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| Buckner President Ken Hall, third from left, and CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal, center, meet residents of the Baptist Children’s Center in Nairobi, Kenya, during their recent missions trip. Photo by Scott Collins, Buckner News Service |
NAIROBI, Kenya – Marlene Grant put her arms around Teresia Ngao and helped the little girl cut out figures of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.
A smile crossed Teresia’s face as each character dropped to the table with the last cut. Grant smiled too. Together, the Kenyan orphan and the Texas volunteer were telling the Christmas story.
Teresia and 76 other orphans from the Baptist Children’s Center in Nairobi were joined Dec. 6-10 by 29 volunteers from across the United States for a "Christmas in Africa" camp sponsored by Buckner Orphan Care International and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
The camp, one of three hosted by Buckner in Kenya in 2004, provided an opportunity for 50 orphans from the children’s center and 27 who live in Buckner-sponsored foster homes to interact with the American volunteers. Activities included crafts, recreation and Bible stories.
The "Christmas in Africa" trip marked the 41st and final international mission excursion sponsored by Buckner in 2004. More than 700 individuals traveled overseas with Buckner during the year. Buckner President Ken Hall and CBF Coordinator Daniel Vestal, along with CBF Global Missions Co-Coordinator Barbara Baldridge also participated in the Kenya Christmas trip.
"It’s so encouraging to return here and see how God is using Buckner, CBF and our Kenyan partners to make a difference in the lives of these precious boys and girls," said Hall.
Dickson Masindano, director of Buckner Africa, said the orphans living at the center "really love the time they spend with the volunteers. It means so much to the children to know that people care enough to come from the United States and spend time with them."
"We have people from all over the United States here and they are using their talents and serving God and being faithful to what God has called them to do," said Eraina Larson, international missions coordinator for Buckner. "The children have come alive with this group."
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| Barbara Baldridge, center, and Daniel Vestal sing with the children of the Baptist Children’s Center in Nairobi during the recent Christmas in Africa trip to Kenya. Photo by Scott Collins, Buckner News ServiceService |
During the trip, CBF hosted Buckner staff and African Baptist leaders in a three-day dialogue about closer cooperation on issues related to children in Africa. CBF Global Missions field personnel Melody and Sam Harrell, Dr. Scott Hauser and Lonnie Turner joined Frank Adams of the All-Africa Baptist Fellowship, Douglas Waruta, vice president of the Baptist World Alliance, Vestal, Baldridge, Hall, Masindano and other Buckner staff members in the meeting.
For volunteer Bob Hefner, who has made several international trips with Buckner along with his wife, Laura, returning to the children’s home in Nairobi is a confirmation of the work Buckner, CBF and Kenyan Baptists are doing with the children.
"We have fallen desperately in love with these children," said Hefner, who is a member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. "They are literally the most important children I have run across. They are bright and they are hopeful and they appreciate where they are and are anxious to succeed. They really want to show appreciation for the help they get and to just grow in their faith. They are extraordinary Christians."
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.