There is great reward when we embrace others in need and equip them with skills (not handouts) so that dignity and sustainability can be passed on to others!
Meet Celestine
Celestine’s life took a miserable turn down a deadly path after she got married. Her husband’s meager income was not meeting the family’s needs, and though Celestine’s children begged her not to, she began brewing and selling illegal alcohol. She would tell them—and herself: “God will bless us one day and then I will quit.”
The police planned a night ambush and finally caught Celestine red-handed. As the police car drove off, she could hear the screaming cries of her children pleading for the police not to take their mommy away. Celestine realized at that moment that she needed to seek real change in her life. She heard about Julia, a former brewer from her same town of Ngorngoroi, and decided along with several other women to follow Julia’s example and attend a 5-day training with Empowering Lives International.
During the training Celestine learned of God’s love for her, as well as so many new ways to provide for her family: baking, dairy farming, kitchen gardening, and more! Upon returning home, the implementation of these skills was difficult, but Celestine persevered with the help from other friends like Julia who were making new lives for themselves too. They checked in on one another and encouraged one another, knowing that returning to brewing would be devastating for their families and their community. Together they even invested in a few bigger businesses like selling tree seedlings and starting a rental company, where they collectively invested in and then rented out plastic chairs, plates, and cups for ceremonies.
Because she has taken the skills she learned at the training and built on them, Celestine is now able to help her eldest daughter attend college while her younger children continue in elementary and high school. Celestine shares her testimony as often as possible:
Your investment has made Celestine’s story and so many others a reality! World Changers are being ignited every day in East Africa . . . and as they pass their transformation on to others, more World Changers are set ablaze! Thank you for fueling the fire of change that is now burning brightly in N'gorongoroi. God’s Spirit is at work, and we are grateful to be on this journey with you!
Rock Harbor’s Ministry Impact
In total 43 women have been trained by ELI and have officially quit brewing. Julia is their leader, and they are committed to seeing Ngorngoroi 100% free of changaa (the moonshine known as "Kill Me Quick"). They are personally committed to empowering the remaining brewers and their families to leave the illicit trade once and for all. They recognize that the most important component to change is the power of God and the salvation of Jesus Christ. For this reason 13 of them attended a Women of Change prayer retreat in December that was led by ELI staff member Dennis Kiprop. At the 3-day retreat the women spent time in corporate worship, Bible study, reconciling relationships, and seeking the Lord. Dennis led workshops on the use of Discovery Bible Study as an effective tool for Disciple Making (Movements) and helped the ladies recognize that they themselves are persons of peace and how to identify other persons of peace.
The ladies from Ngorngoroi immediately began thinking about which current brewers in their community God was putting on their hearts, would be the most receptive to change, and would have the most powerful testimonies. As they returned home in December, they began to minister to their sisters and learned time and time again how challenging the home dynamic was for them. Many of the Women of Change did not recognize that the reason they were the only ones who said “yes” to training was because of fear. Current brewers feared their husbands’ violence and wrath if they were to leave brewing. They feared for their children’s security in the face of an irate father. They feared for their own survival.
The Women of Change then called Dennis, and together they began to draft a plan for marriage reconciliation and family reunification. A strategy is in place to provide detox and sobriety to husbands and life-skill training to wives. Then together they will come as couples (10 at a time) for a 3-day marriage retreat to hear from each other’s hearts, pray, worship, and be invited to receive Christ. Then the husbands would be trained in similar skills to their wives so that her new business could become their business.
The ladies from Ngorngoroi immediately began thinking about which current brewers in their community God was putting on their hearts, would be the most receptive to change, and would have the most powerful testimonies. As they returned home in December, they began to minister to their sisters and learned time and time again how challenging the home dynamic was for them. Many of the Women of Change did not recognize that the reason they were the only ones who said “yes” to training was because of fear. Current brewers feared their husbands’ violence and wrath if they were to leave brewing. They feared for their children’s security in the face of an irate father. They feared for their own survival.
The Women of Change then called Dennis, and together they began to draft a plan for marriage reconciliation and family reunification. A strategy is in place to provide detox and sobriety to husbands and life-skill training to wives. Then together they will come as couples (10 at a time) for a 3-day marriage retreat to hear from each other’s hearts, pray, worship, and be invited to receive Christ. Then the husbands would be trained in similar skills to their wives so that her new business could become their business.
The goal of the 43 current Women of Change is to have 4 groups (40 couples in total) go through this program by the end of 2020. ELI’s agricultural trainers, children’s ministry programs like Give a Child a Chance, anti-alcohol/detox programs, and even children’s homes would all participate in on-ground ministry, programs, and events to nurture as many relationships as possible.
Community Overview
Ngorngoroi is a Kalenjin word meaning “a place of scattered trees.” Historically it was known as a field for wild animals like antelopes, rabbits, dikdik, and the occasional elephant. There were only two clans that resided in the entire area for centuries: the Kapterik and the Kamoi. The two clans were very reserved, self-isolating for generations. They were descendants of nomadic hunter-gatherers and kept local animals like cows and sheep for domestic use. It wasn’t until 2000 that they began to “open up” to the outside world and allow other tribes and clans within the Kalenjin and Luhyas to engage, interact, and even move into the community.Ngorngoroi is a village in the Kapsowar location. This location has two sub-locations (Kapsorwar and Talai) and combined they have a population of 1,800 people across 300 households. Overall the area has ten primary schools and three secondary schools, but there is only one primary school and no high schools in Ngorngoroi itself.
The source of livelihood for most families is based around agriculture. The average annual income per household is about $300. There is a very high unemployment and idleness rate amongst young people (20-25 years old). Most of them are school dropouts, engage in premarital unprotected sex, and are dependent upon alcohol.
She was a brewer, a fighter, and a bouncer in her own brewing den. Julia Siloi, like many other women, began brewing when she got married. Her husband, Moses, had a drinking problem, and as a result he didn’t provide for the family. Realizing that she would have to take care of both herself and her husband, Julia began brewing illegal alcohol because it seemed like a quick and easy answer to her problems.
Julia was not only selling the toxic brew to those in her community but also began drinking it herself. As a result, the couple’s son was soon being neglected by his alcoholic parents and harassed by his mother’s customers. He would often go to sleep hungry since his mom was too busy brewing to care for him properly, and soon the neglect and fear that he felt caused him to struggle in school. Their poor son would beg his parents to stop brewing and drinking, but they didn’t. Eventually, the drinking got so bad that Moses would beat Julia, and her kind neighbor, Agnes, would have to take her in so she could hide until morning.
Julia was not only selling the toxic brew to those in her community but also began drinking it herself. As a result, the couple’s son was soon being neglected by his alcoholic parents and harassed by his mother’s customers. He would often go to sleep hungry since his mom was too busy brewing to care for him properly, and soon the neglect and fear that he felt caused him to struggle in school. Their poor son would beg his parents to stop brewing and drinking, but they didn’t. Eventually, the drinking got so bad that Moses would beat Julia, and her kind neighbor, Agnes, would have to take her in so she could hide until morning.Julia had over 100 customers who would drink all day, which often led to fights breaking out. Julia now recalls a particularly horrible day when a few of her patrons got into an altercation; it snowballed into a huge fight involving both her and Moses. When the dust settled, Julia had been beaten, doors were broken, and her home was damaged. Once again, she sought refuge at Agnes’s home for the night.
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