Baba Dogo

Term 3, 2021

We are indeed grateful to God for having taken us through this school term successfully. We are also so grateful for your support and partnership as we continue working together to transform lives through the hope of Christ. Here are some of the successes and highlights we want to share with you.

Blessings,
Joseph Andati
Headteacher, Baba Dogo

Total Enrolled: 674 students
Total Unsponsored: 97 students

*Gladys is a grade eight pupil at our Baba Dogo center. She lives with her mother and three siblings in a small single-roomed house within the Baba Dogo community and she has a younger sibling, in grade six, also at the school.

Gladys’ father died in November last year.  He was the family’s pillar of strength and everything in their lives revolved around him. He was the sole breadwinner and he was always concerned with the overall wellbeing of his family. The children and their mother depended on him for their security and provision. He was also an Assistant Pastor so not only was he the family’s spiritual leader, but he was also a leader in the congregation where he served.

Upon his death, the family was left devastated. They felt like the world and God had abandoned them at their hour of need. They eventually stopped going to church as well as fellowshipping with other believers. This family felt that church members and their pastor let them down because they did not offer financial or moral support during their time of distress.

At school, we noticed that Gladys had become withdrawn. She stopped actively participating in class, starting isolating herself and was easily irritable as well as prone to fits of anger. She had a problem with her homework and the teachers were raising concern over her changing behavior.

At home, her mother informed us that Gladys was now keeping company with a group of girls whose character was questionable. She accompanied the girls to places of adult entertainment and would return home late. She would be very rude to her mother when questioned about her whereabouts.

The social workers and class teacher engaged Gladys in order to understand the reason behind her changing behavior.  Initially, she was unwilling to open up but as the social workers persisted in drawing her close, it eventually emerged that she was mourning her departed father. She also was unhappy because the mother was now gone most of the time since she had to work in order to provide for the family. Over a period of time as Gladys continued with the counseling sessions, we noted a change in her countenance. Where once she felt that her life no longer had meaning, she learned to put her hope in Christ and to work through her father’s death. 

The mother was encouraged to join a growth group where members loaned her money to start a salon business. This had been a passion of hers for a long time and after buying the salon equipment, the business was set up. It is doing well and she is able to provide for her family without having to be away from them for extended periods.

We then linked the family to Outreach Hope Church – Baba Dogo where they are being nourished spiritually and now attend church on a regular basis.

Now when we see Gladys smile, be cheerful and back to her normal social self, we thank God for this transformation. She is now well-groomed, responsible, hardworking and obedient both at school and at home. Although she still misses her father, she is able to handle the loss in a better way and going back to church fellowship has really helped her.

Please join us as we keep Gladys’ family in our prayers that God will continue to comfort and strengthen them as they take steps to move on with their lives.

*Name changed

• It was a highlight for us when MOHI’s CEO, Pastor Wallace, visited our center and talked to the grade eight students. He motivated them to work hard and remain anchored in Christ.
• We are proud of our boys’ soccer team who participated in a local community tournament and emerged in second place. They really made us proud!
• We thank God for our parents who have been attending parents meetings arranged by the school. These meetings are geared towards offering them skills to empower them spiritually and economically.

• Our staff attended a medical camp offered by a team of doctors from the US, in conjunction with pastors from Christ’s Church of the Valley – Arizona. The week-long camp was held at MOHI’s Pangani center.

• Pray for God to protect our staff, learners and parents from Covid 19.
• Many of the families we serve are struggling with drug abuse. Help us pray for them that they will be free from this vice.
• There is still some pending construction work at our center. We are trusting God for the funds to get this work completed.