In September, a group from South Main went on a mission trip to Maua, Kenya, the home of our mission partner, Sodzo International. Many of the participants were first-timers with respect to this particular mission site and, as with any new adventure, they went with a certain picture in their heads of what might come. While we know that image is probably inaccurate, we step into that experience framed by what we anticipate and adjust from there. Robbie Matteson was one of these first-timers and was kind enough to write about actually being in Kenya and experiencing the work God is doing through His people there.
The trip to Sodzo I participated in this September was an eye-opening experience to the breadth of work the organization does for the boys at the farm and the people in the surrounding community. We were able to see the full scope of Sodzo by visiting a drop-in center for the boys on the street, the farm where boys are being rehabilitated, the community groups which help boys reintegrate back into their communities, the staff and volunteers of Sodzo, and even a boy who has graduated from the program and is now in trade school. This was a great visual for the importance of the work done by Sodzo.
My role for the team was to speak to the community groups about small business development. These groups are less than two years old, but have now expanded from the 30-person original group to over 5,000 people in many groups across the region. These groups work together to loan each other money to gain immediate needs like water and to build up work that can be sustainable. It was powerful to see the amount of energy surrounding these groups. I am very impressed with the staff and leadership of the organization and I am honored to be a member of a church that supports such an impactful and important organization.
