Celebrate the Resurrection with a Kenyan Easter Song
As a young man in Marsabit County, Kenya, Abdub Jarso felt like a failure. In his twenties, without technical skills or a job to support himself, Abdub spent his days wasting time without anything better to do. He was depressed and lacked motivation because he felt he had no value to his family or community. Abdub shared, “I was unemployed and lacked money… so getting food was a problem. Life was really hard and difficult for me.”
So often, wealthy people think of poverty as a lack of material things. However, the people Food for the Hungry (FH) walks alongside tell a different story. They describe how poverty affects their day-to-day life physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In the case of Abdub, his struggle to work, his lack of income, and the resulting hunger were intertwined with his feelings of shame, worthlessness, and isolation.
Easter Means There is Hope for Abdub
We are approaching Holy Week and our celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection at Easter. At FH, resurrection is about restoration and renewal… because the same power that caused Christ to rise from the grave is alive today, present in rich communities and those in poverty. When we say that God is making all things new, we believe that He is not only restoring our relationship to Him, but that He is mending all of the brokenness of this world. That means he is using organizations like FH to heal conflicts between people, poverty and lack of essential resources, systems that exploit, or feelings of worthlessness and shame. FH’s work teaching people new skills, connecting them to markets and resources, telling them their value, and bringing neighbors together to rebuild community are all acts of restoration.
Because we believe in the hope of resurrection, we believe that people can be free of all forms of poverty.
What does that mean for Abdub? Well, in 2017, Abdub and his friends joined a community group organized by FH. For the last few years, FH Kenya has collaborated with the local government to provide learning around sustainable farming and skills for marketing and running a small business. Now, Abdub provides food and income for his wife and his parents. Through a savings group, he has even been able to gain financial support from a local bank to start new initiatives. And beyond that, he has become so skilled that he is now a trainer, teaching other families in his community how to create home gardens! Hopeful for the future and excited to begin new projects, Abdub is growing as a leader in his community and his family. Abdub’s life has been entirely transformed — by hope.
This Easter, celebrate the hope of the resurrection by praising God for what He has done for young men like Abdub and countless others with a song of celebration from Abdub’s native Kenya, a song sung by Christians in Swahili (English verses below).
Moyo Wangu (Swahili)
Moyo wangu sifu bwana, sifu bwana
Siku zote hallelujah, hallelujah
Imba imba anaweza, anaweza
Tumshangilie kwa shangwe kubwa, hallelujah
Ndiye Bwana wa mabwana
Shangilia ametenda mema
Yesu bwana mfalme wa ajabu
Ameshinda kifo na mauti
Atawale milele amina
Moyo Wangu (English)
My heart, praise the Lord, praise the Lord
All the days of my life, hallelujah, hallelujah
Sing, sing, he is able, he is able
Let’s celebrate with joyful praise, hallelujah
He is Lord of lords
Celebrate, he has done good
Lord Jesus, King of Wonder
He has defeated death and the grave
Let Him reign forever!
God was able to transform Abdub’s life and he can transform yours too. He is able!
This Easter, consider making more transformation possible for people in poverty. Your donation allows FH to continue walking alongside those who need the hope of the gospel. Give today!
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