Empowering Women with HIV

If you don't know what Moringa is by now, you soon will. Moringa is the newest health craze that is taking the world by storm. It is a fast growing tree that is rare in the plant world because it contains all the essential amino acids (proteins) to build healthy muscles. It also provides seven times the vitamin C of oranges, three times the potassium of bananas, four times the vitamin A of carrots and four times the calcium of milk! It has been called the tree of life because it is like having a multivitamin growing right in your backyard. With all the malnutrition problems plaguing Africa right now, you can see why this plant is extremely important to Kenya's future. But what does moringa have to do with Capstone? One aspect of Capstone's vision is the goal to help empower the poor. Right now, Capstone has three HIV support groups that grow moringa. Capstone provides the women with seeds and the training needed to grow and harvest it. Capstone then buys what the women collect every month and processes it for sale in local health stores. Not only do the HIV women get a steady income, but the morniga helps boost their immune system, so that they can stay healthy. Capstone benefits by being able to raise more funds to help support its staff and outreach projects to minister to the street children of Kenya.

During the first week in Africa, Jennifer and I were able to visit an HIV women's support group that had just harvested their monthly moringa. It was truly a humbling experience. The women began singing in unison as we approached their circle of ten members. After the music stopped, they began introducing themselves one by one. The first woman captured my heart. With a smile on her face, she said, “My name is Helen. I love life. Everything is good because God loves me!” Wow! This woman has so many obstacles to overcome in her life, yet her faith was firm. She was a widow, whose husband had contracted HIV by being unfaithful to her and then spread the disease to her. It made me think of all the times I doubted God in my faith walk for such shallow things. Forgive me Lord for my lack of trust when times aren’t as difficult as I think they are.

After about thirty minutes, a young girl came waltzing into the HIV support group. Her name was Rose and she was extremely friendly, talking openly about her HIV status. She couldn't have been older than thirty, but she was the one who started the HIV support group ten years ago. At that time, there was a great stigma about being HIV positive. You just don't talk about it and you definitely don't gather in groups to encourage others who have it. The first group that met was only two or three women, but soon the group got so large that it had to split into smaller groups. Today, there are about seventy women who attend this support group throughout the nearby villages. Some of them grow moringa and sell it to Capstone.
In ten years, they have only lost two of their members to HIV. Rose attributes much of this to the moringa that boosts their immune system and their income, which enables them to buy food and stay healthy.

I must confess that when Dan came to visit Immanuel Lutheran Church three years ago, I was captivated with moringa. He was selling packets of the green powder for brewing tea that was harvested from the HIV women's groups. I loved the idea of empowering HIV women to cultivate it so that they could support themeslves and their children. I bought two packets and began drinking the tea. At first, I wasn't used to it, but I soon grew to like its mild flavor. I noticed right away that it helped detoxify my body and boost my energy levels. Soon, I even went out and bought seeds of my own so that I could grow my own trees right in the church parsonage in Connecticut. What a great blessing this ministry has been for Capstone and the women who suffer from HIV in Kenya.

Moringa only takes about six months to bring a harvest after planting the tiny seeds. It grows so fast that it can be harvested almost every month, depending on the growing season. The leaves are the part that is used in making moringa, so they are pulled off the branches and collected. After they are collected, the leaves are washed thoroughly. Once washed, the leaves are placed on wire racks and left to air dry in the dark. If sunlight reaches the leaves, some of the vitamin C would be lost. When the leaves are completely dry, which takes about two to three days, they are ground into a fine powder. This powder is placed into containers, which are sealed and labeled. The finished product is then delivered to local health stores and the process begins all over again. 

All this is possible because God is good and provides for His people. "The eyes of all wait upon You, O Lord, and You give them their food in due season; You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen." ~Joel

The Capstone Staff: Well Done Good and Faithful Servants

Benedict, Jael, Patty, Isaiah, Dan, Joseph, George, and Berline

Capstone has a staff of seven Kenyans working to accomplish its mission to rescue street children. Berline is the Operations Supervisor for the office, who oversees projects from start to finish. Isaiah is a Lutheran pastor who is a welfare officer on the streets and coordinates Bible study groups. Zadok is an intern, who just finished his final year at the Lutheran seminary here in Kisumu and will be working part-time with Capstone in the future. Benedict, George, Jael and Joseph are all field workers who rescue children off the streets, make followup visits with families in their homes, run the Capstone Youth Center and help complete all the other projects that Capstone is currently involved in. 

The following is an interview of a Capstone staff member, Berline, so that you can see what Capstone is doing through her eyes.

Berline is the Operations Supervisor for Capstone Ministries

Where do you come from (region and tribe)? 

I grew up in the village of Siaya and am part of the Luo tribe of Western Kenya.

How many brothers/sisters? 

