A Tower of Refuge and Hope
Jeremiah Kuria
Ubuntu Life Co-Founder and Kenya Director
Christmas is always a wonderful time. This is the time we come together, eat together and some exchange gifts and many exchange lots of gifts. There is lots of fun and colour for majority of my readers unlike the people that I represent and live with every day.
I can speak of my Christmas experience as a child growing up in the rural Kenya. All that mattered was eating lots special food and playing with kids who were visiting the village from the city. Poverty and challenges of life made chapati and meat very special during those times. Our parents couldn’t afford to provide these delicacies regularly, so Christmas was the time. And so we always waited for Christmas patiently, with faith and hope that things will be better.
The reality today is, nothing much has changed! There are still many families that live like I did many years ago. There are many children that can’t afford the basics of live. What keeps these families is hope. Hope that tomorrow will be better than today.
I am full of joy for what I do with Ubuntu everyday. I help add to the number that can have fun at this period and reduce the number of children who lack the basics.
This holiday over 500 families are rejoicing that God has provided what they need. They will come together, eat together and children will play knowing all will be well. The parents are hopeful and thankful for these opportunities.
This has only been possible because God purposed to redeem mankind when all seemed to be lost.
We do what we do at Ubuntu is possible because hope came to us through the birth of our Savior.
The word of God gives us the hope we need every day. Reading from the words of Isaiah, I totally see Maai Mahiu rejoicing for what God has done and continues to do!
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King! Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, for they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God."
Isaiah 52:7-10Every morning we rejoice because the darkness of our world has been shattered and light is shining on the world in Jesus Christ. Today and all days, in the full light of day, we give thanks to the Father for sending us His Son, Jesus Christ, the true light, who gives light to all who seek light. “From his fullness we have all received, grace in place of condemnation.”
We celebrate the birth of Christ because it is the reality of God taking on our humanity. It is always the same, century after century: love must be willing to suffer and die for the good of others. In the spirit of Christmas we have been blessed at Ubuntu to serve the most precious people. Starting with our children with special needs and our maker Mums just to mention a few of the larger Ubuntu family. These wonderful people have come from far, from being neglected and marginalized to no self esteem whatsoever.
We have walked the journey of love together, creating a space to love and cater for the children to creating opportunities that empower for our Ubuntu team. We have laughed a lot and also cried a ton in our journey together. We have experienced joys and challenges of life as we grow our company. But all in all we have experienced the spirit of Christmas.
Let us participate by making someone life brighter by our acts of kindness this season.
Merry Christmas and a very happy new year!!
God bless!
Jeremiah
Consider a Gift of Love this Holiday
A gift to Ubuntu Life allows us to continue changing lives on the ground in Kenya. Not only will you empower the children in our pediatric health and education programs, but with our enterprises, we will also leverage your generosity and provide empowered employment to hundreds.