Introduction from Missionary Lucy Chaves (serving Kenya; based in Virginia with her husband, Associate Missionary David Chaves):
As program director at Kenya Connection, I am responsible for researching, planning, and implementing programs for the ministry. I also oversee the staffing needs for the departments we have by recruiting suitable candidates (HR management in a way). My favourite role is that of mentoring young African missionaries. We meet, share the word of God, pray together and challenge each other in our walk (we thank God for Zoom :)). We welcome friends to join us every Thursday for an hour of Bible study and praying together. Most of the staff members we have feel strongly called to serve the Lord through the journey of discipleship. Below is a report and stories from our ministry this past spring, written by James Were and Mwangi Kabeberi.
James is the Scholarship and Development coordinator for Kenya Connection. He is an alumnus of Akiba school and was taught by Dave in high school. We are actually happy but sad that James will transition soon, as he has been accepted for an MBA course at James Madison University. We shall be happy to see him here in the States but we shall dearly miss working with him. He has been very instrumental for the growth of Kenya Connection and the ministries we serve.
Mwangi is our communications consultant. Aside from that, he is a young man that Dave mentored while we lived in Kenya, and he has remained a good family friend.
Above: High School students participate in a small group and worship at Breakaway Camp, co-hosted by Kenya Connection.
On the 15th of April 2022, I got a call from my friend, James Were. For those of you who do not know James, he is a soft spoken, eloquent gentleman (except when he is talking about football) who organized this camp I will be telling you about shortly. He is the Development Coordinator at Kenya Connection, the overall organization that was responsible for the breakaway camp.
So… soft spoken James calls me. I was taking my afternoon nap (he doesn’t know that, so don’t tell him) when I heard the phone ringing. I cleared my voice so that I might sound awake. Not sure it worked, but James is a gentleman. He asked me if I would be available to speak to students in high school at a camp he is organizing. I told him I’d check my schedule. I am kidding! I was willing to forgo my afternoon naps for a week.
The camp began on the 17th of April 2022 at Onelife Africa Youth Campus located at East Gate, Kabarak, Nakuru County. The theme was “God Loves You” a simple yet powerful theme from John 3:16. In as much as we know the verse word for word, a reminder of what that scripture means is always welcome and is always relevant.
I joined the camp on the 19th of April. I left Nairobi at 11:30am on a cold drizzly morning. I really enjoyed the trip, more so because I got to nap! 3 hours later, James received me and showed to where I would be staying. He then briefed me on what has been happening and what I was to speak about over a cup of porridge and biscuits which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you James! I joined the rest of the team and the students for dinner and got to know some of them.
The camp hosted 60 high school students who were on scholarship through Kenya Connection, many of whom are graduates of Akiba School and have been attending boarding schools in various parts of Kenya. This was a chance to break away from their normal schedule of school and home, to enjoy something out the norm. This was a chance for them to learn and go deeper in their faith through teachings based on the theme.
For many of the students this was the first camp that they attended and they loved the experience. I spoke on 2 topics on 2 different days: A Father’s Love & The call of the Father. The underlying theme of the topics is that there is nothing that can separate you from the love of God and that once you accept that God loves you, regardless of your circumstance, you then find your identity in the father. Once you know who you are in God then the calling of the Father will consequently be identified.
The camp provided a safe space, a comfortable place to sleep, regular meals, and people to talk to and space to be creative. The wonderful team at Onelife provided counselors who would have sessions with the students where they would be free to talk without prejudice. I saw how creative these students were as they sang, danced, recited poetry, and did skits. They were so confident in their abilities, a big part due to the atmosphere at the camp. They also played a lot of games during their time there, which increased their bonding.
The message of God’s love gave them hope, and they hoped team would organize more of these camps. Opportunities such as these leave them hopeful and encouraged and wanting more. What struck me most is that the message they took with them is that they are valued and loved by God no matter what is contrary in their current environment.
FAITH IS…. by Mwangi Kabeberi
[“I feel at home and I have gotten to know new people. We struggle a lot at home and this place is like a break. I am happy here and I am having so much fun.” This was a statement said by Faith, one of students who attended the Breakaway camp. Faith is a tall, bubbly yet soft spoken girl. She was easily the tallest student at the camp. You could not tell she has come from a struggling home because of how she carried herself with confidence, kindness, and wit.
The atmosphere at the Breakaway Camp gave me a sense of happiness and freedom. The students were not shy of expressing themselves in any way and I found that very refreshing. They were bold in asking questions and giving their presentations. You can tell what they are thinking, going through, and struggling with simply because they were free and this enabled the facilitators to effectively reach out to them.
