to the ends of the earth: December Widows & Orphans Day!

The first Saturday of every month, we have a Widows & Orphans Day out in the bush with the Maasai people. A little over two years ago, one of our previous teammates pioneered a program centered in Community Health Evangelism. We began by asking our church planters in the area who the neediest widows and orphans were in their areas (stretching in a 10-mile radius). They nominated 30 widows to enroll in the nine-month training program, where we teach them about health, hygiene, business principles, and about living for the Kingdom. Additionally, the church planters named 127 orphans who needed support and we have since been working to place each of them on the CMF Child Sponsorship page for people all around the world to sponsor these children so they can go to school (which is EXTREMELY expensive here - 1 year of school costs over 1/2 the average Tanzanians annual salary), be given allotments of food and hygiene supplies, and to be given health check-ups.

These programs are on-going, yet the first Saturday of every month, we join together to learn about the Word of God, to share a meal together (making sure the children get a good allotment of food), and to give out monthly allotments of food and supplies for those in the program.

all the children in our program - about 35 are currently sponsored

the widows in our program

Each month we announce newly sponsored children! It is quite a celebration where everyone is clapping and the children each get a cross necklace!

This month we also gave out clothing to the children because one of our program's partnering churches (Plainfield Christian Church) graciously donated them to our children!

AND because it is December, we celebrated Christmas together!! As part of the special occasion, we had entertainment from two men who dressed, danced, and sang like traditional Maasai - the kids LOVED IT! And so did we!