By Reuben Olita -Busia
Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church Malaba Station on Monday conducted a charitable outreach at Jesus Cares Orphanage Ang’orom to provide support and gifts to orphans and vulnerable children.
The initiative aimed to share love and care with the children by donating essential food items, clothing, and other supplies.
Church members virtually over 98% being women expressed their continued commitment to community service and compassion emphasizing the importancece of uplifting orphans and vulnerable groups through practical acts of kindness.
The visit not only brought smiles to the children’s faces but aso strengthened the church’s mission of service and outreach within the community.
The member team was led by Pastor Imai Patrick, Nominated Member of the County Assembly, Rose Amoit, the incharge of family Life Malaba Station.
Others in the entourage included the Malaba Station director Enock Yingu, Joab Oteba of Katakwa Church, and station treasurer Everlyne Wabomba.
In his speech, the orphanage director Bishop Peter Ochieng of the Holy Redeemed Appostolic Ministries said it was God’s vision for him to take care of his children when he accepted his call to preach His Word.
Bishop Ochieng noted that he had to cut his missionary work in Pakistan to return home in 2006 to pave the way for the commissioning of the orphabage by then Vice President Moody Awori.
The Bishop said the orphanage has continued producing students who have excelled academically. ” One girl who is in Kisii University is on an attachment while another recipient of the orphanage is doing her fourth year at Maseno University.
Children of the orphanage have poultry farming with the management appealing to those willing to promote the children to place orders.
The SDA church has been making visits to various institutions to provide support, companionship, and donations, driven by a belief that it is important to care for children and to act with compassion.
These visits can involve various activities, such as donating resources, organizing events, offering prayers, or participating in hands-on tasks like painting or sports.
The church also views these visits as an opportunity to teach values and show the importance of social responsibility.
Nominated MCA Rose Amoit said the SDA church started making such visits in 2020 by touring Bungoma orphanage. We visited Busia Prisons in 2021, Kakamega Prisons, in 2022.
In 2023, we held a women ministry seminar in Sirisia. The following year, we held another women ministry, drawing participants from the Western region held at St. Thomas Amagoro Girls Secondary School.
There is no basis in law or practice, which differentiates between a “children’s home” and an orphanage – they are both institutions offering residential, non-familial care to children, the majority of whom have families. Even where children do not have families to return to alternatives can be sought.
Pastor Enock Yingu, in his surmonage, told the children to put their hopes in God who loved them, adding that they would become prominent people.
” What makes a house or a home healthy is God, thus the need by orphanage caregivers to train the children to trust in God,” Pastor Yingu said.
Yingu, who is also the director of Malaba District, said there are plans of splitting the district of the church into two because of the large size.
There are six districts of the church in Busia and Bungoma counties. They include Sirisia, Machakha, Korisiandet, and, Malaba and Chelelemuk.
A disabled form three student of Cardinal Otunga national school,Yvonne Atyang told the children to work hard and embrace discipline and no doubt they will achieve their cherished.careers.