“I play volleyball, most people would assume I play basketball because of my height, but I love volleyball.” I know it is very stereotypical to ask a tall person if they play basketball, but I must admit, I took the bait as I looked up at her towering over me. She has dreams like many of us, and is still figuring herself out like many of us (yes, I am talking about you). One thing she is sure about is that she wants a better future for herself but she is also taking in the present moments.
As a writer there is the temptation to speak authoritatively on what you are writing about so as to teach or reveal some new information to the reader, which is the norm because a writer does their research. However in this case, it is I who was given a lesson, who was taught something and I am happy to share. I learned that the present moments are what shape the outlook of your future.
Faith is… the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things yet seen as Hebrews 11:1. Faith (I am talking about the person now) is living proof of that. Maybe it is because she is called Faith, or simply because we are all meant to live faith out naturally. She did not wallow in despair because of her current situation and neither did her fellow school mates. There was hope and they were living as though the world was at their beck and call. They saw it that way and therefore their future will unfold as such.
This Breakaway Camp is what these students need. A chance to make them feel they are enough. They can and will make a difference in the world they live in. Your support is what made this happen and should you want to continue making this a reality for these students, please reach out to Dave and Lucy Chaves of Kenya Connection. Until next time…
New Beginnings is a six month discipleship program based in Kenya which aims to help recent graduates grow in faith and transition to life after high school. SAMS Associate Missionaries, Dave and Lucy Chaves, have been grateful to be part of New Beginnings for the past nine years.
Each year a new class of participants joins, usually 6 to 12 in size, and a mix of males and females. The participants meet at a local church for small group Bible studies, book discussions, life skills training, and mentorship sessions. They also participate in short-term missions, community service, and occasional retreats. In 2019, there were 10 participants along with over 14 alumni who served as volunteer teachers and mentors.
Each participant learns about God’s purpose and calling; gains leadership, communication, and job skills, and has the opportunity to serve others in their community as well as engage in cross-cultural mission. While many of the participants grew up in informal settlements in Nairobi and attended school through scholarships, others have joined New Beginnings from the USA, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The date forever remains etched in my mind; it was the culmination of many of the worst days of my life. Fifth December, 2017 was a Tuesday morning and one of my childhood friends, Pam, had graciously agreed to accompany me to the city center, town, as many Nairobians would call it. The journey I was taking seemed surreal to me, how was I on my way to buy the last dress that my sister would ever wear?
It Wasn’t Supposed to be This Way
I nearly lost my mind on that journey because this was never our agreement. It was an understanding between my sister and I that her wedding dress would be a gift from me. I knew the design she wanted, she had shown me pictures, and of course as big sister I suggested some edits to it. I was supposed to watch her walk down the aisle and ululate with my other siblings as our little sister was married. I never imagined I would be combing through town trying to find a dress for her to be buried in. Someone had played a mean joke and my world was crumbling on Muindi Mbingu street. I stood in the road and wept bitterly and shamelessly. My heart was breaking not just for me but for the rest of my family, how were we going to face the days ahead?
Does the Justice System Work?
Death, is horrendous for those left behind. It is hard enough to come to terms with when it occurs naturally, but when it has been willfully caused by another human being, those left behind are always very close to the grave themselves. My little sister, Chichy, was unfortunate to meet her death in such a horrible manner.
As a family we never imagined that anyone would kill our sister. She wasn’t the kind of girl to go looking for trouble, she was a neat and organized person, tiny physically but had a big heart for people. Kind and faithful, she enjoyed laughter, food, and singing. When she didn’t answer our phone calls, it never occurred to us that she would be dead. The worst, we assumed, was that she fell ill somewhere and her phone went off. Unfortunately for us, that was not the case. It was the biggest shock of our lives when she was found dead in her apartment, badly mutilated. Somebody murdered our baby sister.
Before her burial, the DCIO of Nakuru assured our family that it was just a matter of time before the suspected culprit, a prominent Nakuru businessman, was brought in. He was confident that all the evidence they had collected clearly pointed to the murderer. A private investigation also identified a key suspect and linked him to the crime scene. Sad to say but shortly thereafter the DCIO went mute on us. A year down the line, despite many efforts the family has never received any brief or update from the police.
