Africa 2010: Feeding the 5,000


In June 2010, Operation Care International (OCI) board members and volunteers traveled to Africa to serve the destitute children who live in the Kibera and Marurui slums located near Nairobi, Kenya; not knowing that not only their own lives would be profoundly affected, but thousands of God’s children would be given hope amidst a lifestyle of desperation. Claiming a theme ‘Feeding the 5,000’, the OCI team prepared 5,000 sets of gift packages which included shoes, socks, T-shirts, salvation bracelets, backpacks, personal care products, fruit drinks and bread.
After distributing the gift packages and sharing with them the love of Jesus Christ, the OCI team members were amazed to realize that the quantity of our gifts were not depleted, in fact another 1,000 gift packages were available to be given out to other needy children in the city. Rejoicing, the OCI team and volunteers recalled the miracle of Jesus feeding the multitude with only five loaves of bread and two fish.
Bone tired, yet filled with joy, the OCI team returned with inspiring tales of grace and presence that only God could provide in spite of the absolute and unimaginable poverty…from the twin girls who accepted Jesus Christ and took a volunteer’s gift of a few shillings home to their sick mother, to the Muslim woman who learned that it’s never too late to become a Christian, to the sheer joy these children find through Jesus Christ in a seemingly hopeless place.

Highlight Summary:
• Three (3) events, one at the Marurui slum and two at the Kibera slum
• 12,000 residents attended
• 6,000 children received gift packages
• Seventy-four (74) soccer balls decorated with a five-colored evangelistic theme
• 500 eyeglasses distributed
• Thousands accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior
• 300 volunteers assisted (primarily mothers of the children)
• Fifty-one (51) local churches contributed with a vision for future events
• 100 pastors received AWANA training financially supported by OCI

International Partnerships:
• Partnered with Joy Evangelistic Ministries, Kenya
• Gain/USA donated 5,000 socks and salvation bracelets
• Campus Crusade for Christ
• Buckner International provided thousands of pairs of shoes
• Feed the Children
• AWANA International
• E3 Partners

Domestic Partnerships:
• Mildred A. Azpell Foundation
• Baylor University Medical Center
• First Baptist Church Dallas of Dallas, Texas