This article was posted on the New Ground blog. New Ground is one of the Newfrontiers spheres and operates globally, especially across Europe. You can find out more about New Ground and their work here. You can also find the original post here.
This article was written by Jim Partridge, who is Senior Pastor at The King’s Church Mid-Sussex and member of the New Ground core team. He is also the Chair of Trustees for SeeKenya, a charity set up to provide trustworthy, high quality and life-improving eye care to prevent blindness, restore sight and improve eye health. He wrote this update to share how the charity is operating and how you can get involved.
SeeKenya started just handing out glasses from a suitcase – now we’re building a permanent clinic to serve thousands. It’s been a remarkable journey. But it’s the local church that is the driving force for our work at SeeKenya. There is no organisation or institution quite like it.
SeeKenya was born out of a desire for justice. When we talk about justice, we always start with who God is, the character of God. We see in the Bible that God is just, and therefore He is passionate about justice. Poverty, exploitation, enslavement: all forms of injustice are so alien to the world that God has intended. The heart of justice is on every page of the Bible: from the Old Testament law to take care of the orphan and the widow, to the radical example of Jesus that this gospel message is good news for the poor.
God will one day renew all things where there is no injustice. It’s the in-between, the ‘now and not yet’ is where we come in as local churches and charities like SeeKenya.
As a pastor, Scripture informs what I think and believe about the local church, and if we’re not manifesting the heart of Christ for justice, then we’ve missed it. It’s not for a small group of enthusiasts, it is the very core of who we are as Christians. Going to Kenya helps me to recognise the massive inequality between rich and poor, the have and the have-nots, and eye care is a very good example of that. Here in the UK and across Europe, we can get a quick eye test, order a pair of glasses immediately and receive any medication we might need. There is no reason for it to impact our work or education – in Kenya, it’s a very different story.
I’m sold out for the local church. I wholeheartedly believe that it is the primary vehicle for the Kingdom of God coming to earth. It’s how communities are transformed, through viable, Bible-believing churches bringing change to the towns and cities they’re planted in.
The key to SeeKenya is that it was birthed from a local church partnering with other local churches on the ground (Kambakia Christian Centre, led by Edward and Fridah Buria.) They ensure SeeKenya continues to grow and thrive. That’s the beauty of the local church partnering together on a global mission.
We want to be serving Kenyans in every way we can through a genuine partnership. Our teams are organised with Kenyan and UK volunteers working together and the ultimate goal is that most of the responsibilities are fulfilled by Kenyans whom we resource with training and finances.
Poverty is complex, and eyecare is just one way we can empower individuals and communities to lift themselves from poverty. But it is so often the first step on someone’s journey. When they’re able to return to work and provide for their family, or the ability to see the blackboard in class at school, their world is changed. It’s opening eyes to a better life.
While none of us can do everything, we can all look at what’s in our hands (like Moses in Exodus 4:2) and prayerfully consider how we can be a blessing. You can find ideas and inspiration for how you can get involved here.
If you would like to make a donation to the life changing work at SeeKenya, follow this link here.