I am the only child of my mother. My father had another wife who had children, so I have three stepbrothers and two stepsisters. (2.5 million in Kenya are part of a polygamous family. It stems from Africa's tribal history.)

How many children do you have? 

I am a single mother and have one daughter, Mellisa. She is nine years old and beautiful.

What church do you belong to? 

I grew up Anglican, but now I am Pentecostal.

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I like to read. I read everything. I love to learn. I also like to travel and make new friends.

What brought you to Capstone? 

At first, I just needed a job. I interviewed with Capstone and they hired me. After working with Capstone for a while, I found that it was more than just a another job. I didn't really want to work with street children, but it is fulfilling. There can be a lot of heartbreak, but it pushes me to think outside the box for answers. Capstone is more than just a job to me.

How long have your worked for Capstone? 

Less than three years.

What is your role at Capstone? 

My title is Operations Supervisor. I oversee the other people's roles here at Capstone. I make sure that the child and family visits and followup are done well and in accordance with our vision. I help find new opportunities that can help Capstone. I encourage and counsel other staff. My degree is in Psychology.

What good is Capstone doing in your community? 

It helps counsel families and bring reconciliation. There can be very dysfunctional families with street children that we bring order and peace to. We have helped many children and families to become what they were intended to be. Street children waste themselves and don't achieve what they should.

What do you like about Capstone (or why do you work for Capstone)? 

I am fulfilled. Capstone has taught me patience with families, street children and staff. I am confident that I know how to do things in really difficult situations.

What is the hardest part of your specific job? 

There can be a lot of misunderstanding with families and street children. There is always work to be done and followup visits to be made.

What is the most rewarding part of your specific job? 

Quite a lot. For example, a street boy who was rejected by his family, now is accepted by his family because of Capstone. We have a lot of these cases. I am excited about our Moringa project. It is growing and we are getting better. It is good to see how hard work pays off in the end.

What is poverty? 

Poverty is a state of mind. You are only as poor as you think. With poverty there is a lot of underutilized potential. Sometimes the answer is simple, set up a garden or look for a job. Poverty is psychological. There may be a lack in things, but it is more about not feeling sorry for yourself.

How can the poor be helped (or poverty alleviated)? 

Poverty is a huge mountain. It effects everything about a person. It is crushing because people feel completely helpless. The solution is more than bringing a truck load of material goods and handing them out to poor people. It is more than giving them everything they need. In a few days, the poor person will go back to what they were before, being poor.

Any other comments or advice? 

Capstone is doing a lot of good in Kenya and the local communities. I'm confident that with the support of everyone who has a heart for helping that Capstone will reach its objectives to rescue street children and reconcile families.

A Holistic Approach to Restoration

 

Within the first three weeks at Capstone I’ve uncovered many different outreach and in-reach programs. I will not attempt to tackle them all in one article, but I’ll tell you about a scenario that will connect some of the programs in the diagram above.

Chris is an 11 year old boy that took to the streets in January of 2012.  He went out to tend to the cows for his parents (a common chore here), and never returned.  Chris ran to the nearest city to look for a better life; one without an unkind step mother and an often absent father.  Here he finds no bed, no food, and the harsh realities of independence.

George at the Capstone Youth Center

An older street boy soon meets Chris and offers him protection and a bit of food Chris desperately needs.  But, this will come at the price of homosexual favors and labor.  Chris takes to the street to start begging for handouts to share with the older boy.  Younger boys have a greater success at begging because of their innocent demeanor.  Older boys will also show younger boys where free food is given out during the week.  On Monday morning, the place to be is at the Capstone Youth Center. Here, Chris is given soap to take a shower, detergent to wash his one set of clothes, a Bible study to hear the word of God, and bread and juice to nourish his body.  Capstone staff, George and Isaiah, encourage Chris to go home.  George tells him that if school fees are needed Capstone can help, and if you want Capstone staff by your side when you return home you can have that too.   Monday morning at the center is coming to a close and Chris sees his fellow street boys leave the center one by one.  He wonders if he should stay behind and take George’s offer.  Chris gets up from his desk and leaves the center. 

Later in the week, George travels to “the stage,” where boys are known to congregate, and carries out Street Work Outreach & Rescue operations.  “The stage” is a transportation staging area where boys can work illegally and obtain a small amount of cash for washing vehicles, or carrying luggage. He walks up to a group of 12 boys. Most already know George by name.  He recognizes the new boy Chris and asks if he can speak to him. As the other boys move on, George talks one on one with Chris.  Chris talks about the broken relationships he has at home.  But he also mentions how hungry and tired he is.  Chris agrees to let George take him home.

George calls another staff member to help facilitate the rescue operation.  It is too late in the day for the boy to return to his home this evening. In order to protect Chris from hostile street conditions, Capstone staff calls on their ally Pandpieri, a local shelter that works with Capstone when needed. Chris will have a safe place to stay and a bed for the night.