A Case to Answer
We have been left with many unanswered questions. We do not know why our baby sister was brutally murdered and we fail to understand why a criminal is free to carry out his activities in the confidence that the police are of no consequence to him. Our fear is that this has happened for too long. While other people may be comfortable to go on with their lives believing that it is best to leave things as they are; our family strongly believes in justice. It was wrong for someone to murder our sister; it is wrong that we are expected to go on with our lives as if nothing happened. Something did happen, we were mercilessly robbed of our beloved. It is unthinkable that we have such an incompetent police system that is either not bothered about the plight of the innocent in this country or that seeks to benefit from their misfortune. As a family, we are convinced that we have a right to the truth, a right to feel protected and a right to feel safe in our own country. We have been good citizens of this nation and we do our part to make it better, despite the little we have, it is our right to demand #Justice4ChichyAmina.
Chichy Amina, a banker at Stanbic Bank, Nakuru, was murdered in her home on November 23rd, 2017.
Fifth December will forever remain etched in my mind; it was the culmination of many worst days of my life. It was a Tuesday morning and one of my childhood friends, Pam, had graciously agreed to accompany me to the city center, town, as many Nairobians would call it. The journey I was taking seemed surreal to me, how was I on my way to buy the last dress that my sister would ever wear?
It Wasn’t Supposed to be This Way
I nearly lost my mind on that journey because this was never our agreement. It was an understanding between my sister and I that her wedding dress would be a gift from me. I knew the design she wanted, she had shown me pictures, and of course as big sister I suggested some edits to it. I was supposed to watch her walk down the aisle and ululate with my other siblings as our little sister was married. I never imagined I would be combing through town trying to find a dress for her to be buried in. Someone had played a mean joke and my world was crumbling on Muindi Mbingu street. I stood in the road and wept bitterly and shamelessly. My heart was breaking not just for me but for the rest of my family, how were we going to face the days ahead?
Does the Justice System Work?
Death, is horrendous for those left behind. It is hard enough to come to terms with when it occurs naturally, but when it has been willfully caused by another human being, those left behind are always very close to the grave themselves. My little sister, Chichy, was unfortunate to meet her death in such a horrible manner.
As a family we never imagined that anyone would kill our sister. She wasn’t the kind of girl to go looking for trouble, she was a neat and organized person, tiny physically but had a big heart for people. Kind and faithful, she enjoyed laughter, food, and singing. When she didn’t answer our phone calls, it never occurred to us that she would be dead. The worst, we assumed, was that she fell ill somewhere and her phone went off. Unfortunately for us, that was not the case. It was the biggest shock of our lives when she was found dead in her apartment, badly mutilated. Somebody murdered our baby sister.
Before her burial, the DCIO of Nakuru assured our family that it was just a matter of time before the suspected culprit, a prominent Nakuru businessman, was brought in. He was confident that all the evidence they had collected clearly pointed to the murderer. A private investigation also identified a key suspect and linked him to the crime scene. Sad to say but shortly thereafter the DCIO went mute on us. A year down the line, despite many efforts the family has never received any brief or update from the police.
A Case to Answer
We have been left with many unanswered questions. We do not know why our baby sister was brutally murdered and we fail to understand why a criminal is free to carry out his activities in the confidence that the police are of no consequence to him. Our fear is that this has happened for too long. While other people may be comfortable to go on with their lives believing that it is best to leave things as they are; our family strongly believes in justice. It was wrong for someone to murder our sister; it is wrong that we are expected to go on with our lives as if nothing happened. Something did happen, we were mercilessly robbed of our beloved. It is unthinkable that we have such an incompetent police system that is either not bothered about the plight of the innocent in this country or that seeks to benefit from their misfortune. As a family, we are convinced that we have a right to the truth, a right to feel protected and a right to feel safe in our own country. We have been good citizens of this nation and we do our part to make it better, despite the little we have, it is our right to demand #Justice4ChichyAmina.
Chichy Amina, a banker at Stanbic Bank, Nakuru, was murdered in her home on November 23rd, 2017.
Quickserve Delicacies opened its doors in mid June offering a host of local cuisine including wet fry tilapia, traditional chicken, roasted beef, ugali, chapati, rice, and more. The cafeteria is situated in the heart of Siaya Town and was established and is run by youth from the Anglican Diocese of Maseno West.
This is a unique effort at Business as Mission as the project was conceived and developed by the church in order to help address problems of poverty and unemployment among the youth. The Cafeteria currently employs five staff and serves between 50 – 150 customers per day. It is managed and run by a young entrepreneur with big dreams who believes in empowering the youth and supporting youth ministry. Kenya Connection has worked with the Diocese to raise matching funds to help setup the cafeteria. Check out a few quick clips we captured in between meetings and bites of tilapia during our visit in June 2015.
