Visiting the Projects of GGRE - Kenya Post #3

 

Obugi Church in Kisumu, Kenya

Sunday, Sept. 8th began with our visiting group’s

attendance at the weekly worship service at Otieno Oyoo High School boarding school for boys on their campus in Kisumu, Kenya.  Several hundred boys in attendance

 welcomed our participation as we worshipped with exuberance and thanksgiving for all that God has provided.

Obugi Church was our next stop, where we were welcomed with open arms to worship with their close-knit congregation with time for scripture, singing, and praise. Having previously met under a tree, construction of their new sanctuary has not quite been completed, but the structure that exists was filled with the Holy Spirit during our time together.

We were blessed with the hospitality of Ruth, who welcomed us into her home to share a delicious lunch prepared by several of the women of the congregation following worship. We broke bread with the church pastor and several of the church’s elders.

A visit to the thriving God’s Green Resourceful Earth tree nursery, located on the

grounds of the African Inland Church (AIC) Nyanza Area Bishop’s Office, kicked off our second full week in Kenya. We had the opportunity to see in person the successful work being done to plant and nurture trees of many species for sale and distribution.  Many will be given to farmers, landowners, and schools.

We met the Bishop of the Nyanza Area AIC, Rev. Phillip Osenya, as well as the team that leads GGRE. The Bishop led us all in the dedication and laying of hands on the truck that was recently purchased for the GGRE program with the assistance of a generous donation from Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge, TN.  The trucks makes possible the essential task of transporting of trees, plants, and materials for the GGRE program.

Our afternoon travels brought us to the Kenya Forestry Service at the Kenya Forest Research Institute in Maseno. We learned all about the tree seed and reforestation program managed by Joyce Cortina, leader of seed distribution, who has worked with Tom Ochuka and GGRE to help mitigate climate change through planting seeds for trees.

GGRE maintains a reforestation and regenerative

agriculture demonstration site at a farm owned and managed by Tom’s family in Awasi, Kenya.  On Wednesday, our group had the opportunity to visit the farm and learn about the trees, abundant vegetable garden, numerous chickens, and thriving apiary located on the property.  Much of what we observed was made possible through fundraising done through the GGRE partners in the United States. Tom’s family welcomed us graciously and provided a meal made of eggs and vegetables from the farm, such as sukuma wiki and cassava, for us all to enjoy

together.   We closed out our visit by planting passion fruit along the apiary fence line, envisioning its future blossoms will provide nourishment for the bees in their production of honey.