On one of her early trips to Kenya, Rev. Melissa Hatfield spent most of her week rocking babies, preparing bottles, and giving caregivers needed moments of rest.
16 years later, those babies are now in high school and thriving!
For more than a decade, Melissa has had the opportunity to watch them grow up and see firsthand how holistic care changes the trajectory of a child’s life. She’s also witnessed the transition from their original ministry partner to working alongside Oasis.
“Oasis has done an incredible job of raising the level of holistic care for the kids,” she says. “Everything is clean and well taken care of. The children feel pride in their school and home. It makes it easier when we leave knowing they’re thriving year-round.”As the lead pastor at First Baptist Church in Jefferson City, Missouri, Melissa has taken members of her congregation to Kenya every summer since 2009 to cultivate her church’s heart for the world.
“When people build relationships with people around the world, you approach the world differently,” Melissa says. “You see the news differently. You understand that God is greater than just your particular country.”
On day one in Kenya, their group meets our students and staff, tours our campuses, and learns about Kenyan culture. During their trip, they help with a wide variety of projects—from laundry and cooking to educational lessons and activities for children.
When they go back home to Missouri, the partnership doesn’t end. They share stories, pictures, and prayer requests with their congregation and even launched a partnership with a local public elementary school to stay connected to Oasis year round.
For Melissa, the trips have shaped her heart for Kenya and the world, “I’m a much better person for all of our time there.”
We love hosting Melissa and her church every summer! It is a joy to introduce our partners to Kenya and see them witness the result of their generosity and prayers in person. Through the support of our faithful partners, more children will grow up knowing they are loved by God and enabled to build a more hopeful future.
P.S. Is your church, school, or company interested in starting a partnership with Oasis? Like Melissa has experienced, partnerships are a special way to invest in our students all year long and build long-term relationships with them.
Whether you’re interested in bringing a team to Kenya or you’d like to hear about other ways to partner with us, contact us! We’d love to share more and find a way to work with you.
