Mission statement
To share Gods Love to the destitute children in the streets of Nakuru in order to reestablish their lost hope and restoring their dignity, through Rescuing, Rehabilitating and Reintegrating them back to the society again.
From the Team Coordinator
30 October 2008 05:24
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Bethesda is now faced with the most difficult and daunting task of integration the rehabilitated children into the mainstream of socio-economic activities due to myriad obstacles and lack of adequate resources towards the plight of destitute children. Bethesda is a model children’s ministry among the very many children’s homes in Kenya whose main motto is 3 R´s Rescue, Rehabilitate and Re-integrate the former street children to the community. The move is to address the growing number of street children (people) in the streets of Nakuru, Molo, Gilgil, Naivasha and Elburgon. Bethesda is now fully-fledged with it’s own compound, staff, sustainable projects like keeping animals and the kitchen garden.
More 60% of the Kenyan population is under the age of 30 years, a pointer that issues affecting children called for closer attention. There are an increasing number of street children, due to the post election violence this year, who are on daily basis begging in the streets. To reduce this phenomenon, Bethesda is creating awareness to the larger community.
Nakuru town is unique with more than 15 bases full of garbage and dumpsites which the street children call their homes. That is the place were they eat from collected food from the garbage and where they have their day to day activities. Each base has a leader in charge of the rest. Children are innocent and whenever they are left in the streets then the social system have failed to give them support. Parents, families and guardians have failed to provide the necessary support. Bethesda handles children to the best interest of the children to preserve the life of the child. We provide education to the rehabilitated children by taking them to school in a way of enable them with a social environment that will make a child realize his or hers full potential.
Bethesda offers counselling services to these children. And we are also concentrating on reuniting them with their families. The psychological and historical profiles of the children have also been an obstacle. Many lack education and other skills, development tools to ensure a secure future in the context of guaranteed livelihood and income generating opportunities. To overcome this constraint we have opted to pursue team work as for example the vehicle on the road map towards the successful integration of children into the mainstream of socio-economic activities of communities. This will only be achieved through developing and building of complimentary corporate social responsibility partnerships and networks for sustainability of the effort.
These children are in need of care and protection. So help us help these children, meet their long time dreams! Bethesda Children’s Ministry kindly requests your organization, individuals, families, churches, governments and other institutions to empower the rehabilitated destitute children currently under our care at Bethesda. Your kind and considerate financial, material and technical sponsorships will facilitate the operation and activities of the initiative, which will make a big contribution in positively defining the future of these children. Bethesda therefore welcomes you in this noble job that will give hope and empower the neglected street family members of the society.
John Kissinger
Team Coordinator
Bethesda Children’s Ministry
Greetings from Ngata
7 October 2008 17:39
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Rescue, Rehabilitate and Re-intergrate back the children to the family and to the community, that´s our objective.
We have moved to Ngata on 11-06-08. The Ministry has grown and thank´s to you for all our supports. We now have our permanent home with buildings.
The Ministry has successfully rehabilitated and re-integrated about so street children. We have also rehabilitated street families successful, a wife, husband and tree children. The street mother- Teresia is now running her own business and supporting the family. We thank the sponsors for making it possible for her to open a business. The Ministry`s activities are still running well throughout the week.
Drop-in: Every Sunday we come in contact with 20-30 street children at Pangani church.
Remand home: Every Thursday where we have bible study, singing and fellowshipping together with children who are arrested by the police and waiting to be taken to court. Street work: Every Friday a team meet the children to maintain contact and invite them for drop-in. Home visitation: Children who are back at home are visited once a month. Football-club: This is a new activity carried out every Saturday. We meet 50 boys at the football club. The aim of the football club are: Give the boys recreation, develop talents in the boys, develop their self-esteem so as to see themselves as worthy members in the society, motivate the boys to leave street life.
Our current needs
1) We need a vehicle for the ministry a 14 seater Nissan
2) Sponsorship for the orphans and the very poor children
3) Computers to train boys at the centre
Please support to make a change in the lives the less fortunate members of the society.
Thank you
Lucy Siele
Chairperson Bethesda
Bethesda Children Ministry
Opening at Ngata
13 May 2008 13:04
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Bethesda is overcrowded in the rented place where we now are. Therefore a fundraising was started in 2006 to raise money to buy a plot for our own. In March 2007 we bought a plot in Ngata, about 10 kilometres outside Nakuru. Later we have had the opportunity to receive a donation through head office for the church (ELCK) from Concordia Lutheran Ministries and LCMS World Relief and Human Care (both from USA) which have made it possible to build the first house on our own plot.
In the opening we were visited by the general secretary of ELCK John Halake and his wife, Jamson Hardy and his friend Dell came from LCMS. Other visitors were the lady who sold the plot to us, the constructor who has been responsible for the building, the district leader of the church Samwel Langat, members from the congregations in Nakuru and a number of neighbours. Of course even the whole staff and all the boys from Bethesda were there.
Now we start to plan and arrange to move. We are really looking forward to move in to a totally new building and that the boys will have more space, especially outside.
We are grateful to God that we have got the opportunity to build a new centre!
We are grateful to God that He has equipped organisations which have had the opportunity to donate money!
We are grateful to God that he has been with Bethesda during the last five years and blessed the work to be growing!
Without God hand His help we are nothing, with Him we are always safe.
Sofia Nilsson, missionary at Bethesda