The Advent Kenya Mission

Dr Gerry Hardison and his wife Nancy, parishioners of All Souls' Episcopal Church in Point Loma, California (the Diocese of San Diego), have been in Maseno, Kenya, since 2001, where Gerry Hardison is Medical Director of Maseno Mission Hospital and Nancy is Principal of St Phillip's Theological College. Theirs is a small but crucial response to a human crisis in Kenya, where HIV/AIDS is having a devastating impact: over 2 million people are living with the disease, which causes more than 100,000 deaths annually and has orphaned more than a million children. (See the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS website.)

Over the summer of 2009, Advent parishioner Chris Friedrich continued the Advent mission to Maseno, traveling to Kenya in August to work with the Hardisons. For reports and photographs from parishioners who visited Maseno in 2008, visit this page.

The Hardisons will be visiting the Advent on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at 7:00 pm to talk about their work, the needs of the mission, and ways we can help. For more information, contact Chris Friedrich at 716-307-3883 or , or read the Hardisons' annual report to All Souls', available below. You can also visit their website here: www.masenomissions.org.

The Hardisons' Annual Report to their home parish, All Souls' Episcopal Church in Point Loma, California:

Maseno Missions Annual Report to All Souls' Episcopal Church - January, 2009

This year has been one of challenges. The post-election violence in Kenya has devastated the country. Food is scarce, and the cost of food when it must be purchased has tripled. Prices of seeds and fertilizer also skyrocketed, so that many of those who would otherwise have planted were unable to do so. Then those who planted have had a poor harvest because of drought. Here in Maseno we have had fewer visitors, which is disappointing. Many of the problems we have been facing for years are either recurring, or have not yet been resolved.

However, there is much that is positive. We are very thankful for the support from All Souls'. John Sands' striga effort* is showing good results. Mike Connor's visit was an encouragement as well. The Maseno Rotary Club (in formation) has been doing wonderful work in the community, eradicating jiggers among the local school children. The uniform money donated through All Souls' has been distributed to 30 children in each of 1 5 parishes, the uniforms purchased and the children are wearing them. The craft groups are working well and receiving money for school fees for their children. St. Philip's has 36 students. The hospital is busy, and Dianne Smith, an Episcopal missionary nurse is working hard with Gerry. The Mothers' Union Orphan Program has expanded to 41 parishes. 15 are funded with outside money for food, but all are receiving loans to begin income generating activities to provide for food independence. The women are very happy about the opportunity for their parish programs to become self-supporting. All Souls' began this effort some years ago, and some of the programs have been doing well already with that initial push. We have a website:  www.masenomissions.org. We'd like to see it as a link on the All Souls' e-letter.

We are submitting a proposal to the United Thank Offering through the Diocese of San Diego for renovation of the Maternity Ward at Maseno Hospital. We have received grants from the following: SAJE Foundation, unrestricted; Fowler Foundation, Orphan Program; Jubilee Commission, Diocese of Massachusetts, Orphan Program; St. Michael's Church, Barrington, IL, Orphan Program.

Our donors include 190 individuals, churches, and dioceses, Rotary clubs, a Soroptimist Club, and schools. Geographically, our donors are all across the U.S., in Great Britain, Japan and Italy. The Orphan Program has also been receiving donations from Kenyans including Bishop Oketch, the Farm School programs in the Diocese of Maseno North, the CBO Liberty Initiators, and local well-wishers.

The mission programs in Maseno have grown, thanks to your prayer support and financial support. We are amazed and delighted at what God has done in this place, through your generosity. It is a wonderful example of the loaves and the fishes. (John 6: 1-13)

Nancy and Gerry Hardison

* Ed. note: Striga is a parasitic plant native to Africa and Asia that causes a great deal of trouble for farmers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striga_(plant)

Donations to the hospital and college may be sent to:

All Souls' Episcopal Church
1475 Catalina Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92107
(Put "Maseno Project" in the memo field)

Kenya Project page from All Souls' Episcopal Church-Point Loma website

Episcopal News Service story about the Hardisons and other missionaries in Kenya

Also see "AIDS in Africa - the Jubilee Ministry" on the Diocese of Massachusetts website