuwinda ministry involves including Pastor Jackson
in the CMA Layleaders training seminars we hold for pastors. He feels the
seminars have helped him very much as they cover many “In
Bible College I did not learn some topics like the one on AIDS.” Said Pastor
Jackson. “I enjoyed the courses because many things were brought into reality
such as Discipleship. Even if I had heard the teachings, they were like a
revival. Now is the time to put what I have learned into practice,” he added.
As a result of the training Pastor Jackson has
already trained one person to work in Kuwinda church. He is eager for his church
leaders to attend future Layleaders training seminars. Pastor
Jackson felt that this year’s seminar was the most helpful as topics on
Discipleship and AIDS were expounded on. With this knowledge he can reach out to
many more people. AIDS is a major killer in Kenya and specifically in Kuwinda
where many people are involved in prostitution. He gives heart-rending cases of
people who have died of AIDS amid all the poverty in the Kuwinda slum - people
that he had been trying to reach out to. In Conclusion Pastor
Jackson is determined to see his ministry grow. He is so enthusiastic about it that anyone seeing him and the
circumstances under which he works would like to know the secret behind his
enthusiasm and success. “Our
ministry is good and the people in my church are good.
They appreciate the work being done and I’m very happy.” He points
out.
Pastor Jackson’s prayer for many years was that he would have a committed congregation. Today he is thanking God for fulfilling his prayer. As you pray, remember Pastor Jackson Thiru and the Kuwinda ministry, as there are plans to expand and to reach out to more needy people. For information on how you can help, contact: Africa@CMAid.org
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He knows that with the presence of this ministry more people will be reached.
Margaret, quality teaching means a good future for these needy children. Her
style of teaching is jovial and loving, teaching everything from the Bible, the
alphabet, and songs to nursery rhymes.
enough of anything including food.
Kuwinda
children have dreams in spite of their poor living conditions: 
“I have problems, yes I do.
topics.