‘Friends of VisPa’ in Kenya

An Ahoghill-based Christian charity set up to support Vision and Passion Centres (VisPa) whose workers provide food, accommodation, education and healthcare to needy children in Western Kenya has just had members return from a 10-day visit to the country.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Oct 2014, 09:50 BST
Some members of the team from Friends of VisPa who helped to create and erect a mural at the charitys orphanage. From left to right are: Ian Mc Neill, Cheryl Sinclair, Sophie Lowry, Kerry Hayburn, Trevor Stirling, John Scullion INBT-41F-VISPA SUMMER TEAM.Some members of the team from Friends of VisPa who helped to create and erect a mural at the charitys orphanage. From left to right are: Ian Mc Neill, Cheryl Sinclair, Sophie Lowry, Kerry Hayburn, Trevor Stirling, John Scullion INBT-41F-VISPA SUMMER TEAM.
Some members of the team from Friends of VisPa who helped to create and erect a mural at the charitys orphanage. From left to right are: Ian Mc Neill, Cheryl Sinclair, Sophie Lowry, Kerry Hayburn, Trevor Stirling, John Scullion INBT-41F-VISPA SUMMER TEAM.

Through their ministry, ‘Friends of VisPa’ also provide Christian guidance and influence, giving emotional and spiritual nourishment to all the young people in their care.

Colin Hayburn, who directs the charity alongside his wife, Gillian, recently led an all-age team of 19 members to the Kenyan town of Kisumu where VisPa has a primary school, high school and an orphanage.

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The main body of the team were involved in bible study camps, which took place at VisPa’s Emanuel High School while another group of men helped with general maintenance work in both the school and orphanage. 

Young team member Danny Ross made a promotional video for the organisation which can now be seen on their website and Cheryl Sinclair of St Patrick’s Parish, Ballymena, who teaches Art and Craft courses for NRC, and two younger team members, Kerry Hayburn and Sophie Lowry, worked on a mural project with some local children.

Cheryl said: “We ran some further art activities for the older students, the girls decorated t-shirts with specific designs using fabric pens and the boys sketched and shaded pictures of animals and birds.”

The visiting team achieved a lot in a very short space of time and the children and young people were very appreciative of the new experiences.

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Cheryl said there was also a great spirit of fellowship amongst the team, adding: “Being in Kenya was a very rich experience”.

To find out more about the visit and the charity log on to www.vispa-kenya.org