Such a Small Thing Thirteenth Sabbath Offering Why would we want to use mission offerings to build a new water treatment plant at a school that already has water? It seems like such a small thing. The Adventist Church is proud of the University of Eastern Africa at Baraton, Kenya. It began with a miracle in 1978 and has been blessed by God throughout its 25-year history. It was the first privately-owned school in Kenya to receive government accreditation, and today 1,200 students of all faiths and from many countries throughout Africa and around the world study there. The school was not without its critics. The dominant church in the region objected to the Adventist presence in “their” region. One critic was especially vocal in objecting to the Adventist presence. But when his children enrolled in the elementary school and he saw the difference in their lives, he became a friend and strong supporter of the Adventist education program. Neighborhood Evangelism Students and staff use their newly acquired skills to help community members. Agriculture students teach neighboring farmers how to improve their harvests, students in medical programs hold free health clinics, and the school provides clean water to people living nearby. Because of the school’s outreach programs, several small churches have sprung up in neighboring communities. In addition to community outreach, students spend their Sabbaths ministering in the nearby churches and visiting secondary schools as far as 100 miles away. Many of these government schools have Adventist students who cannot attend church off campus. When Baraton’s students come to worship with them, other students come to listen. As many as 600 of these students from non-Adventist homes have been baptized each year as a result of this outreach. Water of Life So how can a new water-treatment system be a mission project? Judith Musvosvi, development director, explains: “For the past 25 years we have gotten our water from the nearby river. But increased population means increased use, and the river has become polluted. Our aging water treatment plant is desperately inadequate, and the water simply is no longer safe to drink. “However, a small stream on our property could provide enough pure water for current and future needs. We need to divert that water and build a new filtration system, so that we can continue to provide safe water to our campus and the community. People rely on us for their drinking water. When we provide them safe water, they will listen when we tell them about Jesus, the Water of Life. It is a simple thing, but it is mission at the root level.” Other Projects In addition to the water-treatment plant at the University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help provide classrooms and dormitory space at Tanzania Adventist College and men’s dormitories for Solusi University in Zimbabwe.
Such a Small Thing
Thirteenth Sabbath Offering
Why would we want to use mission offerings to build a new water treatment plant at a school that already has water? It seems like such a small thing.
The Adventist Church is proud of the University of Eastern Africa at Baraton, Kenya. It began with a miracle in 1978 and has been blessed by God throughout its 25-year history. It was the first privately-owned school in Kenya to receive government accreditation, and today 1,200 students of all faiths and from many countries throughout Africa and around the world study there.
The school was not without its critics. The dominant church in the region objected to the Adventist presence in “their” region. One critic was especially vocal in objecting to the Adventist presence. But when his children enrolled in the elementary school and he saw the difference in their lives, he became a friend and strong supporter of the Adventist education program.
Neighborhood Evangelism
Students and staff use their newly acquired skills to help community members. Agriculture students teach neighboring farmers how to improve their harvests, students in medical programs hold free health clinics, and the school provides clean water to people living nearby. Because of the school’s outreach programs, several small churches have sprung up in neighboring communities.
In addition to community outreach, students spend their Sabbaths ministering in the nearby churches and visiting secondary schools as far as 100 miles away. Many of these government schools have Adventist students who cannot attend church off campus. When Baraton’s students come to worship with them, other students come to listen. As many as 600 of these students from non-Adventist homes have been baptized each year as a result of this outreach.
Water of Life
So how can a new water-treatment system be a mission project? Judith Musvosvi, development director, explains:
“For the past 25 years we have gotten our water from the nearby river. But increased population means increased use, and the river has become polluted. Our aging water treatment plant is desperately inadequate, and the water simply is no longer safe to drink.
“However, a small stream on our property could provide enough pure water for current and future needs. We need to divert that water and build a new filtration system, so that we can continue to provide safe water to our campus and the community. People rely on us for their drinking water. When we provide them safe water, they will listen when we tell them about Jesus, the Water of Life. It is a simple thing, but it is mission at the root level.”
Other Projects
In addition to the water-treatment plant at the University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help provide classrooms and dormitory space at Tanzania Adventist College and men’s dormitories for Solusi University in Zimbabwe.
School outreach includes a low-cost medical and dental clinic for the community. The Baraton Health Center is the best medical service in the area.
Major building projects, such as this new humanities building, are funded by donors and built by student and staff labor.
This is on the bank of the current river water source just upstream from the school. Animals drink from it, women wash clothes in it, and children bathe in it. Then people drink it.
The school water-treatment plant is outdated and inadequate for the school's and communitys needs. This is the water tower for the aging water system.
