snapshots from tenwek

Wow, it’s hard to believe I’ve already been here for over a month! If you’ve spent any amount of time at Tenwek, you know the days just fly by.

My days here at Tenwek have been rich. Full of connection. Connecting with Tenwek ministries, connecting with Tenwek leadership, connecting with old friends, connecting with missionaries, connecting with Kenyan people, connecting with Kenyan culture. Despite challenges, Tenwek continues to persevere its mission – We Treat, Jesus Heals.

There are so many stories I hope to share with you! For now, I will briefly catch you up on some of the different ministries at Tenwek…

Tenwek Hospital College of Health Sciences (THCHS) has 119 nursing students and 50 clinical medicine students currently enrolled. Classes have resumed in person, with proper COVID precautions in place. There is exciting growth on the horizon with the planned expansion of 2 new classrooms and a larger library; and plans to add other training programs, including critical care nursing. Pictured above is Kipkirui Towett, one of the students that FOT donors are sponsoring.

The leadership of THCHS asked for prayer – as the school grows, pray for the additional faculty that will be needed; the effects of COVID are a challenge, pray especially for needy students who cannot afford their school fees; pray that the school will have wisdom to maintain its spiritual emphasis as it continues its motto of “training in Christ’s name.” Pictured above is Fancy Chepkemoi, another nursing student that FOT donors are sponsoring. Fancy asked me to bless her sponsors with Philemon 1:3-7 “I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints…”

Jackson Mosonik, Principal of THCHS, showing me the location of the planned building expansion.

Interview with Jackson.

Tenwek Community Health and Development (TCHD) continues to transform lives in the communities surrounding Tenwek Hospital. When COVID-19 hit Kenya in March 2020, TCHD responded by educating schools and equipping churches on how to be prepared for the pandemic. One example is through soap-making workshops and soap distribution in Bomet, Narok, Kericho and even Maasai counties, reaching thousands of schools and churches. Andrew Cheruiyot (pictured above) has spearheaded these efforts. “There are many needs out there. When you purchase a water filter or buy a goat or teach someone to make soap, it is the principle of multiplication. The first bit of funding from Friends of Tenwek is like a seed. We will develop our programs to continue multiplication, identifying and equipping more churches who have passion to do ministry with the vulnerable.”

Another one of TCHD’s many outreach programs is Safe Water for Holistic Ministry. FOT donors have sponsored a bio-sand filtration program through TCHD, empowering the local church to deliver water filters to families, singles or widows in need. This has become a powerful platform to not only share clean water, but share the message of Christ’s love. Pictured above is the home of Rosyline, one of the recipients of a new water filter.

Pictured here with some of the local district compassionate leaders from Kapsoiyo Africa Gospel Church. Beatrice (woman in the middle) is one of the leaders. Her church delivered 10 water filters to needy and vulnerable people. “Unless we become our brother’s keeper, we are not really being the church,” Beatrice told me. “These water filters have become an eyeopener for the church. Now we are returning to the homes to not only check on the filter, but be mindful of the welfare of our church.”

Tenwek Hospital College School of Chaplaincy (THCSC) will welcome students to its classrooms on September 13th. THCSC is now officially certified by the government and fully accredited as a college, offering both certificate and diploma levels of education. THCSC went through a rigorous inspection process by the government of Kenya to ensure its curriculum meets the expected standards. THCSC is the first college in Kenya to offer diploma-level chaplaincy curriculum. For now, classes will be held in the newly-renovated classrooms on Tenwek Hospital’s campus (near Bethesda AGC), but the future dream is to build a multi-building complex on land across the river.

Paul Lokol, Principal of THCSC, proudly shows off the exciting news of full accreditation. Last week, Rev. Lokol received a phone call and email from a chaplain in a rural hospital in Rwanda. This chaplain told Rev. Lokol that he had been looking for a place to advance his chaplaincy studies, finding THCSC through an online advertisement. “It’s exciting to know that we are creating an opportunity for chaplaincy throughout the entire continent of Africa. How many more can we expect?” Paul commented, full of excitement and hope.

Thank you for reading. If you would like more details or have questions about any of these ministries, please let me know – I’m happy to share more!

THANK YOU for caring about and supporting the people of Kenya!