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New effort seeks funding for ministry in Kenya

By Melodie Woerman
Editor, The Harvest

A new ministry initiative is beginning a fundraising drive within the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas to enable it to expand its ministry in Kenya.

Called Kansas to Kenya, or K2K for short, the effort grew out a mission trip to Kenya in July 2007 by 20 Episcopalians from Kansas, including Bishop Dean Wolfe.

The K2K committee has written to all rectors in the diocese asking them to distribute to parishioners a letter outlining ways they can participate in Kenya projects planned for 2008. They include:

Development Team — Six small teams will implement projects designed by K-State environmental and extension groups. The projects cover health, youth, water, agriculture and nutrition. This project is planned for summer of 2008.

Episcopal Youth Interaction Team — Six to eight college students will design and implement a program of creative arts and physical activities for residents of the Maai Mahiu children’s home. This project is planned for summer of 2008.

Go Green Team — Ten to 15 participants will work in the reforestation project begun by Nobel Peace Prize Winner Wangari Maathai. They will be planting trees in the town of Maai Mahiu. This project is planned for spring break 2008.

The committee also notes that these efforts represent ways people can participate in the Millennium Development Goals, an eight-prong effort to eradicate global hunger and poverty by the year 2015.

The Episcopal Church’s General Convention in 2006 made the MDGs a key part of their commitment to peace and justice issues as the church’s chief mission priority in the next three years.

The MDGs also were endorsed by the 2007 Diocesan Convention.

During the trip to Kenya this past summer, participants did hands-on ministry during two medical mission stops, but they also spent time getting to know the people of Kenya and learning about their needs.

From those interactions came the plans the K2K committee seeks to fund through donations of Episcopalians across the diocese and beyond.