Crosslinks April 2003 magazine

Set up just one year ago Kipawa provides employment for twenty single mothers who live in Kibera, one of the largest and most overcrowded slums in Nairobi. They make greetings cards out of waste paper and sell them to provide an income for their families. They are paid a weekly wage and get commission on each card sold. This helps them put their children through school and afford basic medical care. One of the ladies, Hilder, had three year old twin girls: she told me about her grim circumstances before she got a job at Kipawa, begging for food at the local clinic to feed her little girls, who were extremely sick. After hearing her story, it was wonderful to see the twins running around and playing.

I loved my days there, chatting to the ladies and helping them design new cards. It was a privilege to spend time in their homes, meet their children, and better understand the reality of life in the slums.

Another amazing answer to prayer came in the form of three months in Tanzania after Kate and Hannah had returned to England. I went to Berega, a small rural village in Tanzania to stay with the Northways (Crosslinks' Mission partners) to home school Joe Northway and the Bradford boys (CMS Austrailia). This was a great opportunity to see a different side of East African life and the struggles of a poor subsistence farming community.

Teaching Joe and Nathaniel Northway

(click picture to enlarge)

Berega is centred around a mission hospital, church and orphanage. Teaching the boys freed up their parents to work in the community. It was great to see this work in action - I spent a day with Mary Northway on a Community Health Project, seeing how they administer health care and share the Gospel in the remote villages around Berega.

I had time to visit the children at the local orphanage in the afternoons and take them out for walks and tea parties. These orphans have lost their mothers, mainly to AIDS, which is an increasing problem in East Africa. Towards the end of my stay I spent a day with Ute, the lady who runs the orphanage, visiting newly homed children. They are all put into extended families by the time they are three years old. It was wonderful to see the children with their new families back in their own community.

The time I spent in Kenya and Tanzania was both challenging and fun. I am thankful to God for the opportunities I had and the things he taught me. I made lots of friends and I can't wait to visit them again soon!

Gillian Hosie and Beth Stammers are in Berega, Tanzania where they are working with Noj and Mary Northway, home schooling their son, Joe, as well as working in the local orphanage and hospital. They will be in Tanzania from January to May 2003.

Charmane Rasiah is in Nairobi, Kenya working on the Kipawa card project. Kipawa Paper is made by women who live in Kibera, one of the largest slums in Nairobi. They sell cards to provide an income for their families, helping them to escape from some of the extreme problems of urban poverty. Each card is made from dyed and decorated recycled paper. Charmane has been there since September and will be returning to the UK in August.

There are so many prayer requests for these Smilers but here are a few for your prayers: