Domnic Omondi

In 2006, Domnic Omondi, 15, looked forward to attending high school. But his widowed mother struggled to pay school fees. On such a tight budget, the young man required financial assistance.

Half the world away, Mrs. Buddy Messenger listened to her pastor, Rev. Tim Krieger of Bethany Lutheran Church in West Hartford, Conn., speak about the harsh living conditions of orphans in Kenya. He had just returned from a trip to the country with LCMS World Relief and Human Care. Messenger was so moved that she filled out paperwork to support a child, and mailed her check – it costs about $40 per month to support a Kenyan child for a year.

Just $40 per month supports one orphan, providing lodging, nutrition, education and health care.

Children from one of the ELCK's orphan rescue centers wait in line for a check-up at a free clinic sponsored by LCMS World Relief and Human Care.

Messenger's donation allowed Omondi to continue his education in a loving, Christian environment.

"At least he'll have a high school education. It makes me feel good," she said, of supporting the young man. "They have nothing and we are in such a wealthy place."

In 2008, Messenger decided to continue supporting the young man, and sent a letter to Omondi along with her donation.

According to UNICEF, there are 2.3 million orphans in Kenya, nearly half due to the county's HIV/AIDS epidemic. Just $40 per month supports one orphan, providing lodging, nutrition, education, and health care, but your donation of any amount makes a difference!

This is a wonderful program for churches, schools and organizations, as well as individuals and their friends to support specific children. Although not unique to Kenya, this program is a concerted effort to connect real people in the United States to real orphans in Kenya.

Please help LCMS World Relief and Human Care reach its goal to support 100 more Kenyan orphans by the end of the fiscal year, July 2008.

To download paperwork to support an orphan, click here.