Seeds of Living Hope in Tanzania
Pastor Erick Oguta:
"The increasing number of orphans and other vulnerable children has been rising at an alarming rate drawing the society's attention as to how this problem can be alleviated. However, the strong cohesion for the care of orphans and other vulnerable children which existed in the past in the society, is and has been eroded because of several factors such as:
1.Change in lifestyles; weakening of social systems particularly the extended family
2. Poverty at family and community level
3. HIV/AIDS pandemic Being aware that children cannot take care of themselves especially when it comes to the issue of acquiring basic needs at different levels of their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development. Normally they depend on their parents, guardians and community in general for their survival, protection and development
2. Poverty at family and community level
3. HIV/AIDS pandemic Being aware that children cannot take care of themselves especially when it comes to the issue of acquiring basic needs at different levels of their physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development. Normally they depend on their parents, guardians and community in general for their survival, protection and development
We (Gertrude and I ) in the year 2005, formulated this program to help some of them from the poorest of the poor get food, clothes, love and spiritual guidance, partnering with local churches in our communities. This vision was ignited by the teachings we did receive from Rev. Christopher Lewis and his team Dr. Mark Redwine and Hazel Bech. The teaching was about identifying a need or needs within the community and ministering to the needs as a means of grace of sharing Jesus with the community." (Compassion Evangelism)
Every pastor had a vision, some did something about their vision and some did not, the ones who advanced on their vision experienced numerical growth, especially caring for the orphans and widows. The communities got interested in the church seeing their plight being ministered to in some way! With resources that God has placed in our hands we have been able to initiate farming projects to aid or sustain our program.
Our Objective-: Is to care for the orphans and widows as a result of HIV/AIDS infection and affecting families. We are not building a home to house all the kids or widows, but we support the caregivers. Sometimes this turns to be grandparents who live with the kids or their aunts or uncles. We have extended some help to orphanages that are situated in areas where we serve. Our goal is to have a positive results. To have an end product that is a spiritually grounded, christian self sufficient adult who can become a responsible family member and break the AIDS/ Poverty cycle.
Seeds of Living Hope (SOLH) came along as international sponsors for our projects/program. Compassion committees in the local congregations that we work with are the main stakeholders and sponsors too.
Our commitment is to support the orphans and vulnerable kids in our program until they attain 18years of age. We help the youths acquire vocational trainings for them to gain skills to be self- reliant. This is different with every individual situation since each individual that we are assisting has unique abilities, talents, gifting and goals in life.
Currently we have been ministering to school needs by providing note books, pencils, pens and uniform. At times we have provided food too.