In the morning, George sets out to transport Chris home.  The boy does not know his parent’s phone number, so they set out in hope that his parents will be home and that the reintegration process goes well.  The Lord has been on Capstone’s side and this has not been an issue thus far, so Chris reunites with his family.

One month later, George visits Chris at home for the Family Follow Up and Restoration of Relationships.  George is relieved to see that Chris still remains at home.  As the family and George greet one another they open their meeting with a prayer. During follow up visits Capstone records family lineage, school status, birth date, and other information.  They also look for signs of a possible relapse. George is able to communicate the best with Chris because of the rapport that they built on the street.  George records reasons for the family’s strained relationship.  Chris’s parents also tell George that Chris’s behavior is deteriorating a little.  This is one sign that their son may take off for the streets again.  George also notes that Chris’s spiritual life could use some improvement. A common view among parents in households Capstone has entered is that parents do not see the need to grow spiritually.  Capstone relies heavily on prayer to change the hearts of parents and children. George closes the meeting with prayer again, and will visit in another couple of months.

This narrative touched upon 3 of the 11 parts in the diagram above.  In future articles, we will be exploring Capstone's programs further.  ~Jen

What are we doing in Africa?

Every Monday Capstone hosts an outreach for street children. It is at the Capstone Youth Center or CYC for short. To get the boys to come, we provide soap and water so they can take a shower and wash their clothes. Some boys have gone over two weeks before their last bath. There is bread and juice for them, but not enough to satisfy their hunger. We don't want to make life too easy for them on the streets so that they would want to stay.
Here, the boys are away from the distractions of the street and we can give a Bible study and encourage them to go home to their families. The message today is about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and being thrown into a fire by the King (from the book of Daniel). When the King looks at the hottest part, he sees a fourth person, Jesus, who is protecting them and rescues them from the destruction of the fire. These boys are in the fire every day. Jesus has protected them from starvation, severe diseases and even death for this long. He now wants them to be rescued and return home to their families.
When asked, "How many of you want to go home" four out of nine raise their hands, but they are just being polite to our request. These boys that came today have been on the streets for a long time, some over 11 years. They come with knife scars, aggressive attitudes and hardened exteriors. But, if you look long enough, you can catch a smile. They look like men, but they are still boys at heart.
 Why do these boys live on the streets? It's a different answer for each of them. Some like the freedom of not having to listen to anyone else but themselves. Some are lazy and don't want to work because their parents made them work at home on the farm. Some have family problems and don't want to go home. Others are addicted to sniffing glue, which makes them forget about their horrid situations. Most often, these boys are on the streets because of what the Bible calls "sin." Sin is the breakdown of relationships, with God, parents, friends and any other person in our lives. All their answers come back to broken relationships that need to be restored with forgiveness, the forgiveness that Jesus taught us. This is what Capstone does; it helps bring forgiveness and restoration so that street boys can return home to the families that love them.
Today, there will be no boys returning to their homes. The only thing we can do for these boys is pray for them that God would protect them and lead them to want to go home in the future. The power of prayer works, but some times God is being patient. Last week God used Capstone to help rescue one child off the street. It doesn't sound spectacular by numerical standards, but it is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent (Luke 15:4-7)." Give thanks to God for He is good! ~Joel

Check out our morning at the CYC below.

Only in Africa

Joel and I are working on adjusting to our new environment.  Last week, I feel like I jumped to inspect every itch I had to see if it was a mosquito bite, worrying if I was going to contract malaria.  I guess I still worry about getting ill here, which is my struggle. But, I'm starting to cast my fears aside, and put my trust in the Lord.  We do have access to doctors in town here in case we need them. I should not worry.  Before leaving on this mission, Joel and I came across Psalm 41, 1:4:

O Lord, Be Gracious to Me
1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him; 2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. 4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!" ....

To prevent illness we've been using a mosquito net at night, watching what we eat, and making sure we drink and use filtered water for everything (including brushing our teeth).

Adjusting to Kenya is quite challenging.  Many things are more difficult here for Joel and me.  For instance, Joel and I will tried driving in Kisumu today for the first time.  Not only do we have to be aware of other cars, but also tuk-tuks (3 wheeled vehicles that are notorious for driving erratically), boda-bodas (bicycles), piki-pikies (motorcycles), cows, goats, hand carts, and pedestrians....  Oh yes, and we have to stick to the left side of the road. The driving culture here is worse than Connecticut!  Can you imagine? Getting cut off is a normal occurrence. We are praying the the Lord protects us on the road!

The electricity here will also go out randomly.  The water pump for the shower stopped working yesterday.  An electrician was able to come pretty quickly, but he could not test his work because the power went out for a couple of hours.  The electrician didn't seem bothered by it at all even though he had to make a second trip back later in the day.  This is a common occurrence.

