The Compassion and Social Justice ministry exists to mobilize the body of Christ, here at KaruraCC and at large, to engage the world for Jesus Christ.
MINISTRY VISION:
Communities of Christ-like Compassion.
OVERALL MINISTRY GOAL:
3,000 people in the body of Christ engaged in community missions serving needy people in communities within a 10-mile radius of Karura Community Chapel by 2022.
DORCAS (BENEVOLENCE) MINISTRY
Dorcas Ministry, which is a key component of Compassion and Social Justice Ministry, is an organized process of Christ-like concern for the emotional, mental, physical, relational and spiritual well-being of persons and groups both inside and outside the community of faith. The Ministry has three characteristics:
- It is rooted and grounded in the fact of God’s love for all persons.
- It recognizes the worth, dignity, and integrity of individuals.
- It shows concern for the whole person. Deriving its name from Dorcas (Tabitha) in the Book of Acts chapter 9, Dorcas Ministry is about “feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and prisoners”. It involves doing such deeds of love and mercy as those mentioned four times in the judgment of nations (Matt 25:31-46). It refers to the activities carried out by the redeemed individuals called by God to proclaim the good news, to minister to the needy and to seek justice for all.
Through Dorcas Ministry, we reach out to the underprivileged and vulnerable in our society with God’s love. Our Wednesday afternoon service share the Word of God with an average of 65 persons every week. In addition, we give them food, clothes and other donated items. We also visit homes of the needy families and those in crises to pray and encourage them as well as provide food for them. We do give emergency relief to those in crisis. Through this support we help pay house rents, pay medical bills, provide transport to deserving vulnerable persons and families.
Beyond the one time support we do offer long term support (on case by case basis) the terminally ill persons and their families, orphans and vulnerable children, or provide a long term solution to their special needs. We recently helped rebuild a house of one of the grannies in Githogoro The house used to get flooded with sewer. We raised the foundation of the house and re-directed the sewer away from her house.
We have the following programs in the Dorcas Ministry:
- Dorcas Service.
- Emergency Relief.
- Community Visitations.
- Adopt-A-Granny.
- Long term support for the terminally ill and orphans.
- Projects geared towards providing long term solutions to needs affecting vulnerable persons and families.
- Christmas Gift Packs.
By the end of October this year we had supported 123 families through community visitations, 103 families through the Wednesday Dorcas Service and 74 families through emergency relief.
You can be part of this ministry by:
- Giving 2 hours a week to visit with the needy in neighborhood.
- Giving 2 hours a week to serve in the Dorcas Service on Wednesday or Swahili Service on Sunday.
- Donating clothes, beddings, and other households items such as utensils and furniture.
- Providing dry food stuffs and vegetables.
- Providing free professionals help to those who need such but cannot afford. We need such services as counseling, legal advice, advocacy, etc.
- Financial support to pay medical bills and house rents.
TUMAINI SCHOLARSHIP AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Was started out of the numerous requests for educational support. Currently we are providing educational support to 36 students in secondary school and 2 students in tertiary institutions.
The program goes beyond distributing school fees to needy children but also endeavors to be agents of life transformation to these children and their families by providing each child with mentorship.
MEDICAL CAMP & COMMUNITY HEALTH WEEK
This is a community development project which links sports with social, physical and community development activities within Karura region.
KARURA YOUTH SPORTS ASSOCIATION (KYSA)
This is a community development project which links sports with social, physical and community development activities within Karura region.
MICRO ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (MED) PROGRAM
Seeks to equip people from our neighboring communities with business skills/life skills to help them run their businesses efficiently and earn a decent living.
LOVE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST (LOVE INC)
This is a movement of Christian churches working together to show God’s love to people in need. The aim of Love INC is to enable churches to become part of a national movement to bring the talent, time, and treasure of the Body of Christ together, to minister in meaningful and specific ways to people in need.