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History of "Anna's Egg"? "By Ben Walser"
Anna's Egg is a faith based ministry that began in 1999 when a group of volunteers, from the U.S.A., went to Kenya.
We were lead by Ron Proctor, a discipleship trainer, from Campus Crusade for Christ International. Our purpose was to meet with a group of local African pastors in Kisumu, Kenya, to start a discipleship training seminar.
We were attempting to cover a year of discipleship training material within 10 days of meetings. After several days of one hour lessons we took a break from our training schedule and went with the pastors to their home community. I went with Pastor Nashon Asero. We walked from village to village to talk and pray with the pastor's congregation, friends, and family.
During a training break, we went to the pastor's home village, outside of Kisumu, where we visited and prayed with everyone we met. The Pastor and I passed by a hut where three young children came out to talk to us. The pastor told me their parents had died within the past few months and that occasionally he and several others would come to check on them.
Later that same day, we visited an elderly widow. Her husband had died and her son had abandoned her, leaving her alone in the village with no one to help her earn a living. Her name was Anna.
The following day during our discipleship training, we discussed the story in the Bible, from Luke 21: 1-4 , of "the widow's mites." Pastor Asero reminded me of the widow, Anna. He said that on one occasion Anna had given his church an egg as an offering, because that was all she had.
Later that evening I was checking my budget for the trip and realized that I had an extra $20. The following day I asked the pastor if he would talk to Anna for me. I told him if Anna would agree to watch over the three orphans we had met earlier, I would give him the $20 to buy her some chickens, a rooster, some feed and put her in the chicken and egg business. She agreed. (above is a picture of Pastor Asero calculating the cost of the chickens and feed and the intor has a picture of Anna, the childeren, Pastor Asero and about 17 chickens)
In 2006, with the pastor's help, we expanded and started an animal gift and sharing program for that village and neighboring communities. The idea was for the pastor and a committee to find someone willing to accept a pair of animals and a Bible with the agreement they would give the first born animal back to the church to pair up and give out to someone else. We gave out chickens, goats, ducks, and rabbits.. These animals would provide eggs, milk, food or could be sold to buy other needed materials. Anna was the first to donate chickens.
In 2007 we expanded to include grains for planting crops. Ten percent of the crop is given back to the church. It is then to be given out to others to plant, to sell to buy other supplies, or to use for food.
Along with the animals and seed we have supplied Bibles and materials for the pastor. We furnished Pastor Asero with a bicycle so he can visit his community more quickly. The community is about 7 kilometers outside of Kisumu, Kenya, with a population of about 658 people that includes 60 widows, 109 male orphans, and 131 female orphans.
Along with Bibles, animals, and seed, in late 2008, we provided a roto-tiller to help cultivate crops.
In 2009 we sent a Talking Bible in the Swahili language, for those that can't read or are blind. Later we sent a power generator, extension cords, and a DVD projector with the Jesus film in the Swahili and Luo languages.
Recently the pastor told me that revival was starting in Kenya. He is working with other pastors to show the Jesus Film and over 1,000 have seen the film and have received Christ........praise GOD!
With your financial assistance we have provided a DVD projector and the Jesus Video to a missionary in Argentina, and are attempting to start an animal and seed share program in Tanzania.
Thank you for your prayers and financial support.
Ben
P.S. See photos below.
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