Kenya Mission Trip: The Joy of Serving
The Foundation for Peace (FFP) Kenya Mission Team recently returned from serving alongside Living Word Church (LWC) in Mathare North. It’s always a blessing to partner with this church community. From the moment you step off the bus on the first morning to the last service filled with joy, dancing, and praise, you can’t help but be encouraged by how God is moving through LWC.
I first traveled to Kenya with FFP last year, and since then, I haven’t stopped telling people about the wonderful church community I met in Mathare. I left inspired by how the church put aside their schedules for ten full days to serve their community, leaving no need overlooked. So when the opportunity came to return this year, I was eager to go back.
Our trip began with a major construction project. We worked hand in hand, moving thousands of buckets of stone and sand from the church yard, across the road, and up to the new school site to prepare for and pour the concrete foundation. By the time we left, walls were already going up, a testament to LWC’s dedication to education and investing in the next generation.
LWC also leads an amazing caregiver ministry, pairing church members with patients needing care living in the slums. These caregivers regularly visit to provide care, supplies, and encouragement. They are truly being the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are often overlooked.
A highlight for our team, especially our teenagers, was partnering with LWC for Vacation Bible School. Spending time with the children at Tumaini School and ByGrace, sharing Bible lessons, and hearing from each class was a joy and privilege.
We ended our trip with three days of medical clinics. This year, God enabled us to help even more people than last year. The church’s open-hearted commitment to meeting physical needs is remarkable. Every patient received not only medical attention and medication, but also spiritual care, ending their visit in the prayer room to be encouraged and prayed over.
Living Word Church, thank you for faithfully serving your community and pointing people to Jesus. Serving alongside you restores my heart and inspires me to come home and serve my own community with the same passion.
Psalm 100:5 reminds us: “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” I felt this truth deeply on our first Sunday with LWC when we sang the song 'Goodness of God.' I’ve sung it many times at home, but worshiping with my Kenyan brothers and sisters reminded me that God’s love unites us across all borders. Our stories may look different, but His faithfulness and goodness remain the same.
Though our team is now home, our prayers continue for Living Word Church. We pray that the Holy Spirit would keep moving powerfully in them, their church, and the Mathare North community. We can’t wait to serve alongside them again next year.
Angela Lovero,
Team member 2024 and 2025
