Kenya Masai community drought relief

Dear friends,

The drought in Kenya, the worst in 40 years, has deeply affected our Masai friends. You may remember a previous GoFundMe we did 3 years ago for this same community.

Many of you know our story, that we lived in Kenya for 7 years as missionaries and had a particularly close relationship with a small, very, very rural Maasai community in southern Kenya. About a 6-hour drive from our home, half of that without real roads. Over the years, we've brought many students, family members, and friends from the US as we sought to build relationships with the church elders in this community. Through the course of those relationships, we were blessed to come alongside the elders as they strove to meet practical needs in their community, including a small dispensary for emergency medical needs, a vehicle for emergency transport, Maasai Bibles, nutrition and health training, and a water catchment and filtration system.

While it has now been 11 years since we've returned to the US, we've kept in touch with this community through the pastor. We've watched as his small church has planted other churches throughout the community, turned witchcraft into faith in Christ, and sought to meet the very real needs of the community through the church. It has been difficult for us to watch from afar and not be involved much anymore, but God has opened the door again.

Here's the message from Patrick, our friend, pastor, and bishop to an indigenous Masai denomination:

Here's more details from Patrick:

Hi Andy.

I greet you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our beloved savior.

My family and the community of OLEPISHET are doing well and blessed by God

How are you doing together with your family?

I wanted to take this special opportunity to inform you that the drought in OLEPISHET is currently a very big issue.

People are suffering because they lack something to provide for their families.

98% depend on hand to mouth in their day-to-day daily life.

I am requesting you, if possible, to do what you did some 3 to 4 years ago.

Just to create a group for fundraising.

Currently, we have the very, very needy families, household 200.

And these are the items we can buy:

1 bundle UGALI ksh 2500×200=Ksh 500,000/

Cooking oil half litre ksh 100 × 200=ksh 20,000

Sugar half kgs 100 × 200=ksh 20,000

Transport 10,000.

Grand total ksh 550,000/

Pray for us as a community of OLEPISHET.

Ashe Oleng.

550,000 Kenya Shillings is $4258. So, that would sustain 200 households, through the local church, which Patrick pastors and has also planted throughout the area.

Would you please join us in providing some immediate, targeted relief to this community? 100% of funds donated here will be used for the purposes stated above, and Patrick is great about providing documentation and receipts for accountability.

Ashe oleng,

Olodupa (Andy) and Naromat (Lesa)