(Kenya) The Ethel Foundation has begun the distribution of food packs to the elderly from the 1st of May 2020 in Kenya. Proverbs 16:31 states that Gray hair is a crown of glory, so the golden years of life should be filled with satisfaction. It is a Biblical obligation for Christians to care for the aged. We as Ethel foundation for the aged have 44 dependents that we provide basic essentials and medical aid to, entirely dependent on member contribution and donations. In Deuteronomy 15:11, the Israelites were commanded to help the people who are poor and needy in their midst.
On 1st May, we visited all our dependents for the routine distribution of foodstuff. We met at the parish offices and split the hampers into 44 packages. Each group was to distribute the hampers to around ten families, which would help us finish before the national curfew of 7:00 PM. The first lady my team visited was Christine, a very cheerful lay who sang to us beautiful Easter songs. Nonetheless, the brilliant wrinkled face is a mask behind the loneliness and agony of a ninety-year-old woman. We have all felt lonely at some point in life, but imagine being alone one month after the other.
She wants us to stay and share stories, but we have to move to the next man on the list. He is called Mwarania, and he jubilates when he sees us coming. He says that he was looking forward to our routine visit, and he blessed us with a bible verse from 2 Corinthians 9:8 that says God would bless us abundantly so that we would have all we ever wanted.
The next man we visit Muguna M’Inoti welcomes us in his small house, but unfortunately, only two of us can fit. The priest and I enter; we say a short prayer, give him the package, then leave. Then, we visit a partially blind lady, whose house is filled with big holes. I cannot imagine how she feels in this cold season.
The entire journey is filled with so many such devastating stories. The day ended as a success at around 6:30 PM. St. Gregory Nazianzen said, ‘Give something, however small, to the one in need. For it is not small to one who has nothing. Neither is it small to God if we have given what we could’. More pictures of the event can be seen on our foundation website https://www.ethelfoundation.or.ke/. I can’t wait for the next giving day to touch these beautiful souls.
Annvera Kananu
Member, Ethel Foundation for the aged