Another oddity that we have to get used to is being a minority.  Here, children that see us pass by call out "mzungu, mzungu!"  This means "white person, white person!"  It is not a derogatory term.  In fact, Americans are most often viewed favorably.  The down side is that prices seem to double since white skin is associated with more money.

Child rearing here is not only done by parents, but by the community.  It is really fun to play with kids because they are not shy.  They are used to being around many different people.  During a Bible study gathering on Thursday, one mother plopped her baby on my lap so that she could participate in a group picture.  The baby was beautiful, and didn't make a sound!  He was perfectly content being with me or with Mom.

A couple days after the Bible study, Pastor Isaiah, a staff member at Capstone and a preacher at the local ELCK church, stopped by the house for a visit.  It was refreshing to talk to a fellow Christian.  And, before Isaiah left he asked us to pray for him.  It is customary in Kenya that when you have a guest you pray for them before they leave!  What a great idea.

As I leave you with this posting, I pray for all those that have taken an interest in this mission.  I pray God blesses you and keeps you.

~Jen

Our Weekend Culture Training at Kweisos

We spent the weekend in Kweisos, which means "the place of the palms." It is a 3,000 acre farm out in the middle of nowhere. There's not much that can be found here besides sugar cane and cattle for as far as the eye can see. There is no internet or access to the outside world, only an old 1920's farmstead with cracks in the floors and walls that allow the sunlight to creep through. What it lacks in amenities, it makes up in pure beauty! It was the perfect place to get away from all the distractions.
Dan and Patty spent much of the time sharing their wisdom about Kenyan culture, so that we will be better equipped to provide ministry while they are gone. Dan and Patty have been working in Kenya for 11 years now and have learned many valuable lessons, some having come through great hardship.
One aspect we focused on this weekend is the Kenyan view of family. In Kenya, family here is more than just a mother and father. Because of tribalism, a Kenyan family is much more extended and involves the whole community. You notice this when you meet someone for the first time the question is always "where are you from?" However, it doesn't mean a physical location like Independence, Missouri. It means what tribe. Because of this view of family a child on the streets needs special care from the whole community, not just a missionary. This is why Dan and Patty's ultimate goal for children living on the street is reconciling them with their "family" and connecting them back to the place they belong, so that they will receive the support that will help them stay off the streets.
At first glance, this concept of belonging seemed foreign to me. Yet, it's not so foreign to me when I think of myself as a Christian. Our very name defines "where" we come from, not by designating a place, but revealing to "whom" we belong. As Christians, we belong to Christ and a larger community, the Church. This is why when we meet another Christian, we automatically have so much in common and feel like we belong. It is because we do belong to each other in Jesus Christ. We too are part of a tribe called Christians.
Hello, where are you from?

~Joel

Our New Home

Yesterday we took one more flight from Nairobi to Kisumu, but to pass the time before the flight we stopped at a baby elephant orphanage called The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.  There we learned that most elephants are orphaned by poachers, who killed about 137 elephants this year thus far in Kenya.  Ivory is still in demand, therefore poaching continues.  Hunting in Kenya is prohibited, which helps to protect the animals and tourism economy. I have to admit, being able to pet an elephant was amazing!

After our short flight to Kisumu, Pastor Dan picked us up, and brought us to our new home for the next 4 months. The house is beautiful.  The entry is gated and fenced in with a cement wall, which is common for those that have vehicles and nice homes.  The yard is a very good size for the area and contains several moringa gardens, fruit trees, and flowers.  There are numerous types of birds that visit the yard and offer their own symphony from the trees.

Kisumu looks a lot like the areas I visited when I traveled to Uganda. Businesses often do not have buildings, or if they do they are small one-room structures.  The sides of the streets are lined with everything from shoes to furniture.  At first glance, you wonder how these sellers make enough money to get by.  But, as Dan told us, if they even make 500 - 1000 shillings ($6 - $11 US dollars) it is a very good day.  The cost of living here is much lower.

In the evening, Dan, Patty, Joel, and I sat down to our first meal together.  I think it's normal to be apprehensive about new relationships, especially when you really want them to rock!  After talking, it seems that we have a lot of similarities, which is great.  And Joel and I are really looking forward to learning the Schmelzer's philosophy on running missions.

Today, we started learning a little about accounting for Capstone and paying bills.  Paying bills sounds easy, but it's also totally different here.  Everything runs on credit, so we pay via mobile phone the bills for things like electricity, the security system, and internet.  If you forget to pay electricity before your credit runs out your lights go out!

At this point, Joel and I are doing well, but in extreme jet lag. Everything is a little foggy.  Tomorrow we have a board meeting, a staff meeting, and then we travel to Kweisos House in Koru for some orientation and jet lag therapy!

~Jen