Jake goes to Kenya (Part 1)
“Every person I met with is attempting to holistically care for their people.” – Jake
Kenya
Archbishop Jackson, Anglican Church of Kenya
Last month, Executive Director, Jake Stum, traveled to Kenya, along with ARDF-US Trustee the Rev. Canon John Macdonald. After 15 months on the job, Jake was thrilled to travel internationally to meet our partners in person. Sure, meetings on Zoom are a great way to stay connected, but there is nothing like meeting face to face!
We asked Jake to offer some reflections on the trip.
Meeting the Most Rev. Jackson Ole Sapit, Archbishop of all Kenya and member of the ARDF Global Council.
I was so glad to be able to meet one of our global council members in person. We can accomplish so much virtually, but there is nothing like face-to-face encounters.
Archbishop Jackson has a unique perspective on missions and is working to bring sustainability all across the Province of Kenya. At the same time, he is focusing on the caring nature of the church. He is always asking, “How caring are we?” He operates under the philosophy that we have to care before we can grow the church — therefore, we must see ourselves as caregivers. The church with the loudest voice should be the most caring.
2. Visit to Northern Kenya to visit Bishop Qampicha Daniel Wario of Marsabit.
I especially love his work of bringing peace to the region. He works with other clergy and leaders of other religions to bring “harmonious relationships.”
ARDF has been partnering with the diocese of Marsabit for years, supporting their vision of providing academically excellent schools with a Christian worldview. You can read more about that here.
Jake with Bishop Qampicha at Tumaini Academy
Tumaini Head Teacher Jacob Boru shows off the school’s academic awards.
3. Visit to Tumaini Academy in Sololo
In an area that is steeped in tribal and religious conflict, this school is a safe haven. You can feel the presence of peace when you walk on campus. It is remarkable to see the impact this school is having on the entire region.
This school consistently wins the award for producing the highest scores in the county. Many students have gone on to achieve great results in High School.
4. Meanwhile, a new Boy’s High School (soon to be followed by a Girl’s High School) is underway in Badasa.
The campus is going to be beautiful. It was great to meet with leaders from the community and the school board to see their pride in what is being accomplished.
Here in the United States, we might take education for granted. But education is vital everywhere, and no more so than in rural, underdeveloped communities like Northern Kenya and the community is behind the project one hundred percent. While Jake was there, he received the honor of laying the cornerstone for the science laboratory. The school is expected to open in 2022.
After several days in Northern Kenya, Jake headed south to visit some of ARDF’s other partners in Kenya. For the highlights of those, stay tuned for next week’s blog!
While at St. Andrew’s, Jake checked out the new water cistern. In the arid climate of Northern Kenya, providing clean water for students is a priority of parents. The large cisterns (along with academic excellence) at St. Andrew’s will draw students to the school once it opens.
Read More Blogs By ARDF
Latest Blog Updates