Mt. Bethel Adopts Kwambekenya-Newsletter Article

Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church of Marietta, GA anticipates life transformation in their church and in Kenya, as they commit to come alongside the community of Kwambekenya as a Community Partner.

“I am thankful that our church decided to step out and partner with The 410 Bridge, and I believe God will use us to make a difference. But I am most thankful God has led us to the community of Kwambekenya where we can all grow together in Christ,” said Carey Akin, Missions Pastor at Mt. Bethel.

The partnership came about after Mt. Bethel sent two teams to Kwambekenya this year. The first team went on a vision trip in June, where they participated in the groundbreaking for the new Kiambariki Primary School building. Following a different church team in July, the second Mt. Bethel team traveled to continue working with the people to build the walls for the classrooms. Although the Mt. Bethel teams found the school project rewarding, the most impacting aspect of their experience was the life-changing relationships formed with the people of Kwambekenya.

“We could not believe the incredible warmth and closeness we felt in the community of Kwambekenya,” said one team member.

On the June vision trip, Pastor Akin was asked to break ground on the new classrooms for Kiambariki Primary School. To describe the experience he said, “I can’t tell you the excitement we felt as the whole community stood in the rain, and everyone began to cheer as the first piece of dirt was dug out of the ground.”

The school was expected to take four to six months to complete, but with the help of Mt. Bethel and other church teams, it was completed in an astounding two and a half months. Many community members called the fast completion of the school a miracle. However, the true miracle lies in the relationships built between two cultures, resulting in Mt. Bethel making a long- term commitment to come alongside the people of Kwambekenya as they work to transform their community.

“It was obvious that God had created something special between Mt. Bethel and the people of Kwambekenya. On our second visit, we were amazed to find the building well under way, and our friends in Kwambekenya equally excited to fellowship and work together again,” Pastor Akin said.

Many team members expressed being humbled that God allowed them to be a special part of what He is doing in Africa. They all agreed that the blessings they received from the people of Kwambekenya were far greater than anything they may have given. Mt. Bethel team members were excited to hear the news that their church is going to be a Community Partner to Kwambekenya.

Another team member stated, “The 410 Bridge has created an opportunity to connect with a community in Africa in a way that would never be possible on a typical short-term mission trip. By developing strong relationships and strong leadership within the community, we were able to see how we could really make a long-lasting difference as partners in ministry.”

To begin this partnership, Mt. Bethel is sending another team to Kwambekenya in January 2008. This team will consist of a number of leaders from Mt. Bethel UMC, including the Senior Minister, Dr. Randy Mickler.

“After participating in two teams this past summer and seeing first hand the transformation that has already taken place in their lives and in the lives of our church, I cannot imagine what God is going to do as we send team after team to Kwambekenya over the next few years,” said Pastor Akin.

Mt. Bethel is looking forward to returning to their friends in Kwambekenya in January as a Community Partner, and to sharing the joy of this relationship with the leaders in their church.