Donations for Rehema - support my friend Steph this Summer

This semester, a good friend of mine Steph was able to study abroad in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been there for quite a while now and she’s been loving it.

Recently, she sent out a letter of support for a Summer opportunity she’ll be having to help at Rehema Prepatory School, a school for children who have suffered in some way due to HIV/AIDS in Africa. She’s asking that you help her raise $1300 towards this trip. Your contribution will go towards funding the school and providing daily needs for the children in Kesogon.

Kenya Rehema Video from stephervescent

I’ve attached her letter of support below for you all to read. I took some time out to bold the important parts, but if this were ideal, I’d probably just bold the entire thing. Read on.

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Cape Town!

Ever since I decided to come to Africa, I knew I wanted to stay as long as I could – even if it meant being away from my beloved city and home for 8-plus months and dealing with the inevitable bouts of homesickness, which, I often do… my heart aches for New York City, but I am discovering, more and more, how my heart breaks for Africa and the injustices found here. I didn’t know what I wanted to do (Something in education or the arts? NGOs or non-profits? Missions work?) or where I wanted to be (South Africa? Uganda? Ghana?) and never did I dream I’d be spending my summer in a Kenyan village, volunteering at an early education institute targeted especially towards children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and poverty.

But, here I am, amazed at how God opens doors and creates pathways that I could never have dreamed up for myself. From mid-June until mid-August, I will be in Kesogon, a remote village outside of Kitale, in the Rift Valley region of Kenya. In Kesogon is Rehema Prepatory School, founded by Alfred Mbako (introduced to me as Uncle Alfred). I’ll be living with Uncle Alfred’s family of eight, volunteering at Rehema as a teacher in Art and English and working with the youth at the local church.

“Rehema” is a Swahili word for “mercy”. True to form, Rehema is a mercy ministry, meant to serve those who would otherwise be neglected by society. Rehema Preparatory School seeks to provide education and nutrition to the HIV/AIDS orphans in the Kesogon area. However, Uncle Alfred’s vision for Rehema goes beyond Kesogon and even beyond the Rift Valley Region. One part of expanding the ministry at Rehema includes the vision of mobilizing the Kesogon community and the world-wide community, to form a link that will bring resources from those who have much to those who have little.

I write in hopes that you will join with me in partnering with the Rehema community. Yes, (deep breath), this is the part where I ask you for money. But beyond that, (and more importantly), I ask for your prayers. The situation that Rehema seeks to amend is one that occurs throughout the world, particularly throughout Africa. To me, it is a sign of a deep-rooted corruption (man’s sinful nature), wherein a vicious cycle of impoverishment and debt result in the suffering of the innocent. Please pray for God’s mercy to heal the brokenness of the Kesogon community and the many other communities like it. Pray for Kesogon’s children and for the Spirit to touch lives and hearts. In a more personal light, pray for my lingual dexterity, as I begin to learn Swahili and also for an overflow of grace and love, that I may be Christ to the children of Kenya.

I am setting a fundraising goal of $1,300 – the money I raise will go towards funding my trip (a round-trip plane ticket from Cape Town to Nairobi is about $700) and towards the ministry work of Rehema Prepatory School. Rehema provides uniforms, lunch, textbook and writing materials to all students as well as financial aid for pupils. They are also in the process of relocating to a new school, as more funds (from people like you!) become available. Thinking optimistically, all money that is raised beyond my goal will go towards the donation to Rehema.

Thank you for taking the time to catch up. Please keep me in your prayers in the upcoming months as I fundraise and prepare for my trip.

Peace, Joy, Love,

Stephanie

More information (and updates, I presume) will be posted at Steph’s Kenya website. Please take some time out to watch her video, read about her trip and plans, and donate and support her this summer.

If you’re like me and hate writing checks, you’ll be glad to know that you can donate online towards this great cause.

Remember, a little bit can and does go a long way!