Hope for Children Center – Oyugis, Kenya
By Vicki Kritzell
While browsing through some old correspondence, I hap-
pened upon a letter. As I read it, I realized how very far this
work with the children has come. I sent it out to our Board
members, as we have been dealing with some particularly dif-
ficult situations these past few months and I felt they would
feel uplifted by this retrospection. Our former treasurer for
Hope for Children Center, Sally Specht, suggested that since
most of our sponsors have joined this work during just the past
year, they might be interested in seeing where we have been,
to better prepare them to assist us in our future direction.
To preface, many do not know that originally Esther and
I worked with another orphanage previous to our involve-
ment with Pastor Maurice. Several of our current sponsors
joined with us in supporting that outreach. When we discov-
ered that the funds we raised were being misused, as well as
the children going hungry and being abused, we worked
through several groups and individuals to shut this orphan-
age down. To this day, we are harassed by the administrator
(Lawrence) of what was known
as “OBREC,” and he has even
threatened Pastor Maurice.
The following letter was
written a short time after that
work was successfully closed
down, and an updated report,
based on the information found
in this letter, was published in the
Nov./Dec. 2002 issue of Hearth
to Hearth magazine [a magazine
that we discontinued in January
of 2006].
Homa Bay
“Our latest reports concern-
ing the orphans from OBREC
come to us from the pastor,
Maurice Odhiambo. [Pastor Maurice’s actual full name is
Maurice Odhiambo Maina Anyango.]
“Upon his inquiry, he learned that the government noti-
fied parents, where there were surviving ones, or extended
family members to come pick up the children who were in
the orphanage in Homa Bay. He worries they will suffer at
the hands of these relatives. The children who were taken to
Kericho are still there as far as he knows. Hopefully more in-
formation will be available soon.
“The pastor informs us he now has eleven of the children
living in his home. They range in age from four years to
teens. He also has three children of his own, which brings the
total in his household to sixteen. These children have come
to him because they have nowhere else to go, and he will not
turn them away. Pastor Maurice has related he loves these
children and must find a way to keep them from the streets
even as he struggles to feed his own children. Pastor feels he
can manage this brood on about $350 US dollars a month af-
ter he gets the necessary household items required. There are
two ways to address this issue. We can try to sponsor the
children who are with him, guaranteeing them a home, or we
can send whatever donations come from the heart. (The chil-
dren there are Night Akoth, Maureen Akinyi, Daniel Matiku,
Milicent Adhiambo, Elgah Akoth, Paul Gumbo, Joel Or-
mond, Fredrick Odhiambo, Winnie Akoth, Winnie Atieno
and Jerome Obudho. Joel is already sponsored.) He is
searching for a larger house and needs to buy bedding, etc.,
for his new family.
“A recent visit from a deputy of the Homa Bay Police De-
partment left a good impression on the officer. He was pleased
with the care the children were receiving but suggested Pastor
needed to provide beds so the children don’t have to sleep on
the floor. He has been able to buy six beds, but needs more. We
have received a request from one of the young men who is now
attending school to ask the Pastor if he too might live at Pastor’s
house while not in school. He in-
formed us he is sleeping at Law-
rence’s home on rags on the floor,
and he knows the children who live
with the Pastor are being well cared
for.
“Pastor Maurice has person-
ally paid school fees for five of
the children, but he is a man ofex-
tremely modest means.
“We are hoping some will
step forward and help Pastor pro-
vide a home for these children
who have already had their lives
so disrupted. As Dr. Hilary
Murray, one of the women who
helped fund the original OBREC
[which was dissolved in 2000 before we were involved due
to their also being duped by Lawrence] said in a recent letter:
‘There is one thing I know for sure, there are many, many
children in Nyzanza Province and throughout Kenya who
are suffering and need help. I also know there are very few
people in Homa Bay who are truly concerned for the well be-
ing of these children and who are willing to care for them. If
you find one, as you believe you have in Pastor Maurice, you
have found a rare and precious gift and through him you can
start to make real and lasting improvements to the life of a
child. I would encourage you to continue with the work.’
“We did send Pastor Maurice a small amount of money
during the closing of OBREC, and he supplied us with
signed receipts and detailed accounting of expenditures. We
are deeply convinced he is a man worthy of our trust.
-2-
The first official home of Hope for Children Center,
occupied when there was no longer room for so many
orphans in Pastor Maurice’s own home.
